Caution: Aromatherapy Uses GENUINE Essential Oils

I love getting into a conversation about aromatherapy with anyone, especially someone I’ve just met. I am always interested to hear how people use essential oils, where they get their aromatherapy stuff from, and what they think aromatherapy can be used for. Sometimes I get a little gnawing in my stomach when I hear how aromatherapy is used so generally and how people associate essential oils with just relaxation and smells. I want so badly to tell people that essential oils can be used to help people in so many different ways, but there never seems to be enough time to talk about it.

The reason why I have avoided selling aromatherapy “products” is that selling pre-made products labeled “aromatherapy” can contribute to the lack of understanding regarding the ability of essential oils to actually facilitate the natural healing process. I also worry that these products labeled with “aromatherapy” may even, perhaps, discourage people who can really benefit from the therapeutic uses of essentials oils. On the other hand, essential oils do not always have to be used for therapeutic treatment, they are also wonderful in enhancing products by providing a glorious aromatic allure to lotions, bath products, and candles. Yes, we can use them just for the sake of their smell. In such cases, the chemical composition and purity of the essential oil may not be so significant.

Nonetheless, when using essential oils for therapeutic reasons, the chemical composition, where the essential oils originated from and the purity of the essential oil does matter considerably. As anyone trained in the use of essential oils knows, there are way too many essential oils out there labeled “pure”, but may not be 100% essential oil. This is because there are minimal standards that exist in the cosmetic industry that allows people to put those words on their labels. As for chemical composition, each essential oil’s specific chemical composition is just as unique as the oil itself. Even if the essential oil is lavender, for example, the chemical compositions of the different lavenders vary according to the country and environment the original plant grew in. Essential oil suppliers who follow Aromatherapist standards and code of ethics will often times label their essential oil bottles with origin and chemistry information or at least have the information available when requested. Furthermore, essential oils are energetic as well. This means that we have to be careful that our essential oils do not come from greedy sellers, but from those who took care of the plant of origin with great care; being careful to produce organic essential oils within an environment that is nature friendly.

I, myself, have encountered essential oils labeled pure and genuine, later to find out that they contained extenders (other ingredients to extend the life of the oil or stretch it out in some way). Each and every time, the oil would work according to my expectations. However, the effects are usually very immediate and short lived (unlike genuine and true essential oils). As time goes on, the aroma would diminish greatly and the powerfulness of the product would have also decreased leaving the person to want to buy MORE. Truly organic, genuine, and pure essential oils are much more subtle, the way nature works. They have the ability to work in sync with our organic bodies in a gentle way. The essential oil works so smoothly that many times we feel like our body, mind, and spirit has healed on its own; and this is exactly what essential oils want us to think and feel. They don’t have an ego, the way synthetic products do. They don’t ask for recognition or want you to feel like you can’t live without them. Heck, they don’t even mind if you don’t give them credit for what they have helped your body, mind, and spirit to do. Genuine essential oils, genuinely, want us to just be better.

And, that my friends, is the reason why we should take caution with aromatherapy and essential oils.
As I apply for my license to sell “products” so that I can tax them accordingly, I admit that I have finally succumbed to making products at the request of a person who just wants to buy a nice smelling cream, massage oil, or salve. But, always, I will give my mini-speech about true aromatherapy.