What to Look for When Buying Essential Oils
Essential oils are nothing new, but the hype is certainly reaching all-time highs as many people are flocking to the internet to figure out what they are, what they do, and where they can get them. Essential oils are a compound extract of plant parts (stem, leaf, flower, etc). The aromatics of these extracts are used in diffusers to help with sleep, anxiety, and other conditions.
The use of essential oils has been booming recently and interest has never been higher as people seek out more holistic medicinal treatments and home remedies. If you’re looking to get into essential oils yourself, here is some handy buyer advice.
Look for Signs of a Quality Product
It’s a bit obvious that you want to buy the most quality essential oils available, so there are some signs that will show you if you’re going to get a quality product. First, you have the plants, which means how they were grown, the quality they were in, and if any chemicals were involved. The second is how the oils were processed, like dilution. And lastly, you have the packaging, as in the bottles/tinctures they come in (look for amber or dark tint). It might be hard to spot this quality and some essential oil brands might not disclose this info, but it’s good to look for when you can.
Read Reviews and Look for Trusted Sellers
As you would with any product you’re looking to buy, you want to consider what others are saying. Reading product reviews helps you understand what people did or didn’t like about the product of a particular seller or brand, plus, they also might have advice if they are experienced essential oil enthusiasts. Similarly, look for trusted sellers and brands with a good track record of customer service.
Ensure the Products Aren’t Improperly Labeled or Marketed
Improper labeling doesn’t mean that the label is upside down (although this would be a sign of bad craftsmanship, no doubt), it means that they aren’t trying to market them with scam terms. One way to spot improper labeling and marketing is when they grade the essential oils as therapeutic or high-grade or have a grading scale. This is not a legitimate way to determine the quality of essential oils as essential oils are determined by the processing of the plants, as mentioned before.
Smell the Scents and Train Your Nose
If you’re buying in-store, you might have the chance to smell the aromas of the essential oils. This is a good way to physically tell if they are diluted or if they smell the right way. Training your nose to pick up on scents is a good way to help you spot poorly processed essential oils. It takes a long time to adjust your sense of smell and train it to detect aromatics, especially essential oils, but using essential oils that you buy and collect, you can help develop this sense better.
Carefully Read the Label
Reading the label should be a no-brainer when purchasing any kind of aromatic, medicinal product, or healthcare good. When it comes to essential oils, you want to look for words like fragrance, which is a bad sign. Fragrance oils are not essential oils, they are simply scents and don’t offer aromatherapy qualities. It’s also good to look for batch numbers that can help you source where the oils came from. You should check for Latin names of the extracts as well because it will help specify the species of plant that it came from with its proper name.
Compare Prices of Oils
Using price as a barometer for the quality of a product is tough because it’s a sliding scale. On one hand, cheaper essential oils could result in cheaper quality, like diluted oils, but it may be that the seller is simply trying to attract a client base with competitive prices. On the other hand, trusted brands might upcharge their products, but the quality is good. It’s really hard to gauge how it can help you narrow down your search, but generally speaking, avoiding lower-priced essential oils is advised because you are more than likely getting an inferior product.
If you’re trying to keep on top of the latest holistic healthcare trends, essential oils are one that you might not want to miss out on. For that, you need to know how to be a prudent buyer, and this handy little guide has provided you some useful tips in finding the right essential oils to add to your collection.
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