How and Where to Buy Essential Oils – Quality Testing & Adulteration Analysis

Essential oils are readily available from many health food and aromatherapy stores, via mail-order, and via companies that have Web sites. Although readily available, the quality of essential oils from one vendor to another can vary drastically whether you buy them locally or not. Additionally, the price charged is not necessarily an indication of the quality of the vendor’s oils.

It is vital to use only high-quality pure essential oils for optimum results. It is most unfortunate that many essential oils available on the market today are of poor quality and, therefore, cannot help alleviate health problems. Essential oil traders supply mostly to the perfume and food industries who are more concerned with the fragrance or flavour of an oil rather than its therapeutic effects.

These industries must always have essential oils with the same chemical formulae if they are to produce the same aroma and taste consistently, so they find it necessary to ‘adulterate’ oils to replicate aromas and flavours. Price is also a major consideration. Factors such as the weather, bad harvests, the variety of the plant, the composition of the soil, the time and the method of cultivation and extraction can affect the composition of essential oils greatly and this creates difficulties for the perfume and the food industries who seek standardisation.

Suppliers of essential oils will often adulterate their oils by adding synthetic ingredients, alcohols, vegetable oil, cheap chemical constituents or low-cost essential oils. They may even substitute an entire essential oil with a cheaper, similar oil for commercial gain (e.g. lavendin may be sold as lavender).

Essential oils used in aromatherapy must, of course, be as pure, natural and ‘whole’ as possible if they are to have the desired therapeutic effects. Synthetic materials which simulate the aroma and appearance of an essential oil cannot have the same therapeutic properties as an essential oil and should not be used in therapy.

Synthetic chemicals also carry the risk of harmful and unpleasant side effects, as do synthetic drugs. It is totally impossible to duplicate an essential oil in its entirety in the laboratory. Vital constituents and trace elements will inevitably be missing. It is the total of the components of an essential oil working together which produces a healing effect.

If oils are referred to as ‘nature identical’ this implies that the oil is synthetic and produced in the laboratory and is, therefore, unsuitable for aromatherapy. Synthetic oils also do not possess the ‘vital force’ or ‘life force’ of essential oils which comes from living plants. Chemicals also do not contain the ‘vibration’ of natural living plants.

Since most aromatherapy suppliers buy essential oils from importers who supply the perfume and food industries it is important to seek a supplier who deals mainly with essential oils intended only for therapeutic use.

Aromatherapy During Pregnancy
Aromatherapy may be used successfully throughout the forty weeks of pregnancy to treat a wide range of conditions. Although no one can guarantee a healthy, normal baby, the risks can be substantially reduced if the mother takes good care of herself and follows a healthy diet and…

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Basil Essential Oil

Basil essential oil has several therapeutic properties – here are some.

Basil is an herb that belongs to the mint family. Having a pronounced flavor and aroma, which contains about 1 percent essential oil. Known as the ‘royal oil’, basil essential oil has long been in use since ancient times to strengthen the heart and mind and increase resistance against diseases. In fact, basil has been used all over the world because of its medicinal properties. Known as Tulsi in India, it is a common household remedy for various ailments, used in Ayurveda for respiratory conditions like colds, coughs and bronchitis, and is also worshiped as a sacred plant.

Basil has also been used in China for its medicinal properties since many centuries, particularly as a remedy against epilepsy. Dioscorides, the Greek physician, used to prescribe it for headache, while according to Pliny, basil was an aphrodisiac. Basil’s popularity soared during World War II, when spices became scarce.

Basil oil is extracted by steam distillation of the entire flowering herb, producing a transparent, thin fluid that is a light lemony or yellowish-green in color. Its aroma is sweet and fresh, slightly spicy, with an undertone that is lightly balsamic.

The elements that impart the characteristic flavor and aroma to basil are: eugenol, which also occurs in allspice and clove; methyl chavicol, which also occurs in tarragon; and linalool, which also occurs in clary sage and lavender. In the aromatherapy of today, basil essential oil is used for cheering the mind and heart. It is thought that the energizing and sweet aroma helps in relieving depression.

As a matter of fact, basil essential oil’s properties as a neuro-regulator make it very good as a remedy against anxieties, stress, and nervous disorders. It is highly regarded as a natural tonic for the nerves, with the capability of being either a restorative or a stimulant, according to the requirements of the body.

Basil essential oil also blends very well with other essential oils like lavender, clove bud, bergamot, clary sage, lime, lemon, geranium, rosemary, neroli, juniper, black pepper, hyssop, marjoram, verbena, sandalwood, melissa and eucalyptus. People who use it find its aroma both balancing and enlivening, similar to lavender oil, except that basil essential oil is more energizing.

Basil essential oil is also known to be an emmenagogue, which means that it helps in inducing menstruation, and also is an antispasmodic. The combination of these properties can make it an effective remedy against menstrual cramps, either used in a bath or as a compress. Its stimulating and anti-spasmodic characteristics also make it a very good ingredient in massage oil blends, used as a relief against fatigue, especially when combined with black pepper oil.

Basil essential oil can be an irritant for some people who are sensitive to it, especially to the methyl chavicol that it contains, which can cause burning or redness on the skin if it is applied without diluting it properly. A recommended dilution for such people is two parts of basil essential oil mixed with 98 parts of a carrier oil like vegetable oil.

It is also suggested that before using it, a small amount of basil essential oil should be tried in order to test for an allergic reaction or sensitivity. Pregnant women are advised not to use basil oil. Do consult a professional in aromatherapy before using this oil.

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Essential Oils and the Athlete

Today more than ever we are turning into a health conscious society. We watch what we eat and drink with a scrutinizing eye. Many of us are doing some sort of exercise routine in order to stay fit and increase our energy levels. No matter what level of athletic ability you have, therapeutic grade essential oils will aid in relieving sore and strained muscles, help tone your muscles, give them greater definition, and even help to increase performance! So if your routine consist of mall walking or you are a professional athlete you owe it to yourself to experience the benefits of using essential oils before and after your workout or game.

Sports Creams. There are hundreds of creams and lotions on the market designed to ease your muscle aches and pains, strains and sprains. Most of these creams do a pretty good job of reducing the aches and pains and easing your sore muscles. However, are you aware that many of these products contain aluminum. Not only are you getting some relief from your pain, you are also getting a dose of aluminum. Did you know it is thought that aluminum may be a leading cause of Alzheimer’s disease. So in your attempt to get healthy you may very well be making yourself sick.

Pre Workout. Before you start your exercise routine blend a massage oil using 10 drops of Eucalyptus, 10 drops of Rosemary and 10 drops of Thyme diluted in 2 tablespoons of the carrier oil of your choice. Rub this blend over your feet, ankles, calves, thighs, buttocks, lower back and arms. This formula is excellent for the lungs and respiratory system. It is also helpful for the structure of the muscular and skeletal frames.If you desire to build yourself up, make up another blend of essential oils using 15 drops of Eucalyptus and 15 drops of Rosemary diluted in 2 tablespoons of your carrier oil. This blend should be applied every day for 2 weeks as an all over body rub after your shower following your workout.

Performance Enhancement. All athletes strive to reach their peak performance each and every week. Rather than risking your career on performance enhancing drugs or steroids consider this formula. Use 5 drops of Bergamot and 5 drops of Basil blended in your favorite carrier oil. The aroma from this blend has a great effect on the psyche so breath deeply as you massage this blend all over your body. This essential oil blend strengthens the muscular system and keeps motion of the body flowing so that peak performance becomes easier. This blend should be reserved for game day so as to not diminish the effects. Another way of keeping your body in peak physical condition is by using the following essential oils. Eucalyptus, Birch, Wintergreen, Tea Tree, and Rosemary. Physiotherapist and sports therapist choose these oils more than any others.

Over Worked Muscles. We have all been there and done that. In our attempts to improve our physical well being we occasionally push ourselves a little to far. The no pain no gain mentality comes into play. On these occasions prepare a hot bath using 3 drops of Marjoram and 2 drops of Lemon essential oil and soak for as long as possible. Following your bath massage your muscles with this essential oil blend. Use 5 drops of Eucalyptus, 5 drops of Peppermint and 5 drops of Ginger diluted in 1 tablespoon of your carrier oil. This will cause your muscles to relax and have you feeling better in no time. It is important to note that your carrier oil should be a vegetable oil base and not a mineral oil base.

In Conclusion. As a health conscious society we need to be aware of what we put on our bodies as well as what we put into them. Many of the over the counter products available may actually be hurting us in the long run. The natural approach using essential oils will not only fend off the cramping, it will also give your muscles better tone and definition along with a natural performance enhancing edge! Remember to use only pure therapeutic grade essential oils for optimum results.

Visit www.amberoils.com for all your essential oils and aromatherapy product needs.

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Ways to Incorporate Essential Oils into Home & Daily Use

There are many ways in which essential oils can be used in daily grooming, which has the added benefit of the therapeutic properties of the essential oils. I will outline some of the easiest and most effective techniques, but I urge you to be creative and fill your home with essential oils.

There are numerous ways in which essential oils can be used. I will outline some of the easiest and most effective techniques, but I urge you to be creative and fill your home with essential oils.

BATHS

Essential oils are simple to use in the bath. Just fill the bath and scatter about six drops of your chosen undiluted oil into the water, agitating it thoroughly. Do not add the essential oil until you have run the bath completely, otherwise the oil will evaporate with the heat of the water and the therapeutic properties will be lost before you climb in! Always disperse the oil – if you inadvertently sit down on neat essential oil of, say, tangerine you will jump up again very quickly! Shut the door to keep the precious aromas in and stay in the bath for at least fifteen minutes to allow the oil to penetrate deeply into your body tissues.

If you desire, you may blend your six drops of essential oil with a teaspoon of carrier oil. This is particularly beneficial for those with dry skin, although carrier oils can leave a greasy ring around the bath. However, special, unscented bath oils, which contain natural dispersing agents, can be purchased. These leave the skin feeling soft but not greasy. Choose any vegetable oil such as sweet almond, wheatgerm, avocado or jojoba. You could mix up enough oil for several baths. Your skin will feel soft, nourished and supple.

HYDROTHERAPY BATHS AND JACUZZIS

Nowadays some people have their own Jacuzzi or hydrotherapy bath. USe the same number of drops as you would in a normal bath, although if it is a large hydrotherapy bath designed for two or three persons then ten drops may be added. Sprinkle in your essential oils after the bath has been filled.

FOOTBATHS AND HANDBATHS

Footbaths and handbaths are highly beneficial in situations where it is impractical to enjoy a full aromatherapy bath perhaps if you are elderly or have a disability. Footbaths, in particular, are incredibly relaxing at the end of a long, hard day. They are excellent for foot conditions such as athlete’s foot and pain and swelling in the feet. Handbaths help to relieve the pain, stiffness and swelling of arthritis.

Add six drops of essential oil to a bowl of hand-hot water just before you immerse your feet or hands and soak for about ten to fifteen minutes.

SITZ BATHS AND BIDETS

A sitz bath is invaluable in cases of cystitis, haemorrhoids, vaginal discharge, stitches after childbirth, and so on. Sprinkle about four to six drops of pure essential oil into a bowl of hand-hot water and sit in the bowl for about ten minutes. If you are fortunate enough to have a bidet then use the same number of drops. Ensure that the essential oil and water are thoroughly mixed.

COMPRESSES

Compresses can be used for a variety of disorders such as muscular aches and pains, bruises, rheumatic and arthritic pain, headaches and sprains.

You may apply compresses either hot or cold. Alternate hot and cold compresses are invaluable for treating sprains. As a general rule, where there is a fever, acute pain or hot swellings use a cold compress. When treating chronic (long-term) pain use a hot compress.

To make a compress, mix approximately six drops of essential oil into a small bowl of water. Soak any piece of absorbent material such as a flannel, piece of sheeting or towelling in the solution ensuring that as much essential oil as possible is absorbed by your fabric. Squeeze out the compress so it does not drip everywhere and apply to the affected area. Wrap cling film around it or secure with a bandage. Leave for about two hours or even overnight. Where there is a fever replace with a new compress when necessary.

GARGLES AND MOUTHWASHES

Gargles are particularly beneficial for sore throats, respiratory problems and loss of voice. After dental surgery gargling can help to relieve pains and inflammation, reduce blood flow and speed up the healing process. Gargle twice daily, although if the problem is acute then you can gargle every two hours.

Put two drops of essential oil into half a glass of water. Stir well, gargle and spit it out. Do not swallow. Stir again and repeat. Antiseptic oils such as tea tree, sage, lemon and thyme are excellent for treating sore throats. Roman chamomile, geranium and sandalwood will also soothe inflammation. Myrrh and tea tree combined are invaluable for treating mouth ulcers.

INHALATIONS

Inhalation of essential oils works upon the body, mind and spirit.

On a physical level there is a strong action on the mucous membranes of the nose, the lungs and the respiratory system in general. Conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, coughs, colds, sinusitis and sore throats can all benefit enormously.

The inhalation of essential oils has a profound effect on the nervous system helping to relieve insomnia, anxiety and stress-related disorders, and lifting depression and negativity.

STEAM INHALATION

Add two to four drops of essential oil to a bowl of hot water. Cover your head with a towel and lean over the bowl inhaling deeply for one to five minutes. Keep your eyes closed to avoid irritation. If an asthmatic uses this method then just one drop is adequate. Take care with the hot water if there are small children around.

HANDKERCHIEF/TISSUE

Sprinkle a few drops of essential oil on to a handkerchief, paper towel or tissue and take a few deep breaths. This method is particularly effective for relieving nasal congestion and also for stopping panic attacks. Place the handkerchief in your pocket and you can continue to inhale the aroma throughout the day.

ROOM SPRAY

A room spray is a excellent way of purifying the atmosphere. Add 250 ml of water to a plant spray and add 15-20 drops of essential oil. Shake the bottle well and spray the room. You can even spray carpets and curtains. Do not spray on to polished surfaces.

Sprays can also be used to relieve irritation and pain as in chicken-pox, shingles, burns and any infectious skin diseases.

VAPORISERS AND DIFFUSERS

Electric vaporisers are sometimes used in clinics and hospital settings since they are considered to be safe. Electric diffusers, which do not use heat, are also becoming popular. However, both vaporisers and diffusers particularly can be rather expensive.

Therefore, for home use, I recommend a clay vaporiser heated by a night light. These are readily available. Put a few teaspoons of water into the loose bowl on top and sprinkle two to six drops of essential oil into it. Light the night light and the oil will diffuse into the air.

PILLOW AND NIGHTWEAR METHOD

Place a few drops of essential oil on to a pillow or your nightwear for relief from insomnia and to encourage easier and deeper breathing. If desired, you could put the drops on to a piece of cotton wool and place it inside the pillow case.

LIGHT BULB RING

Two drops of essential oil can be sprinkled on to a ceramic or metal ring which fits on to a light bulb. Only apply your oils when the lamp is off and the ring is cool ensuring that you do not get any oil on the light bulb itself or on the fitting, as essential oils are inflammable.

RADIATOR FRAGRANCER

Two to six drops of essential oil can be placed into a ceramic container which fits on to a radiator by means of a magnet.

Alternatively, moisten a cotton-wool ball slightly with water, sprinkle the drops of essential oil on to the ball and place it on t he radiator, or even lodge it by the pipe to avoid staining the paint surface. The heat from the radiator will evaporate the essential oil into the room.

OPEN FIRE

Put one drop of essential oil on each log before lighting the fire. As the logs heat up, the aroma will be released into the room. Cypress, sandalwood and cedarwood are particularly effective.

MASSAGE

Massage even without essential oils is a powerful therapy. The combination of pure essential oils and massage is even more potent. Massage is one of the most effective and beneficial treatment techniques. Essential oil constituents pass through the skin and they are taken into the bloodstream and can be carried to all the cells of the body.

Essential oils are not usually applied in an undiluted form to the skin except for emergencies such as burns, cuts or a sting. They must be blended with a suitable carrier oil in the appropriate dilution. When blending essential oil with a base oil, the essential oil content is usually between 1 per cent and 3 per cent. A massage takes between 10 ml and 20 ml of oil. Since a teaspoon holds approximately 5 ml, a treatment will require only two to four teaspoons of base oil. The following guidelines should help you:

– 3 drops of essential oil to 10 ml of carrier oil

– 4-5 drops of essential oil to 15 ml of carrier oil

– 6 drops of essential oil to 20 ml of carrier oil

– 15 drops of essential oil to 50 ml of carrier oil

– 30 drops of essential oil to 100 ml of carrier oil

Remember that if you are mixing up a large quantity (e.g. 100 ml) for daily use, then ensure that you add a teaspoon of wheatgerm oil to prolong the life of your blend.

CANDLES

Add one to two drops of essential oil to the warm wax of a candle, taking care to avoid the wick since essential oils are flammable.

OINTMENTS AND CREAMS

Sometimes you may prefer to apply a cream to a particular area of the body rather than an oil. It is possible to create some wonderful moisturizers for the face, and they make lovely presents. You can also blend your own hand creams and foot creams to alleviate cracked and chapped skin, redness and irritation, infections, chilblains, and so forth. Some aromatherapy suppliers produce a cream without essential oils to which you can add your own. Ensure that it is non-mineral based, organic and lanolin-free for optimum results.

Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot essential oil uses, principal properties, effects and special precautions.

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Useful Information on Essential Oil

Essential oil, also known as ‘essences’, is extracted from various parts of plants, such as flowers, fruits, roots, and barks. With the help of various extraction methods, essential oils are prepared. It offers an excellent aromatic effect as essential oils have curative properties. Since the ancient times, essential oils are adored among many cultures for their great healing benefit. In this article, we will discuss some useful and interesting information on essential oils.

Botanical Material Used

A wide variety of botanical materials are used to prepare essential oils. Not only flowers, but other different parts of these curative plants are equally beneficial, such as, leaves, stems, roots, twigs, buds, barks, seeds, fruits, etc. In practice, a large quantity of botanical materials is actually needed to prepare essential oils. This is mainly because in most of the cases these plants have very low amount of oils in their oil-specialized cells. When you are interested in knowing about the varied applications of essential oil, comprehensive information about botanicals is needed.

Common Information on Essential Oil

Mother Nature knows about our problems better than any one else and offers us the best available measure to combat against our problem, nature offers us the best solution than any artificial products. There are a wide number of essential oils available in the marketplace. Some of them are basil, chamomile, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, geranium, ginger, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lime, myrrh, pine, rose, sandalwood and many others.

Various Extraction Methods

Information on essential oil seems to be incomplete without a basic understanding of the extraction methods involved. The choice of extraction method is largely dependent on the type of botanicals used in the procedure. The most commonly used method used in the extraction procedure involves distillation. During this type of extraction method, volatile solution is first vaporized and then the vapor is converted back into liquid to ensure the natural purity. Water distillation, steam distillation and hydro diffusion are the methods used under distillation process.

Apart from distillation process, expression is another extraction method used to extract essential oils from botanical materials. This method is typically used to extract citrus based essential oils. Sponge expression, Écuelle à piquer and machine abrasion are commonly used under expression technique. In addition, solvent extraction is another extraction method. Maceration, enfleurage, solvent and hypercritical CO2 are the methods used under solvent extraction technique.

Application of Essential Oils

When you are looking for useful information on essential oils, quite obviously you must be interested in knowing about its beneficial application for us. You can use essential oils for different purposes like air fresheners, bathing, massage oils, hair care, steam inhalations, flea repellent, and many others. When we talk about its application as a health care product, the possibilities are simply endless. In addition, essential oil can work effectively as mood elevator. With the beautiful and elegant essence of essential oil, you can feel refreshed easily.