So by now you’ve noticed that everyone sells essential oils – all the major bargain stores have them, big-box home stores have them, heck, you can even find them at supermarkets. And the price range is just as wide as the brand selections. How do you know which brand to choose? Is it worth it to pay a little extra for your oils? Does it really make a difference when the ingredient list is the same? Let’s talk…
First, a flashback to 1976 when the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) was passed. When the TSCA was put into place, all existing chemicals were considered to be safe for use and subsequently grandfathered in. We’re talking over 60,000 chemicals that were deemed “safe” without any prior testing for safety!
Now let’s combine that with the fact that companies are not required to disclose all of the product ingredients on their labels. (Yes, you read that right!) This includes household cleaning products, personal care products, makeup, and even food. Protected by proprietary laws, companies may omit ingredients from their labels or hide ingredients with general terms such as “fragrance,” “spices”, or “natural flavorings” to protect their “secret recipe.” While this benefits the company, it does not protect consumers from hidden toxic ingredients.
So what does any of this have to do with essential oils? Hang in there…we’re almost there! You would think that a bottle of Lemon Oil (with the ingredients of only Lemon Oil) from XYZ Company would be the same as the bottle of Lemon Oil (with the same ingredients of Lemon Oil) from ABC Company. The only difference being packaging, marketing, pricing, right?? Sorry to say, it’s just not so.
Essential Oils are regulated like supplements…with little regulation. One of the few rules is that in order for an bottle of oil to be labeled as “100% Pure Essential Oil” it only needs to have 5% essential oil in the bottle. (That’s not a typo – I wish it were!) Five percent!! The other 95% can be fillers and carrier oils (if you’re lucky), but can also include chemical extenders and toxic ingredients that will do more harm than good.
There are 4 grades of essential oils and the cheaper brands will contain lower quality essential oil which may not give you the therapeutic benefits as a high quality oil. You can get more information on the different oil grades here.
How do you pick the right brand? How do you keep yourself from being “duped”? Do your research…look for companies with product, ingredient, and process transparency. Recently a woman did some of that research – she called 15 major essential oil companies to ask if she could tour their farms and how the essential oils are made. The results are eye-opening! Even I was surprised by the responses from certain companies.
This transparency, along with their Seed to Seal promise, is why I chose Young Living for my family. I feel confident that I have made the best choice for my family by choosing a brand of essential oils that I can trust to have the best sourcing, science, and standards!
Are you ready to make that choice for your family?
Peace, Health, & Happiness 