DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ESSENTIAL OIL GRADES
WARNING! USING LOW GRADE OR SYNTHETIC OILS ON YOUR SKIN CAN BE HARMFUL. USE ONLY CERTIFIED ORGANIC, PREMIUM GRADE OILS.
NATURAL vs SYNTHETIC
Essential Oils = Natural
Fragrance Oils = Synthetic
Synthetic oils mimic the aroma of essential oils. Although cheaper they have absolutely no therapeutic benefit on the skin. This is because fragrance oils are synthetic versions with different structures and the body does not absorb them like natural molecules. In fact, synthetic oils can be harmful when applied to the skin causing irritation and rash.
Essential oil prices can fluctuate greatly because of crop conditions. For this reason some are reasonably priced while others seem excessive. Fragrance oils are cheaper and can be purchased in unlimited quantities because they do not depend on a crop harvest. A few essential oils are less expensive than their synthetically produced counterparts such as lemon, orange, pine and some lavender but they are also more volatile.
As its name suggest, fragrance oils only smell good. They will offer absolutely no therapeutic benefit.
So how can you tell if you’ve got the real thing?
- Some people are genetically able to smell the difference.
- If you are not one of these people – do the oil drop test. A drop of natural essential oil on paper will evaporate without leaving an oily residue.
GRADES of ESSENTIAL OILS
There are 4 Grades of Essential Oils
Grade A essential oils are pure and therapeutic quality. They are usually made from organically grown plants distilled at the proper temperatures using steam distillation
Environmental factors (where the plant is grown, soil type, fertiliser (organic vs. chemical), altitude, etc.) and physical factors (how and when the plant is harvested, distilled and bottled) also determine if an essential oil is of therapeutic quality.
• Grade B essential oils are food grade. They may contain synthetics, pesticides, fertilisers, chemical/synthetic extenders, or carrier oils.
• Grade C oils are perfume grade and may contain the same type of adulterating chemicals as food grade oils.
• Floral Water is a byproduct of the distillation process. It can be very high quality if it comes from a Grade A distillation process. Accordingly, a very low quality if it comes from poor quality raw materials and/or poor distillation processes. It is usually found in skin and hair products. This grade has no therapeutic qualities.
Some Evidence The Quality Of Essential Oils Makes A Difference
Not all essential oils are the same. A randomised, double-blind trial of essential oils from two different species of lavender, topically applied on post-cardiotomy patients revealed that the quality of the oil is an important factor in determining the efficacy of its use.
28 patients were randomly selected to receive aromatherapy massage with one of the two essential oils on two consecutive days, and their emotional and behavioural stress levels were evaluated both before and after the treatment.
The results revealed that the therapeutic effects of the two lavenders were clearly different; one was almost twice as effective as the other, thereby disproving the hypothesis that aromatherapy, using topical application of essential oils, is effective purely because of touch, massage or placebo.
[Source: Buckle J. Nurs Times (ENGLAND) May 19-25 1993, 89 (20) p32-5]
Why is it so Costly to Produce Therapeutic Grade Oil?
You need hundreds of pounds of material to make a pound of therapeutic grade oil. For instance it takes 30 to 60 roses to make one drop of pure therapeutic grade Rose oil.
It takes far less material to make synthetic or perfume grade oil. Therefore producing oils correctly and for therapeutic benefits is extremely time consuming and costly. The cost of the plants alone can be enough to discourage a company from producing them. The therapeutic grade essential oil is extremely concentrated and although the cost of the oil is more, we need far less and we can expect superior results.
Enfleurage is the most expensive extraction method and is the only one that won’t alter the chemical makeup (therefore, fragrance) of some botanicals such as lilac. As a result, commercial production of some essential oils is impractical.
Distillation and cold pressing methods yield liquid essential oils. The results of solvent extraction and enfleurage are resins and concretes--solids and semi-solids. Essential oils will dissolve in alcohol or oil and are volatile; evaporation dissipates their scents quickly (patchouli is one exception). A drop of pure, liquid essential oil on paper will disappear without leaving an oil spot when it is dry. You can use this easy test if you doubt the genuineness of an essential oil.
