Not all Essential Oils are created equal! Know the difference!

There are many essential oils out on the market today, so how can you know which is truly worth your money and health investment? I want to help you with some key components to look for! The highest quality standard requires precise care and effort to protect what nature has created so beautifully. This commitment to quality correlates directly to the life-changing benefits we have come to expect from essential oils, but many fall short.

Where the oil is sourced is essential. The composition of the plant will vary greatly based on the location, climate, and environment.  Where the plant is grown is a primary factor in determining the therapeutic quality of the essential oil. Select farmers/harvesters who have mastered their art in locations where plants have been grown traditionally for many years.

Potency Begins With The Seed

The proper seed variety (species) and even chemotype for particular plants must be carefully selected so that the distinct molecular profile of the aromatic compounds by the plant can be achieved. Some plants have many plant varieties and chemotypes. The chemotype determines the level of particular compounds within the oil composition which will determine specific health benefits. When investing in essential oils, you want the benefits to go beyond just a wonderful smell! For example, not all Rosemary is the same. Rosmarinus officials chemotype 1,8 cineol is chosen for the specific composition that offers respiratory support as well as mental clarity. It's important to know your plants and what types of benefits they offer.

Harvesting The Right Part Of The Plant

The environment plays a key role in the potency or therapeutic value of the plant. Growing season, elevation, climate, moisture, soil, terrain, and pH all factor into the quality or potency of the essential oil produced. It is also essential that the right part of the plant be harvested. The aromatic compounds from the leaves of the plant will differ from what is produced in the flowers. For example, many producers will harvest the leaves, stalks and flowers of Helichrysum to increase their oil yield for more profit.  This completely changes the composition of the essential oil. The true Helichrysum italicum comes from the delicate yellow flowering tops of the plant from Corsica for the most therapeutic benefits.

Where Essential Oils Are Sourced Matters

I stand behind a company that has made the commitment to source their essential oils from harvesters who grow aromatic crops in the indigenous soils of their land and follow stringent growing and harvesting quality standards. This not only allows them to offer the world's finest essential oils, but to also impact the economy in a positive way on a global scale! Wouldn't it be wonderful to know that the bottle of essential oil you are using today in not only benefiting you but also the person who so carefully grew it?

Plants grown in traditional or indigenous environments yield better results because the natural elements specific to the region promote a more therapeutic profile of the aromatic compounds produced by the plant. For example, Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil is indigenous to the Provence region of France. The high altitudes at which Lavender is grown results in the plant having higher ester and sesquiterpene alcohol content, thereby increasing its therapeutic benefits. Although lavender grows readily in the United States, the therapeutic values are not as beneficial. The growing conditions that exist in the native lands cannot be duplicated!

Producing essential oils that meet the highest pure therapeutic standard is a skill requiring years of experience. It takes the work of a dedicated harvester at each step, from growing and harvesting to fine-tuning the distillation process.

The FDA regulations are poor.

The labeling on essential oils are also very mis-leading! The FDA only requires a low percentage of purity to be marked 100% pure. So if anywhere from 10-100% of the essential oil in the bottle tests 100% pure, the whole bottle can be labeled 100% pure.  The rest of the bottle could be filled with a carrier oil, fillers or synthetic version of the oil.  Mis-guided information is out there and I want you to know the difference!  And not only is the purity important, as I've mentioned above, the potency, harvesting and where they are sourced also plays a huge role in the quality!

Why settle for second best?

When investing in your overall health and well being, you deserve to know the difference! I have found a company that has hands-on experience and understanding of global sourcing of oils  and quality assurance practices that allow them the ability to offer nature's purest essences, sourced from the most pristine regions around the globe!

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Whether you are a new to oils, already love oils and want to purchase from the #1 company in the industry, or want to build your own Essential Oils business, I’m here to meet you where you are at. I would love to hear in the comments where you are in your oil journey! We can experience this journey together and I’ll be there every step of the way!

Nurse Mom turned Oil Mom- April