What to look for when buying essential oils
Because essential oils are not subject to any strict regulations or government oversight, you’ll encounter a lot of marketing hype and unsubstantiated claims when shopping for essential oils. These guidelines can help you make an informed decision.
If the price is super low, watch out. It can take hundreds of pounds of plant material to produce one ounce of essential oil, so these products are often pricey. A suspiciously low price usually means inferior quality and potentially what you are buying is not an essential oil at all.
While there are no official regulations defining “therapeutic-grade” essential oil, when used by a reputable manufacturer, this term implies the oil is pure and distilled under strictly monitored conditions.
Good essential oils come from organically grown plants. You don’t want pesticide residue or other toxic chemicals in your oil.
If you are purchasing an essential oil blend, the label should specify what oils are included.
Reputable companies will include a disclaimer on their packaging and will warn against ingesting essential oils unless under the care of a medical professional trained in holistic medicine.
