Lord help me, people. I’ve spent the last two days trying to write a concise, easy guide to essential oils and their safety, and it ended up being just an enormous dump of information that no would want to ingest in a single blog post.
Therefore, you’re getting the quickest, easiest 21 facts you need to keep in mind. These things include safety measures, essential oil facts, therapeutic uses, and more. You’ll like this better. I promise.
However, at the end of this post, I am going to give extensive references to those of you who would like to learn more about the fascinating world of essential oils, as well as a list of my top 7 recommended essential oils for any household to have.
21 Things You Should Know About Essential Oils
- Essential oils are not really oils. They do not contain the fatty acids that constitute what we would consider an actual oil. Valerie Gennari Cooksley, author of Aromatherapy: Soothing Remedies to Restore, Rejuvenate and Heal defines essential oils as “highly concentrated plant constituents possessing potent medicinal and cosmetic qualities.” However, I think Stephanie Tourles nailed it in Organic Body Care recipes when she said, “I consider essential oils the life force or the soul of the plant.”
- Most essential oils are high in antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral properties: This makes them an excellent addition to your homemade cleaning preparations. Oils that are best for cleaning are: Lemon, grapefruit, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, lavender, and rosemary.
- Essential oils are minuscule in molecular size, which means they are absorbed well by the skin – making them perfect ingredients in personal care items intended to heal, soften, and nourish. However, they do not accumulate in the body over time – they simply offer up their healing properties and then pass on through.
- Scientific studies have shown that rosemary essential oil helps your brain perform. Specifically, smelling rosemary essential oil helps memory recall and performance on tests. Interestingly, this study also showed that groups that inhaled either rosemary or lavender essential oil felt much more relaxed than those who inhaled no odor at all.
- Fragrance oils and essential oils are NOT the same thing. As a rule of thumb, if you see the word “fragrance” or “fragrance oil” or even “perfume” on anything, you can assume this is synthetic and NOT natural. (Even if it says natural fragrance.)
- Essential oils are wholly natural and cannot be patented; which means that you’ll never see an essential oil in a pharmaceutical drug. As such, you can expect that the vast majority of mainstream healthcare practitioners will never recommend essential oils as therapeutic alternatives to drugs. More importantly, because essential oils cannot be patented, drug companies will not waste money studying them. This limits our scientific knowledge of essential oils GREATLY, and the majority of what we know about them are things that have been passed down through thousands of years of personal use and experimentation.
- Enormous amounts of plants are needed to produce essential oil. In fact, on the extreme end, it takes 4000 pounds of Bulgarian roses to produce 1 pound of essential oil. Other plants like lavender only take 100 pounds of plant material to produce a pound of essential oil. Still, can you imagine how concentrated essential oils must be, in light of how many plants are used to produce them?
- Most essential oils should never be used undiluted on the skin. Instead, they should be combined with “real” oils (called carrier oils), waxes, butters, alcohols, or other diluting measures. Because they’re so concentrated, if you don’t dilute, you may end up with an unfortunate reaction (and unhappy skin).
- There are a few essential oils that are generally recognized as safe to use undiluted. Of course, there has to be a few exceptions to the rule. Again, in Organic Body Care Recipes, the author points out that the only essential oils that are widely acknowledged as safe to use undiluted (sparingly) are: lavender, German chamomile, tea tree, sandalwood, and rose geranium.
- Never use an undiluted essential oil on a baby or child. Children have much thinner, more delicate skin than adults have, and tend to be very sensitive to the potency of essential oils. In fact, even if you do use essential oil in a recipe for children, only use half of the essential oil recommended in the recipe. That’s all they’ll need, anyway. (Here is a list of 19 essential oils that are safe for babies and children.)
- Avoid the following essential oils while pregnant or nursing (and skip EOs completely in your first trimester): Aniseed, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, ginger, jasmine, lemon, nutmeg, rosemary, sage (this is only a partial list of some of the more common essential oils – view the full one here).
- To test if you’re sensitive to an essential oil (which is probably best to do before using it in a skincare preparation): Combine one drop of essential oil with 1/2 tsp carrier oil (like olive, jojoba, or sweet almond). Rub this on the inside, upper portion of your arm and wait a few hours. If no redness or itching develops, you’re most likely not sensitive to that essential oil.
- Keep all essential oils out of the reach of children – and avoid contact with your eyes. This is just standard safety precautions, but must be mentioned.
- Do not take essential oils internally, especially oils like wintergreen and eucalyptus. While some essential oils may be used well-diluted in something like toothpaste with safety, it’s generally recognized that there’s no need to take essential oils internally. In fact, there are several toxic essential oils that should be avoided even through skin contact. Luckily, these are NOT common essential oils, and most of them you’ll never find in the store.
- Not all essential oils are created equally, nor does more expensive necessarily mean “better.” There are certain brands I will use in a less therapeutic fashion (like for cleaning), because they’re far less expensive than their counterparts. When you see a wide fluctuation in price between, say, lavender essential oils, you can bet that the far less expensive one is likely lower in quality.
- However, a small variation in price differences on the higher end will NOT mean a better essential oil. It will just mean a higher price. (A little birdie also told me that there are also only a handful of essential oil distilleries in the world, which means that most essential oils come from the exact same places – thus there is little difference in quality between the more “typically priced” EOs.) What I’m saying here is: Understand that you DO have to pay for quality, but that if you’re just using essential oils in non-therapeutic fashions, it’s okay to use less expensive oils (like the Beeyoutiful ones pictured at the top of this post, or NOW brand essential oils). But if you want high quality, I suggest using an ethical supplier that offers organic essential oils (grown without pesticides or toxic fertilizers).
- To test your essential oil to see how “pure” it is, put a single drop of it on a piece of construction paper. If it evaporates quickly and leaves no noticeable ring, it is pure. If you have a ring left, then it is likely diluted by the manufacturer with an oil of some sort (this test will not work for myrrh, patchouli, and absolutes).
- Essential oils will last for at least 5 years (if not 10), so one bottle could literally last you a decade. Hopefully that thought will help mitigate the cost involved in purchasing some essential oils. Because they are SO concentrated and only a tiny amount is needed in anything you do, they’ll last you a very, very long time. The only exception to this rule is citrus oils, which will see a reduction in potency after a year or two.
- Store your essential oils in dark glass bottles (which they were probably packaged in) and out of direct sunlight. This is simply to help preserve their potency.
- Remember that what you’re allergic to in food, you will be allergic to in essential oils. So if, for some reason, you can’t eat sage without breaking out in a rash, steer clear of sage essential oil (or any product containing it).
- USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOUR MOOD. Lavender, peppermint, grapefruit, chamomile, lemon, ylang-ylang all help produce happy, joyous moods. Clary sage helps with PMS (although there have been reports that overuse of clary sage can lead to intoxication). Rosemary increases focus and concentration. Don’t forget the mood benefits of essential oils. Here’s an information packed aromatherapy reference chart to refer to.
- The recommended usage of many essential oils is hotly contested throughout the aromatherapy profession. The majority of oils you find in the supermarket are absolutely safe (though you should research them before using them); however, once you start digging into the world of essential oils, you’ll find that professionals – even within the same organization – debate extensively over the use of certain oils. If you’re ever unsure about an oil or its use, do the research you can, and if you still cannot make up your mind as to its safety – avoid it. But, by all means, do NOT be afraid of essential oils. Just use them with care and respect, and all will be fine.
Recommended Essential Oils to Get You Started
“What essential oils do you recommend I buy?” is the number one question I receive.
It’s a tough one to answer, because what EOs you buy depends on what you’re going to use them for. Nonetheless, I’ve narrowed it down to 7 essential oils to consider when starting to use them in your personal care products or homemade cleaning supplies.
Best Essential Oils for Personal Use
- Peppermint (good for lip balms, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
- Rosemary (good for hair preparations, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
- Sweet orange (good for all skin types and very soothing in room sprays for children)
- Rose geranium (good for all skin types, creating perfumes, and for use in homemade moisturizers)
- Tea tree (great for healing, getting rid of dandruff, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
- Lavender (great for all skin types, for relaxation, hair preparations, and cleaning products)
- Lemon (great for lifting moods, cleaning preparations, and sparingly in toners and products for oily skin)
All of these essential oils also happen to be some of the least expensive and easiest to find. Bonus!
What Oils Should You Buy?
I’ve tried many different oils over the years, but the one’s I currently use and recommend are:
- Eden’s Garden They offer a kid safe line which is nice if you have children
- Plant Therapy I’m a big fan of Plant Therapy, their oils are great!
- Whole Foods/Trader Joes/local natural foods store (not my favorite – be careful of the source, not all are created equal)
Want to Learn More About Aromatherapy and Essential Oils?
Here are some of my favorite references for learning more about how to safely and effectively use essential oils in skincare, aromatherapy, and cleaning products.
- Aromaweb is the best source for all things aromatherapy on the internet
- Wavelengths Natural Health has an abundance of information on essential oil profiles and aromatherapy
- Mountain Rose Herbs has some excellent documentation on oils and usage
- The book Aromatherapy: Soothing Remedies to Restore, Rejuvenate, and Heal contains an incredible amount of level-headed knowledge and recipes using essential oils
- The Essential Oils Book by Colleen K. Dodt is small, but chock full of great info
- And The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy is one last book to look for when learning more (and for more great recipes)
Would you believe that, even though this post is about 3000 words shorter than the original, you still learned THAT MUCH in 21 facts?
Unfortunately, there’s still so. much. more. to. talk. about. SO MUCH MORE.
So have at it.
Any questions? Anything you think other people should know about essential oils that I didn’t cover? Add to the wealth of knowledge and leave your comment.
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i like it Oil never go bad or out of date, they will last literally forever.
As I understand it genuine Essential Oil never go bad or out of date, they will last literally forever.
Thanks for this Awesome post!
Tea tree oil benefits known for its topical antiseptic and anti-fungal treatment or infection-reducing benefits. It also has antibiotic properties and helps aid against aliments such as skin infections, rashes, burns, dandruff and much more.
I am from Malaysia,& this is the first time that I am trying tondo my homemade shampoo & so on.
Before I start where do I go to buy my essential & other oils too,tq
hi i have a question . i’m new at essential oils ok…but what i’m trying to find out is can i use essential oils like frankincense along with taking my vitamins not at the same time of course
Thanks for all your work you put into this!Very informative.
I found your article very interesting.
However Young Living can be worn undiluted,
Ingested, and defused.
I wouldn’t use any other.
Thanks Wendy
Is Nature’s Bounty Earthly Elements peppermint essential oil safe to use in homemade toothpastes?
Great tips !
I put a bit of Bergamot with a carrier oil on my hand to smell when I’m in a bad mood or anxious.
I put peppermint with a carrier oil on my abdomen when I’m nauseous or have a stomach ache.
Therefore I will get more updates on what you have to say. Please keep writing as I want to learn more.
I’ve tried quite a few brands of essential oils. From the very cheap (Edens Garden, Aura Cacia, 365, NOW, Bulk Apothocary) to the more expensive (Rocky Mountain Oils, Rose Mountain Oils, Organic Infusions, Young Living)
Sadly there is a wide discrepancy in the quality that is reflected in the price. The less expensive brands I have ended up using for cleaning the house. Edens Garden oils smell like they are old and dirty. I love Young Living and yes, I have not tried DoTerra. Only because there selection was so limited and I felt there wouldn’t be much differenance between them and Young Living.
One thing I like about Rose Mountain and Organic Infusions is that I can get 30 ml bottles for the EO’s that I use most frequently. They also, both, have a large selection of other products and I’ve found their oils to be good quality. Organic Imfusions labels its products as Certified Organic or just organic, meaning the farm hasn’t been certified. Rocky Mountai Oils has a good selection of oils and blends but not a lot else. Some of their singles I really love but I got a peppermint that smells like cat pee to me. For what it is worth, I still use all 3 of these companies.
Which brings me to Young Loving. Sigh. I really LOVE their oils. They have a clarity that I just don’t find, reliably, from any other company that I have tried. I did the whole kit and membership thing but only for my own needs. I’m not here to sell anybody anything. I use a lot of their other products as well and have been happy with my purchases (except for the Rose Ointment that has Patchouli in it. I hate Patchouli).
These are my personal experiences and feelings. Hopefully you find them useful.
I need info on fragrance body safe, kid friendly and essentials oils reference too, and safe colorants too.
Making bath bombs and scrubs, and bubble bars
Hello, just wondering if you have any information on essential oils and hormone positive breast cancer. I have read conflicting literature about the use of lavender, red clover, and others. Do you know if there are any essential oils that a woman with estrogen positive and progesterone positive breast cancer should stay clear away from? Thanks!
if you wanted a great after sun body product to smooth heal hydrate what blend of carrier oils would you choose
Thanks in advance
Roses essential oil, whitening and nourishing body lotion
I abide, no problem
I need Rose essential oil. Whitening and nourishing body lotion
I tried the link for the information packed aromatherapy reference chart. It seems to be dead. I’d like to look at the chart. Can you fix the link? Thanks.
I love this article! Can i please have a link to this in my blog? Thanks!
Hi there, I just started using an e,extranio cigarette, read that if you make your own e liquids, (there’s a few kits out there) you can get read of the only scientifically detected ingredient that might pose a threat to health, this is not nicotine it’s called propylene glycol. I want to make my own liquid using just vegetable glycerin and for the aroma, I thought I could use a tiny amount of essential oils. My doubt is, a Swiss just bottle of lets say thyme, is it a 100% the me extracted oil? Or is there any other ingredient? Do you think for vaping essential oils are ok?
I can’t find no answer for this anywhere!
Bests
Horrible burn from acupuncture and essential oils followed by tanning. No one told me essential oils can be photo activated up have a horrible disfiguring burn on the backs of my knees my feet and my chest where I had acupuncture and essential oils DO NOT TAN AFTER ESSENTIAL OIL USE! If I could upload photos I would it’s horrible I have a huge blister on my foot
I’m wanting to know if anyone knows if there is any benefit of these oils for copd.
what is the concentration of bitter almond essential oil in bitter almond fragrance oil? is it 1:5 – 1:10 range? I want to know how much I am actually adding to my soap recipe. thanks
Essential oils can be really useful, and you never really know how many benefits are actually contained within. I think that we will see a lot more of this as they oils starts to gain popularity. We are only starting to recognize the benefits that they hold, plus, they smell so good, there would be no reason not to use them.
Brand new to the EO world. Thanks for all the info. I have not yet received the things I have ordered and am wondering how to choose what carrier oil. If I get only one, ie Sweet Almond, can it be used for all sorts of things? Also, To diffuse, do you use a carrier oil or water or neither? Thanks.
Please please can you tell me if there is a difference between the frankincesne at ”mountain rose herbs” amd doterra oils?
The price difference is ridiculous. 93$ At doeterracompared to 20 something$? I really need to be on a budget but I want pure theurpeutic grade and if doterra has such a big difference it leads me to believe perhaps the other EO companys are not as pure?
Please can you clarify?
I keep reading comments about not Ingesting EO. I’ve researched young living brand EO and they are injestable. They are a therapeutic hospital grade. And their founder Gary young Takes many eo in capsules daily. Not all brands are. So I would only trust this particular brand because I’ve done the research on it. I know people who add YL lemon or grapefruit daily to water a drop is fine you don’t want to do more than that it can cause cramping and pain these oils are highly Concentrated. Make sure you do your research, for it is the only way you will be safe using these oils they are very powerful and in the wrong hands of someone who is not educating themselves can be very harmful. I attribute my nieces grades in school going up due to eo. They have helped her focus and help her attention. My moods have changes as well as my daily stress, anxiety and nervousness. I love eo and all they have done for my family.
What a fantastic summary. Just fabulous. Thanks for sharing!!
I have heard not to use essential oil peppermint around certain ages. That it can interfere with specific ages and their breathing. So if I made an Essential Oil peppermint lotion would I not be able to wear it outside the home incase I came into contact with a person who shouldn’t be exposed to peppermint essential oil OR is this just meant not to diffuse around a child under a certain age. I was on a website that was given the ages of people who shouldn’t be exposed to specific essential oils. I believe peppermint essential oil was one. Others were pointed out as well. So is it ok to wear the diluted essential oil on your skin if that specific essential oil is not recommended for little children? Or are they speaking of diffusing only?
I was wondering. I have a friend that has neuropathy. I do too. I use wintergreen diluted with fractionated coconut oil or a blend called deep blue, and sometimes peppermint oil for this. The friend asked the question, Can you mix all oils safely? As she has found on pinterest a recipe for it where you mix 8 different oils. I am not sure of the oils she has listed, but is this safe?
Thank you for all this info. While a patient in the hospital, I would sprinkle a mix of lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint oils in my pillow. It helped with my headaches and allowed me to relax. The nurses kept coming into my room just to inhale the wonderful scents. They took such great care of me that, after I was discharged, i went home and made 50 bottles of the same mixtures in cobalt blue bottles with roller balls. They loved them so much! They use them at home and at work. Being a nurse myself, I understand what they go through on a daily bases and how much these oils will benefit them. Even one of my doctors took several bottles I’ve made to give to patients!
This page was so informative and taught me a lot that I either did not know or did not find in my research. I love to use these oils in ultrasonic humidifiers and in necklaces that hold something for scents.
Hi many sites are giving recipes for DIY toothpaste including (a few drops of) Oil of Peppermint Oil. However, after checking, many sites are advising Oil of Peppermint as being TOXIC!! My decision is to stay away from using it in toothpaste. Any suggestions what could be used, as a replacement?
Thanks
Hi, just wondering if you’ve ever heard of Avenir Oils before? I put their link in for you. Trying to decide if I should purchase from them or not. Thanks!
Hi, Is it safe to use these oils internally by mouth ?
I just started working with doTERRA EOs….Last night I tried a glass of water with one drop of lemon and one of lime to curb a sweet craving. I woke up with terrible heart burn and it’s been bad all day. I’ve never had stomach acid shooting up into my esophagus before. It’s very painful. I’m burping and getting loads or burning… Is there anything i can do? I thought they were safe to ingest…
I’m embarrassed…
Eating almonds and breads and ginger to try and calm this down…
No do NOT INGEST essential oils.
I see that you keep saying do not ingest EO’s. doTERRA sells beadlets for ingestion only. They also have a book that say quite a few oils are safe for ingestion. Just wondering because I have just started using EO’s this past month.
Thanks for your help.
I am new to essential oils. I just purchased a diffuser and Callily essential oils sampler pak. I’m following all directions for the diffuser, and adding 3–5 drops of oil, but I really cannot even smell them! I was hoping to use the eucalyptus for my sinuses at night, but sadly I’m getting no benefits or noticing anything healing. Any advice from anyone? It says do not overuse oils in diffuser, but I feel like I need to add more to actually smell them in the air! Thanks for any advice!
I have read over and over NOT to ingest essential oils. It is unsafe.
I don’t see any harm in adding a little extra EO to your diffuser. I have a diffuser and I add about 30-45ml to my water. Hopefully that will help you!
I am new to Essential Oils. I hear people say to dilute the oil with a carrier oil. I understand what is but no body tells you how much to mix with the oil. Is there a basic formula? Also, I heard using oregano with a carrier oil was good for a staff infection. Does anyone have any info on this?
They say to use a 1-2% dilution. So say you’re whipping up a concoction into a 1oz bottle (which would equate to 600 drops), you should use 6-12 drops of EO.
I’m not sure about oregano & staph.
Oh my goodness!!!! thank you for finally telling me the facts on oils. i have been trying to figure this out. I am a fan!!
I’m still trying to find out if my cat’s can get sick and die because I’m using eos,on myself, and there always around me.I also difuse, can breathing in the eos make my cat’s sick???? Thank you for all of your information.
I would love to try oils but I am so confused about which one is best and most economical for what you get and how it works. DoTerra? Young Living? another… Which one?
The statement re: allergies is incorrect. You cannot be allergic to therapeutic-grade EO’s as they contain NO proteans.
(Yes, with an “a”)
Young Living and DoTerra are the only companies who have conducted the proper research to offer ingestible oils. Please, do not ingest other brands and do not expect results from other brands without seeing PEER-reviewed CLINICAL research!
I was wondering about price variants. I’m extremely new to EOs, and while I understand the diluted to pure reasoning, how will I know that I’m not being severely ripped off for what I am buying? This might be a stupid question, but is there any type of EO “market value list” anywhere? Thanks and I really enjoyed reading this article.
Hi I was buying their oils and then I “heard” that he .. is a mormon and that he uses the oils to further the mormon cause … am I way miss informed ??
Hi,
Could you recommend EO book for beginners that would also include EO recommendations for small children as well as adults. I am not really interested in cleaning products but for help with health, mood, immune, etc. issues.
You help is sincerely appreciated.
Best,
Marilyn Leisz
Gentle Babies by Deborah Raybern. It goes from pregnancy, through delivery, childhood, and stuff safe for mom too!
Re: To test your essential oil to see how “pure” it is, put a single drop of it on a …etc
Will this test work on testing pure bergamot oil?
Thanx
I’m using Peppermint essential oil as a car air freshener in my tinted car. I just put 7 drops on a hanging card/paper cut-out. The scent is usually gone in 3-4 days. How do I make the scent last longer? Any oil/thing I could add that could extend the life of the scent? Thank you very much in advance.
monsour
Thank you so much for putting this information together. I really like this site. I am excited to follow it and learn more. I am in a company that does adaptogens and recently started seeing and learning that some of the EO’s are also adaptogens. I started using some and got some terrific results. Lots of stress that has been relieved. Then I had started to lose weight and after about 46 lbs found I could use grapefruit and frankincense and it was helping with taking away the wrinkles a saggy parts. Maybe you could cover this in some of your articles..
Thank you again for such great articles and look forward to reading more..
I just want to suggest an edit to the “where you can buy essential oils” section, Trader Joe’s sells no essential oils. I work for the company and we get people in all the time asking for things they read about on the internet that we don’t carry and it leads to frustration for the customer and the employee
Really great list. I can tell this took great time and effort to put together. Due to my own sever health sensitivities I was compelled to use Essential Oils to help with my systems. I use certified organic knowing that they are certified pure. Just be selective with which brand and use as directed. Good luck to all in your health journey!
I want a believer in EO, but then I read this s identification study done by NIH.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3873673/
Warning, it’s in science language. This made me a believer in pure grade EO. That being said. If you chose YL or DoTerra, or go to an non MLM, QUIT FIGHTING about who is best, blah, blah, blah. We are YL and building a business with it. Big deal. We like the people and the product. I also know that there are several other good options out there. Fighting over who’s best, makes EO users look like children. Grow up. Enjoy your brand of choice and quit running others down.
There are several EO blends or normal oils that are safe, like oregano. There are others that are toxic to the body internally, but fine diffused. When in doubt, do the research. Obviously, if you can eat the plant, like cinnamon, the oil, if taken in a gel tab isn’t toxic. Drinking it directly will burn. Hot oil vs cool oil. Some like lemon, lime, orange, peppermint are fine in water. Learn each oil, as each one, like each child, has its own properties and should be used in the right way.
In short, grow up and quit fighting over companies and who’s best, and who isn’t.
End of rant.
Hello,
I’m newbie to EO. I’ve purchased Peppermint, Wild Orange, Lavender, Clove from Doterra to start with (quite pricey) and then I discovered a nice selection of EO in Marshalls (!). There i purchased Pine, Lemon and Eucalyptus from Plantlife ‘100 % pure aromatherapy grade’ at a fraction of the cost. Firstly, can you please explain the difference of quality with Doterra and Plantlife? And secondly, you say when rubbed onto the skin, the oils need to be diluted – but with what? And where do I find this? (Trader Joe’s perhaps?) What is the safest ‘dilution’ for someone in the journey of starting of a family? My acupuncturist made up a Doterra rollerball ‘Fertility blend’ with Cary Sage. Thanking you kindly.
The oils from Marshalls you mentioned stated they are for aromatherapy. These are fragrance oils and probably NO T pure. That’s why they are so much cheaper 🙂 and they are just for enjoying the scent vs. therapeutic benefits. I would not recommend applying them to your skin in any way but the DoTerra oils you bought can be applied once mixed with coconut oil (fractionated will not harden in cool temps), sweet almond oil, argan oil or even olive oil. Any oil you choose should be labeled organic of course
FYI: Trader Joe’s only sells tea tree oil.
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Many EO users don’t know this because Ameo has only been around for a little over a year, but clinical-grade is the highest EO grade available in the U.S. They are extensively tested to make sure the quality is as high as those oils used in clinical testing or even higher potency. I’ve used most other brands, and know what I know now I would absolutely never use another brand internally unless they were certified organic because of the risk of getting synthetic ingredients and toxins. However, using just ‘organic’ oils does NOT ensure that you have the highest potency/efficacy which you can be sure of when you use Ameo. If you watch the videos on the website you’ll understand more about it. There are videos of the oils penetrating human cells posted for every single batch of oils from Ameo.
Dear K- I have read over and over NOT to ingest essential oils. It is unsafe.
I would love to know more about essential oils to avoid concerning environmental impact. Because it takes so much plant material to create a small amount of extract, it would be handy to have a list of oils that come from plants that are endangered or being irresponsibly harvested. I’m having trouble finding a comprehensive list online. Any suggestions?
This isn’t a list of oils specifically, but they do have an up-to-date list of endangered plants http://www.unitedplantsavers.org/ This company is started by the same woman who helped start Mountain Rose Herbs, so they are trying to support farmers who will grow the endangered plants so we can have a sustainable supply of them on the market while they are being responsibly propagated. Its pretty awesome
Good question. I wonder what the moisture content of the estimated weights are (HUGE difference as water makes up the majority of a plants’ weight). Nevertheless, I would guess that the environmental impact is minimal to none as most of these plants are numerous compared to harvesting other plants such as hardwoods, rain forest plants, and even corn. Take lavender for example, if it takes 100 lbs to extract 1 lb, that is barely nothing when you consider that lavender grows wild and is abundant. One acre of lavender would probably produce over a ton of plant parts in one mowing for oil extraction (I am guessing based on my experience with a variety of different plant “harvesting”). And it grows fast. To compare weight, imagine mowing a one acre field of mixed weeds 3 ft tall down to 6 inches, you would have a few thousand pounds of plants that would quickly and naturally grow back in a couple weeks. The rose petals are at the extreme ratio but are expensive and used far less than the common oils.
When you compare the environmental impact of growing feed corn, thousands of TONs are grown by a single farm just to feed a few cows. Estimates of what we grow so we can eat beef or drink milk are as follows: 2800 lbs of corn to get a single cow to slaughter weight of approx 12-1300 lbs. Or, in the case of hay being fed to milkers, it takes 28 lbs of 88% dry matter to feed one 1200 lb lactating cow a day or 3.2 tons for one herd of 200 cows a day! And most feed corn is grown using pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer along with regular watering during periods of low precipitation. I’m no expert but my guess is that as long as essential oils do not become a “priority” industry with outrageous claims, we are only enjoying what the planet has to offer in a sustainable level. Buy more local vegetables/fruits, eat organic, and consume less meat and you will be helping the environment much more that the average US citizen does. 😉
OK I’m new to essential oils and I don’t know what some of the abbreviations mean. Can someone help me out. MLM and PEO are some of the first ones I came across in the comments. I may have more as I read further 🙂 thanks
Do evaporated essential oils leave a sticky residue on your walls after diffusing them?
Hi. I have a question. I have always read that in order to make essential oil you need tons of a plant to get a little bit of the the oil itself, like you mentioned in the article. So it seems like something that can only be made industrially. But I also see recipes for homemade essential oils. So, my question is: Are these homemade oils real essential oils? Or is there another name for those ones? Are they as good in terms of benefits for the skin and its scents properties?
Thanks so much for your time
hello tat ca moi nguoi nhe
very interesting. I am just a stay at home mama trying to do the best for my family. We use EO’s everyday, I clean with them, I diffuse them and I ingest them. If my throat is sore, I have a mixture of straight oils that I take, I’m not endorsing a brand, but I have several mixtures that have cured my asthma and my sons, we both put them directly in our chest. I’ve been to my natural path and he doesn’t endorse this particular brand but he tested the oils in is and to,d us which ones were beneficial to each of us. If you have access to a certified herbalist who can do energy testing it is very helpful to find out what works for you- if you can get passed the cost 😉
My mother Inlaw was given nine mo this to live without chemo, she decided to do natural treatment, including oils and she is thriving, that was six months ago, there is always an alternative to treating our diseases with the chemicals that the Drs make so much money off of. 🙂 good luck in finding your right oils.
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Thank you so much for all of your information that you share. It seems like when I google something about essential oils, I frequently end up on your site. I am new to essential oils and not sure what to expect. It seems like when I use them in lotion, roll-on, or even a eucalyptus steam the scent dissipates relatively quickly. I am not sure if I am not adding enough essential oils, if I am buying lower quality essential oils, or if I am expecting too much. For instance, a 8 oz batch of lotion (I used 30 drops total of essential oil)that I made last week no longer has a scent to it (at least to me). Any insight on this?
The stain test is not an entirely reliable method of testing purity because some oils have a natural color to them and the color will leave behind a stain. Also, it’s also possible that oils ARE diluted, but what they’re diluted WITH won’t leave a stain, so it’s not reliable the other direction either.
It’s a decent test, but not a foolproof one.
I agree partially with this post. But as far as there are only a few choice oils that can be used undiluted…I disagree. I use a number of essential oils on my skin daily undiluted. I’m a distributor with young living and I had used another brand before that was purchased on Amazon. Cheap oils can be very harmful. It made me extremely sick. Thankfully I had a friend introduce me to young living. I do NOT know about every eo company on the market. That would be impossible to know everything. I do however trust young living and their seed to seal promise. They harvest their own plants that are not treated with pesticides or other nasty chemicals. They distill all of their plants themselves. They test inside the company for purity and have a third party test them as well. They package and seal their products. They know exactly what is in their bottles and more importantly what’s NOT in their bottles of essential oils. Cheap oils are just that…cheap, adulterated bottles of eos that I would not put on my body or want diffused in my home. I take yl essential oils internally and they have never harmed me. Yes there are two oils that young living has that can’t be taken internally because of the way they were extracted and YL lets you know this. And as far as using orange or lemon for the face…you need to also warn, citrus oils (along with a few others) will make your skin sensitive to the sun. That is very important.
interesting article. we’ve been using EO’s for many years. rose mountain herbs is a great company. many wonderful items not just EO’s. my goal is to be as toxic free as possible and to have a ph balanced body.
i am affiliated with a like minded company, Essante Organics. every item is toxic free, non gmo, and small green footprint. having doterra, young living, and essante oils and comparing same types, i am positive essante is the better of the three. essante’s company philosophy is better also. check them out. EssanteOrganics.com/julieparks i’m confident you will be impressed.
Thanks so much for such a thorough list of things to know about EOs. I’m just starting to use them, so I’m looking for any and everything I need to know.
My mom has been having a weird feeling on her tongue and when she drinks water it taste like metal, which EO would you recommend to help?
Hi,
A friend recommended Synergy essential oils. I can’t seem to find any reviews or much information about their oils. Hope you can shed some light and wisdom on their oils?
I’m totally new to thr essential oil world. All I’d heard is Young Living is the only pure one and the only way to go. I was skeptical and I don’t know why. Have started reading and now I’m even more confised that when I started lol! Who do/can I trust. It’s hard to trust some of these big companies out there cause I feel they will tell you anything to sell you something. I wish we lived in a world of mom and pop places where u knew and trusted the person you bought from. Sigh….
Anyway, on to my question…I am basically interested in the most basic of oils. Peppermint, lavender, lemon or orange and possibly tea tree as my daughter has severe scalp (dandruff ?) issues. I also have recently started to make soap and am looking dor something natural yet affordable to scent them with. Where would u recommend I get these oils for this use?
I started using oils about 3 months ago. I put a couple of drops of lemon in my water and drink it, use peppermint and citrus oils for aromatherapy energy bombs, have started using them for cleaning, and, I just found a great deoderant recipe that works for me! I’m a fairly large woman (5’10”, 300 pounds) and I sweat a lot, but this recipe works. I use 20 drops each of lemon, frankincense, and lavender in a small roller bottle topped with melted coconut oil. My pits don’t smell at all, even after a fairly hard workout. Some people like fractionated coconut oil, and others like grape seed oil. I prefer melted coconut oil because I like a slightly thicker viscosity. Plus, if it solidifies, just shake the bottle repeatedly and it will get back to normal. For those that want a spray recipe, fill your same 20 drops of each oil into a 3 oz spray bottle and then top it off with witch hazel.
I want to use this medium to show my appreciation for the information passed across. However, I have a question. My question is, can I mix two essential oils? For example, can I mix tee tree and rosemary essential oils for my hair use, to treat dandruff and also make my hair grow? Is this possible? If I do this, are there any side effects?
Yes you can mix Tea Tree and Rosemary EOS (essential oils). And while using less expensive brands for cleaning might make sense to some,they will not disinfectant the way pure oils will. I would only use a proven pure EO on my body internally and externally. Anything you put on your skin goes into your body in 26 seconds. Young Living owns their own farms, everything is beyond organic, they distill in their own distilleries which are open along with the farms world wide for any member to visit and learn from. The oils are 3rd party tested. By law an EO manufacturer can put 100% pure on their bottles and only have 5% pure EO, they don’t have to say what the other 95% is. My recommendation… Do your homework!
> More importantly, because essential oils cannot be patented, drug companies will not waste money studying them. This limits our scientific knowledge of essential oils GREATLY
HORSE! SHIT!
Have you ever heard of academic research?
You know, the entire point of universities?
Have you ever even been to university? Profs are very left-leaning and very open minded. There are more than a few grad students and profs that would and do absolutely publish studies on essential oils based just on their own interest and field of research.
Chuck,
You seem to be a bit touchy about research. I would suggest that you go to PubMed and search for “essential oils.” You will definitely find some scholarly research that has been published on the subject….but not nearly enough. (If you need a comparison, do a search for your favorite pharmaceutical drug). Given that publications are the currency for academic research, this would suggest that there aren’t as many researchers studying these essential oils as you seem to think.
Also, who do you think funds, and therefore must approve, academic research?
I love essential oils! I use NOW Oils because they are affordable and easy to find. I think Young Living and DoTerra are over priced marketing scams. I tell everyone I use NOW. I have great success using the more reasonable priced oils and they even make some of their own blends. Highly recommend but everyone needs to find what brand works for them.
Can the oils be used as a scent for the washing machine instead of using fabric softner?
When washing clothes I use regular soap (haven’t looked into home made yet), and then put about 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt scented with a few drops of essential oils into the bottom of the washer before adding clothes. Then instead of using fabric softner I fill the dispenser with regular white vinegar. It keeps the washer from getting that funky smell and my clothes come out way softer. At first I was worried you would be able to smell the vinegar, but I have been doing this for 6 months now and you really can’t smell it! The Epsom salt doesn’t really have to have essential oil in it, the scent seems to rinse out in the wash but I like the little burst of scent you get when you dump it in, and use fairly cheap oils like citrus for it. If you want your clothes to actually smell of the oils you can get some wool dryer balls and add an oil of your choice before drying.
Cruncy Betty and readers,
You can ingest some essential oils and there are good reasons to do so. If they’re awesome outside the body, perhaps they would be inside too? They’re antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, etc. Of course you need to be careful and use good judgement. Too much of anything can be bad for you. Candy companies & chocolatiers have been doing it for ages and there’s no reason you can’t too. I’m off to make some lavender blueberry scones. Good morning!
Here’s a couple links to get you going:
http://www.essentialoilcookbook.com/html/fringe-essential-cooking.htm
http://essentialoilblogging.com/2014/01/14/can-essential-oils-be-ingested/
I want to know if it is safe to use these essential oils aound the eyes area.
I was just wondering how many types of different oils can you use per day,and also how many drops to use per day safely. Love this page, thank you dear.
Hi, I was wondering if you have heard of White Lotus Aromatics? If so what are your thoughts on them? I’m somewhat new to the essential oil life, I just bought a couple of oils from Rocky Mountain Essential Oils, but I’m going further down the rabbit hole in my research for the best essential oils out there. I’ve been reading a lot on White Lotus, but will also be checking out Native Americans.
This was really helpful, however do you have good recommendation how to use the EOs, I am especially thinking for tea tree oil, how diluted to use it for acne skin and how often? Could not find any good advises about this.
I am all new to this, so don’t judge to hard. I am wondering if ESSENTIAL OILS HELP WITH PAIN/SORENESS? For example, getting leg cramps in the middle of the night where it wakes you up from a dead sleep and all you can think of doing is walking it off and then the aftermath soreness is still there gets quite aggravating after about the first two times. Being a semi non believer in pills, I’m looking for alternatives. Would essential oils be something that would help in this particular situation? If so, any recommendations? THANKS IN ADVANCE!
I realize that it’s been a while since you posted this question, but hope this information helps anyway. My poor husband had the same problem with leg cramps. Took supplements for potassium and ate bananas and oranges like crazy. No difference. Heard then that the deficiency that causes these cramps is more likely related to magnesium, so he started taking a magnesium supplement. Still no difference.
Finally learned that mag isn’t well absorbed in the gut and can have unwanted side effects if you take enough to help the deficiency, but that it’s very well absorbed through the skin. Epsom salts baths help some people, but we only have a shower. Besides, magnesium *chloride* (ES is mag sulfate) is a much better type of magnesium and has quicker effects on the deficiency. Absorption through the skin doesn’t have the same side effects as taking it into the gut.
I bought a jar of mag chloride at WF and tried it as a for soak for him. It worked the very first night! However, that jar ( a little over a cup) was $15. am very frugal, (hence interested in this article) and after doing much shopping around I ordered a large bag of Ancient Minerals Magnesium Flakes from Amazon, and it works out so much less expensive that way. Now I use 1/2c in a gallon of the hottest water possible and he soaks for 30 minutes each night. No more cramps. BONUS: when he’s done, I reheat half of that water in the micro and soak my own feet in it. I have osteoarthritis and general soreness all over, and there is a significant difference in my pain level now, as well. Mag is a great anti inflammatory nutrient.
overly Curious in Ohio,
I’ve also been plagued with terrible leg cramps for about 3 years now. So bad at times i couldn’t go up or down steps without cramping. They started like yours at night while I was trying to sleep. They would wake me from a sound sleep with excruciating pain and I couldn’t even move to get out of bed to try to relieve them. Drs could not give me any help they only prescribed muscle relaxers which I didn’t take.
After much internet research I found that high doses of magnesium helped. I currently take 1 tablespoon of “Calm” magnesium powder diluted in a cup of warm water every night before bed. Magnesium also helps with sleep. The magnesium has not been a cure all for me. I’ve also been going to an acupuncturist for the past 5 months which has also helped greatly but I still get the night cramps occasionally which is very upsetting. I’ve also found that caffeine and alcohol make matters worse so be careful with consumption of both.
I’m definitely going to try Denisenark’s suggestion about soaking in Epsom salts also. I hope you can find relief because the cramps really affect quality of life.
I am interested in using essential oils but from an ecological standpoint, the ratio of plants against oil in production worries me. What’s the carbon footprint for producing these oils – any research been done?
Thanks
Chris
Great article! I like the way everything is explained in detail. I love essential oils and use few kinds for aromatherapy, but the thing I always wanted to do is to include essential oils in my homemade cleaning solutions. In your article I found all the information and advices I needed, so now I already can use essential oils for cleaning too. Thank you for the hints!
Hi colleagues, its impressive piece of writing
concerning cultureand completely defined, keep it
up all the time.
I’m familiar with EO at one time I used YL the only problem with that is they were to expensive in my opinion. So I quit for awhile. I deal on a daily basis with fibromylgia,osteoarthritis and anxiety. Due to all this my doctor took me off of a sleeping pill said I was sleeping to much in the day plus I went to the library for a free class about sleeping patterns and I was told to get off the OTC sleeping meds. Wow want to talk about a withdraw plus the lack of sleep I was getting. I was like an owl still sleeping in the day up at night. I had to do something. My sister told me about piping rock that’s where she’d been getting her essential oils. So I got my Lavender and Bergamont and at reasonable prices.Their great I sleep well now.
This is really a good synopsis of important things to know, good job!! Just wanted to correct one point though. According to essential oil expert Robert Tisserand, being allergic to , say, ginger tea does NOT necessarily mean you’d be allergic to ginger essential. Plants and their corresponding EO’s do not necessarily have the same properties or actions. A patch test can be done if one is concerned about the possibility of being allergic to an essential oil.
i used peppermint oil neat on my inside elblows for hot flashes. I was fine for three days doing this. Now my inner elblows are swollenand bright red. Any idea what i can alleviate the symptoms with?
I’m sensitive to many sources and when my acupuncturist applied peppermint oil to an aching shoulder it sent me right into orbit. Anxiety and blood pressure were out of control for several days. I have always been able to eat peppermint with no problem but the oil while applied to the skin was way too intense. Now just the scent of it sets me off. Be careful.
Excellent post. I was checking constantly thiis blog annd I’m impressed!
Very useful information specifically the ultimate section 🙂
I handle such information a lot. I used tto bee looking for this certain info for
a lopng time. Thank youu and good luck.
Learned some more things I did not know and it was very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to help others.
Just trying to learn about Essential Oils their uses and value.
Thank you for all of this information. I will try to get through it and learn as much as possible.
I am interested in getting the “recipe” for the oils that are used for the brain memory.
really liked reading this informative piece, more so as I’m now dealing with doTERRA essential oils.
Thanks for such an elaborate, informative piece, really loved redoing it.
Wonderful information! I just started researching oils and I want to use him for my classroom I’ve also wondered about using them around my cats I know some essential oils are not safe for cats I would never put them on topically, however I diffuse them in my bedroom and they sleep with me Do you have any insight on this topic? Thanks again for such great information !!
I would be careful about using essential oils as a fragrance in the classroom. I, myself, am allergic to most perfumes and you could be torturing some students without knowing it.
I totally agree about being careful with fragrances. I work with many a child on the autism spectrum and they are typically hypersensitive to any input. Scents, natural or man-made can send even typically developing children into a behavioral melt-down or other symptom. I would stay away from it personally in the classroom.
I heard that peppermint oil put in a diffuser makes you stop coughing. Just wanted feedback do you know if this is true.
Peppermint is good but Eucalyptus Radiata and some of the blends from Young Living (R.C., Raven) are better for reducing coughs, along with lavender and lemon to help calm the cough. You can also blend these with a carrier oil and apply to the neck and chest.
You have to be careful about using Peppermint in a diffuser because it will cause horrible headaches. Srs it will, so just be careful. Found that out the hard way. 😮
If you have a cough, read up on what oil is best, but Peppermint is great for many things and will probably work. Just mix it with a carrier oil first and then, rub on the neck & chest. Agree with Kristen, LOVE R.C. Blend by YL and would never do without my Lavender or Lemon. 🙂
Found it to tremendously help me with my headaches and really helps my migraines, not feel so intense. Just rub some on your temples, forehead and under the nose. Feel the relief coming on.
Also, trust in YL because don’t have to worry if it is of quality or not when buying, but going to look into the Mountain herb oil as well.
Thank you for ALL the info, BETTY!!!
ever since I switched over from using Doterra and YL I wouldn’t go back to any other oil, I love it so much and my family that I became a distributor. Life is great! Blessings and healthy living! 🙂
For some years now I have been applying several drops each of undiluted pure essential oils patchouli, ylang ylang, sandalwood and cedarwood to my neck and throat after a shower, and the fragrance is wonderful, but as a bonus this same fragrance comes up from the toilet bowl every time I do a dump. To confirm I wasn’t imagining it, the first time it happened I smelt the loo paper after the first wipe and there was the fragrance of all those essential oils. Why is this, and has anyone else had the same experience ? I must be one of the very few people in the world who can say that not only does their shit not stink, but that it is exotically perfumed !
O no you din’t!
omg…..very funny.
Cruchy Betty.
What is your views on Organic Infusions, if any. I have been using there EO’s for a little over a year and do like them alot. When I first started using oils I did try do terra but there oils seem to have a certain similiar smell, almost as if something was added. I’m not sure why my senses picked that up. I did do some research where I found out they did use a marketing tool to sell products. That being said, the sellers of Organic Infusions never once bashed do terra. They did tell me to try different EO’s and find what works best for me and so far I’ve been happy with their oils.
I am looking for good quality EO that is not a part of a MLM company.
Is Organic Infusion a MLM company?
Nature’s Fusions is not a MLM, thankfully. I love their oils. They are pure, stringently third party tested, and offer a Forever Guarantee which I honor. Prices are decent, thankfully. You pay for the oil not the marketing structure. Organic Infusion is not a MLM, either.
This is pseudosciencetific drivel, and a money racket
Those that are ignorant spue crap!
Young living by far beats all oils do your research on them do terra reuses there bottles. Young living does not. N there pan away is amazing for any kind of pain. I have tried every oils and I must say young essentials are the best , most expensive but u get what u pay for.
Doterra is sister company of Young Living !!!
doTERRA is not a sister company. The founders left YL due in part to ethical issues. Reusing bottles is one of the more ridiculous claims I’ve heard as of yet. How does that make any sense? Young Living tests their own oils. How is that reassuring to anyone?
Young Living also has third party testers. They test inside the company and out.
doTerra’s founders use to work at YL but that is all NOT “sister companies”. YL oils have been tested by outside companies as well. Someone needs to get their facts straight before passing on information. I do not believe any of the companies YL or doTerra “reuses” their bottles. Where are they getting the bottles to “reuse”.
I have heard this about reusing the bottles also and I wonder how would they be able to reuse them? Are people mailing them back?
Mountain Rose Herbs is a reputable, ethical company with pure EO’s, as is Neal’s Yard Remedies which abides by the stringent regulations of the UK, which the US does not have.
After dong much research and reading many reviews. Native American nutritional’s is the choice of most that use essential oils commercially. Do terra is 2nd and young living is right up there. Most professional’s don’t even want to touch young living and other pyramid marketing companies. A friend sells young living so I did get a bottle of valor from her. I have a variety of brands that i found through research just to try them. From what I’ve read, young living and doterra are so expensive because of how they are marketed. Not because they are superior.
“from what I’ve read” – Just remember that everyone has an agenda – Even the person who wrote what you read. Young Living at least has something to show for what they charge. They own farms around the world, grow everything organically, pay people to hand weed the crops before harvest so they don’t have to use weed killers… they have and operate their own distilleries and labs and have giant warehouses with lots of employees. And yet a bottle of lemon oil still only costs $11. There are groups of people in the Aromatherapy world who dislike Young Living because they follow the French model of aromatherapy and the other groups follow the English and German models. The camps dislike each other and there is so much negativity. The French have shown that if the oil is pure you can ingest it with no problems. The other models have studies and histories of oils harming people but their oils came from the perfume industry and were polluted with synthetics. Most Aromatherapists don’t even know about the different models and are taught from a one-sided view and have a “we are right” attitude and turn their noses up at Young Living because it is MLM. Yet Young Living actually is a wholesale membership club a lot like Sams or Costco. Only 5% of it’s members actually run it like a MLM. Most just join and buy their own oils.
It is partially their marketing costs, paying levels of distributors etc.
Ethically, I can’t condone them. They appear to be price gauging certain products, of course the very popular blends they “run out of” then come back at $10 MORE a bottle… They “train” people with grossly incorrect information and not to mention their fearless leader is a charlatan!
I have a few friends that sell them that believe all their hype. But it seems like they are pro the company, not aromatherapy. The company uses tactics to put down the competition.
Well, Plant therapy works extraordinarily well for my SWC when this mLM didn’t help her at all.
Such great info!! Thank you! I am an independent distributor for Nture’s Sunshine products. They have an essential oils product line but I have been trying to learn more about them so that I can use them and recommend them. This was a lot Of great information. The chart you posted a link to will not
Come up. I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me a current
Link to that or a copy of it! Again this was the one place where I found the most useful
Information about essential oils. Now I need to learn about blending!!
I have read the entire article and here’s the part I’m interested the most:
“To test your essential oil to see how “pure” it is, put a single drop of it on a piece of construction paper. If it evaporates quickly and leaves no noticeable ring, it is pure. If you have a ring left, then it is likely diluted by the manufacturer with an oil of some sort (this test will not work for myth, patchouli, and absolutes).”
Most of the time I encounter oil products labeled as “unadulterated,” and I don’t trust any of it. But I think I’m going to try some and test if it’s pure or not. However, is there a way for to to return it by just saying I tested it in construction paper and it’s not pure?
I agree with this test because I bought some oils on line that smelled great but once I tested it…YIKES. Some are already diluted and that is why they are cheaper. Good Information.
Hi, would you mind if I used some of these facts on my oily Facebook page Di’s Essential Oils – More than Just Aromatherapy? Thanks.
I would like to start using Essential Oils on my skin to get rid of acne. I read your post and saw that you mentioned price didn’t necessarily matter, but then you mentioned different brands. If I am wanting to get rid of my acne should I go for the higher priced EO, or will the cheaper one do the trick?
Thanks! I love the info here!!
Leanne
Hi Leanne,
I love Doterra EO. They carry a couple of blends that could help, also some single oils that are worth trying. My daughter has used them and they have helped. Immortelle (Anti-aging blend) and a Skin clearing blend would be good ones to try.
Wish you luck!!
I use plant therapy lavender , one drop, in jojoba oil and it’s helped my skin clear up. Plant therapy is a wonderful, ethical company. And a fraction of the cost of the MOM companies. And you can get them through Amazon.
Oops, MOM
Great resource! It’s so important to understand the difference between essential oils and “real” — oils, seed oils, carrier oils, fixed oils — are there other names? I’m not sure. Both are wonderful, but they are so so different in structure and application. I’ve noticed a fair amount of misinformation going around where essential oils and carrier oils written about as the same thing or interchangeable. Your clear description is super valuable.
Such great information! I wish I had read the “warning” about diluting EO’s before putting directly on the skin. I purchased some essential lemon oil as I heard it was a a great way to brighten up the skin, clean pores etc. This morning after getting out of the shower, I liberally dabbed some on a cotton ball for that fresh clean feeling. What a mistake! Within seconds my face felt on FIRE, nothing would soothe it, I spread coconut oil on it hoping that would calm it down, I think it made it worse. Then I splashed ice cold water on it which seemed to help, but it took a good 5 minutes for the pain to subside. I was almost afraid to look in the mirror, fearing I would see blistered skin, thankfully all was good, just very red and that too went away. So please, please don’t make this mistakes of using undiluted EO’s and never, never on freshly washed, open pored skin! A very painful lesson to learn.
Refreshing. Nice to see a piece that isn’t selling oils from MLM’s. With the popularity of PEO’s on the upswing, people are not getting good information. I have been using essential oils for going on 30 years. It is nice to see people looking for alternatives, better to see some good general knowledge being published. Thanks!
Rosemary,
I see you mentioned that you have been using EOs for 30 years. I also read about price and quality.
I am looking for EOs that can be used in homemade body scrubs, but not one with a MLM company. I agree that you pay higher prices when you have to join a MLM company. Could you please guide me as to what company you would recommend and why?
I use plant therapy and I their oils are affordable priced and smell good and get the job done. Also they do free shipping and they run alot of specials. Hope this helps you.
I use plant therapy also. I use EO for my SWC and plant therapy had a children’s line that had literally changed our lives.
And discovering Robert Tisserand developed the children’s line. That he chose to work with plant therapy… Definitely my company if choice!!
Putting water on an oil drives it deeper into the skin, fyi. You had it right by diluting it…works after too. You must be fair skinned for it to burn like that…or more likely it had a chemichal or pesticide that didnt agree with your skin.
I went to sign up to get you in my “in box” and response is mailing list is not active….am I doing something wrong? Just stumbled on your site…very interesting.
Thanks
Paula
Hi, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility
issues. When I look at your blog in Ie, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer,
it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!
Other then that, great blog!
I am new to EO”s and am looking for something to calm down my skin. I have dry,red inflamed patches on my face. My skin is normally oily but I tried a few different face products and now I am paying for it. Any recommendations?
Also I was looking into Edens Garden oils. Do you know anything about them if they are good pure oils?
Thank you for your help!
I am adding cinnamon leaf and clover EOs to my mouthwash with peppermint and tea tree EOs. Before I felt safe using the undiluted EOs but with these new additions I feel like I need carrier. The other ingredients are water, aloe water, baking soda, xylitol and witch hazel. Should I add a carrier oil and which one do you recommend? I was thinking avocado, sesame, grapeseed or olive oil. If the witch hazel has alcohol could this act as a carrier? How much alcohol per how many drops? I’ve heard its about 3-5 drops per teaspoon carrier oil (3-5%). Great post!
Hi, I’ve been looking into making my own homemade toothpaste and it calls for peppermint EO and I was wondering if I would have to dilute it before I use it in the paste. Thanks for any advice!
so i wanted to use some of these in homemade bath bombs, but like the article says they need to be diluted, so do i need to add a little water when using the oil or will the fact that its in the bath bomb mean its diluted? (i hope this makes sense)
Liv,
Get on pinterest and poke around. There are tons of recipes for bath bombs. Some require Epsom salt or baking soda. When used with those in a bath the oils do not need to be diluted. I have used the oils with Epsom salt in my baths without issue. Look for recipes that pique your interest and they will tell you what you need.
Thank you for the information you shared, it is great. Although, I am wondering why the company I am going through says you can consume their oils internally, and use it on your body as it is. Furthermore, I am informed that this company sells the purest form of oil out there. I found oils on Puritan’s Pride, and they say the oils there are 100 per cent pure. I certainly love their prices. I will be checking out the list you have above. I am new to this, so I need as much information as possible, and if you can help me with the above concerns, I will be so grateful. Thank you in advance.
Danielle,
research, research, research. Some oils are labeled as Generally Regarded as Safe for ingestion. Get a copy of Higley’s book ” Reference Guide to Essential Oils ” and other guides on how to use your oils. I am not a fan but some people swear by it. The books and research will help you know what you can and cannot ingest, how it is recommended that you ingest it, and so on. Do not let the naysayers frighten you. Learn all you can and use facts to make your decisions. I use EOs daily but I prefer them topically and aromatically. You need to decide for yourself what ways your EOs best work for you.
I have purchased the Magnetic Laundry System (MLS) from Water Liberty. I do miss the fragrance in the use of the typical laundry detergents, so they suggested putting essential oils in with the laundry.
What type of essential oil can I use for this purpose and how much of it?
Thanks
Vicki,
you should be able to put any EO on there you like provided it isn’t plastic. Citrus oils will eat away at plastic and foam. Otherwise you should be okay to use any oil you like the scent of and enjoy!
So interesting information about the essential oils! Thanks a lot for sharing all of this useful and helpful information here! Regards! Cudham Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
Thanks for the great info. i have been buying oils from ananda apothecary and rocky mountain oils. they have great products and reasonably prices unlike young living and doterra
i think you really need to research Young Living essential oils. I take many of them internally and can put almost any of them on my skin, some with a carrier oil (V-6), and some neat. This company is the ONLY company that has a Seed to Seal process for each and every oil. No other oil company in the WORLD can say that!
I have been using, ingesting and inhaling these oils for 10 years, and have had arthritis pain minimized, cholesterol levels lowered, my husband’s BP lowered in 20 minutes, been able to sleep without taking a drug, had excruciating reflux diminished and often eliminated in minutes. I don’t know what they can do for you…each person is different, you have to “play” with them until you find what works for your body chemistry. God created the plants for healing, not pharmaceutical companies. Sometimes there may be a need for a pharmaceutical for a limited time, but mostly…I’LL STICK WITH MY OILS and herbs thank you!
Hi! I’m curious why you said to stay away from Lemon of all the oils when nursing? I’m nursing right now and would love to know as it is one of my favorites. I’m wanting to use my oils more now that I’m not pregnant, but nervous since I’m nursing. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. TIA!
Hi! Thanks for the wonderful read. Is it safe to rub pure rosemary oil on my hands to get a room smelling, and for my yoga students to breath in during savasana?
I didn’t know a lot of these things about essential oils. I think it is interesting that you are not supposed to use essential oils on the skin undiluted. I always assumed that you were only supposed to use them undiluted.
Sean,
Some oils can be applied directly to the skin, this is called using the oil “neat”. That does not mean to say that you shouldn’t dilute the oil in certain cases. Always dilute when applying to children and always check instructions from the company on how to apply the oil. Some need to be diluted to prevent skin irritation like peppermint. Those oils are considered “hot” and the irritation they cause is unpleasant to say the least. Research the oil before using and allow your body time to respond to each new oil before introducing a new one. Your body will tell you if you need more or less dilution with each oil If you give it enough time to respond.
What about piping rock EO?
Loved this article so true on so many counts. Use Young Living they are great!
can be applied directly to the skin?
do you know anything about Piper Rock essential oils? found them to be more affordable but haven’t tried them yet…
My feet swelled and turned red after I applied Valor essential oil to the bottoms of my feet. Should I be alarmed?
I have been told that essentials oils can help someone with bad nasal allergies they said you take one drop of oil in a cup of water every morning and night but they did not say what kind do you know anything about this . They said they do this and dont have to take allergies med`s any more
Don’t do this. Essential oils can be harmful to your digestive system. Remember that oil and water don’t mix so the essential oil dropped in water is useless. It will not blend and it will be introduced to your system in its purest form. This is dangerous! Do your own research from sources that are not selling essential oils!
Wait, the article says EO is technically NOT an oil, confused now. But I get it, don’t ingest because it could be dangerous. Still 3rd time I’ve seen the whole–water and oil don’t mix comment in all of these comments but the article says clearly its not actually oil.
This article is super helpful when looking into using essential oils for the purposes you listed. http://www.agoraindex.org/Frag_Dem/toxicitymyths.html
Margaret,
You arent specific about which oils you are ingesting and I am not a fan of ingesting oils anyway. Instead of ingesting them try putting a blend of carrier oil with lemon, lavender and peppermint on your chest and thieves in a carrier on your feet. It has worked for me and my family and it might work for you.
No point on your feet, sweat glands on your feet, nothing that would actually absorb, only thing you are doing by putting it on your feet is inhaling it as you put it on your feet, but you are already doing that putting it on your chest, why waste it. Just google are there pores on your feet–dermatologist articles all over saying bottom line just what I said.
Is lavender good for whiting teeth??
I have a question about allergies. I am not actually allergic to any food but I have oral allergy syndrome from having hay fever. Certain fresh veggies and fruits cause burning and itching in my mouth and sometimes other worse symptoms. I can’t eat avocados. Generally when these foods are slightly cooked or overly ripe I can have them. I’ve been wondering about using essential oils with avocado oil. I’ve had weird reactions with raw almonds but not roasted. It’s so weird! I’m weary of using almond or avocado carrier oils but I like the skin benefits of them. Any advice?
I have a question about allergies. I am not actually allergic to any food but I have oral allergy syndrome from having hay fever. Certain fresh veggies and fruits cause burning and itching in my mouth and sometimes other worse symptoms. I can’t eat avocados. Generally when these foods are slightly cooked or overly ripe I can have them. I’ve been wondering about using essential oils with avocado oil. I’ve had weird reactions with raw almonds but not roasted. It’s so weird! I’m weary of using almond or avocado carrier oils but I like the skin benifits
I’m a newbie to essential oils. My daughter-in-law became a consultant for YL oils in the fall. I’m just now researching essential oils and noticed a huge difference in YL oils and others I’ve found online. My question is how do I know when cheaper is just as good, cheaper is the same quality or you get what you pay for, cheap equals cheap quality. Also what is a good carrier for rubbing oils? Thank you for your help.
Pam,
To answer your question I am going to make a suggestion – buy an oil from the grocery or drug store that your daughter in law has in stock from YL, arrange a time to go over to her home and smell the 2 bottles. As silly as it sounds you will be able to tell a difference just in the smell. And yes, you get what you pay for. Many grocery and drug store brands are 2nd, 3rd, even 5th and 6th distillations of the product, are often diluted with carrier, and are not as pure as YL or DoTerra. Both of those companies use the 1st distillation which is the most pure. As for carrier oils you can use coconut, grape seed, sweet almond, jojoba, olive, or even boring old vegetable oil.
The information packed aromatherapy reference chart link is broken 🙁 in this section of the article:
USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOUR MOOD. Lavender, peppermint, grapefruit, chamomile, lemon, ylang-ylang all help produce happy, joyous moods. Clary sage helps with PMS (although there have been reports that overuse of clary sage can lead to intoxication). Rosemary increases focus and concentration. Don’t forget the mood benefits of essential oils. Here’s an information packed aromatherapy reference chart to refer to.
Hi… I am wondering if I can just add drops of Rosemary essential oil to an unscented body lotion from the store? My Mom has Dementia, and I’d like to try this for her.??? IF so… HOW MANY drops would I use? — I saw the diffusers in the store also – that you plug in, and put drops on a pad… I thought lotion would be nice! Thoughts?? Thank you!
Depending on ingredients in lotion, you may be able to add Rosemary EO. To try, put small amount of lotion (like enough for 3 uses) in container and add 1 drop Rosemary, mix and try.
Thanks!
Tammy
I make perfume home . but the problem is the perfume that does not last long . I was advised to use ” patchouli oil ” as a fixative . but what happened was that the smell of patchouli oil is very dominating . So how do we cultivate the patchouli oil that is odorless and still function as a fixative to enhance
I have bad acne scars, would like to try essential oils to help smooth out the scarring and make it less noticeable, what would you recommend?
Actually, you would benefit from exfoliating your skin twice daily and using a little Argan oil (size of nickel) with about 3-5 drops of Lavender EO after each exfoliation. It will take some time. Exfoliating, don’t scrub hard, gentle circular motions.
Thanks!
Tammy
I would also recommend frankincense essential oil either neat or diluted 1:1 with a carrier oil of choice as it increases cell turnover, and helps with scarring. It can be used in conjunction with lavender regimen Tammy suggested:)
i am now taking neurotin for nerve pain and restless leg. is there a eo that will help with those issues so i can stop taking the medication. also am taking blood pressure and diabetis medication. would like to stop taking all meds. any suggestions?
Helen, I have a friend who suffered from RL , she used a blend from Young Living carried called Valor that helped her tremendously.
I have heard great things about Magnesium Oil for restless leg syndrome and other aches, pains in your body. It is not an essential oil but you can read many reviews about it on amazon.com and see if it is something you might use. I am planning to buy some for myself for my legs and the pain I have in them each night. Good luck!!
I have little to no sense of smell, can essential oils still work for me?
yes you can use them topically. follow recommendations given for that oil
This may be an unusual question, due to a brain injury, I have almost no sense of sense. Will essential oils be effective for me.
Loss of smell could be helped by inhaling 3-5 times daily Peppermint, Thyme or Myrtle.
So, even though you have lost your sense of smell, it isn’t the smell that helps your body, it’s the constituents in the oils that enter your body either through inhaling or applying to the body.
Olfactory loss, no matter the cause, would not be hindered by the use of EO’s.
Thanks!
Tammy
Very informative blog. Thank you for sharing.
I have a question about cooking/backing with essential oils.
Recently I came upon a Young Living consultant who was sharing information at the library.
She uses oils to cook and bake with.
Was wondering if you knew if applying heat to them would decrease their benefits?
Yes, applying heat will decrease their benefits, just like vegetables lose some of the health benefits. They can provide amazing flavor, though, most of the time I just need one drop. If you add them in at the end of the cooking, when the temp is lower, you can still maintain some of the integrity of the chemical constituents. Hope that helps!
Hi! I’m an EO newby. I teach and would love to know what could put in a diffuser in my middle school classroom. BUT, my biggest question is in regards to my daughter who is ADHD has anxiety and is a freshman in college. I want to introduce her to EO for all of this. I’ve heard of YL oils but would like some direction in this area.
Thank you for all the info above. It’s a fabulous starting place!
Priscilla
Priscilla:
Lavender EO would be the best, but peppermint or frankincense is also very good substitute for calming. Also, because ADD and ADHD coincide with mineral deficiencies of magnesium, potassium and other trace minerals, it would be good to research those.
I love EO’s and I will be sharing about them on my blog adonaistreasure.com
I’m not sure using EO’s in a classroom would be a good idea. I have a friend with an awful lavender allergy. In this day and age, you never know how people will react. Everyone seems to be allergic to something.
Priscilla,
Diffusing any EO would not be safe for the children or adult coming into your classroom as there are tons of allergies and Pharmaceutical Drug interactions you would not be aware of which could potentially be very dangerous. I would definitely do more research before investing in EO’s, especially with YL or any MLM indicating they can cure illnesses. YL, doTerra and Natural Solutions were cited by the FDA in September 2014 for doing just that. Mountain Rose Herbs is a great company, Plant Therapy offers even Children Safe single Oils and Synergy Blends.
Hi
simplyaroma.com/nikkilee
100% Pure
simplyaroma.com/nikkilee
I love all the products.
What kind of oils can you put in olive oil avocado oil or coconut oils to bring about a romantic feel that’s safe tobe ingested and safe for a man and womans private areas of the body, more specifically inside a woman that wont cause irritation
Hi!!
I noticed you highly recommend MRH. That is awesome considering I just bought a ton of their oils! I am new to all this and I have a number of questions that I can’t seem to find on their site.
#1 – are they therapeutic grade?
#2 – what number of distillation do they use? I think I read somewhere that they use the first but haven’t been able to verify that.
#3 – it says on their site not safe to be used on children. I assume that is using the oil “neat” and not diluted with a carrier oil. one of the reasons I am getting into oils is to have a natural alternative for my children.
Any answers you are able to provide would be awesome!
Thanks so much!
Adrienne
Adrienne,
You asked a few questions so I will do my best in answering them, however, I am not an aromatherapist but the information I have was given to me by one.
#1- Therapeutic Grade is just a selling gimmick. If EO’s are pure, they are equal to any other. There are only a few distillery’s so many of the EO’s come from the same distillery then sold under several names. You should always buy from a company that is willing to give you the GC/MS reports regarding the Lot your EO bottle is from. That tells the constituents of the EO and would indicate if adulterated in any way.
#2. I am not sure on this one. It was my understanding being distilled you only get so much from each time. I am not aware the distilleries can repeat the process with any success but again this is why the GC/MS report would be so important. It would indicate the strength of the constituents in turn telling if adulterated or not.
#3. EO’s if diluted properly (not neat) and ONLY certain EO’s are safe for children. Peppermint is not safe until at least 6 years of age, some say older, as it can be a mucous membrane irritant. Eucalyptus has a 1,8-cineole content, its not recommended for children until the age of 10. Very important for childrens safety to do due diligence…these are just a few that come to my mind right of way and why they aren’t safe for children. I know there is plenty of other oils that are safe for children diffused. Once older, then ok for application, diluted in carrier oil. I was told 2-10 years old is when you can start adding more EO’s to your child(ren) library, as they age, you can add more. Of course I know this is hugely a hot topic. It depends on who you ask when you can introduce EO’s to babies and children. I know the MLM say put them neat on babies feet. No ones feet (bottom) will absorb EO’s as we have glands on the bottom of our feet, not pores to absorb the EO’s.
Adrienne
To answer your questions I have to answer #2 first. Jena is right – there are a limited number of distilleries, D. Gary Young owns 1/3 of them. The products distilled to make EOs are like the contents of tea – they can be distilled multiple times but each time you do so the product you get is progressively weaker. Companies like doTERRA and Young Living only take the 1st distillation which is the strongest and most pure. They label their product therapeutic grade and 100% pure because they have run it through a mass spectrometer and have calculated the constituents in each bottle. Young Living actually refuses to sell any bottle of EO that does not meet their requirements for purity. Less expensive companies use the 2nd, 3rd, and even 5th and 6th distillation. They also dilute their products before marketing them. So it is important to know about the company you are buying from and what distillation they use. Not all distillations are equal.
When working with children ALWAYS dilute the ois moderately to heavily. If it says 1:4 dilution meaning 1 drop of EO to 4 drops of carrier then you want to double or triple it for the child. Do your research – you can use most oils in children of all ages provided you dilute them properly. My DD had immunizations not too long ago and I used moderately diluted lavender, heavily diluted lemon, and heavily diluted peppermint to combat the fever she had and some Heavily diluted Panaway which is a YL blend to control the pain. They worked wonderfully and she was a happy camper by that evening. The next day which is typically the worst she was her normal self and you couldn’t tell that she had been given shots the day before.
I strongly encourage you to get a copy of Higley’s book “Reference Guide to Essential Oils” as it will help you learn about what oils you can and cannot use with children, which oils have been noted to help with which conditions and which oils are considered Generally Regarded as Safe for ingestion. There are other books out there, lots of testimonials by users of EOs, and lots of suggestions on pinterest. Please do not let naysayers like Jena frighten you away from EOs and do your research, learn all that you can. Also bear in mind that each person responds to and smells the oils differently so take time to get to know your response to each oil and how much carrier you need to prevent skin irritation. This is a learning experience that can positively change your life if you let it!
If you are interested in essential oils you should check out http://www.essentialoilsaid.com/
Hello,
I wanted to make you aware of some new clinical grade oils that just came out called Ameo from Zija International. They have been out for about 6 months now and have been extremely impressed with the quality of their products. They are proven clinical grade, cell active and permeable!
Ps. Some people have said that they can smell the difference between this oil and others.
I am trying to make up my own mixture of Deep Blue for my cousin who is 70 years old, and who is not on any type of medication as well as for a lady who is 80 after they suffered from a nasty bout of a virus from a mosquito in the caribbean which cause inflammation and joint pains – I have bought all the ingredients, including wintergreen, which you said is poisonous – could you tell me the dosage of the different oils being used namely wintergreen, camphor; peppermint; blue tansy; german chamomile; helichrysum and osmanthus – in the synergistic mix – how many drops of all these oils to make up the mix? I will make up the mix and the post it in a 10 ml bottle to my cousin with specific instructions. I should appreciate your advise.
I am just getting my site up and running. maddiefarms.com
thank you for the great info. i have been buying oils from ananda apothecary and rocky mountain oils. they have great products and reasonably prices unlike young living and doterra
Young livings pricing, is the way it is because they own all their own farms, they do not have brokers or manufacturers. The distill the products and then send them for testing multiple times. If you are someone who cares about the quality and purity of the products you are putting in your body, i urge you to research it…
Hi CB, I’ve tried almost every pure essential oil made and simply love NOW Essential Oils. I use it homemade cleaning products/vapor ointment, when showering, or bathing. For it’s simply the best. I’m happy you’re helping others to realize essential oils usage.
Hi. Faith. Thanks for sharing about NOW essential oils. In the last two months, I have been learning about EOs and bought several NOW oils at GNC, with the initial intent of using them in more natural cleaning products, getting away from many that are chemical-based and hard to breathe when using. I cannot say that they have had any health benefits for me yet, as I am fortunate to not be prone to a lot of illness, but I have bought NOW grapeseed oil and have used lavender in it on my skin, and have used peppermint for headaches, but I am still learning. I did, however, just purchase the NOW diffuser, two actually, which just arrived this past Saturday afternoon, and I have been enjoying blending oils for scent.
Any additional insight you can provide would be welcome. I have about 10 different bottles now and am ready to learn.
Thanks!
How would I dilute vitamin E oil?
Jessica, not sure if you’ll be notified of a reply, but you don’t have to dilute vitamin E oil at all. It’s not an essential oil.
Hi there
I love using Argan Oil on my hair – its great for taming frizz out and serves as a good heat defence when straightening or blow drying.
However I was wondering whether you could recommend an essential oil that I could use with it for heat defence purposes too… I hate the smell of argan oil and was wondering if I mix essential oils in it could they damage my hair under a hair dryer?
Appreciate your response!
xxxx
Vanilla absolute oil helps scent the Argan oil. Smells great then.
Hi. I have heard that you should store essential oils in a refrigerator and that you must be able to check on the company’s website for the chemical tests by lot number or you can’t be sure of the potency/expiration date. It makes sense to me and seems important given they are used medicinally plus are so expensive. Do you have any thoughts?
Actually in its purest form, essential oils do not have a shelf life.
so glad you mentioned that EOs are NOT to be taken internally. You provided a great description and lots of wonderful information. Thanks.
With all the hype from YL and DoTerra people tend to have become experts due to the MLM practices of these two companies. The FDA has filed against both of these corporations for basically practicing medicine without a license.
I have grown and used herbs for several decades and regardless of what they say I would never take these internally or put them on my skin neat ( other than possibly Peppermint and Lavender)
Ellen – Im sorry but you are mistaken. Essential oils ARE able to be ingested in their purest, natural form. The FDA even acknowledges this and has its OWN list of Essential Oils Generally Recognized as Safe for human consumption. If needed I can gladly link you. The FDA has in fact gone after them, not for “practicing medicine”, but for some of the uneducated reps who made claims that EO’s cured Ebola. At the same time, Dr Bronners people among OTHER companies received the same letters. They also did not file anything, they have sent them letters with “their demands” and now these companies need to meet them. Do not make a mountain out of a mole hill. I am with Young Living oils- because I care where my product comes from.
Hello Ellen,I just started using YL and I started puttimg straight frankencense on a skin cancer that was needing cut out.Ive allready had one taken out the size of my thumbnail.The new spot is now gone but im still putting oil on til i feels safe.My freinds totally acned out face is now totally clear.Yes its costly,but you have the alternative to be a salesman(like marykay etc).+ work from home.As far as their license?have no clue though I dont see how a 9 country operation could be so careless .I love love their products,but i still find great natural products at cheaper cost.All i know is I found something that really works and still cheaper than a doctor for now.
What does the YL stand for? For a recent cat bite to my hand:
I used grated carrots covered with Saran wrap for 24 hours followed by grated garlic covered with a large bandaids.( both as poltice) I used the garlic for 48 hours. After that I just applied bandaids as there was a large hole in my hand. Within a week the area that had been covered with carrot/garlic turned black. I lifted the corner and the whole piece came off. Beautiful pink skin was there! The carrots took the pain away instantly and the garlic kept any infection at bay.
This was my own cat who turned her head quickly while I was brushing her, the “snaggle tooth” caught my hand and pierced a large hole.
I work for an MD and upon seeing it he’s taking out his Rx pad. I told him I wanted to try this first and if I had trouble I would call. The hand was all swollen when he saw it in the AM, but by that evening when he came back the swelling had gone down. Because he believes in toxic drugs, he wouldn’t say anything the remarkable response I was getting.
I know this does not pertain to essential oils, but it may be helpful for a home remedy.
Thank you, Victoria
Priscilla:
Lavender EO would be the best, but peppermint or frankincense is also very good substitute for calming. Also, because ADD and ADHD coincide with mineral deficiencies of magnesium, potassium and other trace minerals, it would be good to research those.
I love EO’s and I will be sharing about them on my blog adonaistreasure.com
Sorry, Priscilla, wrong post!
Anyway, YL stands for Young Living, a very reputable essential oil manufacturer started by Gary Young, very pure EO’s.
Your alternative care is great!
Hi Sally,
EO’s are very potent, and because of that can cause rather intensely painful skin irritations putting them directly on the skin (NEAT) without diluting them first in a carrier oil such as Olive Oil, FCO, Avocado Oil, Jojoba Oil etc. The EO’s last longer on your skin as well by diluting them, they don’t dissipate as quickly.
EO’s also can have pharmaceutical drug interactions, such as essential oils which are high in eugenol or methyl salicylate should not be used by persons on anticoagulant drugs. Methyl salicylate can also cause problems for asthmatics or those with aspirin allergies. Another for instance, inhalation of EO’s high in menthol, such as peppermint, will cause increased lung permeability of nicotine. Menthol also slows the ability to clear nicotine from the body. If you are a smoker, allow several hours to elapse between cigarette use and inhalation of high menthol EO’s. Those with renal or liver disease, compromised immune systems, or those taking multiple medications should consult with a qualified professional aromatherapist before attempting to self-medicate with essential oils. I also know Blue Tansy and Grapefruit have pharmaceutical drug interactions as well, I just can’t remember exactly off the top of my head. I am sure there are others, but these are more common EO interactions and can be serious. Your example of selling Mary Kay really is like comparing Apples to Oranges given Cosmetics are having to follow FDA restrictions and guidelines. There is not a governmental agency that oversees the safety of Essential Oils. Essential Oils if not used properly and safely can poison you, CAN kill you. Sally, it frightens me you feel just because YL or doTerra (their largest competitor) operate in 9 countries, they are a “good and / or safe” company. Yes, in September 2014 the FDA cited YL & doTerra & Natural Solutions for advertising EO’s as being “the cure-all” for certain illnesses? If you do your due diligence, you’ll see why YL is NOT acting in a safe manner. Another example I can give you, putting EO’s in your water to drink, such as Lemon EO. Firstly, Oil and Water do not mix, secondly ingesting Lemon EO can burn your digestive tract horribly. Have you seen what Lemon EO can do to plastic? If not, I suggest again you do your due diligence and see what it does, I wouldn’t want that going down my throat, in anyway. Also Sally, I hope you don’t have any Cats in your home. Did you know EO’s can significantly cause serious health risks not limited to death in felines? Dogs you ask? Yes, they are not exempt, not as severe as cats but can harm them as well. Again Sally, due diligence is why Ellen was suggesting their practice is about the mighty dollar, not people and their health and sharing what the beauty of EO’s can truly be, IF USED SAFELY AND PROPERLY.
You are really uneducated in the use of essential oils. doTERRA essential oils are safe and that is proven with much research. Check out pubmed.gov and what it states on doTerra science. Let’s see…would statements at all be there if there was a danger? There are no dangers in using doTERRA Essential OILs… almost 2 million regular users would agree. Some of the companies mentioned have under 200 users which does not lead to credibility and no science to back them. The FDA has issued NO statements besides the fact that wellness advocates should not make claims on a few items…including major disease processes, even if an essential oil can assist…it just can’t be claimed online. Speak to the many Children’s Hospitals, Trauma Centers and hundreds of MD’s that regularly use doTERRA ESSENTIAL OILS on patients. Theres your proof!
I would highly recommend that anyone who is interested in essential oil toxicity to read this article regarding safety, including ingestion or neat application. I found it to be very helpful. It is a comprehensive article that was also published in an aromatherapy journal. Ron Guba, the author, is a well known Australian aromatherapist. http://www.agoraindex.org/Frag_Dem/toxicitymyths.html
doTERRA essential oils are great for internal use. Science backed. Safe to use on every age, even at birth. Education is the backbone of doTERRA. Kathleen Kelly
There are always a few bad seeds to a group. Its is not the fault of the company that some people out there are giving false info or claiming an oil to be a cure all in the name of making a buck. These 2 companies have been and are actively talking steps to prevent this from happening further. I find it unfair to point the finger at the company when its individuals who have made bad choices. I use EO and when asked I will share what has worked for me, and I always tell people to do their own research.
you oils pictured here are some of the worst around… I am a chemical engineer and have done extensive study on this and I would only use Doterra, Young Living and Bachman.. I sell Doterra as they are both pure AND indigenous…
We got rid of a bad bedbug infestation in the house with, well it was either Tea Tree oil or Lavender oil, mixed into spray bottles with 91% alcohol. We weren’t shy about it either, our 1st experience with EOs. We burned through 2oz bottles of each and the bugs vaporized and were gone in two days! They really don’t much like the air that clean and fresh.
That would be tea tree oil, its great for lice too!!
The link you have for “USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOUR MOOD……Here’s an information packed aromatherapy reference chart to refer to.” is broken. Below I have found and included a link to what I believe you were linking to.
http://www.cuppingtherapy.org/downloads/EORefChart.html
sorry if this has already been brought to your attention.
Many of the recipes in your food on your face book call for lavender. what would be a good substitute if one is allergic to lavender? thank you!
I love your website. A lot of the essential oils state – add 5 drops of oil to a carrier oil, but not say how much carrier oil. Is there a rule of thumb on the carrier oil? Thank you
I’m looking at various essential oils online, & I was wondering what specifically it means if it says strength low impact or strength high impact.
I have found a Great site to purchase your oils from they sale 100% pure essential oil and have great prices this site is defiantly the best i have found throw my hours of searching. hear is the link mountainforestessentialoil.com this site is a most see.
John, I have a hard time taking advice from someone who strongly touts a website, mountainforestessentialoil.com, after his long hours of research, but can’t even correctly spell “definitely”, “through”, and “must” and doesn’t know the difference between “sell” and “sale”…
don i am sorry if i cant spell i was just trying to help you guys out
Hi. I’m hearing conflicting opinions regarding using lavender oil on my children. I have a 10 yr. old son & 7 yr. old daughter. I love to use the lavender with peppermint & lemon for my son’s allergies. I will also rub some on his temples for a headache. I will also apply to my daughter’s temples for a headache or put a couple drops in her bath. Is this OK? I’ve heard especially in boys that you should not use lavender because it has estrogen in it.
What would be a good oil for a enlarge Spleen and to improve Red Blood cells?
My 3 year old has severe eczema, what combination could you recommend for relief for her? I hate the thought of continuing to use steroids on her little body. Thanks so much!
Tea tree oil! I did not even think of this as an essential oil product. It has been a staple of my bathroom cabinet for years as a shampoo additive. One or two drops in the bottle of shampoo and those pesky head lice (that I frequently encounter in elementary school settings) are goners! I have waist length hair, and after contracting lice a couple of times, I asked my primary physician what I could do besides keep my hair up (a possibility) or cutting it short (not happening).
He suggested an “old wives tale” remedy of tea tree oil in my shampoo. He is not typically an alternative medicine sort of guy, so I was surprised that he even suggested it. By golly it works! I have been a teacher for over thirty years –28 of them head lice free. I shared this idea with several colleagues and parents, and they all report the same results.
For those of you exposed to all sorts of nasty little critters in the public sector–try tea tree oil in your shampoo!
Do not use Essential Oils when traveling by air. You may make others around you sick. Airlines have policies about heavy fragrances so you need to be aware and respectful of others. You may like the scents you’ve chosen but that doesn’t mean everyone will.
Defense Essential Oils are a great way to treat skin infections naturally. By providing a moisturizer filled with pure ingredients that are beneficial to your skin, and help protect you from bacteria, viruses, and fungus both on and off the mat.
CONTAINS NO PETROCHEMICAL COMPOUNDS, TRICLOSAN OR SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE. NO HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS.
I use the oil cleansing method and I want to know what oil to use if I’m probe to black heads?
Lemon oil will cleanse the skin and balance any skin conditions that you have
Hey mate,
Thanks for sharing these facts about essential oils. Essential oils are very helpful for us to get physically fit. It helps us to boost our immune system and keeps us fit and fine.
This was very helpful and I will be using a lot of this information and reading your other articles.
One thing that bothered was the phrase “rule of thumb.” I’m sure you don’t know that the origin of this phrase is in British Common Law and it’s use was that a man may beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.
Améo essential oils has recently launched and our oils are unlike any others on the market. Please click the link jamiefgatti.myameo.com to see why, or visit ameodifference.com
You will see why there is no comparison!
Thanks for sharing such a pleasant thought, piece of writing is nice,
thats why i have read it completely
I could not get the link for :
“USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOUR MOOD. Lavender, peppermint, grapefruit, chamomile, lemon, ylang-ylang all help produce happy, joyous moods. Clary sage helps with PMS (although there have been reports that overuse of clary sage can lead to intoxication). Rosemary increases focus and concentration. Don’t forget the mood benefits of essential oils. Here’s an information packed aromatherapy reference chart to refer to.”
To work. It gave me this message:
Not Found
The requested URL /downloads/Aromatherapy EO Reference Chart.pdf was not found on this server.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.
i have been using bulk apothecary. i recently ordered sandalwood and it seems oily. is this typical of this particular essential oil? i have been mostly pleased with this company. curious to hear any feed back from others who have used this company.
Hi! I’ll be working with a large group of people and making lots of 4oz jars of bath salts using essential oils and I’d like to know if anyone knows where I can order essential oils in bulk for a good price. Thanks!
SMH at all of these Young Living Distributors saying their oils are the most pure and safe to be ingested. People, do your research please before being scammed by these distributors. There are third party sites that test the oils from different companies. Young Living oils are not more “pure” nor are they safe to be ingested without consulting a certified aromatherapist who is trained to know what amount of what oils can safely be ingested and by who. Some ages or people with certain conditions cannot ingest this or that oil. 1 drop of Lemon EO is equivalent of consuming like 1000 lemons. Young Living and Doterra and any other MLM company’s oils are more expensive not because they are pure but because they have to feed MANY mouths down the MLM chain. There are many companies out there that have pure oils without additives that are WAY more affordable. I am not a seller or a certified aromatherapist. I am just tired of all these MLM distributors spreading lies just so they can make a buck.
Where’s the “LIKE” button?
How did you come to this conclusion?
Amen.There are plenty of other essential oil companies out there that are just as good.
Could you please provide some of the third party sites that you have visited? It seems whenever I try to do unbias research I end up at a site that is linked to a distributor. In the end it has all been a sales presentation.
Another “like”!
As someone who has used and researched essential oils for 20+ years I am bummed to see how much misinformation there is in this article! Please don’t believe everything you read people. Educate yourself!
What is your opinion about doTERRA oils? My children use them for the grandkids and like them…should they try something else?
Great post – thanks. I’m purchasing a EO diffuser for my office, and noted the caution against exposure for pregnant and nursing women. If I had a diffuser running in my office with one of the oils mentioned, would I be putting my pregnant/nursing co-workers at risk if they were in my office for, say, an hour meeting or other such situations?
Hi. Thank you for the information. I have read about using Young Living oils for weight loss by injesting lemon, grapefruit and peppermint. Are these safe to injesting? Also, I have hypothyroidism, are these oils safe with my levothyroxine medication?
Thanks!
I have been on those 3 oils for 1 month and so far no results. Very dissappointed
Feel free to reach out to me by email and I can give you my number…I have been with a company for a while now and they have great products but also a great comp plan compared to a lot of different companies out there. we just released our Ameo Oils line which is a certified clinical grade oil. Would love to share more information with you. Please reach out to me. One of the top distributors from one of the leading essential oils company just moved over to Ameo oils…The experience, the quality of the product, the comp plan, and the partnering of the moringa nutrition makes this an even more powerful solution to great health and living..
Thanks and I look for ward to hearing from you. _ Nick
Hello, i know nothing about EO but I’m looking for sauna essence and I’m wondering if I could use EO diluted in water to mist onto sauna rocks. Any one have any experience with this, thanks
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I notice ‘Now’ sells essential oils that are 100% pure and organic. They are a fraction of the price that ‘Young Living’ essential oils, also pure and organic (of course) are. The question is, are Now’s EOs as potent as YL’s are???
I am a Young Living member. Young Living are the purest. They own their own farms, plant their own seeds, harvest the product, distill it, test it, and seal it. We are the only EO that can claim “seed to seal”. That is why it costs more. With YL you can be sure nothing hidden has been added. Other companies state to not ingest the oils. YL are completely safe for ingesting, for pets and children. I would rather pay more being I know where the oil comes from and how it is produced. If you would like to be a member you can get 24% off by signing up. My member #1904120
Just be careful using essential oils. Can mess up your breathing system – Lungs.
Just had a friend diagnosed with fluid on lung and lung problems for a few months – biopsy (done on Monday) said no permanent damage but damage caused by essential oil use. She has been in intensive care since Friday night.
I’ve been surfing online more than three hours lately, but I never discovered any interesting article
like yours. It is beautiful worth sufficient for me.
Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made just right content as you did, the internet might be a lot more
useful than ever before.
I have recently been doing a lot of research on essential oils and am loving how you can replace many of the OTC meds with an oil!
you can extend the life of your oils by adding vitamin E capsule to your oil. Just get a vitamin E capsule, break it open, and add it to your oil
You said that “Remember that what you’re allergic to in food, you will be allergic to in essential oils.” This is not true as stated by Dr. David Stewart, PhD, DNM in his book “The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple”.
He quotes the following..
Allergens are almost always composed of proteins or polypeptides, which are relatively large molecules. There are no proteins or polypeptides in essential oils. In fact, nitrogen containing compounds are virtually non-existent in essential oils except in occasional trace amounts. Allergens are composed of large molecules. There are no large molecules in volatile or aromatic oils, otherwise they would be neither volatile or aromatic.
There has never been a documented instance of an anti-body response (i.e. sensitization) to an essential oil. Essential oil antibodies have never been found or detected in anyone. Unless sensitization occurs and antibodies are produced and stored in the body, there can be no allergic reaction. Therefore, we can state unequivocally that essential oils are not and cannot be allergens. Sometimes people do have allergy-like reactions but these are no allergenic in nature. They are detox reactions.
From my personal experience, this is true with REAL essential oils. Many found in retail stores are not pure as stated on their labels.
Because the FDA does not control essential oils, as long as a company puts at least 5% real essential oil in a bottle (the rest is a carrier oil) then they can label it as pure so it’s critical to know your buying pure EO.
I love this post. Will sign up to get your blog on my feed. Thanks
Hello, is your royally flawless facial oil safe to use during pregnancy please?
Many thanks x
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Can u tell me what oils can shrink a fibroid and restore healthy fertility?
This is very good info.! Thanks for sharing. How can a prolong the scent of essential oils in my handmade melt and pour soaps?
Superb post however , I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this subject?
I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a
little bit more. Cheers!
I am a wholesale distributer for Young Living Essential Oils. Contact me if you have any questions and I would be glad to answer them
I’ve been surfing online more than 2 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours.
It is pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be a lot
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Hi, I am new to making perfume and need to know can any scent in a bottle that says essential oil or essential fragrance be used to make perfume? Or do you have to use a specific product for perfume?
Thanks,
Lori
Lori, I am relatively new to the essential oils world, but I do remember reading somewhere (check planttherapy.com or edensgarden.com) that essential oils are the pure life essence of the plants from which they are derived. An essential fragrance is often obtained with solvent or alcohol distillation which make the essential fragrance a better choice for making fragrances as they are usually less expensive.
I hope the information and the info sites are of benefit.
Good luck.
What are carrier oils – I know you use these to mix with the pure oils, but is it like coconut oil,olive oil, etc.? Thanks
Yes, coconut oil, grape seed oil, olive oil
I use Coconut oil
Tammy I know you from somewhere. I recognized your name. You sold a line of toys, I believe? I live in the Humble Tx area. Do you still live in this area? Contact me. I am a Young Living essential oils member. Would love to share more info with you.
Don’t use coconut oil if you want the benefit of absorbing the essential oils. Coconut oil creates a breathable barrier on the skin so although it’s great for the skin, it doesn’t work with essential oils. I’m certified in aromatherapy and have used them in my massage practice for 5 years.
Thank you for all the great info. Help me understand more about “ingestible” EOs versus “noningestibles”. If “noningestibles” are okay for use in soaps and other skin products, and the skin absorbs what’s put on it into the blood stream, then 1) why are “noningestible” EOs okay in skin care products, and 2) why can’t we ingest “noningestible” EOs under the tongue or diluted in a glass of water, for example?
Thanks in advance —
Non-ingestible essential oils either mean that they are not meant for ingestion because it is too directly absorbed into the system or that they aren’t 100% pure. American standards only require 2% essential oil in a bottle labeled “100% Pure”.
Michele,
EOs that you are able to ingest have been noted to help the body and are forced through your gut allowing the body to use them differently from EOs that enter your body via the skin. Those that are not recommended for ingestion have been noted to cause irritation to the GI tract and have been noted to have a negative response. An example of this, though slightly unrelated, is marijuana – smoking it vs ingesting it. It enters the lungs and thus the bloodstream while an edible source has to enter your stomach and then the bloodstream. The stomach acts as the buffer just as the lung tissue acts as a buffer but different responses and levels of THC are achieved.
As is pointed out in the article EOs are not really “Oils” in the sense that they lack the lipid content necessary to make them a true oil. That is why we need carrier oils – that is what allows the EOs to be absorbed into the skin and thus into the cellular level. The carrier picks up the EO and transports it through the lipid barrier of the cells where they work. At a guess the carrier acts as a buffer in the bloodstream limiting the potential irritation of the EO to the bloodstream.
PLEASE check out ‘Using Essential Oils Safely’ facebook group. They are run by certified aromatherapists and can give you TONS of information on how to use the oils, which are unsafe for children, which brands are best, etc.
Thanks for telling me about that page. I just went and submitted the request to join.
Hi! Is it necessary to dilute an oil if you’re going to inhale the vapor, rather than use it topically? I’m asking because I had been rubbing a drop of frankincense on the palms of my hands and then inhaling to treat asthma. After awhile, I developed a reaction on my skin. Now I’m applying the oil to a piece of paper in a ziploc bag and inhaling from that to avoid skin contact.
Thanks!
You don’t need to dilute for inhalation. However, be careful using the oil for inhalation if you’ve had a skin reaction. You may be lucky and it just be a reaction on your skin, but there is a possibility you’ve sensitized yourself. If that is the case, inhalation could bother you with that particular oil.
Add your oil to a cotton ball, then drop that into a Ziploc bag.
Use a carrier oil such as coconut oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil. A carrier oil helps it to go on better and releases the oil slowly. I am a Young Living essential oils member. Contact me for more info. Young Living is safe to inhale and to ingest.
I live in Canada, and I’ve been pretty happy with a Canadian aromatherapy (oils, blends, etc.) shop called Taiga Therapy (http://taigatherapy.com). Pure oils at good prices. Used to shop at Escents but their prices are way too high. Seems you have to make a special order if you wanna ship to the US, though..
I know this may be a stupid question, but is all peppermint essential oil consider gras? I bought some to flavor my homemade toothpaste with. I’ve read conflicting information and want to be sure before I use it.
I’m not sure what you mean when you say “gras” but I wouldn’t recommend using just any essential oil, especially when you are putting it in your mouth. American standards only require 2% essential oils in a bottle that is labeled “100% Pure”. It’s really unfortunate we have such lax standards. Be Young uses the International standards for essential oil purity (E.O.B.B.D.)
Shannon, not all essential oils are created equal. Zija International has just launched its patented process of AMÉO Essential Oils product division. In particular their Peppermint Essential Oils is a powerful, distinct oil that immediately ignites the senses. Once inhaled or consumed, it goes right to work stimulating the mind and body. Peppermint oil is used aromatically, topically and internally to aid in digestive health, relieve stress and freshen breath. Massaging with the oil can help relieve skin redness and irritations. As far as usage is concerned AMÉO Peppermint oil is ATIDS based on the following key. A: AROMATICALLY – oils can be inhaled or diffused in the air, T: TOPICALLY – Oils can be applied to skin. Some oils require dilution with a carrier oil, I: INTERNALLY – Oils can be taken internally in food, beverages, or an Améo Veggie Cap, N: NEAT – Oil requires no dilution, D: DILUTE – Oil requires dilution with a carrier oil such as Améo Fractionated Coconut Oil, S: SENSITIVE SKIN – Oils should be used with caution on delicate skin; dilute with carrier oil, P: PHOTOSENSITIVITY – Oils require avoidance of direct sunlight or UV rays for at least 12 hours Member # 2424832
Hi! Do you recommend a book/blog/info dump about using essential oils in skincare? It aint easy to find out how to use them on my skin, and I’m all about it.
Thanksss!
Hi I’m looking to use essential oils in my cleaning products. Say 18 drops in 750mls. Do u know if this is safe for children and pets? Or can recommend a book or website that could give me more info on this? Thanks!
Young Living essential oils are safe for pets and children. Other oil companies do not recommend that nor do they recommend ingesting them. Young Living are safe for ingesting. They also have a line of cleaning products.Email me for more questions. Member #1904120
What oils are good for arthritis in hands and knees?
I would love to share with you what I have been send my dad to use on his arthritis in his hands and elbows- send me a message!
Also interested in eo for arthritis.
I understand that a few drops of lavender essential oil in the air conditioning system will leave a pleasant whole-house fragrance. But I don’t know where you put the drops of oil – on the filter? or where?
I don’t know about the air conditioning system, but you can put a few drops on a cotton ball or tissue and put in the air vents.
I use Young Living essential oils. If you are interested, email me.
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I’m happy to find a lot of helpful information here within the post, we need work out extra strategies in this regard,
thank you for sharing. . . . . .
Diagnosed with haglund heel, any oilthat will help with paon discomforts
There are a few oils that are good for pain. Clove, Peppermint, wintergreen, would be the main ones. You can layer them by putting on on at a time. If you do that make sure you test an area of skin first to make sure you are not sensative to any of them. Use Pepermint as the last oil since peppermint can be used to push the other oils deeper. Copaiba will also work with the other oils and make them more potent.
Hello everyone!
I’ve never used Essential oils and I have some questions about them.
First: What motivates you to use it?
Does it really work?
Thanks
I am a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils #1525537
I am motivated to use oils due to their natural healing abilities. YLEO are pure. They offer a seed to seal guarantee. I trust the quality. I used YLEO Thieves to treat pre-cancer growths on my arm, I use lavender instead of a sleep aid, Stress Away instead of anti-anxiety Meds, I use oils for pain control, face/skin care – in fact, I now make my own products, make my own laundry soap & scent with YLEO. I could go on & on. The impact YLEO have had on my life is huge. Being a member of the Young Living organization provides me the support I need to learn more & more about using essential oils.
Best wishes on your oily journey. I am open to emails if you have any questions.
Dear Donna, I have bought quite a few oils from YLEO and joined up; I was interested that you used Thieves to treat pre-cancer growths – I have a lot of spots on my skin – would thieves be best to use on them – I have been using Oregano. Would be interested to know.
Also I have a broken arm which is now taking its time to mend – I used a lot of YLEO in the early days – PainAway; Wintergreen; Rose; lots of oils however I am stuck now – I am being told I need an operation on the arm – i know I do not so any thoughts on which oils to use from the Young Living range would indeed be mucha ppreciated.
thank you
Cris
I would try to use some lavender and frankinsence mixed with copaiba. The first two because they have huge healing properties instead of just covering the pain and copaiba can make the oils up to 5 times stronger. Then last step would be to layer peppermint since that pushes all the oils even deeper. hope this helps.
I find it really concerning that you’re pushing EOs while making drug claims. As you well know, you nor YL can’t make any such drug claims as YL as well as DT just got warned by the FDA for making these types of claims: http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2014/ucm416023.htm
So while EOs can be great, they’re not a wonder drug and should most certainly not be taken externally.
I am looking for essential oils to buy for a research. Just a small quantity that could lead to purchase of large quantity.
Regards,
Hi, if you don’t mind me asking, which oils have you found to be most beneficial for pain relief? Also, does whether or not you eat clean dramatically impact the benefits of the oils? Thanks!
I had psoriasis for years & kept on getting different creams & lotions from the GP but none of them worked. So 1 day I read up fully on the EO’s I had for cleaning & making face masks. I made myself a blend of oils, carrier oils, butters, vit E & I mixed that with some bees wax to make a balm. I couldn’t believe it within a week it had started to work. I thought I might of just been me getting less stressed so it es going on its own but I’ve since given the blend to 2 friends who suffer from psoriasis badly whom also couldn’t get any help from the GP. Now they both call it a miracle oil & have told me I should sell it. However I would like to do an aromatherapy course first so I could make other blends to help people & I have no idea on selling my products, so I’d have to look into that as well.
So what I’m trying to say is that you don’t need a lot of knowledge to make some wonderful smelling & useful products that are kinder to you, your family, your animals & the environment as you’re not using harmful chemicals.
I would be interested in knowing the recipe for psoriasis . My husband has it bad and I just started getting into EO. Here’s my email address. Thank you
Cindi T
I would love to know your mixture for psoriasis. I have a guy friend who has it really really bad. And would love to make some to help him. thanks
Please contact me if you are still interested in essential oils for Psoriasis- my 6 year old has suffered with it for several years and I’ve finally found an essential oil combination that is working like a miracle!
Can you please send me your combination for psoriasis and arthritis.
Thank you
I,too,would really like to know your mixture for psoriasis. I’ve been suffering from this skin disease for over 10 yrs now & I’ve literally tried everything. My husband also has it too. Do you know if it will work for eczema,which my children have? Please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.
Me 3. I would greatly appreciate it if you can share your recipe of the mixture for psoriasis. ;))
Please contact me if you are still interested in essential oils for Psoriasis- my 6 year old has suffered with it for several years and I’ve finally found an essential oil combination that is working like a miracle!
It the wheat products that you’re eating. Go gluten free and watch the psoriasis clear right up. It’s the food you’re eating. However oils are nice also.
My 15 yo daughter has suffered severely from eczema. She’s been on steroid pills, creams and every prescribed topical ointment on the market. I am desperate to approach this skin issue with a more natural/healthy method. The steroid pills she takes are not at all healthy on her system but I dont know what else to do. I would love your recipe for the psoriasis mixture as this may help with my daughter. Thanks so much!!
In answer to your daughters eczema problem, I am a first time mother of an 8 month old. I just took her to an herbalist because I thought she had a rash and he told me it was eczema. She started out with it on her leg and within a couple weeks in spread all over her torso. He suggested I start giving her “Kali sulph” It is a homeopathic remedy used for various skin conditions. He recommended I give her two tablets three times per day. That was two weeks ago and there has been a significant change in her eczema! I do not know much about essential oils though I full heartedly believe they work but I am just a mom wanting to help another mom. I hope you find something for your daughter.
Also try gluten free products. wheat is in everything. The skin is only releasing what your system cannot release in its normal ways. Eating habits need to change to produce healthier skin.
Interested in the blend for psoriasis. Suffer from this too.
Thanks for sharing – can you please post your recipe for psoriasis?
I too would like to know your formula for psoriasis and would appreciate if you would share it.
I am very interested in the mixture for psoriasis, as I too have had it for years. I’m tired of trying store bought creams with no luck of showing any improvement. Thank you
I use Young Living Essential Oils. They are the most pure and best for anyone. Most articles say not to ingest them (that means that something hidden has been added). I would steer clear of those companies. Young Living can be ingested. I am motivated to use them because they do work. go to Young Living website and check it out. If you are interested in signing up, contact me. Signing up means buying at 24% discount. You are able to earn free products. Other oil companies are less expensive, that is because the process of producing it means cutting corners. I want the most pure. I will pay extra for the best.
no. Ingestion is dangerous and any professional will tell you this. “Drinking ” eos or telling someone it is safe is irresponsible. The danger has nothing to do with quality of your MLM oils you are hawking. Shame on reps who recommend this unsafe practice.
There are some essential oils that can be ingested in very small amounts. For example peppermint oil capsules, which help IBS symptoms. I have used Young Living essential oils and they are of very high quality. Whatever people decide to do it is important to remember that essential oils do not disperse into water and therefore even the ones that are safe to ingest need to be taken with a dispersant drink, like milk or within special capsule. It is advisable to consult a professional in any case. All the best.
I use essential oils because I feel like we need healing from nature’s pure power. They do really work for certain issues. However I believe in Western medicine as well. I would also like to say you need to know which essential oils to trust when using on and in your body. Great stuff and these essential oils are so healing!
Sarah, the Améo products have revolutionized the health and wellness world and changed the way people look at taking care of mind, body and soul. All Améo Essential Oils are CERTI-5™ validated, meaning that they’ve passed extensive testing for quality, purity, and usability. We also take additional steps to make sure that each oil is cell active and permeable for maximum results and is the same or better quality than oils used in clinical testing. Améo Essential Oils are unlike any essential oil in the marketplace.
In fact, Améo is the only company endorsed by Dr. Daniel Pénoél, a world renown doctor working in the field of aromatherapy since 1977, with an international reputation as an essential oil researcher, aromatic medicine practitioner, educator, and author. Essential Oils is a Trillion $ industry so there is lots of motivation for better health and wellness. I figure if people throughout the world are spending that kind of money they it MUST REALLY work. You can check it out here: http://www.gnnamerica.com/brand-new-ameo-essential-oils-all-oils-are-not-created-equal-you-dont-want-to-miss-this/
This is Mrs.nambi Evelyn the purchasing personnel T & H COMPANY.
We need to buy chemicals( parpperment oil & anised oil) From your company,
so please let us know the quotations accordingly so that we can make and
confirm our order immediately,
thanks.
Waiting for the favorable and competitive quotations ASAP
NB. Are you able to ship ANY of the items below to Uganda East Africa?
Please advise
Regards
Sales Management
T &H COMPANY
Tel:+256414259100
Tel:+256752677060
Fax:+256414259100
Cathedral Hill Road Mengo
Kampala Uganda
East Africa
Email:[email protected]
Hi, Ok I’m a guy, get over it. lol! I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I have gone to tons of Homeopathic docs for help. I’m still sick as a dog. :>( I like this EO idea. I got the Rosemary and been sniffing it, put some under my nose and got a tiny rash, now I know why, I didn’t dilute it, hehe! EO is one of the few things I have tried that shows promise! I saw (on another site) that adding Rosemary to a saline solution (2 drops) nose spray, can help. What do you think about this? Thanks, Newbie
I really enjoyed your website. I tried to find the aromatherapy reference chart and it was NOT FOUND.
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and post is genuinely fruitful for me, keep up
posting such articles or reviews.
I see a lot of comments on here that advise unsafe practices on ingesting essential oils and using them undiluted. Essential oils should never be ingested unless under the care of a doctor or naturopath. In France, only a doctor can prescribe injestion and in Britain they don’t advise it at all. There are many cases of individuals being harmed by this practice. Essential oils are highly concentrated and do not need to be ingested in order to be effective. Also, essential oils should not be used on children, or anyone else, undiluted. Peppermint oil, in particular, has been shown to slow breathing in infants and shouldn’t be used on or diffused around them. I suggest that anyone using essential oils educate themselves on their effectiveness and dangers. There are many great resources, including Dr. Tisserand’s book “Essential Oil Safety”. Education should go beyond that of what a particular company tells you or trains you to do.
Somebody asked about the relationship between doTERRA and Young Living, since their claims regarding their respective oils are so similar. Funny thing about that. There was originally only one company – I think Young Living, although I am not sure – but those folks got in a squabble among themselves and a group broke off and formed doTERRA. Hence, the nearly identical hype.
One of the problems with companies like doTERRA and Young Living, just as with the pharmaceutical companies, the chemical manufacturers, any other one cares to mention, is that, when they have testing done, they are the ones paying for it and, consequently, tend to receive the results they desire. Like it or not, the one who foots the bill controls the outcome of the studies. Both companies claim to have the ONLY truly pure, therapeutic grade oil. The truth is . . . . bull hockey! The reality is that there is no truth in that statement! Before you start throwing stones at me, please read the rest of what I am writing and make a truly informed decision of your own.
One of the posts mentioned a website, LearnEssentialOils.com. The gal who owns that website had a Facebook group, which has now been converted to a forum. I was part of that group for a while – in fact, until the doTERRA and Yound Living factions made me so crazy with their incessant bickering that I quit the group.
One of the things I like about that group is that the folks who belong to it regularly collect their pennies and have TRULY independent testing done on the brands and “flavors” of oils the group, not just an individual, selects, typically the same oil from three different sources at a time. Someone in the group buys the oils themselves and sends them, along with the fee, to an independent lab outside the US. They have tested both organic and inorganic oils. They have tested all sorts of brands, including doTERRA and Young Living. The results of those tests are posted on her website. GO READ THEM FOR YOURSELVES!
Sorry to tell you all but in tests done by an independent lab, paid for by a group of random, miscellaneous people who had no agenda and only wanted to know the REAL truth, the truth is that doTERRA and Young Living fared not one bit better than any other brand!
Folks, do you own homework and quit relying on the hype put out there by those who want their fingers in your pocket. Look to those who have no vested interested in your money and who actually know what they are talking about, people who have dedicated years to studying and researching, rather than uneducated people who are just singing the party song!
Dla lat , Adam t? monit mi uzyskania dzieci w biznesu mówiąc
że powinienem naprawdę się moja by dzieci odkrycia jej agenta , Iris Burton
what can I use as a substitute for helichrysum essential oil? it is one of the more expensive ones and i see a it used in a lot of blends
Fantastic, article! Your mind of information is a blessing and I thank you for sharing it with us!
I am starting my journey of EO and am gathering as much information I can before I go and start buying. Its very hard to control your implusive buyer in you… when there is so many temptations out there! I do have a couple of quick questions I am stuck on if you have a moment:
I want to use EO for every day use..ie: cleaning and also,
I am wanting to use (diluted) oils for my 18month son.
He is prone to rashes so very easy ( I heard of a diaper rash mix with teatree oil that you spray and wipe and it helps with bacteria.
I was wondering if you had any blends you recommend for his bottom? He has has staph before as well. I have researched a LOT and soo many pages referrals to the brand Young living primarily, their RC blend, lemongrass, and Theives Oils to help kill bacteria. However, there are so many indepented distributors.. I have no idea what I am reading is real or just another marketing scam….. so my question is if you heard of that particular brand? or better yet own any?
I would love to find good quality oils for my son.. and as you mentioned lower end of the spectrum for cleaning..
Thank you
I found this page by following linked from a page about making a natural homemade deodorant. It suggests using lavender essential oils, so my question is two fold. A) would a cheaper and possibly poorer quality oil work as well for this particular use? B) In your opinion, would any scent I chose work the same?
Hey everyone! I wanted to share my experience with essential oils with you. I have tried many different brands before I came across Young Living essential oils. At first it was more about saving money, but after a while of not getting any results I decided to try out the good stuff. Yes, I am talking about YL(Young Living) lol. Their oils have helped me with both anxiety and depression. If you do all your homework you will learn a lot about YL. They are not just pure essential oils. A lot of time and work is packed into each one of their bottles. The distilling process that they use is done just right also. That is a huge key to a good product. I personally think the only down fall are their prices. Who wouldn’t rather pay $5 for an essential oil? The truth is you get what you pay for? That goes for many things in life. Im a mother and not a wealthy person, so saving cash is very important to me. However, my health is above that. Which is why I chose to take a leap in becoming a wholesale member with YL. Funny part is I went the wholesale route over the retail route for one reason….24% less costs. Who doesnt want to save money these days? After a short time I learned much more about the company and many of their oils. Now I share all my knowledge on FB and hopes to help others find alternative medicine routes. If you decide you want to buy from YL, don’t pass up the 24% discount. There are no crazy catches and all you need is an employer/sponsor ID. I am more than happy to share mine with you! Than if you have any questions as your sponsor I am more than happy to assist you. 1917152 P.S. remember these oils sell themselves. They are just that good. God bless!
It is not true that you’ll be allergic to an essential oil if you’re allergic to the food. Essential oils don’t contain proteins, and proteins are what cause allergic reactions. Obviously, it’s still wise to use caution (especially if your allergy is life-threatening) but there isn’t a direct correlation.
I’m curious if you’ve tried the “drop on paper” test with the oils you mentioned above.
Hi I was wondering if you could tell me which eos or a recipe for me/ I suffer from anxiety and insomnia and would love some natural relief as opposed from having to take medicine. Thanks!
Hi Katie,
I have friends who have had great results using Young Living oils for anxiety and insomnia. I agree with you, too, something from nature rather than something from the lab is going to be actually healing rather than masking symptoms– I ONLY use Young Living. When I have anxiety, I often use a beautiful blend called Joy. It sort of depends on where the anxiety comes from though, so I use a variety of oils depending on what’s going on. Sandalwood is great for old fear and terror coming up– better out than in! For insomnia, lavender on the pillow, on the feet, diffussed; RutaVela is a blend of rue, valerian and lavender and is great great great. Peace and Calming, Stress Away… So many wonderful options. I am happy to help, contact me or use my Young Living #1112524.
Best,
Joanne
Interesting post. Dont agred with all you say tbough. Pure essential oils do nt go rancid. If they have a sell by date they are not pure. They will last for centuries if pure. They immrdiatley disappear on the skin and can be used undiluted with exeption of a few
If you dilute an essential oil with a carrier oil to do the “patch test” to see if you are sensitive to the essential oil, and you get a reaction, you could be reacting to the carrier oil. Whatever essential oils you use, you should follow the information that comes with it. If it doesn’t come with any guidelines on the label, I would not use it at all. Some are safe to ingest, some are not. Some need to be diluted, some do not (except on babies and small children, when you should dilute).
For example, iff you have different designs for your
business. If you have endorsers then you should also make an effort to understand them.
As mentioned, planning is an important factor in thee
success oof the marketing campaign; one such way is direct marketing.
THANK YOU for this neutral overview. It was extremely helpful. I know very little about Essential Oils except for what I learned at a doTERRA party last night. I am interested in checking out the resources you mentioned in your post. Thanks again.
In regards to distilleries and companies tags sell EO’s have you had experience with the company Plant Therapy? What are your thoughts?
Hi,
i want to make after shower oil which will mositure the skin and smells good all day.
could you please suggest some and how to prepare it.
Best wishes
Please fix link to the aromatherapy reference chart:
USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOUR MOOD. Lavender, peppermint, grapefruit, chamomile, lemon, ylang-ylang all help produce happy, joyous moods. Clary sage helps with PMS (although there have been reports that overuse of clary sage can lead to intoxication). Rosemary increases focus and concentration. Don’t forget the mood benefits of essential oils. Here’s an information packed aromatherapy reference chart to refer to.
Thank you!
My friend has a swelling in her colon and cannot poop right the doctor gave her medicine and does not work is there an oil they can help her
Try Young Living oils: DiGize, ginger, fennel, peppermint. In water, rub on belly, on the feet. Just get them on her and in her.
Only Young Living because of the high level of quality. You don’t want anything else in you…
What brand of joboba oil do you recommend?
doterra sucks…don’t waste your money on their overpriced BS…and they also tell you they’re safe to ingest, which they’re not!
What’s that based on?
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post.
Many thanks for supplying this information.
As I posted under another comment, I recently was approached by someone selling doTERRA oils, and I am doing some research to decide what kinds to use for my aromatherapy massages in my new practice opening soon. The doTERRA site makes no mention of their oils being organic, and a google search was what brought me here.
I tried the construction paper test with several oils I already had, from different brands, to see if I could tell whether I’ve been using pure oils or not, although I don’t yet have any from doTERRA to test.
I tested grapefruit oil from Eden’s Garden, tea tree oil from Tea Tree Therapy, and vetiver oil from Nature’s Kiss brand (I think the tea tree oil I bought in a natural food store and the other brands from Amazon?), all on the same strip of yellow construction paper. After 20 minutes, there is a huge oily spot from the Nature’s Kiss oil (and looking at the label, I can see now it is embarrassingly low quality production as it looks sort of cheaply homemade- don’t recommend ever buying that brand if you see it). The Tea Tree Therapy spot is smaller and a little lighter, but still definitely an oily stain. The smallest, lightest one is the Eden’s Garden grapefruit spot, which I’m sort of glad about considering most of my oils are that brand, but I can still definitely see where it was dropped. I can’t really imagine an oil not leaving any spot behind at all, but if I ever find one that does, I would be very impressed.
Maybe now someone who does have doTERRA (and is honestly curious about this and not just trying to sell their wares) could try this test too and post the results for us. And same with Young Living. I’d like to really find a good quality oil BEFORE paying for it just so I can try this drop test to learn the oil I bought isn’t actually pure.
If you test and find a pure brand, I’d love an email letting me know!
Rebekah,
I am completely sold on YL, and use their oils EXCLUSIVELY, trust them wholly, although I’ve not done the test you refer to. I don’t have any construction paper but will get some and test a few oils and get back to you!
Joanne
I just did the yellow construction paper test….are you sure that the purest form is to leave no oil mark? My young living brand left the biggest oil mark….compared to a cheap Walmart brand essential oil that left barely any mark…I can’t be leave the walmart brand is better then Young living…. Thank you for your article though, very insightful:)
Just looked up the oil test and wasn’t super impressed by the results. The results will vary a lot based on the plant from which the oil was extracted. Also, some additives will make it through the test. Never the less I tried with a couple:
– The Slim & Sassy blend which is marked safe for aromatic, topical or dietary use left a light yellow stain. It contains grapefruit peel, lemon peel, peppermint, ginger root and cinnamon bark. I assume the coloration comes from the ginger.
– The Melaleuca and Lavender left the paper looking wet (as I would think any oil would do), but was completely clear.
– Their DigestZen also left a very very faint light yellow color, but this one also contains ginger in addition to peppermint, caraway, coriander, anise, tarragon and fennel.
Personally I love my doTERRA products. Young Living seems pretty comparable except they have all their own farms and doTERRA uses co-impact sourcing. I’m a big fan of co-impact sourcing and the Helping Hands Foundation, so that was a deciding factor for me.
Your link to essential oils that are safe for babies doesn’t work anymore. Do you have another?
I just wanted to correct you, when you say that essential oils should not be taken internally. This is one huge difference, and deciding factor for how I select an essential oil. If I can’t eat it, I won’t use it on my skin. Anything your skin contacts, goes to your blood stream. If an oil is unsafe for consumption, you should not use it. Many oils like peppermint, wintergreen, basil, lemon, lavender, clove, etc. are great for problems like headache, nausea, indigestion, pain, flu, and other ailments. One drop under the tongue, or mixed with a teaspoonbof honey is a great way to get fast releif and healing properties to your cells without harm. This is why the brand does matter. The extraction method is very important and has everything to do with the grade of oil in the end result. Not all oils are created equal, that’s for sure. Young Living is the brand I use and trust.
Never ingest wintergreen.
Wintergreen should never be taken by mouth! Do your research! You should not even use it on your skin regularly.
I sell all essential oils @www.mydoterra.com/rosemooreoils check it out lots of great deals to choose from if you have headaches weight loss problems fatigue sleeping problems hair and skin care depression etc….. Then doterra oils is for you
I do have one argument to a rather fabulous post. Please do not use UNDILUTED oils…ANY of them. I accidently poured some lavender on my neck and felt nothing…til 10 days later I had a dozen or more hard nodules under my skin. NONE of them are safe. I’m not allergic; I’m not on any meds to counteract them. The oil is Nature’s Sunshine and very great quality. Just be safe and use a carrier oil always.
I use lavender undiluted on my newborn’s feet, and around his ears for an ear infection. There has never been a reaction. The neck is a very sensitive area though, and many adults react to an oil because of the chemicals and poisons in your skin from the things we eat.
Hi, I do think this is a great website. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to come back yet again since
I book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may
you be rich and continue to help others.
This may sound like a dumb question considering the warning about internal use, but are there any essential oils that might be safe to use in a vape pen?
What do you know about Young Living essential oils?
I believe the are the highest theripudic grade essential oil available.
I thought EO’s could not technically be “therapeutic grade” since they cannot be FDA certified….? According to Crunch Betty…..???
And what is the relationship, if any, between Young Living and doTERRA products…? Both claim to be therapeutic grade. From Betty’s nores:
” Essential oils are wholly natural and cannot be patented; which means that you’ll never see an essential oil in a pharmaceutical drug. As such, you can expect that the vast majority of mainstream healthcare practitioners will never recommend essential oils as therapeutic alternatives to drugs. More importantly, because essential oils cannot be patented, drug companies will not waste money studying them. This limits our scientific knowledge of essential oils GREATLY, and the majority of what we know about them are things that have been passed down through thousands of years of personal use and experimentation.” So how can any claim to be “therapeutic”….? WE all know they work but….
From what I have read on various websites and blogs there is no such thing as “therapeutic grade” since there is no system in place in this country to determine the grade of an essential oil. Since any brand of essential oils can be used for aromatherapy then all essential oils would technically be therapeutic grade since aroma therapy is a therapeutic use of essential oils.
I agree with Leili. Not that there aren’t other essential oils out there that are pure, but after researching other companies, I only use YL. Only. The level of quality and consistency of the oils is unsurpassed, they have set the world standards for quality and purity. They are the leading producer of Therapeutic Grade oils in the world. Never any fillers added, never anything synthetic. I use them topically and internally on myself and my children with amazing results. IMHO, you can’t go wrong there. I am a YL distributer if you want more info, contact me. 🙂
Are NOW essential oils okay to use in a diffuser? I plan to purchase one pretty soon and because of my current financial situation I cannot afford the higher quality oils.
Go to abundanthealth4u.com for your diffuser. You should get one that is a cold water diffuser. A heat diffuser damages the properties of an oil and therefore waste your money as well.
if the diffuser is designed for essential oils you can use any brand of oils in it. you can also check on amazon for reasonably priced diffusers
I have had people try NOW brand in a YL diffuser with poor results. (It seems to clog them).
We have an awesome deal for a Starter Kit with Diffuser. I personally diffuse our Citrus oils often because they are the least expensive YL oils. You can email me at my website.
I tried to open the link to the .pdf and recd an error…any chance I can get you to email it to me?
error:
The requested URL /downloads/Aromatherapy EO Reference Chart.pdf was not found on this server.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.
Some essential oils can be taken internally. The specific one I am thinking of is peppermint EO. It is known to treat IBS in several studies and can be taken also to combat headaches as well. Of course a topical application near the stomach and tummy is also known to be effect and application to the bottom of the feet can help reduce fever. I am currently in the process of making a guide based on symptoms to help people pick essential oils based on application.
I have been bothered by yeast infections in past yrs(vaginal) knowing that most essential oils have antibacterial properties I did the following; In 1 cup bottled water I put 8 to 10 drops Rosemary essential oil, stirred it up, wet a washcloth with it and bathed the area. I had immeadiate relief from the horrible itching. If it came back do it again..It only took 2 treatments for me. that was a Godsend to me.
Awesome to know. Thank you so much for posting this. Truly!
Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve visited
this website before but after going through a few of
the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m
certainly pleased I found it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back often!
great article, thank you.
What essential oils are best for allergies and asthma? Can you put them in a vaporizer? Is there such a thing as an essential oil for good digestive function? If so, how would I use it? Thanks so much! Going natural on things is overwhelming when trying to find out what works best for what, what brand is the best and where to find it! 🙂
RC and Raven (YL Blends) are a few that I have used for myself and family for breathing issues. And Digize (also a Young Living Blend) is excellent for digestion, acid, and upset. Peppermint and Fennel are also options to look into. As far as best brand, you will have to do your research. I have been very happy with Young Living, but I know many will find the “best” from various sources to make up their essential oil cabinet. You will not want to use a vaporizer for your oils, I would suggest purchasing a diffuser which is designed to disperse your oils, over time essential oils will breakdown plastic tubing. A search on Amazon or Abundanthealth.com is a place to start looking at diffusers. You can also get a free one in premium kits sold by Young Living. Please feel free to contact me.
I’ve seen people use Young Living Lavender for allergies, Raw Honey for allergies, and I love their Hyssop for any chest congestion. Works awesome. Cleansing with the supplement Comfortone is much needed for allergy sufferers.
so, the essential oils that are say do not use on skin. does that mean topically either directly or in lotions?
i have one (tangerine) that i used in cold processed soap at the low concentration amount and soap if of course rinsed off.
using these diluted in soap is okay isnt it?
Hello,
Ok I don’t usually make comments on articles but I just had to on this one. To the author: I’m sorry but this blog is poorly researched and full of errors. If you are going to put out information that people take as truth or at the very least as suggestions because they like you, you need to know what you are talking about. I highly suggest you take this blog down, re research essential oils and rewrite one that is accurate.
To make a blanket statement that essential oils are not oils is erroneous. An oil is a non polar viscous liquid at ambient temperatures that is hydrophobic and lipidphillic. Essential oils are viscous, hydrophobic and non polar which qualifies it to be called an oil. Check source http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/29979.pdf.
The only types of essential oils that should EVER be used are THERAPEUTIC GRADE essential oils. Otherwise, all the benefits of the essential oils are lost to the SYNTHETIC PETROCHEMICALS that are in MOST essential oils (even the ones you get at the health food store… I wont name brands)There are only two name brands that I know of that sell therapeutic grade essential oils.(there could be more) Those brands are Young Living ( Which I highly recommend) and Doterra. More expensive does mean better. Young Living does not sell any of its oils to any other company. There are only a handful of distilleries in the world that’s why most E.O’s are poor imitators. They are not all getting the oils from the same place. They are made in a lab instead.
If a bottle states not for ingestion or internal use, you should put the bottle down and walk away because there are toxic chemicals in it. You CAN and SHOULD be able to ingest your oils and is exactly why you should ONLY use therapeutic grade E.O’s. Things that go on your skin become absorbed into your bloodstream just the same as if you take it internally but it by passes the digestion process which means its even more important to make sure whatever you put on your skin is pesticide free, chemical free and natural.
There are at least 30 + single plant essential oils that can be applied neat ( straight or undiluted) a far cry from a few. Most of the rest only need approx 1 to 1 dilution. Again the same goes for undiluted oils for babies and children. Now naturally their skin is more sensitive so you need to be more watchful and careful and possibly only place these oils on a babies feet and use a 1/4 to 1/2 drop of the oil instead of the full dose.
Using non therapeutic grade E.O’s will accumulate in the body because they are full of TOXINS!!!
As far as uses to avoid when pregnant, use a reputable resource. No essential oils have been scientifically proved to be harmful to a developing fetus. There are some you should consult with your physician and some you should use caution with. You can use E.O’s during 1st trimester with caution. Here’s a good source to look at. It is a website based on Doterra Oils. http://www.everythingessential.me/Hints/ProperUse.html
As far as taking the oils internally, as I said above you can and should be able to. You can drop some of the citrus ones right in your water and create capsules for the other stronger ones.
For good quality researched information I suggest using resources from Young Living or Doterra. The book Essential Oils pocket reference by Life Science Publishing is a great reference. I really hope you will redo this blog with factual information.
Where can I find champaka oil an not get ripped off, I bought a soy candle last year an loved the scent an would love to get the oil to use. Thanks
Have you researched Doterra essential oils? You said, in the above article that there is no need to take essential oils internally. Why do you feel that way? Have you read any of Dr. Hills research or viewed him on YouTube?
Love Young Living Oils. We take them internally for many issues. Taught by D. Gary Young, and believe that pure oils can be used this way.
Hello
Can you help me please? I need some combinations for beard oil, I have patchouli, bergamot, ylang ylang, orchid, coffee and sandalwood essential oils. Thank you I will really appreciate it.
Jorge, Here is a wonderful Beard Conditioning Elixer:
8 drops Patchouli EO
8 drops Grapefuit EO
6 drops Lavender EO
2 drops Geranium EO
Sweet Almond Oil
10ml dropper glass bottle
Add the oils to the bottle and top off with the almond oil. Helpful to let the blend settle for a day, allowing the different notes of the oils to meld together.
Application: Add 2-3 drops to palm of hand, rub palms together and smooth over entire beard working the oils into the beard and moisturizing skin. Apply as needed.
What is your opinion on the MLM companies that sell EOs, such as doTERRA and Young Living?
This is my question too, as I recently met someone trying to sell me each of those brands. Currently I’m researching the doTerra brand, and find it strange that they’re not labeled organic, so I wondered if that’s important (is it just due to the difficulty/cost of getting the actual certification but they’re naturally grown, or are these just probably a mixture of plants grown under likely conventional methods?) or why companies who sell essential oils wouldn’t sell organics. Seems strange to me…
Organic certification only applies to the growing method for the plants used to make the essential oil. It does not carry any guarantee of purity or potency beyond that. On the other hand, many companies (including doTERRA) very carefully source their oils and even though they may not come from certified organic operations (which is expensive and cost-prohibitive) the oils produced are very pure and potent. Check out LearnEssentialOils.com for a free guide to finding high-quality essential oils. Good luck!
Hi Betty, The best place to study the effects of essential oils is with Gary Young who founded youngliving essential oils. youngliving.com..Contact me if you would like more information. He has organic farms all over the world, with thousands of members that use oils everyday.
Which EO are photo sensitive? (Not to use if your going to be in the sun?)
I do not have a list of them but i know they are primarily the citrus oils
Hey China,
Citrus oils like Lemon(Citrus limon), Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) and Orange(Citrus sinensis) are photo sensitive. You can use them indoors.
I’m having a bit of postpartum depression and wanted to try aroma therapy. Is this safe for my 2 month old?
Paula, I am no doctor, but taking fish oil, exercising, eating a very healthy diet (no sugar) and getting PLENTY of rest helped with my postpartum depression. Sunlight, being with loved ones and reminding myself to be kind and gentle to ME also helped. I turned to my faith. Sorry I couldn’t answer your question about the oil, but I humbly wanted to share a little advice and the suggestions are all safe for baby. Congrats, to you and your partner! It gets better, love.
Paula there are alot of essential oils that can help. I say this not only as a consultant but as someone that uses these oils daily. Doterra has an oil called elevation, wild orange and yang ylang. however, if you do not want to go that route, lemon and peppermint oils are a great start. hop ethis helps
ALSO getting B12 or Bcomplesx shots helps extremely well
Paula,
It’s been a few months since you posted, and I hope you are feeling better! My youngest is now 10 and I am JUST now, as I am learning about my peri-menopausal experience, getting an understanding on my postpartum experience. I struggled for months with each kid and now I am pretty sure the base-line physical issue was hormonal imbalance. I have been taking a product from Young Living called Progessence Plus, and it has been a life-saver– I wish I had it when I was postpartum. Look it up, theres a PDF by Dr. Dan Purser talking about the product that answers a lot of questions and helped me a lot when I was researching. There are other oils from YL that help a lot with hormonal issues, Dragon Time, Schlaressence, Lady Schlerol. (Use my distributer #1112524 🙂 if you want to buy from YL)
There are so many other factors, OMG: a vast change of life and responsibility, the huge challenges of parenthood, the (low) value our society gives parents and mothers, sexism, etc etc. I found it important to explore and heal these things are they came up when I was a young mother, but boy, there was something off chemically for me that no amount of healing addressed.
Enjoy your young one and remember, you’re doing great and you are definitely not alone!
Blessings,
Joanne
Joanne,
I’m interested in more info about your quest to conquer the hormonal imbalance that comes along with peri-menopause! I’m in the same boat. Unfortunately I can’t risk anything with progesterone as I have had a progesterone sensitive spinal tumor. Will the other oils you mentioned help without the Progessence Plus?
Thanks!
Carmin
I love do terra oils. I have been usining the oils and suppliments internally, neat, and with carriers for over 5 years now. I haven’t died yet, nor my kids or extended family. Network marketing is a great way to market essential oils, because you want to talk to people face to face about the oils and how to use them. There are several companies that I’m sure offer quality essential oils, for me , Doterra has been sufficient for my needs, and I trust the company.
This was a very informative article about essential oils! I notice that there is a huge difference in price between essential oil brands like Eden’s Garden and doTerra. How can you tell which one is better?
Essential oils can benefit all different skin types, but Avoid using essential oils while pregnant.
I’ve read the other blog about homemade deodorant and im looking to give it a shot. recently ive had painful reactions to deodorant and antiperspirant (all types and brands, even natural or organic like toms and green beaver) so im trying to get down to fewer and fewer ingredients. i have some essential tea tree oil and mixed it with some coconut oil but i still stink 🙁 . Im looking for an oil that i can use that will be strong but relatively “neutral” in smell ( im a guy so im not too interested in smelling like lavender), but it has to be able to be put on my skin without any reactions. Anyone have any suggestions?
Great Article!
I went to an Essential oils party last week (YL). They had everyone put a little bit of water in a glass, then a drop of oil (I used grapefruit) and then fill the rest with water and drink. I wondered if it was safe since I’m 27 weeks pregnant, but since the leader made no mention of caution (and one of them was also pregnant) I assumed it was ok. Now after doing research, I’m horrified and so worried I have harmed my baby! What are your thoughts? Since grapefruit is on the “safe” list and I only used one drop (and don’t plan to ever again!) do you think it’s ok? I’m completely panicking and so mad at myself for making an assumption.
Essential Oils are the real deal. They have therapeutic actions, they have been tested and studies have been done on them. Check out pubmed, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed. In the search engine, type in an essential oil and you will see that studies have been done. I am a certified aromatherapist. I have gone to college to get my training in aromatherapy and herbal studies. This is a viable option for medical treatment. Just like any other medical field, the person needs to be certified before they can start suggesting the oils. They need to know the complications and contraindications of the oils. Essential oils are 70 TIMES MORE potent than the plant material itself. What scares me as an aromatherapist is that people or companies like those mentioned above are not certified to suggest the use of these oils. They do also push more expensive such as immortelle, sandalwood, & frankincense. They are all wonderful oils, but you can use more cost effective oils for with similar results. There is sustainability issues with sandalwood & frankincense right now & into the foreseeable future. They are not the most ethical oils to buy, until they can propagate the trees back from near extinction. It takes at least 30 to 50 years for the sandalwood “heart” oil to be harvested from the tree. Unfortunately, most physicians don’t know about essential oils or herbs. Aromatherapy has been around since 5,000 BC. It has a long documented history, along with herbal medicine. Just keep that in mind.
Excellent info!
What if any oils are used for autism? Also when running my grandson gets a stich in his side what would be recommended for that?
Thank you so much for the info! My mother is a big fan of essential oils. I’ve been using oregano oil with olive oil on my feet at night as a detox. Do you have any suggestions for using essential to boast your health/immune system? I suffer from bacterial infections and sinus infections. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Hi, Is it safe to use these oils internally by mouth ?
The link to the reference chart is broken, please fix it so we can reference it. Thanks.
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy is a great book! It’s very helpful and full of lots of wonderful information.
Thanks for your blogs and helpful info too!
The Information packed aromatherapy reference chart link is broken, or not working. please fix it so we can reference it. Thanks!!
Hello,
How are you? I want to place an international order from your company to our store in Switzerland.I want to know if you can ship internationally and accept credit card as a form of payment? I’d love you to reply me back and we can proceed further.
Eagerly await to read back from you and we can proceed
Thank you and God bless you
Yours
Deborah Nancy
This is a great article! Thank you for posting. Quick question….I am trying to click on the link that refers to the aromatherapy reference chart but the link is not working. Could you provide it again? Thank you!
I researched EO’s a Few years ago but wound up not getting into it. I’m back. I love to research and learn. I loved this article. But, I also learned that I would never buy from Young Living or DeTerra…… Pure to me means mind, body and soul.. The whole debate is a cacophony….. Anyway, thank you for ALL the info, good and bad = balanced…… PS I’m probably going to start with the NOW oils and/or check put While Foods mainly bc I’m in the dabbling stage
Hi, I am new to EO’s. I always thought they were just for making your house smell good or aroma therapy. Where is a good place for a newbie like me to learn about EO’s and do research on a good company to buy from? Also I heard using Emu oil as a carrier and adding rosemary & lavender is good for thinning hair?
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Great article! Has anyone used Aura Cacia Essential Oils? Thinking I’m deciding between those and Young Living…Young Living is far more expensive, but not sure if that’s because it’s a larger more popular company? Thanks!
Also, Mountain Rose Herbs? I’ve heard good things there too and they are closer pricing to Aura Cacia…not as expensive as Young Living. Too many options! 🙂
Hi Sarah,
I’ve used Aura Cacia for years and have really liked them, but the natural store I was getting them at switched to Now and I’m not such a fan. I wouldn’t recommend YL due to the shadiness of the company and MLM aspect, let alone the lack of training for the people that are selling it.
Crunchy Betty, I have a question. I am new and learning about using essential oils and loving it, but having a problem with the scents not lasting as a perfume on my body. I mean not lasting even an hour. I am using essential oils purchased at one of the reputable companies that you recommend above. I am using a base of Jojoba and then blending other essential oils to make a scent. What am I doing wrong?
i have the same problem 🙁
i tried tea tree and mixed it with coconut to try and use as a substitute for deodorant (bad reactions to store bought deodorants) but it doesn’t seem to do anything after an hour or so. have you had any luck?
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Hello! I enjoyed your post and it was very informative. I tried the construction paper test with my Mountain Rose Herbs oils and there was a residue! Tried with peppermint and with fennel. Sigh. I have ordered my oils from this company for years. Any thoughts? I feel like they are a legit company, no multi-level marketing schemes going on, no president with a shady psychotic past. What to do, what to do???
I really like Young Living Oils. They are high quality and pure. I saw mention of doTerra. The person that started this company once worked for YL and has tried to emulate YL. I have some of their oils also, but I do not like them as well.
Thanks for your blog. It concise and gives the info I was looking for, esp, how long the oils typically last.
I really enjoyed your article. I’m a complete newbie when it comes to essential oils; although I discovered natural remedies some 10 odd years ago during a middle of the night panicked internet search to help my then infant.
I’ve been scouring sites looking for an article just like this…so thank you for putting it out there…exactly what I needed. Concise do’s and don’ts with links to more information.
This was such a great education for me, honestly I didn’t know a thing about essential oils, and I am such an avid gardener!! I will look at all my plants differently from now on. I love it that the oils are their essence and life blood. I was looking for something to drop into my drinks while in Peru for 2 months so I don’t get traveler’s tummy or heaven forbid, on-going diarrhea. Would you recommend Grape Seed Oil Extract as being the most reliable or the Thieve’s Oil that I read about on-line. Or generally speaking they are not for internal use which it seems you are saying. Thanks so much.
In the article above this blog there is a link that will take you to 19 essential oils that can be used on babies and children. I looked at it, and the URL is http://www.abundanthealth4u.com Everything I have read about using essential oils on children stresses the importance of proper dilution. Be careful if you decide you want to do this. The word “therapeutic” is tossed around like pizza dough, and it really doesn’t have a scientific meaning when applied to EO’s.
Dr. Ken Schnaubelt, Ph.D., has written multiple books on aromatherapy and started the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy. His site for purchasing oils is http://www.originalswissaromatics.com .
I highly recommend it. If you will take the time to read his information, he clearly shows that many of the “leading” EO companies utilize deceptive marketing to push impure or adulterated EO’s for therapeutic use. He also gives (and references) many non-standard use instructions as well as use in conjunction with herbs. Very good info even if you choose not to purchase EO’s from the site.
Good luck everyone! EO’s have literally changed my life and I will never go back to “traditional” medicine or haircare, skincare, cleaning etc… No more chemical laden products in my home or near my family and little ones.
I would like to start using EO in my home now that I am a mom and have become a lot more aware of the harsh chemicals in all of my cleaning supplies, beauty products and air fresheners. I am currently EBF and know that there are certain EO that I should avoid. Does this mean I shouldn’t be exposed to them at all or that I should not use them topically?
Also, at what age is it ok to start using EO (diluted in a carrier oil) on a baby? My daughter is 4 months old and I would like to start using some EO in some homemade lotion/body wash for her. What is a good concentration amount for the use of EO on a child?
TIA!
Jessica,
Check out ‘The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy’ it’s been my bible for EO’s for years. It has a wonderful section on babies and the usage and dosage for them. Good Luck!
A friend of ours recently became associated with doTerra and invited my wife and I to a “party” where doTerra sales reps talked about the benefits of EO’s and offered to sell various package deals or individual bottles of doTerra EO’s. They talked about the independent testing that doTerra has done by outside labs that they call CPTG (Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade). I came home and have been researching doTerra and Young Living on the internet (and believe me, I am skeptical of what I read on the internet), but I am very skeptical when companies make unsubstantiated claims about their products. I read doTerra’s testing protocol, but they say nothing about using an independent laboratory to perform the tests. Apparently there are no industry standards that apply to EO. doTerra is a MLM (multilevel marketing) company, kind of what I think of as a pyramid scheme, so their products are more expensive because there are many “middle men”. I don’t have a dog in the fight, other than my dollars, so I have spent several hours trying to educated myself about equally good products for less money. I settled on a company called Organic Infusions, and ordered a few of their oils, and when they arrive, I will compare with our friend’s doTerra oils and see if we can tell any difference. As for Young Living, Gary Young seems to be of very questionable character when you read about various schemes and scams he has allegedly been involved in. You can read about him for yourself by googling Gary Young quackery. I am not recommending the company that I ordered from, as I have not tried their products yet. There is a lot of information out there, Let the buyer beware!
You are a very wise man. It is rare now days to find those who have not bought totally into the swindling tactics of doterra and young living. Here are two chemist reports, one for Young Living peppermint oil and one for doTerra peppermint oil, which show they are not in compliance with standards.
http://www.learningabouteos.com/peppermint/Peppermint_YoungLiving.pdf
http://www.learningabouteos.com/peppermint/Peppermint_DoTerra.pdf
In fact, the doTerra peppermint oil contained ethyl vanillin which is a synthetic compound used for odor! So much for unadulterated oils. You cannot tell how potent, pure, or good an oil is by how beautiful it smells. Some don’t smell anything like you would expect. All of the peppermint essential oils that I have owned smelled like the peppermint that you find in a garden while doTERRA’s peppermint essential oil smells like peppermint candy.
In response to Gary’s comment after trying YL and doTerra, have you tried Organic Infusions yet? If so, how does it compare quality wise? price? I would like to hear if you could see a difference before I order. Thanks!
I have not received them yet. I’ll let you know when I do
Hi Gary,
Would love to know what you think of Organic Infusions. I ordered a few EOs from them, along with some organic carrier oils. I liked that they have a nice range of carrier oils, and some organic versions of EOs unavailable elsewhere.
Have read so many articles on the “best” company for EOs. They all focus on the same handful of companies and no one mentions Organic Infusions. Your post was the first and only one I’ve seen, so please tell me what your experience has been. What did you end up choosing?
Hi Rachel and Gary,
How was your Organic Infusions experience?
I’m curious to learn more about this company.
Thanks!
Gary
Just wandering about your experience with Organic Infusions essential oils and carriers….
I have a few and they don’t seem to resonate with me as well as others I have been using. Just wandering about your experience.
Thanks!
Hi Gary and Rachel,
I just came across Organic Infusions and am curious as to how you like them. I haven’t seen that you’ve come back to this post and would love to hear some review on this company. I will go ahead and place an order for a couple things, (geranium and lavender) and see how they compare to Aura Casia that I’ve used for years. I also like Oshadhi, but it’s not a direct company. I have to agree on the doTerra and YL issue, very sketchy indeed and I’ve stayed away from them, more because I don’t feel that the people selling the product are trained enough. We shouldn’t be ingesting EO’s, that’s not what they’re for. I hope one of you will come back and review this company. Thank you =)
For an EO to be considered pure according to FDA standards they only require that the product contain 10% pure EO. The rest can then contain EVOO or any other pure carrier oil….Thus they can make a legal claim that their product in indeed 100% pure therapeutic grade EO… something to think about!
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I know nothing about using EOs so I am trying to do some research. I live in Missouri and there is a company here called Jordan Essentials all of their products are all natural. They recently came out with an essential oil line. My friend is a consultant for them and I am considering but some. Although I trust her, I don’t know what information the she has been told to say without really knowing what the quality is of their EO is (if that makes sense lol)If anyone know anything about their EOs please let me know 🙂
Thank you for all the info. I’m new to the EO world and I’ve bought some from Piping Rock recently and I’m wondering if you’ve heard of this company and if you know of the quality? I’ve tried finding reviews and info but can’t quite find it. I’m hoping I haven’t wasted a bunch of money. :/ You’re input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
I buy from PipingRock also! 100% satisfied. I use sweet almond oil or coconut oil for carriers. I love a few drops cinnamon leaf oil in the SAO, sprayed on my skin and massaged in.
It’s a wonderful life!
I, too, bought my EOs from piping rock and have had no issues (I have extremely sensitive skin due to being a natural red head). I have not had any reactions and am 100% satisfied with the quality of these oils (I do plan on doing the “test” above). But I was unable to justify paying 100’s of dollars on the “essential” EOs and got them all for about $40 from piping rock. I also use coconut oil for a carrier and recommend EVERYONE to do the same! Coconut oil is “miracle oil” in my book!!
I have bought dozens of essential oils from Piping Rock. Their prices are simply the best, especially considering the free shipping and “Crazy Deals” they offer and change almost daily. You can get 15 ml of 100% neroli oil for about $15, and it’s lovely! They also have a 15 ml bottle of 100% West Indian sandalwood for $39.95, and it smells GREAT. A 15 ml bottle of 100% pure cistus oil is about $13 or $14. It can’t be beat! Many of the normally cheaper oils (peppermint, orange, cedarwood, tangerine, tea tree, pine etc.) are wonderfully priced too -almost a steal. Their rose, jasmine and tuberose blends did not disappoint scent-wise (they weren’t too weak at all). Their oils come in glass bottles with stoppers and pretty labels. I was scared at first because of how cheap their prices are, but I’m glad I took the chance. On top of the great products, they ship SUPER FAST, package well, and my orders are always complete and correct. So happy with this company. Lastly, by signing up with the http://www.mrrebates.com website (it’s free), and accessing piping rock from there, you will get a %10 discount on your purchase, which you eventually receive as a refund in cash that you can have added to your PayPal account. I’ve earned over $50 in refunds! I’ve seen this % go up and down by a little from time to time, but the average is 10% (which it is as of today, 5/8/14). Maybe wait for a “free shipping day” and try some of the cheaper oils to test the waters first. Even when you have to pay for shipping (for orders under $40), the shipping is a flat $3.95 rate!
I use Piping Rock EO and I love them. They do everything that any other brand does advice tried the more expensive ones like DoTerra and I find that Piping Rock is a great product with great results and one that I can easily afford. Sorry but those marketing companies are just about money. I love Essential Oils and how they have helped my family in so many ways with pain and other ailments. I also do not trust anyone who says to ingest the oils and unless a professional medical expert says it’s ok I think you are asking for trouble. You don’t have to pay ridiculous prices for good 100% pure Essential Oils.
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Has anyone ever bought oils from Edens Garden?
Just wondering if anyone knows anything regarding Edens Gardens oils.
I’ve been researching many different suppliers and noticed the price difference as well.
Please share as I’m new to eo.
Thanks!
I have purchased from Edens Garden a number of times. I really enjoy your products. Before making a decision, I sent a number of inquiries to them about their oils. They are very good a sending back information to help you make your decision. From everything I have learned: They are 100% pure. They have cut out the middle man so they can lower the price and they have quick service. I have purchased the same thing from a couple different places and find I like the Edens Garden best. (I can afford these, not some of the other brands, too) I personally haven’t found any discrepancies.
Hi there! I love your blog! I’m trying to find some information about using essential oils in homemade remineralizing toothpaste. My two year old uses this toothpaste and I’ve been adding the OraWellness Brushing Blend (a mix of several EOs in a base of sweet almond oil) to it. I was interested in also adding orange oil for flavor so I tried googling its safety for children. There’s so much conflicting advice about ingesting EOs and he does swallow the toothpaste almost every time. :/ Thoughts
I think everyone should check out NYROrganic because it truly is the MOST ethical company I have discovered. It has had a thriving store in covenant gardens in the UK for over 30 years. They own their own farms and distilleries. It is a family owned and operated company with all organic herbs and plants. The prices are the most reasonable I have seen for it’s quality. They brought it to the US 3 years ago as a direct sales company and because of the European standards vs the US standards or lack there of I have 110% trust in the products. I am not here to argue but just a suggestion to check it out.
You can almost (in the first sentence) of a post tell who is a “user” of these EO’s and who is a SELLER pumping up their products.
Peggy you are awesome!
really? How would you know that?
I guess it would make more sense for people to sell things they don’t like or think are shitty quality so people don’t mistrust them when they say they like their own product.
For those coming to this blog from the UK (we seem to be a bit behind in the information stakes in the UK. most sites i come across are US based, and so places of purchase and some terminology is non applicable for us), a good ethical and organic place to buy your oils is from G Baldwins (based in London). they don’t have as big a range in oils as you might want or find elsewhere, but after reading reviews and doing some research on other oil providing companies (and it is a minefield: hard to be assured of the authenticity) they came out best for me.
John, I’m in Europe also and I use Mother Nature’s Goodies (UK based) with good results and they have in-depth information about each of their oils on their site. Though I’m not very experienced, I did do the test mentioned above and all was well.
I have an eight year old boy who struggles with bed wetting. Do you have any recommendations and dosage information?
I know this is off topic but have you tried one of the bed wetting alarms? My son was cured of bed wetting in 3 days. It was honestly a miracle.
Also off topic and I use Young Living Essential Oils on myself and son daily, but I highly recommend seeing a chiropractor for this. I think you’ll be very happy you did. Good luck!
I’ve heard (haven’t tried) that rubbing 2-4 drops of cypress oil over the bladder area at bedtime helps. It’s supposed to take a few days to a couple weeks. I also read that cilantro oil rubbed on the bottom of the child’s feet will stop the bed wetting.
Hi there.
Bedwetting could be due to a number of reasons. However one, that is not commonly looked at is Breathing issues. my husband is an holistic dentist and part of treatment for early ortho is Breathing…If the child is a mouth breather often he will not be getting the right ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide causing all sorts of developmental problems..Bedwetting is helped or completely eliminated when addressed as such…. A small piece of micropore tape over the mouth at nights works wonders. Also there are mouth guard type appliances which help (you can get these from some dentists. Hope this helps Judi
Yes, physical examination and labs. Could be his bladder is too small – a common problem – and just hasn’t caught up with his growth yet….if that’s the case, your son’s primary care provider can make some recommendations for the mean-time. Could be bladder or other urinary track problems, could be easy to clear up.
Behavioral talk therapy with child specialist might be useful if all physiological issues ruled out.
Aromatherapy is not recognized as a treatment for bed wetting. It is not a therapy for most things – although the placebo effect is 35%, as it is with every other “remedy” and med on the market.
Hi Linda. I don’t know about restoring hearing but I have been using oils with good results for tinnitus and hearing that sounds like I’m in a tunnel. It seems my right ear is trying to loose some of it’s high pitch hearing. Whenever I have this happen I use a combo of oils. Helichrysum is one of them. I rub it around the inside of my ear (never drop oils into the canal). Then I apply Frankinsence, Basil, Rosemary, and Melaleuca on the bones in front and back of the ear and down the neck where the eustachian tube is. Sometimes I’ll put a drop on a very small cotten ball and place it in my ear while I sleep. I’m using this now as preventive as my hearing has returned and the tinnitus has stopped. I only do this 2-4 times a month now. But at the first signs of anything happening in my ear I resume doing it twice a day. I’m in my fifties now so I can’t afford to take chances.
Ringing in the ears can be from low vitamin b12. U might consider taking some to see if it helps 1000 a day is what I take and my ears don’t ring anymore.
Thank you for the advice.
Teresa, I’m an audiologist, and it sounds like you have intermittent tinnitus. Using oils on your neck isn’t going to affect your Eustachian tube, your Eustachian tube drains up by your adenoids. Intermittent tinnitus is pretty common, but it wouldn’t hurt to get a baseline audiogram done. If you have it only in one ear, it would be a good idea to get it checked to ensure it isn’t a symptom of a bigger concern. Good luck!
Thank you Tammy for the info.
I’m not hear to debate semantics on the exact meanings behind doTERRA’s CPTG rating on their oils. Weather it’s a “trademark” or “certification” in the legal sense does not concern me. What I learned is that the tests are being done and they are extensive. Because of that the company can then give you their promise that they are what they say. There really are extensive test, and they are being done by companies other than doTERRA. I trust the oils because of this and the miraculous results I’ve experienced with them. I DO NOT claim that these are the only pure oils on the market. I believe what I’m reading from other bloggers who stand behind oils that give them amazing results. I think that’s wonderful and I for one hope the market for pure oils will continue to grow. I’ve found that things progress much better when “we all get along”. Working together for the highest, healthiest, outcomes is always going to go a lot further than wasting time on hostilities. The oils on the market that are not pure will eventually weed themselves out among those who use EO’s because they simply do not supply the needed results. For those of you who are new at EO’s, take the time to find ones that work, because the good ones DO work wonders. I prefer to talk about amazing, positive progress in natural health care. I do no care to argue about things that have many issues that have many sides that we may have only partial information about. Natural selection will take care of most of the problems. I will not get caught up in the blogging hostilities that pit this company against that company. I want to spend my time on the positive.
They lie though. Shouldn’t that bother you? Or are you so taken in by the “flash” that it doesn’t bother you?!
Here are two chemist reports, one for Young Living peppermint oil and one for doTerra peppermint oil, which show they are not in compliance with standards.
http://www.learningabouteos.com/peppermint/Peppermint_YoungLiving.pdf
http://www.learningabouteos.com/peppermint/Peppermint_DoTerra.pdf
In fact, the doTerra peppermint oil contained ethyl vanillin which is a synthetic compound used for odor! So much for unadulterated oils. You cannot tell how potent, pure, or good an oil is by how beautiful it smells. Some don’t smell anything like you would expect. All of the peppermint essential oils that I have owned smelled like the peppermint that you find in a garden while doTERRA’s peppermint essential oil smells like peppermint candy.
No, they do NOT have ANY peer-reviewed, double-blind, well-designed trials. NONE. It is a marketing scam and a pyramid marketing company. That’s all it is. I would not trust their products, and most certainly no one should trust sales people – most of whom have NO medical knowledge – to tell y9ou to do so!!!
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This might not be a blatant sales pitch, but the reader understands that the author also wants to convey the superiority of a certain product.
I would like to quote you on my website. Can you shoot me an email so I can send you a link to get your approval?
Another great place to buy oils is online from Pompeii Street Soap Co. They sell organic, natural body products and essential oils. Jess has all her oils GC-MS tested and the results available online.
Subscribers are needed in order to generate more revenue.
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After buying several carrier oils and essential oils on Amazon, I’m now wondering if I’ve wasted my money. It’s just sad that consumers can’t get honest information regarding a product. While not all EO’s and carriers have to be expensive, it’s weeding out the ones that are pure vs. cut/synthetic that’s the hardest. I think this is what turns some newbies off from using EO’s for Therapeutic purposes… they buy an EO expecting a certain result, see none, and then, understandably, think they “just don’t work.”
Great information, Crunchy Betty! Your blog is one of my favorites now. 😉
Very new to EO’s and I heard that Helichrysum EO can restore hearing? What would be the best source for this purpose and how to use it? Thanks~Linda
Whenever you get an essential oil, you want to make sure it’s 100% pure! There are a few good places out there, but I use and sell doterra because I feel it’s the purest and safest to use. One of the best websites on how to use an essential oil is EverythingEssential.me. I hope this helps and best of luck to you!
you said eo’s should not be taken internally, yet I have been using doterra’s GX Assist for my 33 year old handicapped daughter who has a lot of trouble with yeast and bacteria and GI problems ( all typical of her handicap which is 22q13 deletion syndrome) I’m only giving her one capsule a day and even though it’s a 10 day course I may continue with this for a while as I am seeing a calmer happier person that meds just haven’t been able to achieve…any advise? I am new to eo’s and want to learn all I can and use them wisely as I suspect I have found something much better for her than all the stuff that has been prescribed by her good doctors over the years.
The GX and PB assist are like supplements. I personally don’t use them but I do use doterra oils internally. I would not with any other company. I use them on my whole family and we have no issues. If you read the labels of most oils it does have a warning of not taking it internally – but not doterra’s. Best of luck to you and your daughter!
The products are NOT organic. They are NOT regulated. The company is a scam – a scanm – and you are taking them internally, when the national assoc of aromatherapists strongly advises against this.
Young Living Oils you can ingest without any danger! They are amazing and personally wouldn’t use any other brand. If an essential oil says not to ingest I probably wouldn’t put it on my skin because your skin absorps very quickly and it goes straight to your blood stream.
DoTerra and Young Living are both Multi Level Marketing companies, making the oils more expensive. All pure essential oils are therapeutic. Young Living tried to copyright the term to set them apart. DoTerra is run by people who left Young Living. These two companies, as well as many others, get their oils from the same suppliers. They make their own blends, but there are some standard blends that are very similar from company to company. Ingesting oils is not necessary because they are so easily absorbed through the skin. I get my oils from a smaller company who uses the same suppliers and I get a lot more for my money!
Do you mind sharing the smaller company?
I am happy to. http://www.butterflyexpress.net
Look into heritage essential oils
Much of this statement is quite misleading and not very well researched. There are a few marketers of EO that have actual farms where the plants are grown and harvested…some may even distil their own oils. There is only one producer of EO that controls the entire process from beginning to market. There is one large co. that claims to be pure and has been proven in court to have been making false statements and claims of purity. There are several companies that own no land and only a building where they do the paperwork and perhaps receive and reship their products because they source it all from someone else.
I don’t buy the idea u must buy the pricey oils for them to work well. I use almost exclusively now brand for everything and have had good results.
I think it’s wonderful that you’re starting somewhere. I used the NOW brand for several years with great results. I’ve recently discovered Young Living and WOW way different. I’ve found that the brands in our local stores are cut with carriers and preservatives. Young Living is completely pure. I mean a small bottle of sandalwood from NOW costs about $15. Young Living’s cost well over $100. The difference is that YL offers completely pure oils. A closer look at my NOW sandalwood bottle showed that it was in a carrier oil. I prefer to buy my own carriers and mix my favorite oils into them on my own. Wishing you continued success!
I’ve enjoyed reading this site. There is a lot of good information and banter (though some isn’t so friendly, chill guys). I myself have only been using EO’s for a little under two years. Yes, they have changed my life and for the first time I feel empowered and able to be in charge of my own health care. I am healthier now than I’ve been in a very long time. I’m one of those persons who will take the time to check things out. My daughter told me about EO’s and a fairly new company, doTERRA. I wanted to believe all the wonderful things she was telling me, but not without checking out the company and putting the products to the test. At a lot of expense for me I did some investigating. So far I’ve found the company to be sound and based on ethical principles. I checked into the CTPG cirtification and found it to be sound also. Though the company pays for these extensive tests, they themselves do not perform them. It is third party and I believe available for other companies. With how extensive these tests are it may not be cost prohibative for many companies, however. I hope that others will follow suit eventually cause I know there are many very good EO companines out there. I do believe in EO’s now as I’ve had remarkable results for many health concerns and haven’t had to go to the doctor since I’ve been using them. I’m glad there is a standard finally set up (you guys should check out testing, it’s remarkable)that insures complete purity so that I may feel safe using these oils in a variety of ways, including internally. And yes, they are safe in their PUREST form for internal use. Other companies that follow suit will just give me more choices and give doTERRA healthy competition. HEALTHY competition is a good thing in my book. These oils are starting to ease their way into western medicine. The coming together of a variety of health care choices is what’s needed in this country, and it’s about time. Keep up the good work everyone in taking charge of your own health and the health of your families. Let’s hear it for the family!!!!
I am so happy to hear that Teresa has done research and not just taken someone’s word! I too have started using EOs, through doTERRA and have had many great health benefits, as have the rest of my family.
No, DoTerra has NOT “done research. They are a multi-level marketing company using false claims about products. They pretend their products are the “most pure”, they invented a phrase indicating they are certified when they are not, and they are actually telling people – against ALL evidence that this is safe – to INGEST some of the oils. Stay away.
You sound so anti-DoTerra that you lose all credibility. You sound like you’ve invested so much in time and effort in bashing DoTerra, that you’d keep bashing them no matter what research was done on their oils. I don’t really care what your background is, you’ve lost all credibility by the way that you’ve vehemently bashed the DoTerra company completely. Do you know what Medical Doctor’s do as research? They try out things, and look at the results. My results in using DoTerra oils compared with other oils is that they have worked better. I haven’t used all the different brands, but out of the ones I’ve used, DoTerra have given me the best results. It’s not unsafe to ingest certain essential oils, at all. It’s like saying that it’s unsafe to ingest tylenol, or ibuprofen. It’s not unsafe when done in the proper quantities. You’re ignorant by denouncing a companies’ product just because of the way that they’ve chosen to market it. By the way, DoTerra has grown into a company with more than 100 million dollars in sales per year in just 6 years, marketing the way that they do. I think they’ve made wise business decisions up to this point by marketing the way that they have. I don’t sell DoTerra, because I’m not interested in doing sales, at all. But, their oils work really well, and I personally have seen great benefits from using them.
Credibility? YOU use “i’ve used them, they work” as evidence, whereas, so sorry, all I did, as a health care provider, was a methodical review of the evidence. You use anecdotal “evidence” as “proof” that these things work, when the actual truth is, there is no evidence out there. Studies have not been done.
You must be a true believer, as in the religious sense: belief, blind trust, without evidence. And nothing, no evidence at all, could shake your “belief”. That’s a problem, when you believe in a profit-making venture’s product claims to the point that you can’t see straight.
I have nothing to do with this company. Furthermore, I did not spend much time writing about doTerra – and by the way, the term “bashing” is generally reserved for propaganda, i.e., baseless claims based on no evidence, such as yours. As a health care provider, when I come up against an anti-science claim that could be dangerous for consumers, I do take a good look at the evidence and the claims – and when the opportunity arises, I do let people know what I found.
Other essential oil manufacturers/distributors sell certified organic oils; DoTerra does not. other essential oil manufacturers do not use MLM scams to sell their products; DoTerra does. Other essential oil companies tell people up front that the FDA has not “approved this” info; DoTerra does not. Other companies warn people, as the association for aromatherapists does, that these oils should NEVER be ingested: DoTerra tells people to ingest them (BTW, there IS no “safe dose”; the “safe dose” is “none”). Other companies do not pretend to have scientific evidence when there isn’t any. Other companies don’t make up fake “certifications”. Your ridiculous comparison of tylenol or ibuprofen is just that: those are MADE to be ingested, and essential oils are NEVER meant to be ingested.
I saw false claims all over the internet, and got reports from colleagues who got suckered into actually paying to go to a doTerra “class”. These “classes” are based not on science, but on marketing.
You obviously do sell the stuff, or your friends do, and you are engaging in group-think. I hope you don’t make medical claims or tell people to ingest the oils, because you are liable, not the company.
With do-Terra all you are doing is “buying into” the name and the fad; not getting a better oil. I am not saying their oil isn’t good, it may be. EO and their uses have been around for 1000’s of years and do-Terra has just marketed a way to create a “new awareness” for a younger or less knowledgeable generation to, in effect, make them seem the “experts” and the “best” company out there There are plenty of companies out there that sell the same thing, same pureness at a lesser price (because you are not paying for the hype). If you are not using them for sales then why are you buying into all hype. They have to pass on the cost of their great marketing to someone and that’s you, the customer.
I do have one BIG complaint about do-terra and it has nothing to do with the quality of their oils. They tell their young impressionable (and unlearned) people that their oils are so pure that they can be mixed with food, beverages, or put in capsules for anti-biotic use. Lets get two things straight here, “Antibiotic properties” are not the same as an “anti-biotic” and if you actually did ingest enough EO to actually do what they profess they can do, it would probably kill you as it would be so toxic.
You just said the same sentence three times in a row as an opener, which makes me unable to confirm your creditability.
I get tired of hearing lies repeated, and within the world of EO’s there are many fallacies being believed. I have to respond to this one…
doTerra is not an ethical company, if it was, they wouldn’t propogate lies for profit… The “CTPG” that you refer to is NOT a “certification” for EO’s, as they would have you believe. It is a “Registered Trademark”, signified by the little circled R behind the “CTPG”… There are many other things of which I could address, but that is for another day.
Good luck, and keep digging and searching for Truth! 🙂
So true, April! Drives me crazy.
THANK you THANK you APRIL!!!! And people should get a clue, when they are asked to PAY to go to a sales pitch. As soon as the non-medical providers that sell the stuff start getting sued and prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license, maybe that scam will tumble.
What about Young Living? There oils are so much more expensive than Mountain Rose Herb. They say theirs are therapeutic and Mountain Rose Herbs doesn’t. Are they the same oils? I’m so confused. I’ve always used NOW brand but have recently looked into Mountain Rose Herb. I have friends who say Young Living is the best. What do I believe?! 🙂
I happily only use Young Living Essential Oils! Not that there aren’t other ethical companies that produce a superior product that produces amazing therapeutic results, I am sure there are– for me, my alignment is with YL. I completely trust the oils the I put in and on my body, undiluted a lot of the time, by the way. 🙂 Also, the direct marketing/business plan is an awesome one, sound, powerful and effective. Do some research, check ’em out, see what works for you. Good luck!
I just started using EO’s, several of my friends sell YL EO’s and that is all they recommend, however, doing my own research I’ve settled on Mountain Rose Herb. The EO’s are great quality and are resonable. I’ve bought twice as much for half the price. I like MRH because it is organic, sustainable and fair trade. Use your own judgement and choose what you think is best. I will say this, everytime I’m on facebook and some one asks about EO’s I do recommend MRH with no sales pitch, just “try MRH” and almost the next post is a marketing speech telling the same person about YL and why they are the only ones to go with. So like I said, do your research and I’d say “try MRH”
I didn’t see if someone has already asked this question but, for carrier oils, is it possible to substitue an oil for a butter? For example, a dilution recommended Almond Oil, can I instead use a butter for more of a lotion instead of massage oil? Or is there a ‘thicker’ type of oil I could use instead?
You can use almost any oil or lotion as the base for diluting your essential oils, just be sure that the ingredients are natural and not petrochemical based.
I often will use 1/2 c organic coconut oil with 1 tsp melted beeswax and 2 tbsp shea butter as the basis for an essential oils salve (melt the coconut oil to liquid, stir in your essential oils then let cool to harden).
I am confused on your list of EOs to avoid while nursing or pregnant. Many of these oils I have never heard being issues. I use Lemon oil regularly and ginger as well, as a nursing mother. Could you perhaps list effects of each oil for breastfeeding mothers ? I know peppermint reduces production but confused on most of the others…. you listed ” Aniseed, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, ginger, jasmine, lemon, nutmeg, rosemary, sage” I use several on this list currently and was about to put in a YL order for clary sage
Hello. Thank you for this information! I am wondering if you feel eo’s are safe to use in a diffuser in a
Young child’s room? I am interested in eo’s for my two year olds chronic cough but I’m concerned about the safety.
I just purchased DoTerra’s breathe with the intention of diluting it and applying to his feet but I am still
Just a little nervous about the safety for my little one.
I’m personally a little bit skeptical of someone proclaiming a certain brand is superior when they are selling the brand. I prefer an unbiased (and researched) opinion, which I appreciate from Crunchy Betty.
Hi, thanks so much for the helpful info. Just wanted to let you know the link to the Essential Oils Reference Chart is outdated. I found the chart on the same website and copied and am pasting it here… http://www.cuppingtherapy.org/downloads/EORefChart.html
Hello!! Thank you for this wonderful article! I am doing my research on essential oils now and have a couple questions for you:
1) How does Young Living Essential Oils compare to your recommended companies, such as Mountain Rose?
2) To treat acne, can I put tea tree oil into a diffuser or would it be more effective if I put it directly on my face?
Thank you so much!
Please don’t use tea tree oil on your face without diluting it with something such as a carrier oil. It is VERY strong and could cause a severe reaction. (think blisters and redness).
I have applied tea tree oil directly to blemishes on my face for almost 20 years with no carrier oil and zero reactions. It is one of the few oils that can safely be applied “neat”. Do be careful around the eye area! 🙂 Tea tree is the ONLY thing ever that clears up my breakouts!
I have a client hat is a dentist and she uses tea tree directly on her clients gums. She said she especially does it when there are blisters or a puss infection. I’ve know my vet put tea tree directly on my dogs hot spot which was an open blister.
Wow, there’s quite the controversy regarding the ingesting of oils and quality of oils. You know what would be amazing… a post that helps newbies in the EO world to know about the various EO distributors aside from YL and doTerra. I feel like the market is saturated with their jargon and I’d like to know about other suppliers so that I can make my own informed decision. Would love it if you could share any other links to companies, or resources, you might now of so I can further educate myself. TIA.
Hi. I don’t know much about EOs. Wondered If anyone knows about Be Young EO.
Hi there! I know in your list of 21 facts you said these oils should not be ingested…I have heard otherwise about a few specific brands. What were your true thoughts on this? Do you or have you used any oils internally? Or anyoneelse on here maybe? Really wanting to heal from the inside as well as using these topically. Thanks in advance! I’m still pretty new at this so any input or advice would be great!
“Certified Pure Theraputic Grade” is DoTerra’s trademark, so of course no other oils are CPTG. It’s a marketing gimmick so people will get the impression that there is a grading system, which there is not.
YES! DoTerra certifies ‘themselves’…this does not come from an outside source…they act as if they are sending their product to a second hand lab to be tested when THEY are the ones doing their OWN certification. That in and of itself is SUSPECT. At least Young Living pays others NOT AFFILIATED WITH THEM to test their product. Sheesh.
doTerra also uses third party testing. It would be awesome if reps from both companies would stop being bickering douchebags and just get back to helping people.
Nice post,
I love using essential oil that makes me calm. I am a fan of essential oils.
I did not know that Essential oils will last for at least 5 years (if not 10), so one bottle could literally last a decade, thanks for that tip.
This website is awesome! I am looking for information on using eucalyptis essential oil with Epsom salts for bathing. Also, I cannot download the “information packed aromatherapy reference chart”. Can anyone send it to my email? Thank you!
Hi,
I use peppermint EO after brushing my teeth on my tongue…it lasts so much longer than mouthwash, but is it safe to do this? I just take a couple of drops and rub it all over my tongue. I was concerned, however, after reading this article. Is the way I’m using it considered taking it internally? And, is it dangerous to do this since the oil has not been diluted in a carrier oil? Thanks!!
Stumbled upon your site and blog 21 Things You Should Know…..
I am curious about what EO should be added to ? base for your face to get added nutrition ~ support ~ wrinkles. I am 57 and was 50 pounds heavier and losing the weight (and needing to lose 30 more) my face has become very wrinkled. Never smoked.
I used to read very old books on the noble Japanese/Chinese women and they bathed, soaked, and use a variety of oils on their bodys to keep them soft, supple, fresh and helped giving them ageless/unwrinkled look.
But thought this would be a better option to increase the bodies ability to use products to add together to make skin happier.
I actually have beautiful facial skin (never acne) but now a touch dry – but think there must be a way to push up the support on face/hands….
I do eat very good veges range and take hair/skin/nail & fruit/nut/vege support to add to my diet.
I have read and agree with your disclaimer….I am on Rx for back injury and would cross reference (a lot of reading/research – also same with all the vitamins I take) whatever you suggest against my meds and speak with my doctor, but Your thoughts would be truly appreciated.
I am very impressed with your many
I have some emu oil and was wondering what is the best thing if anything to mix with it for my hair growth.
Thank you
Please let me know if you’re looking for a article writer for your blog.
You have some really great articles and I feel I would be a good asset.
If you ever want to take some of the load off,
I’d absolutely love to write some material for your blog
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Let’s talk about ingesting….Some oil bottles state that they should not be ingested, and the reason for this is because there are impurities/preservatives which in turn compromise the quality, purity, and potency. You certainly don’t want to put anything in your body that shouldn’t be there.
This is where DoTerra RADICALLY differs: A vast majority of their oils are safe for ingesting. The reason is because they are Certified Pure Theraputic Grade Essential Oils (CPTG). The oil industry has been very unregulated for a long time – in fact, the FDA only requires oil companies to put 10% oil in a bottle and then they can put anything else in that they want (kind of like how perfume companies can get away with putting phthalates in their chemical cocktails). DoTerra has a very strict standard, and as many people state, they can tell this almost immediately with how powerful they smell.
Thus as it says above, not all oil companies are the same. Some great resources to do your own research is eeoils.me, aromaticscience.com, and and oilsmentor.com. Please e-mail me if you have further questions.
Certified Pure Theraputic Grade Essential Oils means nothing…it’s not externally regulated by anyone. It’s just a term Doterra came up with themselves. I’m not saying their oils aren’t pure. But you can’t just make up
a standard and then claim you’re the only one who lives up to it. Oh wait, unless you’re in the Wild West of the almost wholly unregulated natural therapies industry. Kinda manipulative, which makes me wonder what else they’re spinning.
JMH is accurate: YL/DT came up with that slogan themselves, and there is NO accountability to see that it is, in fact, true.
I believe that the reason some (not necessarily all) E.O.’s are not ok to ingest is that some are extracted by means of chemicals as they are difficult to extract otherwise. You can find this out, or SHOULD be able to find this out via the source of your EO’s. Mountain Rose Herbs lists the extraction method and country of origin on each and every EO they sell. I like MRH as they are a local business here in Oregon and I like to support local business. They have also been wonderful about helping answer questions regarding their products, and are wonderful people as I have met them personally while picking up my orders. (NOT affiliated, just a huge fan!)
I have used orange oil in smoothies, and not had issues, but I do not believe that using EO’s in their pure form on or in your body is wise. They should be diluted with carrier oils, used in beauty recipes with other ingredients, or a few drops of certain oils in food recipes.
That is my personal belief.
I personally do not believe EVERYTHING written by companies regarding their products. I research, and sometimes try things out myself, for the truth. I too, have heard and read online the issues regarding YL and doTerra products. As others have mentioned, YL founder has been through the legal system regarding the claims of his products. ( At the same time, our government does not seem to be happy that many are finding alternatives to modern medicine, and would rather everyone was on drugs… so). And that doTerra was started by three former employees of YL.
Do your own research. Don’t leave the health of you and your family and loved ones to any business claim, because they are not necessarily true, and can be simply marketing as someone else mentioned. And conversely, often negative remarks could also be used to destroy an otherwise great company and product.
I am a bit skeptical because of claims that are self-made, but, again, that is just me.
At any rate, essential oils can and ARE great to use to help in many health issues, and I do use them frequently.
I would also advise that those here trying out EO’s for the first time get a good book, preferrably written by an herbalist, and using that as a base of your education regarding herbs and essential oils. Rosemary Gladstar is one such writer and has several books on the subject.
Oh yeah, BTW, often warnings are for the protection of the seller: remember the warning now required on coffee: warning, this hot beverage might be HOT! Duh. Worries are that someone just might drink a whole bottle of peppermint or orange EO, or some such nonsense.
I’m a bit unclear about whether I should dilute an essential oil. I’m planning to use peppermint oil for a toothpaste recipe. So should I dilute it or follow instructions with the undiluted oil?
This is the peppermint oil I bought: http://amzn.to/2aoRbtp
Thank you for creating this page, it was very informative, I really appreciated that you included links to other sites as well
I’m wondering.. I was thinking about trying the oil cleansing method (I have grapeseed oil and sunflower oil in my cabinet) and I was considering adding lemon essential oil just to see what it does and I read in this post not to use lemon if you’re nursing…why is that? I can’t imagine that lemon would hurt. Especially since I would just be putting a drop or two on my face, not drinking large quantities (I know, not possible, but I threw it out there as a referential visual lol). But yes, I’m never happy when I see “do not use” or “consult a medical professional” when breastfeeding on just about every product out there but none of them ever say why.. I’m very interested in the why’s of things, if you could help answer this one for me 🙂 thanks!
With havin so much content do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright violation?
My site has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either
authored myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of
it is popping it up all over the web without my permission.
Do you know any solutions to help protect against content from being stolen?
I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Hi I like this post but I’m still confused so 100% essential oil is not to be ingested? The reason I’m asking this is I am wanting to make raw chocolates with peppermint oil a lady and she is not qualified at all she just works at a organic shop she told me that it’s fine to use the oil in very small amounts! Like peppermint and that’s just it i use 100% eucalyptus oil for cleaning my bathroom and it states on the bottle POISON!
So is it ok or not! I have purchased a product that has peppermint essential oil in it and its for eating!
And what the difference from essential oil for skin and oil you can eat!
Thank you so much.
I am not pregnant, but potentially could be within the next year or so. If it is not advised to use essential oils during pregnancy, what would be a good replacement in lieu of using your cleansing oils and moisturizer since both contain essential oils? I currently OCM using your oils and I don’t think my skin would be very happy with me if I didn’t wash my face for 9+ months. 😉 Nevermind the fact that I’ve had troubled skin throughout my life so the thought of pregnancy acne terrifies me.
Thank you for this extremely brilliant blog. This is the right place where there is something for everyone! I was looking for this kind of information for such a long time and I am more than happy to see such a great blog with plenty of useful information. Thanks again for sharing.
Once again feeling happy and proud to say that this is one of my favorite Blogs. The postings are very unique and also outstanding with the new creativity and knowledge and with the new different ideas and concepts. Really I am waiting for some more new posts from you. Just keep up your higher efficiency.
Hi,
I stumbled on this page and have found it really useful. Just wonder if you could help – I’m thinking of making some homemade lotion bars made with beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil. I’d like to use Sweet Orange essential oil for a Christmassy smell, how many drops would be safe to use? I have found one recipe which uses 50 drops of lavendar (where the recipe uses around 1cup of each of the ingredients), would I be able to use this amount of the orange?
Thanks
Ellie
Hi. I have been buying my eos from a wholesaler called Bulk Apothecary at a very cheap price. They claim to be very pure and high quality, but the labels on products are pretty vague and I dont have much to compare the quality to, as I have never spent the extra money on more expensive ones. I cant. but I am a firm believer in using them, and am trying to build my collection. Do you know much about this company and their supply of eos? I would appreciate any feedback. Thank you.
Amanda
I have used this company as well. A far as I can tell the quality of the oils is good. I have purchased numerous oils from them and the only one I was disappointed in was their frankincense.
I prefer Appalachian valley — they are a wholesale distributor as well but you can purchase small quantities from them as well. Use the code – roseotto and you can get their wholesale prices. If you purchase 5, 10, or 20ml bottles when you add them to the cart you will see a discount. I really love their products and got a sample of their frankincense – wow!! Love it.
Av-at.com is the website.
Hi. I have been using DoTERRA’s products for approx. 6 months in many ways, topically, diffuser, cleaning, cooking, etc. I recently had surgery and got a bad cold while in the hospital. I started using doTERRA’s OnGuard throat drops and continually got worse (I also suffer from asthma so was using my inhalers as well.). Do you think there is any way the drops killed too much of the good bacteria in my mouth and throat? Just wondering your thoughts on this. Looking forward to your feedback.
I’m new to the world of EO’s. A doTerra-using friend made a “concoction” help my sinuses drain during an infection. EO’s involved are: eucalyptus, rosemary, melaleuca, doTerra’s Breathe blend, lime, and lavender in a coconut oil base. I slathered the oil mixture on my facial sinus areas, using the oils about 7 or 8 times in a 12 hour period. When I got up the next morning and washed my face, my face felt like I’d gotten a mild sunburn. Is this normal? Or an indication of anything? Too much EO to the face? Wrong choice of EO’s used for facial use? Thanks for any input!
Also she sent me with a blend of frankincense, rosemary, eucalyptus, and melaleuca to swab inside my nostrils. Does that settle well with you and your readers? I don’t want to damage any tissues in my efforts to breathe and drain well. 🙂
JeffsgirlWOW
Burning is an indicator of either sensitivity, or not properly diluted. Essential oils should not be used straight (or also called neat).
Also note: Citrus oils like lime, lemon, grapefruit etc are photo sensitizing which mean they increase the chances of your skin being burned by the sun.
Hey Betty,
I’m trying to decide which EOs to buy, to start out with, and where to buy them from. I’ve noticed that many of doTerra’s oils are MUCH more expensive than those from Mountain Rose Herbs. Why is that? Is one vastly superior over the other one? I’m on a budget and would prefer to spend less, if possible, but don’t want to sacrifice purity or quality, either.
I did a price comparison from various oil companies, including doTerra and Mountain Rose Herbs. The price differences seem to focus primarily on country of origin, followed by whether they were fair trade. doTerra, for example, sells Frankincense from Oman, and the wholesale price for 15ml is almost $70. Mountain Rose sells USA Frankincense at $20 for 15ml. Eden Botanical sells Frankincense from Somalia at $16 for 15ml. Scents of Earth sells Frankincense from Oman at $45 for 10 ml (or $67.50 for 15 ml).
First of all I would like to say superb blog! I had a quick question that I’d like
to ask if you do not mind. I was curious to know how you center
yourself and clear your mind before writing. I have had a hard time clearing
my mind in getting my ideas out there. I do enjoy writing but
it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be lost just
trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or tips?
Many thanks!
Thanks for all the info. Very comprehensive. I did not find the underneath so thought I would add it.
To find a therapeutic grade essential oil you will need to know its latin name and find it back on the bottle. The bottle also needs to have the name and address of the aupplier and a batch number. It is really not advised to use less than therapeutic grade in any skin, beauty or healthcare products as you are so much more likely to get adverse effects.
IF Your Bottle Of EO Says 100% Pure But Not For Internal Use It Isn’t Pure. If It Says Ok For InterNal Use It Is Pure. Young Living Did Some Testing On Another Lavender EO froM Another Company And It Tested That It hAd Vanilla In It. The Product Did Say 100% Pure On It. Well If It Was 100% Pure It Wouldnt Have Had Vanilla In It. I Use Yl Eo & I Love Them. I Take Them InternallY.Yes Their Expensive But Im A True BelieveR You Get WhAt You Pay For!
This is absolutely NOT true! Many herbalist and aromatherapist believe that NO essential oils should EVER be taken internally! EVER! EVER! EVER! Wait, let me make it clear. EVER!
It has nothing to do with their purity, but the fact that they are highly concentrated plant molecules and can be toxic, as well as BURN your esophagus, gut, stomach lining, intestines, AND throw off the gut flora.
I don’t care what company name is on the label. Essential oils are not 100% safe just because they are made from nature.
Amanda, I don’t know what your qualification is to make such a bold statement. MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY people use Young Living oils internally WITHOUT adverse side effects and WITHOUT burning their esophagus or hurting their gut flora, in fact it improves gut flora if you know what oils to use. Oils ingested are usually done so via a veggie capsule or can be mixed with water or Young Living’s NingXia Red. I myself ingest YLEOs on a daily basis and have been able to get off my proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) medication for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which was causing the nice side effect of osteopenia (pre osteoporosis). If you know what you’re doing and do the research, oils are extremely beneficial without nasty side effects. Yes, I am a YL distributor, but I became one after using the oils for a while myself and on my pets and seeing great improvement in our situation. Hope that clears up the ingestion issue for you.
Marketing …ain’t it grand?! I totally agree with Amanda. But that doesn’t matter, because Young Living (and DoTerra) disciples won’t listen to science, or people with proper chemical/alternative medical training. On every forum, YL users, nay followers, stating with absolute certitude that only YL oils are pure: oddly people using Mountain Herb, Now…or other brands, don’t really care if others use ”their” brand or another, because they don’t have a stake in selling that brand unlike YL, no compensation plan. These people have a financial stake in YL. Every one of us uses our favourite brands, however we retain critical thinking therefore are open to suggestions/improvements unlike these aforementioned disciples of YL, that cannot see anything beyond ”their” brand. That in itself is a red flag.
BTW you don’t die instantly from eating highly processed foods, smoking, drinking…some don’t even feel immediately sickly, doesn’t mean that it’s good for you and that your liver is loving it. So while you can smear EOs all over your newborn or ingest a cocktail each day without noticeable ill-effect and regardless of well documented warnings, it doesn’t necessarily make it safe to do. And if/when you do find out that it causes damage, it’ll be too late.
WRONG. I am NOT a distributor. Not a marketer. Not an advertisement. How cynical Brigitte, that you do not think there are people who exist in this world who actually care about dedicating some simple free time here and there to CARING ABOUT, HELPING OTHERS, and SHARING their experiences. It worked for me. I am not saying it will work for everyone. But I do feel obligated to share my healing experiences after more than 7 years of chronic illness and pain. I make ZERO funds from young living. ZERO ZERO ZERO. I am not a salesperson. I am not a distributor. I purchase for myself and my children and husband. No one receives compensation from young living unless they have people signed up under them which I do NOT NOT NOT and that is a fact that could be proven in a court of law somewhere, unlike much of the dribble that is written here by you. Moreover, I know SEVERAL others like me who order from Young living and have NO interest in selling it and make no money from it. No gimmicks. I have used other oils. I am sharing info about my EXPERIENCE with what has worked best for me in the hopes that others can also do their own research based on my opinion and then make educated choices about what is best for themselves. However, we can clearly see YOUR motives of money money money. Gross! and that is just my OPINION. Not a bought and paid for tribute to “MY’ brand.
I was diagnosed with ESOPHAGITiS!!! do you know what that is!? ULCERS all up and down your esophagus! After YEARS of prilosec and about 9 other pills prescribed by doctors, I was so sick of taking pills I was desparate enough to try ANYTHING. THANK GOD I TRIED YOUNG LIVING. I drink their oils internally (daily) along with their Ningxia Red and my chronic gut problems for YEARS are improving daily. Even my husband and children are now using this stuff due to the immediate difference they saw in me after I threw the prescribed meds away and replaced them with this stuff. Never swallowed something that harmed me yet and I already HAD the holes to start with and they are getting better and better, yet ZERO prescribed meds. I used to have chronic diahreea, chrnoic nausea, IBS and more. I was also diagnosed with leaky gut. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE GOING AWAY after my doctor (who is a TOP gastro specialist at the University of Michigan ha!) laughed at me when I told him I was giving up the prilosec and all the rest for distilled plant material. He told me I would be back on the meds in two weeks. That was MORE THAN A YEAR AGO AND I HAVE NEVER HAD TO GO FOR A RETURN VISIT WITH HIM SINCE. Burns your insides, what are you thinking???? Clearly you have never used Young Living. If you did, you would remove your ridiculous post.
I already am a believer and use doTerra oils. I would like to know how you are doing with your esophagus issues and what you are/were using for improvement. I have ulcers lining all of my esophagus and the prescription medicine doesnt seem to be helping at all.
Your reply would be very welcome.
I see there are no replies to questions about taking oils internally.Please could you post if they are safe or not. I’ve heard of Young Living and would like to know if they’re safe.
Thanks
Simplest way I know to test the purity of the oil is to place a drop of it on clear white paper and let it dry. If it leaves a ring, it isn’t pure and should not be taken internally.
There are certain essential oils that should not be taken internally (this can be researched on Mountain Rose Herb website from this article as they list the ones that are beneficial for internal use i.e.: digestive), but some of the common EO’s may be taken internally when mixed with something (i.e.: baked goods, water, etc.). I have personally used lemon and peppermint for this and I really like it. The standard I’ve seen is a drop per 8 ounces although I prefer about half that because I tend to use it in a larger container and drink it through out the day…if you don’t drink it all right away, the flavor seems to increase a bit over time). Be sure to mix/shake it well before drinking.
Also, if you drink it, you should only use a glass or stainless steel container. Glass is highly preferred over the two and the easiest for cleaning out of the previous EO. The smell/taste of an EO tends to “linger” a bit. This is usually a good thing I would think in say aromatherapy but in this case not so much…unless of course you prefer to use the same EO each time.
Hey Crunchy Betty, I have a question:
I was wondering. You said that you should never take essential oils internally. But I’ve always been told that what you can’t tack internally, you shouldn’t put on your skin. The only exception to this rule I can think of would be something that would hurt you digestive system if you swallowed it, but is okay for your body otherwise. Plus some oils are made out of foods, like rosemary, so why cant we eat the oils? Does something bad happen to the oils after processing? If so, then why would you want it on your skin or in the air you breath.
Thanks, cant wait to hear your thoughts on this.
Anna K.
Hi Crunchy Betty ~
I’ve searched and cannot find any information from various EO distributors…how can one determine what type and percentage of carrier oil is used…? From what I have gathered, essential oil creation/manufacture REQUIRES a carrier oil of some sort.
Thanks for your help!
Essential oils aren’t created with carrier oils – they’re extracted using a variety of methods. The most common are cold-pressing and steam distillation. Most citrus oils are cold-pressed (the name is pretty self-explanatory: they’re pressed), but almost all other essential oils are steam-distilled: the plant matter is placed above steaming hot water, the steam takes essential oil from the plant, and travels through a condenser. After condensing, you’re left with water and a tiiiiiny bit of essential oil floating on top.
Although, there is a method to extract essential oil into a carrier oil. It’s called “infusion”. Herbs are placed in a jar, and the jar is filled with just enough oil to cover the herbs. After at least 2 weeks, the herbs are strained out and you’re left with an infused oil! Sometimes, fresh herbs are placed into the infused oil to make it extra-strong. Infusion produces a very mild oil, though, and there’s no need to dilute it.
great article to increase your knowledge about essential oils
I am still confused about this whole internal taking thing. how can several companies say their eos are 100% and yet some be safe to take internally and others not. also, I have been using NOW eos for a couple of years. you state that they are ok for cleaning but not for therapeutic reasons. can you explain this further? they say they are 100% pure and they seem to be working. would these other companies eos work better or differently? thanks
Thank you for asking this question! I have spent countless hours researching this very question, and have even contacted Young Living to get their response, all to no avail! I feel like someone is not being honest, and while I want to just go with YL, the fact that at first they didn’t respond and when the finally did (through a consultant who was on a live chat), the response was vague. It just makes me question if there is corruption in the EO industry like so many others. Would LOVE for someone to respond to this question!
I have read quite a bit about YL and DoTerra and several other companies. The information available seems to suggest that Mr Young (founder of YL) is of questionable repute and has been caught out as a fraud selling a few different “natural” healing methods in the past. The people who founded DoTerra used to work for YL but were fired (or chose to leave) when they began to question YL practices, including the establishment of the Ecuadorian processing plant. No accusations were made but there were implications that perhaps what YL are actually doing is not aligned with what they are preaching. I was very interested to read the earlier comment that YL oils left stains on construction paper using the testing method suggested in the article.
I have never used either YL or DoTerra and am not affiliated with either company but I have some very serious concerns about the claims made by YL and their representatives, as well as their owner/founder and his moral standing. There are disagreements within the aromatherapy industry as to how oils can and should be used but I know several QUALIFIED aromatherapists and they all advise that NOT all oils should be taken internally or applied undiluted directly to the skin.
I have yet to come across a YL distributor who is a qualified aromatherapist. Not saying they don’t exist, I just haven’t met one and I check at every trade fair I visit. Possible that the reason you got vague answers from them is because they are preaching the company line that they have been taught without actually knowing/understanding the answer?
There is also an argument from YL distributors that their oils come from the best crops in the world. As they grow their own crops and only use their own, not sure how they can claim it’s unarguably the best in the world. Every crop is different. Only sampling every crop, every batch would support that claim. Anyway, I am not a qualified aromatherapist either but my research suggests that YL oils and their advice might be best to avoid.
Hope that helps.
Nat, I will back you on this. Young Living and DoTerra distributors are confidently spreading lots of false information on essential oils. I would trust Crunchy Betty’s information above over anything YL and DoTerra sellers say. A good friend of mine became entranced by YL a couple of years ago and is convinced that YL is the only company that sells “therapeutic” grade essential oils. As Nat says, do your research, read the best books you can find and caveat emptor.
It’s because the US government has no recognized authority on essential oils so they don’t regulate it properly because no official standard is recognized.
In the United States, herbal products are considered dietary supplements, and unlike drugs they do not need approval by the Food and Drug Administration before they come to market. However, the FDA can take action to recall a product if it is found to be unsafe after it hits the market. (in other words, THAT is how companies can put other things in herbal supplements without telling you)
The findings of the new study are consistent with earlier work. For example, a 2011 study of 131 herbal tea products found that 33 percent were contaminated. Still, the estimates from the new study should be interpreted with caution, and refined with further research, because the study tested products from just 12 out of the 1,000 companies that make herbal products.
The study was published today (Oct. 11, 2013) in the journal BMC Medicine.
Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow LiveScience @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on LiveScience.
According to the FDA, an essential oil only has to be 5% pure to label themselves as 100% pure. That’s why some say they are safe for internal use while others aren’t. The ones that say that you should not take them internally most likely have other things in them that make them unsafe for taking internally. For therapeutic reasons, and internal use, you should find a company that actually uses 100% pure oils. Also, undiluted essential oils do not expire. It’s the ones that have other contaminants in them that expire. If it has an expiration date or says you should not take any of their oils internally, those would be warning signs.
not true
I just heard about doTerra Essential Oils and would like to know what would be recommended for pain, weight loss and energy.
I LOVE my doTERRA oils!
When I’m looking to help my pains I use the Deep Blue Rub – it’s GREAT!!!
I also get an energy boost from my Wild Orange and I know people that have lost weight using the Slim & Sassy oil blend.
There is a HUGE difference in quality in essential oils. It is a mistake in this article to say they all ‘come from the same place’ as stated above and indicate they are pretty much the same. In fact, they are not. A company called YOUNG LIVING (based in Utah) produces all of their own oils…they even have their own distilleries in Ecuador and other countries and they are a SEED TO SOIL company; Meaning nothing they obtain ever comes from nor is handled by a second hand source. They do ALL from planting the seeds to harvesting and distilling and bottling the product. The oils from YOUNG LIVING ARE SAFE FOR INTERNAL USE. This may not be true of other oils but of YOUNG LIVING specifically you can take these oils internally. I HAVE ALSO USED THEM ON ALL MY CHILDREN SAFELY INCLUDING MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WAS UNDER 6 MONTHS SAFELY. I have used these oils internally for more than a year and am finally healing after 7 years of chronic health care that traditional medicine left unresolved. I hope people reading into this who are seeking real healing from a quality and safe essential oil company will explore the safety and health benefits YOUNG LIVING has to offer. Their oils have changed my life.
Hi M, thanks for the info,
I would be interested to know your opinion on how to use the oil on a 4 year old, who has Leukemia asI think it might help her…
also for an adult with Crohns disease, its hard to find much info
Thanks
Dave,
I am praying for your 4y.o. I have a 6 y.o. who has survived leukemia for 5 years. She was not expected to live, but did. There is hope.
Hi Dave, So sorry to hear about the medical issues your family is facing. There is quite a bit written about using essential oils for cancer though I don’t have the info at my finger tips. I would be happy to see if I can find more info on where to direct you if you haven’t already found it. If you have an email or Facebook or some other way to be reached it might be a better way to converse. But either way one place you can go to get some ideas about other peoples experiences with various oils is oil-testimonials.com you can sign up for the free membership and then do searches on whatever you would like.”leukemia” “child leukemia” “Crohns” etc. It was formed for people using YL oils to share so some of the blends mentioned will be YL but it doesn’t mean you have to use YL to get the results. High quality oils are high quality oils, that said quality is so important especially when talking about treating something as major as the things you are and in my experience YL does produce high quality oils. I myself have treated Tertiary Chronic Lyme and having used both traditional antibiotics (IV, pills, suspension and sometimes all at the same time) and essential oils and can attest to the oils working as well as any other protocol I have been on without the side effects…well you probably see where I’m going. That doesn’t mean Young Living is the only company producing oils of that quality, they aren’t, nor does it mean I’m advocating the MLM approach, signing up was worth while for me to receive the discount since I order so many oils and I will sometimes order for other people at my discount but I have never pursued the business end of it. I also have and do use other companies oils and think investigating and having several sources is wise for various reasons. Anyway, sorry to go on so much your situation just struck a nerve. Feel free to contact me if you would like.
Dave, I am sorry to hear it. Please first google the name of this book: The Essential Oils Pocket Reference by Gary Young. Here is a link to this book on amazon: copy and paste it into your browser if need be or just google the name and author I have provided.
http://amzn.to/2aWuF09
The author of this book is the founder of Young Living (the Sead to Seal company I mentioned earlier). This is the book I use as my ‘go to’ source as to which Young Living Oils to use. GET TO KNOW THESE OILS, as they are the only ones safe for internal use on the market. Other companies will tell you their oils are safe to ingest. THEY ARE NOT. The only essential oil brand I can recommend for safe internal use with effective healing results is young living. If your 4 year old has leukemia one of the best things you can do for her is to give her 5ml of Ningxia Red per day in addition to essential oils on the feet and through a diffuser. There will be more info for you in the book as well as to where to start. If you would like more info please let me know. I would be happy to introduce you to young living. A woman in michigan named shannon hudson has leukemia and through the use of young living products her bloodwork is 100% NORMAL and I can for sure connect you with her or you can look her up on facebook. Shannon Hudson in Michigan…I am sending prayers and positive thoughts for you and your daughter Dave.
I just picked up the whole foods market brand of eucalyptus and I’ve been trying to find out if it is safe to ingest. I plan to make throat lozenges. Any insight there?
The only oils on the market safe to ingest are by a company called Young Living. If you are not a member you can obtain Eucalyptus oil by typing in Young Living Essential Oil Eucalyptus on an ebay or amazon search engine to try it out. One you do, you will surely want to become a member of this company. I use these oils on myself and children and am being healed of YEARS of chronic illness with these products. I am not a salesperson. I feel obligated to get EVERYONE with health issues this REAL AND TRUE HEALING MEDICINE that heals rather than just treating symptoms.
DoTERRA oils are also safe to ingest.
This is several months too late, but not even Young Living and doTerra eucalyptus are safe to ingest. I distribute doTerra and it is listed as NOT for internal use. When it is used as an ingredient for an internal blend or lozenges, the amount is incredibly small. It is safer to use eucalyptus as an inhalant or in a diffuser, or dilute in a chest rub.
Frankincense has been shown to help with cancer, I have never personally tried it but have heard many stories. It might be worth a shot.
Is there any oils you should not use everyday? I use lavender, lemon, cypress, frankincense everyday!
Hi,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I am 36 weeks pregnant and came down with a nasty cough. I couldn’t take any medicine, but yet couldn’t sleep. I used eucalyptus oil on my neck and chest to clear up my cough. I read that eucalyptus oil is not advised for pregnant women to use, however, I could not find any reasons why. Do you happen to know the risks that eucalyptus oil might have on the unborn baby? I have since stopped using the oil, but definitely used it a few times. (I will be calling my doctor, but was curious about your input.) Thank you so much!
I really think i would’ve enjoyed reading your article and i think i may have gotten a lot out of it. However, trying to read around the block with “FOLLOW and icons for Facebook, Twitter etc.,” was infuriating!! I attempted to read your site on two different occasions and soon gave up both times. The second time i tried to get rid of the more than bothersome block by clicking on ea icon and choosing one of the actions to just get it out of my way, but no luck.
If u can tell me what to do to get that off my screen, maybe i could learn what i would like to learn from u. Thx.
If you are using Firefox or Google Chrome as a browser there is an app/add-on called “adblocker plus”. Download and install it. When you see floating icons like that and they bother you, right-click over them and scroll down to “block element” or “use adblock” and click OK/Submit/Add. This will remove the floating script/image and allow for better viewing.
Or, make your browser window bigger. Her blog seems to have a fixed width which should push the image to the far right.
Do essential oils contain preservatives or anything added to them for shelf life ?
No, at least they shouldn’t have any preservatives. Think of essential oils like the essence of a plant or flower. To have them last they should come in a colored bottle (brown or blue) and be stored out of sunlight. You only use a small bit so that balances the cost. Keep the lids on the bottles and they’ll be fine. Nothing lasts forever (well, I take that back. Honey may just last forever).
I might suggest keeping them in a drawer, a box with a lid or somewhere safe like that. I use them daily…one mix for my pillow cases for whatever I feel like balancing in my “self” overnight. The diffuser on my husbands side of the bed (he has had sinus problems) has detox, immune system builders and things for respiratory relief. He sleeps like a baby now. Also helped him with headaches.
My dog trainer says lavender is helpful for dogs. Haven’t tried that yet.
I digress. The preservative thing. Like medicine, it would NOT be good to leave essential oils in the heat (a hot car, the sun, etc.) That would take away some of the potency and perhaps ruin the essence.
Can u share what u use in the diffuser for your husband? My hubby has sinus problems as well and it will be awesome if you do. Thanks in advance! 🙂
Please do share the recipe for sinus trouble you use for your husband. I suffer from constant sinus blockage and such and would love to find a way to fight this. My wife would be extremely grateful and so would I. Thanks.
When I have sinus problems I just use straight eucalyptus in my diffuser, although Doterra has a blend called Breathe and it is def worth the money. Not only for the diffuser, but just to put in your hands, cup them and breath in.
I am new to this process but very interested in the diffuser mentioned (where do you get those and how to know what kind to get??) and using oils for the sinus, immune system and respiratory that you mentioned, in particular.
Definitely needing some direction with these things and would appreciate specifics on the oils that work on these areas the best.
Blessings for your helpful advice!
I love all the information being shared on here! There are several diffusers out there that you can purchase but make sure it doesn’t heat the oils. You loose several of the natural benefits once heated. I personally use the young living diffuser with Thieves, RC, and Eucalyptus Radiata for any sinus/respiratory problems in my family. Those oils diluted in olive oil on the feet at bedtime also helps with sinuses. I have used several brands of essential oils in my massage therapy business clients love them!
You can find high quality diffusers from Spa Room, Essential Oil Gear, and doTERRA. If you know what you are looking for, you can also find them on Amazon, just be sure to look at the ratings. A nice quality midrange diffuser should run you around $45-60, and they go up from there.
There are several books on Amazon (both printed and Kindle e-books), and dozens of websites specifically with information on oils usage and to help beginners learn about what oils to use for what concern. Your best bet is to connect with other, experienced users or to find a health coach or aromatherapist to guide you on your learning journey.
Good luck!
Crunchy Betty,
I just wanted to drop a quick note to you. I’ve been coming here awhile and enjoy reading what you write. You have a nice way about you and it’s enjoyable. I always feel better coming over here (like
a cyber friend). So whether you know it or not, there are others (I’m sure) like me, to pore a cup of
coffee (until I get with the green tea thing) and sit down to wake up with you some days. Thanks
for sharing your persona, quest for learning and growing and just being you. Here! Here!
I must thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this
site. I really hope to check out the same high-grade blog posts from you
later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own, personal website
now 😉
Hello,
We’re having a problem at our apartment that we fear may be bedbugs, and I’m following a recipe to make a topical treatment that is supposed to protect me from being bitten–since I’m one of those unlucky 30% who are sensitive to their bites–while we undergo whatever steps necessary to rid the premises of the pests. It calls for six drops each of lemongrass oil and tea tree oil, and 10 each of lavender and thyme, in a quarter cup of almond oil. I’m supposed to apply it before bed, but I’m wondering how safe it is to apply on, say, the face, since the insects target any exposed skin, and that’s one of the few areas I can’t really cover. Any knowledge on the matter would be appreciated.
Thank you
I don’t know much about EOs yet…I’m just learning. However, there are some vitamin B1 patches that are sold as bug repellants. They must be put on 2 hrs before exposure. Just a thought, as you work out your recipe for repellant. A natural vitamin supplement is a gentle way to keep the bugs away. Also, anyone who is bitten will usually become sensitized to bedbug bites about 2 weeks after the first time they get bitten. After that, their skin will start to react to bites just like yours does.
Janna, read about doTerra’s Cedarwood essential oil. It became available last year and kills and repels bed bugs along with their eggs.
I have called DoTerra on the phone to ask them questions. I believe they have some kind of essential oil that’s for bugs. Bedbugs are an awful thing! I don’t know if you should even sleep in that room at all until it’s “fixed”…debugged, fumigated or whatever is required. Geesh. It sounds like a nightmare. I wish you well with the essential oils. Go to DoTerra.com and call them up. These people (or Young Living) would probably guide you better with their experienced staff. Hang in there.
I had bedbugs (yikes!) in my hotel room at the Rodeway Inn when I was in Salt Lake City last year for the doTERRA convention. What a place to pose that question – everyone was so helpful! One gal gave me cedarwood oil, another a glass spray bottle so I could mix up cedarwood, peppermint and water to spritz my suitcases with, I sprayed them down before I relocated rooms, dried all of my clothes at high heat through the industrial dryers and the diffused Cedarwood and On Guard in the new room for the rest of the week using a Sprite Diffuser that I had purchased at a great discount from one of the vendor booths at the event.
I learned more about bedbugs that week than I would ever want to know, but the good news is that they did not reappear in the new room, nor did any come home with me, thanks largely to the oils.
Look for diatomaceous earth (food grade) on amazon.
I second diatomaceous earth (food Grade)! Took some time to kill them off but eventually it did. Google it.
First buy a Bed Bug Proof cover for your mattress, it will trap them and they can’t get out to bite you and will eventually die off. Then sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the baseboards of the room then put in a small dish under each foot of the bed. If you have residual bed bugs in the room they won’t be able to crawl up the bed legs without going through the diatomaceous earth which cuts them and kills them. I tried several pest control companies that sprayed the bedroom to no avail. The diatomaceous earth does the trick and is organic! I’ve done this twice and it worked both times!
something else I found that kills bedbugs, and their eggs ON CONTACT is rubbing alcohol. I had a mild infestation from a bed frame I got from someone, and I kept a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol by the bed. I sprayed all the parts of the bed before bringing it in the house, but somehow missed some. I would spray the wood liberally every night before bed, down in the crevices, as much as I could, and also spray them directly whenever I would see one. They were gone in a matter of days.
Hi,
Just wondering your opinion of doTERRA essential oils. I just recently got introduced to them. They seem pretty good quality, but I know the MLM brands are somewhat controversial to people that have used essential oils for awhile or know more about them than the average person. Any insight is appreciated!
Thanks! This post was helpful too 🙂
I really like DoTerra brand essential oils. I have many of them and find them high quality. All essential oils that are sold are in business. Whether it’s MLM or not. I don’t have a problem with that at all (but maybe it’s just me). Young Living was once considered by many to be the “best” but now that DoTerra’s been on the market (I don’t know, maybe five years or so?) they have competition. Apparently people from Young Living (I’m not sure if that’s the name) broke away and started DoTerra. In any case, if it’s purity and therapeutic grade I personally think both are good companies. Some like DoTerra more so that’s what got me started on them.
I just made some really nice cleaner using a spray bottle of 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 water and 6 drops citrus oil and a few peppermint oil (DoTerra). Cleaned the bathroom & under the sink areas (reorganizing day). It smells wonderful in there! And I really appreciate not having the chemicals in the house. Little by little I’m getting there. Wishing you well.
Thanks for your response! The cleaner sounds great! I’ll have to try that one. The less chemicals we have to use the better! 🙂
Hi Crunchy Betty
I am currently using the Young Living Essential oils and came across your article. I tested my oils for purity, i tried lemon, frankincense and purification. The result was they all left a ring on the construction paper. I was wondering if this is the only way to test if essential oils are pure?
This may be a dumb question but where exactly is the best place on your body to apply essential oils to get optimum absorbency?
The bottom of your feet and the back of your neck are the two areas that will best absorb your oils.
There are vitaflex points on the hands and feet that coordinate specifally with every organ of the body and where to place the oils based on your health needs. Just google vitaflex chart on the hands and feel…also, the spine.
can anyone please tell me how to use it on my skin. I just bought a LOT of essential oils and carriers oils*coconut oil, sweet almond, olive, grapeseed and jojoba* But I want to know the right amount, do I really only need one or two drops in 5 tablespoons of carrier oil? Because if so that is AMAZINNGG! 😀
Thanks for the coupon to iHerb! I’m about to start making bath salts and such and did not know where to buy them. Your blog has been extremely helpful!! 🙂
Hi there, I was wondering if it is ok to put undiluted EOs in the bathtub, without a carrier oil? I imagine that it would probably be the same as putting undiluted EOs on the skin since the oil will just collect on top of the water and then transfer to the skin. Does anyone have any wisdom to share on this? Thanks!
It helps the oils spread more effectively in the water if you add them to epsom salts and then put that mix in the bath. However, I have used mild oils like lavender undiluted in the bath many times and have never had any issues with it solely collecting at the top as long as I’ve agitated the water after adding it.
oh my goodness THANK YOU. This is simply THE most useful article I’ve read explaining the whole EO thing to me. *huge sigh of relief.*
Are NOW brand oils decent?
I learned a lot scanning the Blog about EO’s. Was considering gathering 3-4 I use a lot and sharing with the family as Xmas gifts. The Blog site really helped – especially Crubchy Betty’s list of 21 essential bits of info.I have only bought at GNC (ugh) but nice to have more options as fas as quality and price. I use peppermint EO just a drop iunder my nose at night to open up my sinuses and it works great! The peppermint is also helpful on temporals and behind the ears for sea sickness! And when I can’t sleep, the lavendar works wonders. Ginger is also a powerful anti-nausea EO for me.
I’ve read that you can put some essential oils in water and drink them for various health benefits, but you said not to ingest them. Please explain 🙂 thank you!! I’m new to essential oils and am a little confused as to how they work as far as deciding whether to diffuse them, apply them topically, or ingest them.
Hi i have just recently seen doTerra but have been using Amazing Scents for a while. I would like to know how they compare. They both claim they source their products from around the world where they are best produced. They say doTerra is safe to consume internally whereas Amazing Scents are only for external use. Can someone give me some insight about Amazing Scents and whether EO are safe to ingest.
essential oils are made from natural products…. these oils can be used for health,beauty,conditioners…. these oils don’t have any side effects….
I am new to EO and have been trying to read all I can on the value of using them for hair,skin, and health. I bought my first oils from Ananda. Has anyone had an experience with them? Also any favorite recipes to share for skin blends for anti-aging?
I love Ananda!!
Thanks for the feedback Heather. I’ve made two purchases with Ananda now and the customer service and shipping experience has been great. I guess after reading so many different blogs and sites about how easy it is to “sell” a low grade oil as a high grade oil, I am just hoping that is not the case with my purchases. I have nothing to compare oils to for now, other than reading. Crossing my fingers now and waiting out the time to see how the oils work for me.
Thank you, Betty! Great post! As of August 8, 2013, your code at iHerbs scored me $10 off my order! Thanks a bunch! 🙂
I have used several brands of essential oils and personally found doTERRA to be highest quality. Can’t live without my oils! #oils4everyone
Hi Crunchy Betty,
I found your article via pinterest, very informative, thank you!! I am motivated to get started but overwhelmed not knowing where start. I checked out a few of the websites from some of the brands promoted as the highest quality in the comments section of your article. it seems the prices will start at around 20 dollars per bottle. As someone just starting out, this will be quite the investment if I want to have a variety of oils to use. My question is do you know of any higher quality brands that offer a bundle or sampler package for people like me who are just starting out and will have to purchase maybe five to ten bottles at the same time?
Most of the better quality oils are a bit more expensive. I do doTerra so I can’t speak for the other companies but, yes, we do have smaller kits. Start off with the basics: peppermint and lavender. Or else, oils for your particular health issues (digestive, etc.). It is an initial expense up front but pays for itself over time.
I am new to oils and excited to use my doterra oils but I have a question…i want to try a few with my mom as she suffers from a lot of joint and muscle aches and takes prescription medication. Are these oils safe enough to use while on prescription drugs?
Thank you
I like to purchase best natural cosmetic brands online. Please tell me any webpage from where I can easily purchase natural products for my skin. My skin is very sensitive, so I need best products. Please help.
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I can’t live without my essential oils. I never take advice from any kind of distributor make sure to do your own research before using.
Hello everyone, it’s my first pay a quick visit at this web site, and article is genuinely fruitful in favor of me, keep up posting these posts.
Very informative, thanks for the info!
Is there anybody that has any experience with Youngevity essential oils? I have been using their 90 essential vitamins and feel so much better – they have oils too and have not checked into them yet. Any comments on them?
I realize this comment was posted 2 years ago, but if you or anyone else has thoughts concerning youngevity essential oils or the 90 essential nutrients, I would love to know more.
I’ve been browsing on-line more than three hours nowadays, yet I by no means discovered any attention-grabbing article like yours. It is pretty worth sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all webmasters and bloggers made excellent content material as you did, the net can be much more helpful than ever before.
Nancy Small
Hello I Enjoyed Your Article. I Too Use Doterra. Cannot Say Enoug AbouT Their Oils. I was able to get rid of neck pain that I’ve had for years Using AromaTouch.
I am bipolar and have had trouble keeping it under control but the oils have truly help me with my bipolar. I use lavender balance serenity elevation. I was truly amazed when I use the oil in my diffuser and breathed them in and I was instantly calm down from a manic episode. these are actually the best oils out there.
I love Boswellia Sacra frankincense oil, it’s so therapeutic i got it from this site http://www.frankincensetrail.co.uk/, you can add a few drops to make a tea also, i mix mine with brown sugar
Do you have an opinion on Native American Nutritionals? I don’t have much experience with essential oils but found their website very interesting. thank you for all the wonderful information. It is much appreciated.
Hi Linda! Just wanted to let you know that NAN oils are amazing! I have been using them for quite awhile and there is no comparison to any health store oils or most online. It’s fortunate that there is so much info out there today about EO’s as I bought the book that’s listed, “The Compete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy” when it came out in 1991! That was before I even knew about the internet! Just a few things to keep in mind: NANs kits are a large collection and also 15mm, that’s why they seem so expensive. You can always buy just what you want, even in a 5mm. Nice size to try if your unsure. Also, do your OWN research instead of listening to sales pitches from paid representatives. A high percentage are gullible parrots. But to each their own. Just keep reading about EOs as you can never learn enough! I almost actually hate to bring this up, just remember I am NOT paid for indorsing – Read the articles in her blog, “wholenewmom”, about comparing EO companies. She really spells out differences between a lot of the well-known companies & what to look for in any. It’s Very informative! And I was blown away at the conclusion. Good Luck and Be Well!
748269 111109As soon as I detected this internet web site I went on reddit to share some with the enjoy with them. 195085
There’s a lot of good information here, especially for someone like me who’s new to using EOs therapeutically. Do any of you have suggestions for EOs for joint and bone pain and for high blood pressure? Thank you.
I use a blend called Deep Blue for pain. I can send you a sample if you’d like. For high blood pressure I would recommend Cassia, Frankincense, Lemon or Ylang Ylang.
Rachel, thanks for getting back to me. I would very much like to try the Deep Blue.
I’ve been using lemon and just recently got some Ylang Ylang, so I’ll try those for the HBP. It’s well controlled with medication, but I’d like to move away from that if possible.
Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks again.
Betty
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I bought frontier brand cinnamon flavoring at a health food store. Is this cinnamon considered an essential oil? It says to use a few drops in baking cookies, cakes and other recipes, or 2 Tbsp. in a quart in a quart of simmering water with cloves and cinnamon sticks for relaxation. I have been using 1/4tsp. to 1/2tsp and sometimes more several times a day on cereals, tea and other foods thinking it might help control my blood sugar which was edging up in the pre-diabetes range. Is it safe to be consuming this much (organic sunflower oil and organic cinnamon oil are the 2 ingredients listed on bottle) in this manner?
There is a Cinnamon essential oil, however the flavoring kind you get at a grocery store is not an essential oil in that it isn’t therapeutic grade so it has no therapeutic benefits. Many of these are made with synthetic oils (though not all of them) that just taste like what you want and all of these kind of oils have lots of filler oil like the sunflower oil. This does make it ok that you are using so much though. 🙂 If it were real therapeutic grade essential oil that much of it would be such a strongly concentrated flavor that you’d cut back to a drop or two really quick. It also would be an unsafe health choice to take such a large dose of any therapeutic grade oil no matter the type, source, or purity. I do hope that it helps anyway, but I can vouch for the pure therapeutic grade cinnamon along with lemon EO helping control my blood sugar levels. I love essential oils. Aren’t they great?
There is cinnamon bark and cinnamon leaf essential oils which are used in perfumery and aromatherapy. Cinnamon bark oil has to be diluted and can cause burning and skin sensitization so be careful with it! It can be diffused into the air for a really nice/uplifting fragrance.
I bought frontier brand cinnamon flavoring at a health food store. Is this cinnamon considered an essential oil? It says to use a few drops in baking cookies, cakes and other recipes, or 2 Tbsp. in a quart in a quart of simmering water with cloves and cinnamon sticks for relaxation. I have been using 1/4tsp. to 1/2tsp and sometimes more several times a day on cereals, tea and other foods thinking it might help control my blood sugar which was edging up in the pre-diabetes range. Is it safe to be consuming this much (organic sunflower oil and cinnamon oil are the 2 ingredients listed on bottle) in this manner?
I clean with water, vinegar, lemon, peppermint, and tea tree. Lemon helps get rid of the nasty dirt, peppermint kills bacteria and smells fresh, and tea tree kills mold. I also sometimes add cinnamon to help kill some types of viruses.
I LOVE wintergreen mints and I want to try making my own. However, everyone says don’t ingest wintergreen oil. But mints and other wintergreen flavored items often list “wintergreen oil” on the list of ingredients! So can I use wintergreen oil in small amounts as a flavorer?
I was just barely speaking with a girl who is a certified aromatherapist and she said that people need to be very careful with wintergreen because it is such a strong blood thinner. I think this may be part of why it specifically is deemed unsafe for internal use (whether its pure or not). When it says wintergreen oil on ingredients lists I’m willing to bet it is a synthetically created oil or other form of it rather than the essential oil because of its therapeutic properties.
What you could do is use one of the safer mint essential oils as a flavoring. I have a great recipe for peppermint brownies and just made homemade ranch with Basil EO. If you have a highly tested pure oil than the therapeutic benefits are really great for using certain ones as flavoring in food or water. Always use a very pure oil that says safe for internal use on the bottle and that is on the FDA’s GRAS list. Peppermint is a great one to replace Wintergreen but Spearmint would also really work and has a more gentle effect in regard to its therapeutic properties.
doTERRA brand Wintergreen is safe to take internally as long as you do so in small amounts (less than 20 drops or so). I don’t know of a mint recipe, but I know some use it as a mouthwash.
Hi Crunchy Betty,
Because of you I am OBSESSED with Essential Oils. I have recently bought Aura Cacia essential oils for my skin- replacing my lotions. However, I was wondering what brand of EOs you put directly on your skin to moisturize with? Or if I should be doing this at all.
Thanks for you time and information!
Danielle
I use doTERRA brand and they are safe to put directly on the skin. Geranium, lavender, roman chamomile and sandalwood are good for moisturizing. I can send you a sample of lavender if you’re interested.
There are only a few essential oils that are safe to use directly on the skin: lavender, roman chamomile, tea tree. You can add a few drops of an essential oil to a 1 tbs of carrier oil like jojoba. Be aware though that some people will still develop an allergic reaction.
a few DROPS of essential oil into 1 TABLESPOON carrier oil, is that not to much essential oil? I am just reading a lot.
hope you can answer 🙂
thanks
i need essential oils in bulk quantities.
I have tried many different companies for EO and the ones that I find that work best is Be Young. I have been to their processing warehouse and they use pressurizing to extract the oils, they don’t use any chemicals or diluting, or anything that can kill the good properties.
So is NOW not a good brand of essential oils? I’m kind of a newbie. I bought the NOW Lavender essential oil and I’d like to use it for it’s theraputic and aromatherapy purposes such as headaches, acne, stress/anxiety, insomnia, etc. What would be the advice on this?
I used the NOW brand along with many others that I picked up easily at my local health food store for years. I would use what you bought. I say this with caution though, because when using oil that has not undergone testing to prove its purity and that has been held to a high standard, you risk synthetic chemicals, fillers, and less potency. With so many companies out there using unethical practices to extend their oils it can be scary and even toxic to the user. This is why I have now switched to a new provider. I researched about 50 companies thoroughly and only found 3 that I would actually feel fully safe using for both me and my kids. I chose the one I felt like was the best for me and I have been so excited to see how much quicker and more effectively they do their work to help my families bodies in all kinds of situations. I still have some of my old oils like the NOW brand and I will use them until they are gone, but I have switched to not using them directly on my body, and instead just use them for when I am making homemade cleaning products. Examples would be my floor cleaner, my laundry, etc. Never use any NOW oils internally (it says so on the packaging) but if you’re not worried about extra toxins then using a small amount in a diffuser or on trouble areas is something I did with some positive results (though those results were not as pronounced or quick as the results I see now).
Could you share which were the 3 brands of EO’s you found to be the best for your family? Are Aura Cacia EO’s high/tested quality? Thanks!!!
Yes, of the 3 brands I am most comfortable using for therapeutic purposes the first is doTerra. Its testing exceeds everything else I’ve come across protecting against not just fillers and chemical extraction, but also against oxidation for potency levels. When air hits the oils for a period of time they oxidize slowly and if that happens they may be less quick and effective than if they had not had that time to oxidize. No other company tests the same number of times for this level of potency. I also love that the testing is done by a third party rather than in house testing.
I have done the smell test with my oils along with some friends oils and what I found was that it was a HUGE difference in smell. I would smell my NOW oil or my Aura Cacia oil and I would feel like they smelled good and like they should, then I would smell my doTerra oils and feel the same way… the wierd part is that when I smelled the other oil again I could smell that it was a little off. The other oil smelled either a little stale, watered down, almost rancid, or in the case of lavender almost like another species of plant (this can happen from being grown in a different area of the world with different soil constituents). By far doTerra won my personal smell test from all the oil companies, however I do have two others that I personally would use for therapeutic purposes and not be afraid of either external or internal use (only the oils from the GRAS EO list for internal use of course).
The next oil brand is TRUessence, they do a lot of testing and have a very broad range of oils to choose from. The third company is Young Living and they do testing as well and also have a very wide range of oils. I also did the smell test with these and for me some were the same while others smelled like they had started to oxidize, making doTerra win out for me. However you could smell that there were not any other things in these oils like fillers and chemicals really easily.
Its funny with essential oils and companies because it seems like once people pick a company there is a heavy “following” and bickering goes on between users on who is better. I think that is silly. Everyone is different and every company is different. Different products but also different guides and marketing will impact each person in a unique way. Thats why its so nice to have options. Both with honest companies and with choices of which oil to use for what.
I just want to add a note here on behalf of those companies like NOW and Aura Cacia and all the others from the health food store I’ve tried. They may have all good intentions. They may or may not be testing their oils, anyone can give a test. The mass spectrometry test will pass with a very high amounts of filler oils and chemicals from extraction in it. These issues may not necessarily be from the owners of companies that get oils out there, it may be from the farmers selling the oils and trying to get an extra buck or from somewhere else in the line of business people it goes through before it gets to our shelves. Our world is very focused on money so who knows where the fault really falls. If you’re wondering what brand you should use, I would recommend the three above… doTerra, TRUessence, Young Living… however, I think its better for people to decide for themselves, so maybe do your own smell test. I’ve also been told that if an oil says “not for internal consumption” then there’s a pretty high chance that it is not as pure as it should be to be safe (at least if its is on the FDA’s GRAS list). I know this is long, but hey you asked right? And anyhow, education brings true freedom.
Yes could you please share?
Please share the three you are comfortable using.
There’s a new kid on the EO block as of Oct 2014. Its called Ameo. Have you heard of it? They developed a patented technology that certifies the quality of every batch of oil as 100% cell permeable and all verified clinical grade. I highly recommend doing some research on it and if you are interested in sampling some of their oils, please get back with me and I will share some amazing stories and pictures of what these EOs can do…ingested, applied topically or diffused.
It’s so great to her information that isn’t a brand-loyal sales pitch. Thank you so much!!
I have freckles, acne and black heads on face. I intend to use Rosemary oil. Can I mix it with any face moisturizing cream or to use it only diluting with carrier oils?
No, don’t use it on your skin without diluting it. You can mix a drop or two into your moisturizer or into an oil like olive or coconut. Also, for acne and blackheads you also need to look at toxins in the other products you are using and make sure you are exfoliating several times a week. A green clay mask will also help pull toxins out of the skin. Just using rosemary oil without looking at the root causes of acne and blackheads will only go so far.
Hey! I akso struggle with acne of all sorts. The best thing I have found is tea tree oil and lavender. I used to dilute it in jojoba oil and that worked great, but not fast enough for my upcoming wedding, so I dilute it in water now until it clears up. The tea tree oil is great for skin and the lavender helps with the redness and inflammation.but, the best thing you can do for your acne is drink lots of water, green tea, and dilluted ACV, exercise, and cut out processed foods, starting with refined sugar.
Hi, I am new in this EO thing, and your info was very helpfull, thank you, I started to get some of my oils from swiss just, don’t know if you have heard about them, until now I think they are good, some other oils from Do Terra and Native American NUtrionals, don’t know how good in quality they are, just started to experiment, so far I think my favorites are swiss just and N.A.N., hope I can get to learn and know them better. Any suggestion, on how to use palmarosa EO? Is it good for wrinkles on the face? If not which one do you recommend? Thank you. Mother of one.
I have been around EO for more than 10 years and use them daily if you send me a message I can try to answer some questions you may have.
Hi Jarica,
Unique name!!!
I have a 3 year old who has a very weak immune system and want to know what I can mix and apply with a carrier oil. I want to apply daily to help him. Also, what is safe for facial care and internal care. There are tons of information out there but it is very overwhelming.
Thank you,
Sasha
First, thanks for the post, think it’s great!
Please help to advise on how to grow those essential oil plants at home, if possible. Which are best to grow at home, which grow fastest.
You can certainly grow them yourself, but to get the full therapeutic effect you want to get plants that are grow in an optimal (often their native) environment and that are distilled properly by someone who knows what they are doing to make sure that you have the right components in the oil to get the desired benefit.
question for you all. I used lavendar essential oil in my floor cleaner. i noticed my skin was itching and some of the hair is gone where i put my hands in the water to drain the sink. Is this possiblly from lavendar essential oil. I also used vinegar.
Less expensive brands might have additional petrochemicals etc in them. My daughter had an asthmatic-like reaction to a clary sage essential oil that she purchased from the health food area of a grocery store. However, exposure to the doTerra brand of clary sage gave her no reaction at all. They even smelled different.
Great list, thanks. Just wondering if it would be safe to dab a small amount of Lavender on a 6mnth baby’s sleepsuit to act as a mosquito repellant?
For children this young you should really talk with a trained aromatherapist. Essential oils are wonderful, but they are powerful and can be too much for young bodies.
Google the book “Gentle Babies”.
Very informative. I found oreganol this last year and it has helped immensely with me being chronically ill! I’ve been able to keep away colds, ear infections, etc if I start taking it as soon as I feel it coming on. Amazing stuff!
Thanks for the informative article on essential oils! I want to know if there are any essential oils that can be applied on my skin (face) just before my skin is exposed to direct sunlight? I know that the skin where citrus oils are applied should not be exposed to direct sunlight for few hours after application. That’s the only question that I am concerned with because I am very interested in concocting a facial oil moisturizer after reading an article of yours that is about making a “3-ingredient facial oil moisturizer”.
Nice post. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Betty! Great post! I was just wondering if it is possible. For example can one make an essential oil out of almond’s roots, bark etc? Why is almond only a carrier oil? Can one make an essential oil out of almond plant? Thanks a lot? I’m just asking if it is possible although i know no on has created that yet. Thanks for your reply.
Thanks for the info. What does it mean exactly when they say an essential oil should be avoided during pregnancy? Does that mean that if my wife is pregnant I also can’t use those oils because she might smell it and be negatively effected? What can and can’t you do with the ‘avoid during pregnancy’ oils while your spouse is pregnant? Thanks a lot, Jim
Hi – the “Ainient Healng Art Essential Brands” link oes not work on the chart you attached. Would you be able to update? Great article! I am just starting this EO process and believe this site will help tremendously. Thank you.
Love this article and your references!! Much appreciated from someone who is new to the aromatherapy world and wanting more information. I hope to understand how to use EO for my family. I signed up with DoTERRA to get training and so far a month in haven’t received much training. So now I look for articles like this…wish I had a friend who was certified in aromatherapy so I can help my whole family understand what to use and how to use it with different problems. Reading articles helps but I definitely get overwhelmed with all the information…anyways love this article! Thanks!!
The Veriditas Botanicals website and their FB page are very informative and helpful. http://veriditasbotanicals.com/
if you google “what is the the vibrational frequency of the human body” you may understand where im going with this, also google Dr. Royal Rife, from 1930’s
Vibrational frequency is such cool stuff!
love the site, do you have any information on the administration using vibration and frequency?
DoTerra oils are NOT ORGANIC or WILD CRAFTED people! If they were it would say so on the label. I will never use an essential oil which is not organic. The word “pure” means so little. Some ORGANIC essential oils I use; TruEssence by Forever Green and from Native American Nutritionals.
“Organic” and “Wild Crafted” are just labels that have limited meanings when it comes to actual purity and therapeutic properties of the oil and sustainability of the source. Just because a plant is grown under organic conditions doesn’t mean that it’s pure or at therapeutic levels once its oil is put into a bottle. Organic only means the plant is grown without synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, etc. The testing that most EO companies do only tests to ensure that certain required constituents are present in the oil and does not test for things that shouldn’t be there (ie weeds which can also be organic) or test that the constituents which are present are actually at therapeutic levels. That’s where it’s important to have 3rd party tests and that the results are certified (meaning that I can take that bottle of oil to a chemist and have it tested and it will be exactly what the company says it is and what I expect I paid for). Also the label “wild crafted” only means that the plant was grown in the wild. Again, it doesn’t ensure purity or potency of the oil. Also, being wild crafted doesn’t guarantee the oil comes from a plant that was sustainably grown and harvested. Many illegal cuttings are causing the extinction of plants in some regions. doTERRA’s certification of their oils to be 100% pure (nothing in them but the oil of the plant intended and no weeds organic or otherwise or anything else) and at therapeutic levels, backed up by 3rd party testing, means they put their reputation on the line that every bottle of their oils can be tested anywhere by anybody and what’s in the bottle will be exactly what they say it is; only what they say it is and at the therapeutic levels they say it is. So the question is, why do all other EO companies NOT certify their oils to be 100% pure and at therapeutic levels?
Holly is correct on the words! One of the best ways to tell if oils are safe and pure is if the common bottles do have “do not consume” or a similar statement on them! I don’t care what the distributor or customer care person says! I have tried over 10 of the top companies oils and all but one has said do not consume. That is a key for you to know the purity. I am allergic to petrochemicals so many I find have them in them! Many of the other dry out the back of many hand. Pure oils should do neither of those. One of these day I will have to do a video for you tube to show this reaction and the brands that do that!
The good news is that the guessing work will be gone in the next few years. Gary Young, founder of Young Living has been asked by the FDA to set up a standards for the United States. So it will not matter what the customer service or distributors say as we will be able to refer to the FDA classify the oil. This will make the true pure oils to stand up and be noticed but also for safety for our health to take the purest of the pure oils for our medicines!
Also a side note: At the convention for Young Living last year an FDA member was up on stage with the speaker overseeing to make sure the speakers where not saying the wrong words on the oils! How many oils can say that happens!
Over 50 hospitals now use Young Living’s quality oils in there hospitals to treat illnesses! Here is the list of those hospitals: OVER 50 Hospitals in US Now Using Young Living’s
Essential Oils (Exclusively)
Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Aurora Healthcare System, Foxpoint WI
Banner Health, Mesa AZ
Benedictine Hosptial, NY
Beth Israel Complementary Care Center, NY, NY
Children’s Healthcare, Roseville, MN
The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, NY NY
Elk Regional Health Hospital, PA
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, AK
Florida Hospital Medical Center, Orlando, FL
Goshen General Hospital, Goshen, IN
Heather Hill Hospital, Chardon, OH
Ingham Regional Medical Center, Landing, MI
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Oakland, CA
Manilaq Hospital, Kotzebue, AK
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY, NY
Mercy Holistic Health, Cincinnati, OH
Pinnacle Health, Harrisburg, PA
St. Barnabas Healthcare System, Toms River, NJ
St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, CT
St. John’s Riverside Medical Center, Yonkers, NY
St. Luke’s Medical Center, New Bedford, MA
Sentara Healthcare, Wilmington, DE
The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ
University of Michigan Hosptial, MI
Wishard Memorial Hospital, Indianapolis, IN
Here is a list from one hospital of what they use the oils for:We regularly treat gout, neuropathy, carpel tunnel, sinusitis, headaches, abdominal pain, kidney stone pain, neuralgia, tennis elbow, arthritis, back pain, leg cramps, post-op hip and knee pain and whatever else comes our way. Each patient’s need, including which Young Living Essential Oils were used, is documented in our electronic charting so we can track their outcomes. We always have a good stock of Young Living lavender, peppermint, Peace and Calming, lemongrass, Thieves and plenty of single oils to make blends for gout.
One simple rule, if it common like Lavender or Peppermint and many others, and it says not for consumption or a similar phrase, then find a company that the oils do not say that on!! A much better way to determine purity!
Anita,
The Young Living Speech you give is completely inaccurate and part of the genius marketing used by YL. Oils that have “do not consume” are protecting themselves from lawsuits, it’s a reasonable label statement. I am an educator at a major US University teaching essential oil studies. I have worked in production and quality control of essential oils.
What would be more accurate is that the more “pure” the oil is the more caution you should use in internal dose (“consumption”) – which is one of the least effective ways to use essential oils because they are broken down by the liver before absorption into the blood stream. If an oil is closer to a synthetic flavoring, like that used in chewing gum, then it would be deemed safer for consumption. I assume what YL sells as pure for use in consumption is similar to pure synthetic flavoring.
YL & doterra “invented” these therepeutic terms as a marketing scheme.
most EO companies use the same GCMS tests, same infared testing, and thus are all verified pure, and the same quality by so doing.
Yes, many companies do GC/MS testing and infrared. The real test is, what do they compare the results to and what is that company’s standard for what a good oil is? If their standard is high, then they may reject oils which are below that standard. If their standard is not so high, then they will accept and sell more oils, even ones that have been rejected by a company with higher standards.
Long story short – the fact that a company tests their essential oils does not mean that they are selling a product of the same purity and quality as another company who also tests their oils. See what I’m saying?
Thank you Holly! I’m happy to see someone stand up and clarify the fact that doTerra does stand behind their oils. To state such a statement of an oil to 100% certified pure therapeutic grade does mean something….especially is you consider using them internally or for cooking. If you are considering using essential oils instead of over the counter drugs, which contain many chemical ingredients (by the way, they use the same plants to create their drugs only they change them chemically and add other things), why not go all the way and eliminate ALL toxic and chemical additions to your body?? My suggestion, do your homework and research! Don’t take someone’s word for it in a comment. Buy a few bottles of the same oil (I hope you’ll consider doTerra) and compare how you feel.
All pure essential oils have therapeutic qualities..Just because an essential oil states Do Not Consume,or does NOT state pure therapeutic grade oils does not mean it is not a 100% pure essential oil. I am in Australia and we are not by law allowed to state that essential oils can be taken orally as the above mentioned companies do.That does not make the oils I use any lesser quality than the above mentioned oils.I am a small company and to have every oil I use tested to be able to state that they are therapeutic grade oils is a large expense when anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that all essential oils have therapeutic qualities. In saying this I know that there is possibly companies that do dilute there oils and do not do the right thing so it is up to consumers to know to deal with a reputable company. These American companies mentioned by Holly sell their EOs to individuals but also by pyramid selling from what I have been told . As for Organic…you may have a farm that states they are organic, but if the farm down the road is not organic and sprays their crops…well HELLO you cannot tell me that spray does not get blown in the wind
This is some awesome information. Keep the great guy!
doTerra is a Young Living rip-off, but they are still better than most. I got off 4 Rx drugs with Young Living Essential Oils, I use them daily on my skin undiluted and take them internally several times per week. Thanks for your article on oils — just a note that there is a VAST difference between most oils sold in health food stores and cheap online venues vs. true therapeutic-grade oils. =)
There is no such thing as therapeutic-grade essential oils. That is a marketing term invented by Young Living, then adopted when Reps left Young Living to start doTerra. There is absolutely no meaning to therapeutic grade and it is not a term recognized by the industry or with any formal definition. It is purely a marketing term.
Yes, to everything Danika said. “Theraputic Grade” is a deceiving term that holds no sort of authority over quality. It is purely a company marketing ploy.
Dear April,
Please see the above comment to Danika. Dr. Pappas, a world-renowned bio chemist and tester for essential oils has debunked this myth:). Therapeutic grade is not a deceiving, marketing ploy.
Dear Danika,
This state is simply not true:). Please see the below quote from Dr. Pappas, which can be found at: http://www.weedemandreap.com/essential-oil-myths-dr-pappas/
Dr. Pappas is the President/Technical Director at Essential Oil University. Founded in 1999 by Dr. Robert S. Pappas, EOU is an educational/informational institution dedicated to essential oil production, chemistry and uses and has the largest online database for essential oil chemistry in the world. Dr. Pappas is also an adjunct Professor at Indiana University. Dr. Pappas work has made him a much-sought-after consultant for companies and individuals all over the world because the information he provides helps with quality assurance and with learning how an essential oil might be useful. Dr. Pappas created the Facebook page Essential Oil University which is dedicated spreading accurate information concerning essential oils and dispelling the myths that have been hyped over the years.
ESSENTIAL OIL MYTH #1: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A “THERAPEUTIC GRADE” ESSENTIAL OIL.
FACT:
I have spent a lot of time on here debunking the myths put forth by glassy eyed cult followers and over zealous MLM reps and the main stream aromatherapy community loves it when I do this. But turnabout is fair play. Now its time to clear up a myth on the other side of aromatherapy. I see almost daily where people say things like “therapeutic grade” doesn’t exist or there is no such thing as a therapeutic grade standard. But to say there is no such thing as a TG standard is like saying there is no such thing as essential oils.
The truth is that there are MANY therapeutic grade standards. The problem is, which one do you trust? Its important for people to realize that all of these standards are INTERNAL standards developed by the company themselves and may or may not include quality control by a third party lab. Furthermore, if a third party lab is used, does this lab really know what they are doing? It’s also important to know what the company defines as being “therapeutic grade” does it simply mean that the oil is pure or does it mean something beyond purity and carry with it a quality standard as well? Let’s face it, an oil can be pure as the driven snow but still be low quality, I see this on a daily basis in the samples I analyze for my clients in order for them to make good buying decisions. Judgements about essential oil quality take more than just good chemists and good equipment, they require many years of experience in odor evaluation and knowing what specific minor components are desirable in an oil and not just focusing on the major components.
So if you are among those in the denial crowd please rethink your position about TG. You may not like the promotion of TG but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I think a better response instead of just saying “there’s no such thing” would be to say that “while many companies promote their own therapeutic grade standard, one should be aware that there is no independent body that certifies essential oils as therapeutic grade.” That is a fair statement that makes you look like a rational, logical and thoughtful human being instead of knee-jerk MLM hater. If you want a make a difference to people who are being fed a bunch a garbage by a narcissistic EO messiah then you must remain as objective, scientific and as non-emotional as possible. If you come off antagonistic it will be a barrier to productive dialog. I hope my friends in the traditional aromatherapy communities don’t take offense at this and look at it as just some friendly advice. I am not taking any sides here, the only side I am on is the side of truth. Read Dr. Pappas responses to the comments on this myth here.
is hemp essential oil okay to use in a perfume? I kinda wanted to mix it with vanilla and see how that turns out
Hemp oil is great for the skin. I don’t remember if it has an aroma. If so, you’ll just have to experiment to see if you like it with the essential oils you choose.
Hi, I was wondering if anybody knows where I can get Korres organic essential oils. I bought a lavender and a geranium last year on vacation in Greece but it seems that they’re only sold there. I can’t find them anywhere on the internet which seems really odd. The quality was amazing and I really want to try the others and restock on the lavender and geranium. Please help!
I haven’t heard of that brand. There are a few quality oils here in the U.S. Personally, I use doTERRA. I’ve been using EOs for nearly 20 years and the quality is excellent. Let me know if you would like a sample of either the geranium or the lavender.
I would certainly like a sample of each please, since I’ve not seen this brand on the market.Where can I get it?
Ann, if you are looking for a certified organic eo, DoTerra is not it. I would recommend you can out Veriditas Botanicals, here is their link. http://veriditasbotanicals.com/
Sorry, *check out, not can.
This is a great explanation about essential oils. I agree that most EOs cannot be used neat or undiluted – other than therapeutic essential oils such as Young Living. Even with YL, not all can be ingested or used on children so take note.
The reasoning for not using an oil that is “undiluted”, is so you do not use an oil in a concentrated, full strength form. So it doesn’t matter what company you may get it from, if it’s “undiluted”, then it’s “undiluted”. Simple as that.
Tracey,
The reasoning for not using an oil that is “undiluted”, is so you do not use an oil in a concentrated, full strength form. So it doesn’t matter what company you may get it from, even “therapeutic essential oils from Young Living” as you referenced in your post, if it’s “undiluted”, then it’s “undiluted”. Simple as that.
Actually John, that isn’t entirely true. Unlike many products EOs are not required to list everything that is in them. Some grocery and drug store brands of EOs come already diluted only this isn’t mentioned on the bottle. You can unknowingly over dilute your EOs by adding additional carrier because you think the product you have gotten from the drugstore is pure.
Young Living oils are therapeutic grade and some of them can be applied neat but many recommend at least a 1:1 with a carrier. Always research the oils and know how to dilute them but also understand that your body may tell you that 1:4 peppermint is too diluted and isn’t giving you the best benefits. Each person responds to oils differently and should allow their body time to respond to the oil. If after an extended time – YL recommends at least 25 minutes for their oils – you haven’t noticed any affect attempt the oil again with less dilution. Keep track of your responses to each oil and base your use on the notes you have taken.
Actually, the brand of essential oils is of little consequence when it comes to ingesting vs. not ingesting, or using oils neat. That is purely (no pun intended) a marketing ploy. The chemotype / chemical compounds found in the oil are what makes it safe or not, marketing terms like “therapeutic” notwithstanding.
For your reading pleasure
http://www.learningabouteos.com/index.php/2013/08/13/name-games/
Young living is not a good company to buy EO’s from. Look for research done by others (sorry – I can’t remember where off hand
xin chao nhe moi nguoi
I would love a sample of the geranium. I have been interested in trying out doterra’s EO’s.
Click on the link in my name. Then you can find my site and message me. 🙂
I found this on pinterest so thanks for sharing! I personally love essential oils! I use Butterfly express oils and love them! I’ve been getting foot zones and using EOs. It has really helped! I really liked what the lady that does these explained to me about using Butterfly EOs. She said that the man who trained her to do foot zones used Younger Living oils at first and then started using Butterfly’s EOs because he felt they were more sincere in getting EOs out for all to use. I’m told that these EOs have different energies and I feel that this company truly wants all to experience all that they have to offer. I hope that this helps!
Thanks For Publishing such strong informative information.
http://www.celestialessentials.co.nz/Essential-Oils-in-Auckland.html — this site also contains lots of information about Essential oils and Aromatherapy.
Beware of citrus EOs, as they might have a strong photosensitising effect!
Does anyone know about the quality of the oil sold at the vitamin shoppe?
The brand is Aura Cacia.
I actually use lavender essential oils for my migraine. Although it doesn’t eliminate them it does make my episodes less intense. And I Love Ylang Ylang.
Shamin, for migraine and headaches, try 31 Herbal Oil from Swissjust. I have been using Swissjust for many years with wonderful results.
Oh, and there’s no such thing as “Therapeutic grade” essential oils. All that means is oils that haven’t been adulterated by adding carrier oils, etc. to them. It’s a marketing ploy to make the oils seem purer than they are. Really, “pure” essential oils are the bottom level of purity/safety. Wilfcrafted and organic are the safest and most beneficial.
I will stick to my doTERRA “CERTIFIED Pure Therapeutic Grade” essential oils since I can take them internally and have no worries about fillers and additives that take away from the purity of the oils no matter what you say.
When a company certifies itself, to standards it chose itself, using standards and terminolody that not only isn’t recognized by the industry, but isn’t even respected, that is not a certification. Certification is by independent 3rd parties. This is simply a marketing ploy. It’s meaningless and it’s misleading.
Have you tried doTERRA? doTERRA’s certification is done by independent 3rd party testing. Essential oils can’t get any purer than doTERRA. I wouldn’t use anything else.
Have you tried Young Living Essential Oils – we own our own farms, do all our own planting, harvesting, distilling, testing and bottling.
There is a great place called Nature’s Gift that asserts the same about the therapeutic grade oil label. It’s a pretty interesting read.http://www.naturesgift.com/therapeutic-grade.htm
Also, much of the instructions doTerra gives about taking essential oils internally is contrary to what trained aromatherapists advise because it can be very dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. Essential oils are wonderful. But they are powerful.
It all depends on which model of use for essential oils you were taught:
The German aromatherapy model emphasizes the inhalation of essential oils. Studies have shown that just inhaling the oils can help us on an emotional and physical level. And this model alone is very effective.
The British aromatherapy model is very conservative and they support a high level of dilution. Essential oils safety seems to be overemphasized in my opinion; however, they also do not emphasize the use of therapeutic grade oils.
Therefore based on that point alone, I can understand being on the cautious side of things, especially with the amount of fraud that goes on in the essential oil department.
The French model is very proactive and they support applying essential oils NEAT (undiluted) to the body. They also support using the oils internally and for rectal and vaginal implants as well.
I haven’t read all the comments yet, but a couple of things I would add:
All citrus oils should be certified organic. Otherwise they come from the same conventional farms where the fruit is grown for juice, and they are very heavily sprayed with pesticides. EOs are highly concentrated, and the pesticides could be concentrated as well.
Second, I’d be wary of using citrus EOs in any application that is meant to be left on the skin. They are phototoxic and could burn or otherwise damage the skin.
i just bought orange EO. is it ok to use in body butter?
http://www.easy-essential-oils.com has alot of great info about essential oils and recipes too. Especially useful is the dilution chart. Tells you how much to dilute each essential oil for safe topical application.
We love The Oil Shoppe brand essential oils. Pure and top therapeutic grade. The are very affordable for my family of 9. Seven children with seven pair of feet makes for alot of drops of essential oils needed.
I was wondering what oil would be good for someone suffering with anxiety disorder. We have tried lavender, but is there something else that could help?
Are you using it for aromatherapy? If so you should try chamomile or neroli EOs. Another thing that’s great for anxiety is taking orange blossom water (sold in glass bottles either in the import section of your grocery store, or at a store that sells middle eastern cooking supplies) and put it into a spray bottle with a few drops of lavender–they smell amazing together. Shake it up well and use it as a room spray. It can also be used on furniture and fresh laundry, and spraying down your pillows helps great for insomnia caused by anxiety. Hope that helps!
Hi Crunchy Betty, I love your blog and recently bought a whole bunch of carrier oils along with Lavender 40/42 essential oil . I didn’t realise this wasn’t the same as Lavender essential oil and used it (diluted with jojoba oil) on my face – the next morning I had tiny bumps all over my face which were red and very itchy, with slight swelling! Do you know what the difference between these two different oils are, and if the 40/42 is more dangerous to use than the other?
Lavender 40/42 is a fragrance oil and not an oil to be used medicinally or even topically. Purity is super important when using any essential oil. Given this, there are very few oils that I, personally, use or recommend. Good luck!
Just an FYI: some common essential oils – notably most citrus oils – can be photo-sensitizing and should be used with caution. I generally avoid putting those oils on my skin at all, just to be safe.
More info can be found here: http://www.essentialoils.co.za/sun-sensitivity.htm
…and here: http://joshealthcorner.blogspot.com/2011/05/avoid-these-essential-oils-if-you-are.html
You can also google it or read about it in a lot of books on essential oils. I like to check a few sources, just in case.
Great post! I am a lover/addict of essential oils and I found it interesting that you said NOT to take essential oils internally. There are several oils that I take internally daily, in fact, it is highly recommended per Young Living to do so. The oils I use are from Young Living and I put them in my water, coffee, on a piece of bread and I cook with them since they are more potent than herbs and their frequency is greater.
Thanks for such great information and helping your readers stay healthy and educating them to use all natural alternatives! Blessings! 🙂
This is not a good idea. Just because Young Living says to do it doesn’t make it safe. In fact,
The Accociation of International Aromatherapists (one of the top organization for setting quality & professional standards for the aromaatherapy industry) notes, “AIA does not endorse internal therapeutic use (oral, vaginal or rectal) of essential oils unless recommended by a health care practitioner trained at an appropriate clinical level. An appropriate level of training must include chemistry, anatomy, diagnostics, physiology, formulation guidelines and safety issues regarding each specific internal route (oral, vaginal or rectal).” If you haven’t talked to someone with this training before taking oils internally, you could do yourself real harm.
Danika – you keep saying that “just because Young Living says it’s safe” – we’re not only learning that it’s safe from Young Living – MANY representatives for Young Living have taken it upon themselves to read and educate themselves extensively on the use of EO’s aromatically, topically and internally. Just because you believe that EO’s shouldn’t be used internally (due to your method of training) – doesn’t mean is wrong! For centuries EO’s were used aromatically, topically and INTERNALLY without harmful side effects. I do agree that a level of RESPONSIBILITY needs to used – as with any “medicinal product” – that goes without saying – but to literally sit there and accuse DoTerra or Young Living representatives of being un-educated or willingly harming people – you’re being very ignorant, cruel and narrow-minded.
You stated above that you know several people who have had serious health problems from taking EOs internally. You you elaborate? How many people? What did they take and how did they take them? What were the serious health problems?
I would be interested to know what EO’s you consume daily?
None. Essential oils are wonderful, but I would never recommend taking them internally unless you are being treated by a Clinical Aromatherapist. Since most EOs are antimicrobal you can really upset your gut flora by taking them long term. And since 85% of your immunity is in your gut, that’s really something you don’t want to do unless you are under the treatment of someone with the above-listed training.
I’m sorry I missed your iHerb code before my last comment. Please feel free to remove that from my last comment
Thanks
Hello, I found you via Pinterest. I enjoyed reading and have learned a lot about this new found addiction to EO’s I now have : )
I just wanted to let everyone know I get my Now brand EO’s at iHerb.com. You can read the reviews of the different essential oils before you buy. They even have a rewards program at their site. They have low shipping costs of $4.99 and shipping is always free with a $20 plus order (on everything not just oils). If you are a first time customer you can use my code at checkout –>HIW400 <– and you will get $5 off your first order http://www.iHerb.com
. Then the best thing of all you can also join into their rewards program after you place your first order with them.
I must say I so love your blog
Thank you
hey….can you tell more about how to find if an essential oil is pure or not?? I tried using a tissue paper. Does it work the same way and should the entire oil be evaporated and what happens if you see a border????
Purity is a major issue when using essential oils, particularly if you are using them therapeutically, internally or topically. The most important issue is to know your company. What type of testing do they do? Do they test all batches? Are the oils grown indiginously? How are they harvested? If your oil company cannot answer these questions to your satisfaction, then use another company. In my opinion, there are a few companies that have consistently high quality oils. Good luck!
Every single batch of TRUessence by Forever Green is tested. Each bottle has a label on the bottom of the bottle which tells the batch and test information. They are Organic also! Prices are very competitive.
Is it ok to put a little lavender/or other essential oil on a cloth and use in the clothes dryer to make the clothes smell good?
Is it ok to put a little lavender/or other essential oil on a cloth and use in the clothes dryer to make the clothes smell good?
I make a lavender and vinegar spray. Then spray a rag (torn up t-shirt) and toss it in the dryer. The vinegar acts as a natural softener and the oils give it a scent.
Yes, that is safe, and a great way to use not just lavender, but many other essential oils as well.
This is such great information! I never knew so much about essential oils. Can’t wait to start using them.
Great info. Will never use anything but doTERRA EO but thanks.
THANK YOU Crunchy Betty! I loved your info! Great job! As an aromatherapist and herbalist for the last 10 or so years, I get very frustrated with claims of what oils do, etc.. So much so, that I started my own company with herbs and oils, priced affordable for family’s like mine to use.
Much of my frustration comes from mlm companies proclaiming that THEIR oils are the best and that therapeutic grade means everything. Because there are not alot of distilleries around the world, many of us are getting our oils from the exact same places. Yet MLM’s tend to jack their prices up to over double in some cases, and use their claims as being the best to fortify the price increase. I do feel for consumers though. It is hard to know who to trust. I know of quite a few wonderful companies out there, besides mine that have wonderful, well priced oils. Yes, as you said, you will also pay for quality, but you need to trust who that supplier is. MLM’s will always have higher prices because of their structure. While that bothers me, it is their exclusivity that bothers me more, especially when I know we are sourcing from the same places.
Therapeutic grade is not a grade recognized by the aromatherapy industry. It is a grade that individual companies have bestowed on themselves.
As a busy mom of 5, I am all about being a good consumer. I want people to be able to get excellent oils, good prices, and to see how wonderful they can be for health and well being. Trust how you feel about the oils- they have an energy and a vibration like all LIVING things. If they feel dead, don’t buy them. If they are waaay overpriced, don’t buy them. Thanks again for such a great unbiased article, that shed the light on some issues those of us outside of mlm companies have been discouraged by.
P.S. To respond to the one poster who said attributes are personality traits, such as courage, etc.. and that you can’t get those from the oils. You are right! It is my belief that the energy of the oils helps clear the blockages in the energy of the person to have more of those attributes. That may seem unclear or woo-woo, but that is the way I feel about it. 🙂
Blessings-
Jonelle Hughes
Herbalogie.com
I LOVE your information! I have been using essential oils for pain relief and skin issues. I am became a consultant for SwissJust (because the products have made such a difference in my life.) I would love for you to check out my website and the products and let me know what you think.
CB,
I am a total newby at all things crunchy, so bear with what may seem to be silly questions. I am pregnant, second trimester, and I see in the explanation above that you recommend avoiding EO’sduring pregnancy. I am interested in them for cleaning purposes, both home and body. Are you saying I shouldn’t use them in home made lotions and soaps, or just for direct massage? More explaination please.
Thanks,
Faith
Good summary.
Perhaps someday you will reconsider the comment about not taking essential oils internally. I have changed my opinion based on some new studies done in France and personal use.
James Geiger MD
the oilMD
This is a general summary for people who are using essential oils on a casual basis. 🙂 I didn’t want to muddy the waters here. However, I would gladly revise my statement if the oils were taken internally under the care of a naturopath or other professional. I just don’t think people should, willy nilly, run around taking them internally, due to their potency.
If you’re interested in writing an article for CB regarding the use of essential oils internally, I’m ALL ears. That would be fantastic!
Most essential oils on the market shouldn’t be taken internally because they aren’t pure. I second the statement made by someone up above — I use Young Living oils internally (and externally) on a daily basis! I was able to get off four different prescription drugs I was on with Young Living oils. I teach people how to use them for emergency preparedness/collapse medicine purposes, as well as day-to-day. I don’t want to self-promote, but if you want to see my website send me an email! [email protected]
It’s not just the purity of the essential oils that determine if an essential oils should be used internally. Even unadulterated, organic & wildcrafted essential oils shouldn’t be used internally unless you’ve been evaluated by a health care practitioner trained at an appropriate clinical level. According to the Association for International Aromatherapy, “An appropriate level of training must include chemistry, anatomy, diagnostics, physiology, formulation guidelines and safety issues regarding each specific internal route (oral, vaginal or rectal).” Just doing so because Young Living said it’s ok doesn’t make it ok. You need to talk to someone who has evaluated you specifically, AND has clinical aromatherapy training.
This is non-sense. Essential Oils are regularly used in cuisine around the world, particularly Asia. There is an FDA approved list for GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) essential oils, provided that they are pure and without any carrier oil or impurities – and have been produced without solvents. You don’t need a trained health care practitioner to consult with – and “aromatherapist” hardly qualifies as a health care practitioner anyways. Please tell me what an aromatherapy course teaches regarding digestion and internal biology in relation to essential oils? Stop spreading fear about the use of essential oils for food and beverage preparation.
A Clinical Aromatherapist IS a healthcare practitioner. They are trained in chemistry, anatomy, diagnostics, physiology, formulation guidelines and safety issues regarding each specific internal route (oral, vaginal or rectal). Taking them internally can have serious health effects if you don’t know what you are doing. Other countries have a culture of using EOs and therefore know how to use them appropriately and safely. We do not have that here. I’ve known several people who have listened to their Young Living or doTerra Reps and taken EOs internally and ended up with serious health problems.
You stated above that you know several people who have had serious health problems from taking EOs internally. You you elaborate? How many people? What did they take and how did they take them? What were the serious health problems?
By the way, I just realized I fired questions at you without letting you know how much I appreciated your article and already have been sharing it with friends! Great overview!
I have to bite off your blogs a little at a time because I’m just “not there” yet with all your wonderful ideas! I try to slowly but surely make changes over time and appreciate having you share all your wisdom!
“Understand that you DO have to pay for quality, but that if you’re just using essential oils in non-therapeutic fashions, it’s okay to use less expensive oils (like the Beeyoutiful ones pictured at the top of this post, or NOW brand essential oils).”
So, if I buy a less expensive oil (i.e. NOW brand) it’s not effective in my cleaning supplies? I just bought a whole bunch of new ones and I was surprised by this. I thought 100% essential oil was 100%…please help!
And, I’m dying for almond scent for my wood cleaner (vinegar & olive oil)…can I obtain that by using almond essential oil? If so, WHERE CAN FIND IT??? I can’t find it anywhere. I just LOVE that smell and find it fitting for wood cleaner…any ideas how to make that happen?
Honestly, I haven’t ever tested NOW (and similar brands) to the more expensive ones – at least scientifically. But I use them in my cleaning, so I believe in their efficacy in terms of antibacterial properties. I just wouldn’t use them for therapeutic purposes (healing).
Not sure about something that smells like almond, other than bitter almond essential oil. But that is toxic (due to the cyanide in almond shells), and I don’t recommend buying it. I’d be curious to find out how Dr. Bronner’s gets their almond castille to smell like almond, naturally.
Crunch on!
This post is a definite BOOKMARK for me…I love all the info. My favorite essential oil to put in my burner is sweet orange – it just makes me so HAPPY! I read your response above about YLEO. I received a package of them as a gift a few years ago from a friend. I love them and have them in my studio all the time, but honestly I would never pay those prices. MLM completely scares me off of them too…just sharing my agreement with you 🙂
Wow – amazing job at distilling the key facts about essential oils into a chunk that is readable in one sitting. These are such potent and powerful medicines, and because of their concentration they’re a great choice for natural remedies when traveling or short on space.
You put a lot of work into this post. What a wonderful service to us all.
I just bought tea tree to make homemade hand sanitizer san-alchohol and rose and jasmine absolutes. the local health food store was having a 30% off sale on NOW oils. 😀 lucky day!
Sorry, I meant Mountain Rose Herbs
Thanks so much for your reply. I agree with you that they, YLEO, are way overpriced, so much so that I can’t buy from them. So I am looking for another source. Do you get all your EO’s from Mt Herb? Are they pure with no carrier oils?
I do get some of my EOs from MRH. The ones that I want to use as aromatherapy. I don’t know of any of them that have carrier oils included (and if they do, they will clearly be labeled as such on the website, I’m sure). Most of my “cleaning oils” are NOW brand (and now the Beeyoutiful brand).
I think Aura Cacia and Wyndmere (not sure if that’s a local distributor or national, but we have Wyndmere all over around here) are decent brands – but Aura Cacia is such a big distributor that I prefer using MRH over them, just because I know and trust the company, y’know?
A very detailed post, something for people like me who don’t know much about the subject matter. I’m dabbling in essential oils lately and hope it can help me reduce some of my under eye wrinkles.
This was great information, and I really appreciate your time in doing the research. I anxiously await your next post of this vital subject. I, too, would like to know what you think about Young Living essential oils. My understanding is that they are some of the best around. Let us know what you find. Again, thanks.
Marly
Hey, Marly. Since this is going to show up in your email, I’m going to copy the whole reply I just gave to someone else above. But, on a personal reply note, I don’t think they’ve ever scientifically shown that they’re “the best” in any way, shape, or form. And any belief in them being “the best” is as a result of slick marketing. 🙂
Here’s what I said a bit ago:
Ugh. This is a tough one. I think they’re extremely overpriced. For example, 1/2 oz of bergamot YLEO is $32.50 and 1/2 oz of certified organic bergamot EO at Mountain Rose Herbs is $14.50. I see that YLEOs are “kosher certified,” which really doesn’t mean much of anything (as all plants and vegetables are automatically kosher and nothing special happens or is avoided that “makes” them kosher).
Also, after reading the history (http://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/young.html) of the founder some time ago, I was completely turned off (even though I think QuackWatch is harsh and blindly closed minded about alternative medicine, they do offer good research on the history of people).
The extensive tricky marketing techniques (in addition to being a multilevel marketing company) set my “scam” radar off initially. In addition, I’ve read a few reports of test being done on YLEOs that show carrier oils in the mix, as well as synthetic fragrance.
Are they all like that? I don’t know. But I don’t believe they’ve stumbled upon some magic way to extract essential oils that make them BETTER than others – especially since no proof of “better” ever seems to be given.
Long story short, I wouldn’t pay those prices for an oil that’s not organically certified (even then, I wouldn’t pay that much).
I say all that not knowing if you’re a YL distributor, so if you are – I’m sorry. 🙁 That’s just my impression.
FWIW, I’m not a fan of any MLM – I think they tend to trigger blind devotion with monetary rewards. So while I wouldn’t be so harsh about, say, DoTerra (mainly because they’re more low-key in claim making), I’m still not quick to jump on their bus either.
At the same time we need to be careful not to discount purity of an oil “brand” only because they have a MLM option, that’s a little biased in my opinion. I think you just need to try a few different ones and compare for yourself the results you get.
Great article! I use essential oils in many ways but I have to say Tea Tree oil may be my fav for versatility.
It has natural decongestant, antibiotic and antiseptic properties making it a perfect remedy for a sinus infection (add a few drops to a pan of steaming water and use a towel to make a tent for your head, breathing in the vapors. Repeat 3-4 times a day until things clear up.)
Adding a few drops to a cup of distilled water makes an awesome all-natural germ-busting bathroom cleaner too. No chemical fumes or nasty headaches after, I promise.
I love your info on the bathroom cleaner…thanks..I’m going to make a bottle full when I get home.
What a great post! I can’t tell how helpful this is and I will use it. I started to copy it, but the color cartridge on my computer is about empty, so I saved it and will copy it later. Thank you so much for all the wonderful information in this post, as well as all the others. I’ll be passing on the information to all my friends and family. I use essential oils, but you’ve put everything into such a concise and usable format that I they can use, too.
Thank yo so much for crating such a FINE description of how to approach/evaluate/use essential oils! Nicely done! I have been studying essential oils as a soul-level healing modality for about 5 years. I’m never without a sense of awe and wonder regarding the power of the plant at it’s essence…it’s oil. I will take baths with epsom salt and essential oils. The best way to do that is to put the epsom salt in a cup, add your drops of essential oil, let it sit for a few minutes, then dump it in your bath water. The salt helps to capture and diffuse the oil so that it doesn’t sit on the water like an oil slick. The hot water can also help to express the scent in a powerful way, so use your drops sparingly if you aren’t wanting to be overwhelmed by the scent. With genuine, highly crafted essential oils, the homeopathic rule of less is more powerful is the way to go, in my opinion and experience.
Thanks again.
PS – I met Valerie at a couple of classes…she is an AMAZINGLY knowledgeable and intuitive woman! Quite the power-house!
Yes! And epsom salts are so great for you, too. The combination is just fantastic.
Thanks for all the info, yo.
This was so fantastic! Thank you so much. I use essential oils in aromatherapy, cleaning, and more. I will definitely be bookmarking this for future reference.
I LOVE peppermint. LOVE it. I made a knock-off of your Vapor Rub yesterday (with eucalyptus, peppermint and rosemary). It works beautifully (although anxiously awaiting the next cold so I can really use it).
Lemongrass is another marvelous eo, and so is orange (and it’s affordable!)
Fantastic job on the blog post. I learned a lot!
Hi! I suffer from connective tissue disease (similar to lupus or RA in pain), and I use lemongrass DILUTED in coconut oil. It is amazing how well this works for pain. Peppermint is awesome for headaches as well as nausea, and marjoram is another pain med. Some oils don’t do much for me except smell really good, but those three have been invaluable. I get mine from doTerra, but I’m going to check out the other site mentioned by Crunchy Betty. Thanks!
When I was pregnant with all three of my children, I was nauseous most of the time. Bad nauseous. I tried everything that my doctor could think to suggest, but absolutely nothing helped.
Until…
Some angel person told me to sniff peppermint oil! The relief was instant and comparable to throwing water on a fire. Now, this is not to say that it worked 100% of the time. I don’t expect these things to be infallible. Sometimes, if you’re going to be sick, there’s no going back, but seriously, this was nothing short of a miracle for me. I kept several bottles so that they would always be handy.
If you have issues with nausea, couldn’t hurt to give it a try, right?
That’s the THIRD time in a week I’ve heard people espousing peppermint (especially the smell of) to help with nausea. Almost makes me want to feel sick so I can try it. (Just kidding, universe.)
oh, how much do I love essential oils? They clean, disinfect and make the whole house smell better. I use them for cleaning the house and my body. You are right though sometimes there is too much info on a subject. Great job on boiling it down to the essentials though.
I love tea tree oil, and lavender makes my world go round. 🙂
This is so informative. Thank you. I’m saving this link as my permanent resource on essential oils.
Clicking on your posts is like a trip to the library. I freaking love it 😉
Never, ever use them on cats as their bodies cannot process them which leads to toxic accumulation levels.
Some can be used on dogs but definitely do your research first.
Thanks for letting all of us know. Not something most people might think of.
Yes. Thank you! I’m definitely looking into this more now.
ESPECIALLY since I had bought a natural “cat spray” a year or so ago that (by the smell of it) is just full of mostly lavender essential oil. It’s marketed as “all-natural and organic” and I got it ’cause sometimes my big cat sneaks out of the house and then comes back smelling all funky. I’ve used it on him twice, but I’ve put it far, far away until I figure this out.
Thanks for the head’s up.
A few can be used on cats, but in general I’d go with the advice of Doing Research On Everything First. If my boys don’t like the smell of something (like my fingers after using an oil and before I can get to washing up…funny story there from when my boys were young) there is no way I’ll us it on them. But there’s also the fact that their systems do react differently.
I’ve made an orange/peppermint blend that I LOVE as a thing to smell or put on my skin for a bit of a mood boost. Also made a room freshner with orange….no faster way to clear the room of cats. They seem to hate the sharp smell of orange. (As you can tell I mostly do the aromatherapy side over the application to skin)
Unsure abt cats, but to DOGS, CITRUS is toxic. So are grapes, so I wouldn’t use grapeseed oil as a carrier, nor avacodo, as it too is toxic to dogs. You’re not supposed to use tea tree oil on them either, but I see it in canine shampoo products periodically. I know Walnuts are also toxic to dogs, so I wouldn’t use walnut carrier oils either. Onions are toxic, so I’d advise against any herbs, etc, that are onion related either. A few drops of Lavender in a water spray bottle, used around dogs bedding area & lightly sprayed on back of dogs head, massaged around ears & neck, is affective to calm them before going to veterinarian, traveling, or other situations where they are nervous & anxious.
thank you so much! very helpful!
I would love to hear your thoughts on Young Living Oils!
Ugh. This is a tough one. I think they’re extremely overpriced. For example, 1/2 oz of bergamot YLEO is $32.50 and 1/2 oz of certified organic bergamot EO at Mountain Rose Herbs is $14.50. I see that YLEOs are “kosher certified,” which really doesn’t mean much of anything (as all plants and vegetables are automatically kosher and nothing special happens or is avoided that “makes” them kosher).
Also, after reading the history (http://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/young.html) of the founder some time ago, I was completely turned off (even though I think QuackWatch is harsh and blindly closed minded about alternative medicine, they do offer good research on the history of people).
The extensive tricky marketing techniques (in addition to being a multilevel marketing company) set my “scam” radar off initially. In addition, I’ve read a few reports of test being done on YLEOs that show carrier oils in the mix, as well as synthetic fragrance.
Are they all like that? I don’t know. But I don’t believe they’ve stumbled upon some magic way to extract essential oils that make them BETTER than others – especially since no proof of “better” ever seems to be given.
Long story short, I wouldn’t pay those prices for an oil that’s not organically certified (even then, I wouldn’t pay that much).
I say all that not knowing if you’re a YL distributor, so if you are – I’m sorry. 🙁 That’s just my impression.
FWIW, I’m not a fan of any MLM – I think they tend to trigger blind devotion with monetary rewards. So while I wouldn’t be so harsh about, say, DoTerra (mainly because they’re more low-key in claim making), I’m still not quick to jump on their bus either.
Thanks for the opinion, CB. I was curious about them too, since a friend of mine is selling them. I was kind of shocked at their prices and they aren’t even organic.
Plus, I don’t care how wonderful an EO is, I don’t think a certain combo is going to make someone “Thankful” or give them “Couraqe.” Those are personality traits, not a response to treatment. Seems a bit hokey to me. I just gave her the catalog back and didn’t say much. The MLM system is designed to make people antagonize their friends into feeling obligated to purchase stuff.
I’ve used YL and DōTERRA and a few other unheard of brands of essential oils and you have got to check out Ameo Essential oils! It’s a brand new company and I’ve been very impressed with the quality of their oils. Another neat thing they do is show results of the testing of every batch of their oils to prove that they are the same high quality, pure, clinical standard oil as used in research and testing. The scientific research is just amazing with these oils.
I’ve seen many comments about using Lavender neat, mainly, on children. Just in case anyone is interested in this case study and research about Lavender and Tea Tree oils causing gynecomastia in boys. YL nor DoTerra could get me to even take a chance on using any oil neat after reading about this. Essential oils are great, but can be dangerous, no matter the maker. Respectfully. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/lavender-tea-tree-oils-may-cause-breast-growth-boys
Some Young Living-advocated techniques–such as “Raindrop therapy”–involve using large amounts of REALLY strong essential oils undiluted on the skin. Not just lavender and stuff, but the serious and sensitizing ones. (Which incidentally, by the way,SELLS MORE OILS.)
All the MLM stuff aside (and it’s not aside, really), they advocate what I believe are some pretty irresponsible and unresearched uses for their oils.
GREAT post, Betty!! 🙂
Jenn
Oh my gosh, tell me about it! I got sucked into YL a couple decades ago and did the raindrop therapy on my BF at the time. The next day I was sooooooo sick with the worst headache of my life and metallic taste in my mouth for a good week or so. He was fine though. Scary stuff. I knows better now.
Thank you! You answered all the questions that had been rolling around in my head about EOs recently. Now I can mix in comfort and with lots of resources and info.
I signed up to be a DoTerra Essential Oils consultant about a year ago, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice. I get high quality 100% pure therapeutic grade oils for a good price. I’ve used Frankincense and Lavender undiluted on my son since he was born. I’ve also taken advantage of my diffuser. My favorite blends to diffuse are their Breathe (which has been a lifesaver when my babe is congested -and the rest of the family too) and their On Guard. We diffused On Guard last fall quite often and nobody in our house caught so much as a cold. Which was so nice, considering the new baby in the house -and considering Hubby is a teach and typically brings bugs home at the start of new school years. My personal favorites are Lemon and Peppermint. I add a drop or two of lemon to my drinks when I feel a sore throat coming on, or when I feel like I need a bit of a mood/ energy lift. And peppermint works well for headaches and aches in general. 🙂 If you’re interested in DoTerra let me know. I live in the Colorado Springs area and I teach EO classes occasionally.
I agree heather- I LOVE DoTERRA oils!!! I use them every day and we have never been healthier! We have never had a bad reaction to them on our skin, even our little kids, because they are PURE. I used YL all growing up and always had reactions to them, but the DoTERRA are amazing. I also love that you can take most of them internally! I used Oregano to kill strep throat I got last spring! Can’t say enough good about them. I especially love how the company is so in to education and helping you keep yourself and your family healthy.
I have had a beginer/intermediate training in aromatherapy and my teacher then and a current certified teaching aromatherapist I know now, do not reccomend ‘neat’ or undiluted applications unless the oil is high in linalol (a chemical you should be familar with if you’re versed enough to be giving classes) and only on small scrapes, occasionally. NEVER neat applications on a baby, many are not reccomened for babies or young kids at all. The only way it wouldn’t have given them a reaction is if they were diluted and or inferiorly distilled. If you had training in aromatherapy (an actual class w/ anatomy/physiology, chemistry, etc.) you would know that, as well as how dangerous ingestion of EO’s can be to the mucous membranes and not telling the uneducated to just ‘go ahead and drink it’ nor would the company you get them from if they were ethical. Honestly I know you’re not trying to harm anyone, but please get more education under your belt first (a certification would be best) before you do harm someone. This goes for anyone anywhere, remember we live in a sue happy culture!
I’m a distributor with Young Living Essential Oils – have been for 4 years. I’ve always used the oils NEAT and my children and I ingest them daily without problem. You’re being very narrow minded with your comment, as you should know (as an aromoatherapist student) that there are a number of different aromatherapy methods out there to which aromatherapist follow…these methods include:
It all depends on which model of use for essential oils you were taught:
The German aromatherapy model emphasizes the inhalation of essential oils. Studies have shown that just inhaling the oils can help us on an emotional and physical level. And this model alone is very effective.
The British aromatherapy model is very conservative and they support a high level of dilution. Essential oils safety seems to be overemphasized in my opinion; however, they also do not emphasize the use of therapeutic grade oils.
Therefore based on that point alone, I can understand being on the cautious side of things, especially with the amount of fraud that goes on in the essential oil department.
The French model is very proactive and they support applying essential oils NEAT (undiluted) to the body. They also support using the oils internally and for rectal and vaginal implants as well.
It is important that people research the oils they are using – as not all EO’s are created equally and MANY on the market can be harmful when used improperly. Industry standards are very lax and an EO is only required to have a minimum of 2% essential oil in the bottle to be classified as pure – the rest can be synthetics or fillers. I chose Young Living Essential Oils because I know – without a doubt that from the minute the seed is planted to the minute it goes into the bottle – proper care and precision has been taken to ensure only the highest quality oil on the market. Young Living is the ONLY company in the world who has taken it one step further by having our own farms, doing our own harvesting, cultivating, distilling, testing and bottling of our products as well.
I used lavender essential oil with water as a body spray- it turns out THAT was what my skin reacted to– I thought I had hives on my chest, but it didn’t go away. Fortunately, since I had replaced my toiletry items with natural/homemade, it was easy to determine the lavender as the cause by process of elimination. That has to be the biggest reason to go natural– especially if your skin is sensitive…it allows you to personalize and customize while ensuring that you know every particle of what you are using 🙂 Thanks for everything!
Man, that’s so sad – having to kick the lavender to the curb. On the good side, at least you know what you should avoid (in making and buying) now.
Boo for reactions. Yay for solutions.
There is actually quite a bit of scientific testing ongoing with essential oils. Robert Tisserand is a guru within research of essential oils (and often the person everyone else quotes). He has a website here. http://roberttisserand.com/
(sorry about the double post.. I couldn’t fix my typo!)
Great resources! I’m edging my way towards buying some essential oils and experimenting so this page will definitely come in handy : )
One thing I wonder though (couldn’t find it on the websites you listed either) – My grandmother loves the smell of tomato leaves and I ran across a hand cream that was tomato leaf scented once when I was overseas but it was too much liquid to bring home. Is there somewhere I can find an essential oil or make one or something like it to make a nice handcream for her?
Tomato leaves, huh? I don’t even know what they smell like!
I’ve never actually seen tomato leaf essential oil, but I just did a search and it exists: http://www.lalaessentialoils.com/tomato-leaf-absolute.html
It’s solvent extracted, which isn’t really ideal – but nearly all the results from searching for tomato leaf EO ended in absolutes that were solvent extracted – so it must be a tough essential oil to get out of the leaf.
Careful, though, ’cause the first result I got when searching “tomato leaf essential oil” was a tomato leaf fragrance from Brambleberry that was wholly synthetic.
I’m not sure there’s a good homemade natural way to capture the scent of tomato leaves, ’cause drying them to infuse them in an oil might end with them having no scent at all. I just don’t know how hardy tomato leaves are in keeping their scent when dried.
Good luck!
Awesome, thanks a bunch!!!!
I saw a recipe for a homemade fragrance that uses tomato leaves in a book called “the green beauty guide” by julie gabriel. the recipe is called “summer garden splash”….i haven’t tried it though so i don’t know how it smells, but perhaps it will be of use.
Hi can anyone please tell me whether is it okay to ingest essential oils, i did that and my vision seems burry, please help me out, a yl distributuor told me to do that.
Tomato Leaves are toxic, never ingest them or use for skincare products. Strictly aromatic purposes are okay, like candles, however, Tomato Leaf EO or Absolute is very expensive for such a venture. The fresh leaves loose their wonderful aroma once dried, I tried it already 🙂 Best choice will be a fragrance oil if you want to really capture that smell, I know…not natural, but these are the facts. Good luck!
PS – LaLa is not a reputable source for EO’s, very low quality and often mixed with questionable fillers.
Tomato seed essential oil is good for the skin and hair
I am wondering how or which company/brand of essential oils to go through to sell the product. I know young living is a popular one, but I’ve read that they are not true organic oils. If you or anyone knows how to do this olease let me know..thank you!
I trust Young Living and stand by their product. I feel comfortable using it on my entire family.
Hi Rebecca,
I am a doTERRA Director; before joining doTERRA I tried the leading essential oil competitors oils and was not impressed at all. Once I tried doTERRA I was sold. The oils are superior to any I have tried.
doTERRA wanted to create a purity level that goes above and beyond organic. So they created an internal standard called Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade that is verified by 3rd party testing laboratories. They test their oils 7 different ways to make sure that they are pure and safe for therapeutic use. Even though doTERRA essential oils are not “certified organic“(read why in next paragraph), you can be assured that they are a step above organic.
Organic certification varies from country to country and state to state. doTERRA essential oils are sourced all over the world, so that is why organic certification is not possible. One of the ways they ensure their oils are free of pesticide, herbicide, extenders and solvents is through the GC/MS analysis process, which is one of the 7 ways they test the purity of their oils.
doTERRA uses third-party testing to endure that all of their oils are free from pesticides. Dr. Pappas, a world-renown chemist, that does the third-party testing for doTERRA
Dr. Robert Pappas is a leading expert in essential oils, who is widely recognized and highly respected for his knowledge, integrity and accountability.
He obtained a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Tennessee, and became the Senior Chemist at The Lebermuth Company, where he analyzed essential oils, and helped the company develop 2000 fragrances.
In 1997, he then taught a class at Indiana University South Bend on the subject “Chemistry of Essential Oils”. This was the first time anyone had taught a class specifically about essential oils in the country.
In 1998 he started his own consultancy business, and he created the “Essential Oil University”. Dr. Pappas continues to lecture the subject to students today.
Firstly, it is important to make clear that Dr. Pappas is not “connected” to dōTERRA in any commercial capacity. He is not employed by the company, and he is not paid to advertise or promote the company. He is truly independent.
In his capacity as an independent expert and analyst of essential oils, he is contracted to test dōTERRA essential oils as a 3rd party.
If you have any questions or would like to know more about the doTERRA essential oils I would be very happy to help you.
Thank you,
Toni
One last thought…
I trust a company that uses unbiased third-party testing before I would ever trust a company that uses their own biased in-house testing.
There is no need to buy YL essential oils unless you truly want to. They are expensive and their aggressive sales pitch will try to convince you that if you aren’t buying their brand, you are buying junk. Not true. There are other great essential oil companies out there. Mountain Rose, Plant Therapy, Eden’s Garden and Rocky Mountain Oils are all great places to buy your oils. They are very high quality and at much lower prices. At least two of those companies offer free shipping all the time. I buy most of my oils from Plant Therapy but also occasionally from Mountain Rose and Rocky Mountain Oils. I have never been disappointed! 🙂
And just an aside, YL is about the only EO company that will encourage you to ingest oils. Most others will advise against it. Tons of my own research tells me it is not necessary and too risky. You will get superior results and benefits (when using good oils) from inhaling and applying topically with a carrier oil. No need to ingest at all.