ADULTERATION IN ESSENTIAL OILS ON INCREASE

In recent weeks, more and more customers are enquiring whether they can buy Essential Oils (EOs) from Herbally Radiant.  Many have read online the benefits of EOs while others get influenced by the promotional hype created by EO suppliers, or DIY promotional campaigns.

The point of concern, however, is that most of the EOs being marketed may not be pure extractions. Since EOs are expensive, there are growing cases of EOs being diluted to increase volume, or adulterated with vegetable oils.

The greater problem relates to the questionable purity of EOs being sold, especially by online companies. The problem is both with market operators and oil customers who frequently demand EOs below the market price while still wanting to be told that they are authentic. This sets the scene for unethical practices; especially as there are no quality standards for the authentication of EOs in spite of the revelations of gross adulteration of aromatherapy oils for retail sale.  

As mentioned by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D. in his textbook “Aromatherapy”, big American players are aware of the rampant adulteration in imported EOs. They admit that blending-in cheaper oils to meet a customers’ target purchasing price, or to make additional profit for the producer, is commonplace in the oil trade.

In a specific case, a complaint was filed in Utah court against a brand supplier for passing synthetic oil as authentic for jasmine and birch oils – a very high percentage of DPG chemical was detected in the oil being sold as pure jasmine EO.

It is true that Essential Oils are of immense benefit to the skin and in the aromatherapy practices. However, EOs have to be used in exact ratio with other ingredients, and in right combination, if one formulation has more than one Essential Oil.  And, consumers must know that some EOs are carrier oils – just delivery method for ‘carrying’ EOs to the skin.

In natural organic beauty formulations, EOs are the crucial ingredients. These are the concentrated volatile aroma compounds found in plant materials including  flowers, leaves, seeds, berries, peels, needles, twigs, bark, wood, roots,  resin, etc. EOs are also the  building blocks of the practice of aromatherapy, and many are well documented to relieve stress and act as mood balancer.

Out of more than 90 EOs, Herbally Radiant uses most effective PURE EOs in its formulations. Pure EOs get readily absorbed by the body and help natural ability of skin to balance, regulate, heal and restore its natural glow. These penetrate skin via hair follicles and sweat glands, and get absorbed in body fluids. Minute molecules of EOs are immediately absorbed into the blood stream when inhaled as the drugs oxygenate the blood.

In Herbally Radiant products, special care has been taken to choose the right blend of EOs, with most compatible base or carrier oil.  The special combination of EOs used in its anti-aging formulations therefore produce long lasting amazing results. The mixing of EOs and base oil is done in incremental steps by trained R&D team at Herbally Radiant.