In the recent past, the field of aromatherapy has witnessed a dramatic change. More people are now opting for natural health products, such as essential oils. But if you’ve considered doing the same, the expensive prices at which most products sell might have put you off. The truth, however, is that you actually get more for less when you buy essential oils. Gaining some insight into the background of these products could help you understand why.
Where Do Essential Oils Come From?
Have you ever thought about where essential oils come from? If not, coming to terms with the hard facts about the production of these oils might help make things clearer for you. Start by twisting an orange peel — see the little beads that pop up on the surface? Well, those are the ‘essential oils’ of that orange. Now imagine how much liquid you could possibly extract from the leaves of tiny plants (like lavender)… It takes about 250 pounds of petals to produce a single ounce of essential oil, which explains why pure products are so expensive.
But What Does This Mean?
Because a large amount of plant matter is required to produce a tiny amount of oil, finding quality essential oils on the cheap is virtually impossible. Nevertheless, investing in authentic, pure products is still worthwhile, since they’re so highly concentrated that you only need a little amount for most applications. This means that even the most pricey oils can end up being cost-effective in the long term, as long as you choose the right product.
Choosing High Quality Products
To ensure you actually get what you pay for, you want to be sure that the products you’re buying are pure aromatic plant oils, devoid of diluents. Some brands are known to dilute their oils with other additives, which means you’re not really getting authentic oils when you buy such products. As such, always check the product label to ensure the botanical name is listed. This is the best way to be certain that what you’re purchasing contains the right ingredients.
You can test a product to see how pure it really is by putting a single drop on a small piece of construction paper. A pure oil should evaporate quickly, leaving no visible ring. However, this test doesn’t work for certain oils, including patchouli and myrrh.
It’s also important to research the production method used to make the oils you’re purchasing. Generally, reputable brands (like doTERRA Australia) will provide such information on their websites, in addition to other details specific to each individual product. So do your homework; you may come across other options for one particular plant, which translates to a wider rang of properties and aromas you could choose from.
In a nutshell, the purity of essential oils is a crucial determinant of their efficacy. And while the more expensive brands may seem out of reach for most, it should be remembered that a lot goes into producing pure oils of high quality. So rather than focus on price, try to find suppliers who exclusively deal with authentic products.
