Essential oils have gained popularity over the years due to their benefits to a person’s mental and physical health. Due to its growing demand, essential companies continuously flock to the market to promote their own unique products. As the market becomes loaded with other doubtful products, it becomes the consumer’s responsibility to remain vigilant before purchasing.
With that in mind, having a guide to buying essential oils comes in handy for you to find the best quality at the most reasonable price. Aside from that, what makes a buying guide even more important as it keeps you away from the risk of purchasing an essential oil that may harm you.
In this blog, we listed a few purchasing factors you should consider when you shop for essential oils. We will also recommend different kinds of essential oil that you should try for your aromatherapy sessions.
Why should you use essential oils?
If you don’t know much about essential oils, you are probably wondering what makes them so special. To answer your question, essential oils offer various effects and benefits to a person’s health.
Essential oils are concentrated extracts of plants, meaning they contain the essence of the plant. Simply put, they contain the plant’s natural fragrance and flavor, as well as its therapeutic properties.
These oils are also known as volatile or ethereal oils. They are commonly used in aromatherapy, which is a form of alternative medicine that uses essential oils to improve a person’s mood and health. Aromatherapy can be used to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also be used to improve sleep, boost energy levels, and promote concentration.
What are the 3 categories of essential oils?
Before we get into our guide to finding the right essential oils, let’s first take a look at the 3 different categories of essential oils. Familiarizing yourself with these enables you to make a tangible decision when checking the quality of essential oils.
Now, what are essential oils exactly and why are they so popular these days?
Essential oils are volatile, aromatic compounds extracted from plants. With that, we can say that the reason people see it as a necessity is due to its natural power to relax and therapize users.
There are three primary categories of essential oils:
- Top notes. These essential oils are used to scent a product and make it more appealing. They are also used to add an extra layer of protection against the environment. The top notes are the lightest and most quickly evaporating oils, which makes them perfect for creating a refreshing and uplifting atmosphere.
- Middle notes. They are the heart of a fragrance and determine its overall character. They can be described as fresh, spicy, or warm. Important middle notes include cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and sandalwood. Middle notes are usually less intense than top or base notes, and they’re what you’ll smell after the top note dissipates. It has a slightly heavier and balancing effect, while base notes are the heaviest and longest-lasting, making them ideal for grounding and relaxing.
- Base notes. This last type is the foundation of the scent of essential oils and provides it with its lasting power. They are typically heavy, rich, and deep scents that take longer to evaporate than the top or middle notes. Because of their staying power, base notes are often used to fix other scent molecules in place and are an important part of any fragrance blend. Common base note essential oils include vetiver, patchouli, amber, myrrh, and frankincense.
These are the different categories of essential oils. Many essential oils are available in the market. So, always keep them in mind for you to get good quality oils.
A Simple Step-by-Step Guide to Getting the Best Essential Oils
Have you found the best category of essential oils for you? If you did, then it is time for you to learn the different components of essential oils products to look at.
There are a lot of things to consider when buying essential oils and aromatherapy products. Different aromatherapy products vary in purity depending on the production method used by their manufacturers. You need to be equipped with important information regarding these products before you decide to purchase them.
So in this part, we aim to equip you with the knowledge of what to look for when buying essential oils. By doing this, it can help to ensure that you are getting authentic essential oils that carry your desired or expected therapeutic action.
Are you ready? Here are the 5 important things you have to keep in mind when purchasing essential oils!
1. Identify your need.
Before you buy any aromatherapy product, you need to identify what you really need. You should determine your purpose for buying it. Are you going to use it to heal a particular ailment or do you just intend to use it as a candle diffuser at home?
There are different ways to use essential oil. So you may want to start to find out the answer to this one first. The general uses of essential oils include the following.
- Aromatic
- Topical
- Internal
It is best to seek the advice of an aromatherapy practitioner before buying essential oils. This can help to ensure that you know what to buy based on your need.
2. Identify sources.
There are tons of essential oil brands that supply essential oils. Commonly these products are available in health shops, herb stores, drug stores, cosmetic shops and supermarkets. While some are even sold online nowadays.
Essential oils are easily accessible to anyone that thinks they will need it. However, the more accessible it is; the more you should be careful where it came from.
If you intend to use your essential oil for therapeutic purposes, don’t buy them from supermarkets and cosmetic shops. These stores sell impure oils which are diluted with other chemical ingredients. You should buy therapeutic essential oils from herb stores and health food stores. They are known as reliable outlets of pure aromatherapy products.
On the other hand, if your applying it to your skin, make sure to choose the most recommended and trusted brand by health professionals. Also, don’t forget to take into consideration the carrier oil your will be using and check out the ingredients used to create the product. This way, you can guarantee that your skin is free from any allergies, and potential side effects that may irritate the skin.
3. Identify their containers.
All essential oil comes in various containers. But the essential oil containers are not just for aesthetic purposes. There is actually a science behind this idea.
Essential oils are typically sensitive to light and they can become contaminated when contained in plastic. Pure essential oils are sold in dark-colored glass bottles to preserve their purity and potency. Avoid buying essential oils in plastic bottles or other containers with rubber dropper tops as they may be contaminated.
Also, make sure only to purchase essential oils that are still sealed. If you notice that it is unsealed, chances are that it was already opened and exposed to air.
4. Check the label.
You can never go wrong in assessing the purity or quality of essential oil through its label. By checking the label, you can be confident that you are buying the right aromatherapy product that you want. When you buy essential oils, always check for the label that says “100% Essential Oil” or “Pure Essential Oil.”
Never go for bottles that carry markings like “Perfume Oil,” “Fragrance Oil,” “Botanical Essence,” or “Natural Oil.” These products could be mixed with synthetic chemicals which can lessen their therapeutic effects.
Another way of determining the purity of essential oils is to find the botanical name of the oil together with its common name on the label. Most of these oils are also packed with brochures that contain information about their country of origin, instructions for use and method of extraction.
5. Check the price.
Now that we are down to the last one on this list. Aside from checking the container and ingredients used, let us not forget to look at the price. The price of an essential oil is usually one of the indicators of its quality.
Typically, espensive oils are better than lower-priced ones in terms of quality. But if you know how to assess the content properly, you can find decent-priced essential oils that are on par with their expensive counterpart.
The countries of origin, methods and costs of production, and availability and supply are just a few factors that can affect the individual costs of different essential oils. These should make the price of a particular essential oil different from the others.
But if you can see different essential oils with uniform or too good-to-be-true prices, you should be doubtful as it is a sign that those oils are fake or synthetic imitations.
Does it matter what brand of essential oils you use?
No, it does not matter what brand of essential oils you use. All brands will work just as well as long as the essential oil is pure and unadulterated.
However, there are some instances where you need to consider the brand. Usually, established brands are more guaranteed as authentic suppliers of the product. But keep in mind that since it is already an established brand expect that the price is higher than the other brand.
Moreover, some brands have their own specialized essential oil. This means that these reputable companies follow standards for essential oil in the industry.
So should you opt to in buying oils based on their brand? Well, it depends on your budget, its purpose and the type of essential oil you are aiming to purchase.
Are Essential Oils the Same as Natural Oils?
No, essential oils are not the same as natural oils. Essential oils are concentrated versions of natural plant extracts, while natural oils are simply the oil that is naturally present in a plant. Essential oils contain the “essence” of the plant, while natural oils may or may not.
Natural oils are lipids that are extracted from plants and are used in a variety of ways. Natural oils can be used as a moisturizer for the skin, as a conditioner for the hair, and even as a cooking oil. There are many different types of natural oils, each with its own unique benefits.
Types of essential oils
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that retain the natural aroma and flavor of the plant. They are used in a variety of ways, including aromatherapy, massage, and as ingredients in natural beauty products. There are many different types of essential oils, each with its own unique benefits.
Among these types of essential oil includes:
- Tea tree oil
- lemon oil
- Chamomile oil
- Lavender essential oil
- eucalyptus oil
Possible side effects of using essential oil
Essential oils are concentrated liquids that are extracted from plants. They are used in aromatherapy and have a wide range of benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep, and boosting energy levels.
However, essential oils can also cause side effects, especially if they are not used properly. The most common side effects include skin irritation, headaches, and nausea. If you experience any of these side effects after using essential oils, stop using them immediately and consult a doctor.
To avoid any issues, look for essential oils that are natural. Basically, you want to find an essential oil that has fewer chemicals in it.
The one you need is the best essential oil
There are a few things you can look for to determine if an essential oil is of good quality. The oil should be clear and free of any debris or sediment. It should also be a consistent color throughout.
The smell of the oil should be pleasant and not too strong. Good quality essential oils will also have a label that indicates the country of origin and the method of extraction.
These are everything you need to know about finding the best essential oils in the market. Visit our aromatherapy blog posts for a more holistic guide to the various essential oil in the market.
