Aroma Oils vs Essential Oils - Know What The Labels Mean Before You Buy

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.

CLICK HERE TO  FIND OUT WHICH ESSENTIAL OIL IS RIGHT FOR YOUR SKIN.

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.

The Great Oil Debate : Do Skincare Products That Contain Oil Cause Acne? By Dianne Little

Logic dictates that if your face is oily avoid putting oils on it. Makes sense, but not true. Well, not entirely.

Let me introduce you to the word comedogenic – it means “a substance that tends to produce acne, such as by clogging pores”, according to Advanced English Dictionary.

There are 3 kinds of oils that can be applied to skin. They are mineral oils, carrier oils and essential oils. As its name suggests, mineral oils are by-products of minerals like coal and petroleum. The common baby oil is a mineral oil. It is comedogenic and absolutely must not be applied to the face, especially if it is acne prone. Carrier oils are made from the fatty part of plants, like its nuts or kernels. They are rich in unsaturated essentially fatty acids, many of which the skin desperately needs to stay healthy but is unable to be synthesize by the body. Finally essential oils are made from the non-fatty part of plants, such as flowers, barks, roots and leaves. They are not true oils because they do not contain fatty acids but are termed oils because they look like oils. Essentially, they are plant essences.

Cocoa butter (theobroma oil), coconut oil and wheat germ oil are carrier oils that are highly comedogenic. On the other hand, argan oil and pomegranate oil are carrier oils that are non-comedogenic. They rebalance oily skin and tame acne fare ups. Essentials oils generally do not clog pores but are unsuitable for direct skin application. They are extremely potent compounds that may result in skin sensitivities. They have to be diluted in water or carrier oils to be safety used. So, diluting it incorrectly could make your mixture comedogenic.

So, the trouble lies with mineral oils (baby oil) and carrier oils. Mineral oils are used in cheap massage blends. They can be safely used on the body but if you are prone to in-grown hairs, body pimples and rash you should avoid it like the plague. Frankly, in my book it should not even be used on babies.

Carrier oils on the other hand are less straightforward. Some of them are so good, you should not leave home without smothering it all over your hair, body, face, feet and nails. I’m referring to argan and pomegranate oils here. Others are good for certain parts of your body and have very specific skin repair functions. Here I’m talking about rosehip oil. It is slightly comedogenic on the face but is a must have when repairing scars, stretch marks and sun/age spots on the body. No other oil or compound has scar-repairing qualities like rosehip has.

Then you have carrier oils that generally should not be used on skin. Olive and coconut oil while great for protecting hair and giving it shine are too heavy for skin. They do not absorb well into the skin, leaving a thick oily residue. Rosehip, for example, while mildly comedogenic is a dry oil. It absorbs quickly into the skin. Argan on the other hand does not absorb into the skin as fast as rosehip but is not comedogenic at all. So, it is not necessarily the thickness of the oil that causes acne breakouts necessarily but the oils essential compounds.

So, in the case of using oils on skin, not knowing will hurt you. However, knowing the right pieces of information will leave skin so marvellously radiant, you will never understand why you every used any big-brand name cosmetic concoction in the first place.

Argan nuts used for oil
are  green and unroasted.
These are roasted nut.
The oil will be used for cooking. 

Let me safely promote argan and pomegranate oils for magnificent skin radiance. If you have a nut allergy opt for pomegranate. However, pomegranate has a mild citrus scent and may clash with perfume. That’s why I personally prefer argan oil. It is odourless and leaves skin sexy smooth.

I simply cannot stop raving about the great results argan has given my skin. Word of warning! Argan is a pricey rare oil. If you are buying something that is too cheap, it’s probably been diluted or adulterated. Furthermore, argan oil designed for hair is unsuitable for skin. They have added other ingredients to make it more affordable. Please shop for Argan oil that only has one ingredient in it – ARGAN OIL – you will not be disappointed!

Buy Premium Australian Certified Organic ARGAN oil here