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Miriam Carl, Clinical Aromatherapist

Quality of Essential Oils: What a Label Reveals

9/20/2014

2 Comments

 
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The following should be included on the label of an essential oil:

(Note: This is not an exhaustive list, yet it's a good place to start. Be aware of what is written on the label of your essential oils! If this information is missing, it may be a negative sign about the quality of the oil/supplier. In some cases this information will be listed in the product catalog or website).

- The common name: Lavender, Neroli, Geranium, etc. 

- The Latin binomial: This is the botanical name of the plant. It includes genus and species.                     An example: Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender). This is extremely important! Think about it: There are over 250 species of the eucalyptus genus. Which one are you using? Each one has its own unique chemistry and therapeutic applications.

- The country of origin of the plant material: France, USA, Italy, etc. This can affect the aroma and the chemical composition of the oil.

- Part of plant used: Bark, leaves, fruit, seeds, flowering tops, etc. 

- How the plant is grown: Organic, Wild-crafted, etc. 

- Method of Extraction: Steam distilled or expressed.

- Standard Safety Warning: Usually something along the lines of: "Not for internal use. Keep away from children."  When a label says the oil is not for internal use, this does NOT mean anything about the quality! This is a legal decision that companies make to protect from lawsuits.

~ Size of bottle/essential oil content: Most companies use the metric system. 5, 10, or 15 milliliters is a common size.

- Chemotype: Should be listed when relevant. (I will write more about this in a future post).

- A batch number: This is used to identify a specific batch of essential oil, from a specific supplier, during a specific year. Batches vary based on a number of factors that change.



Do you have any questions? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

2 Comments
lin collette link
9/21/2014 07:39:58 am

very useful information that I will use

Reply
Miriam
10/17/2014 05:54:14 am

Wonderful, thank you!

Reply

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