Which essential oils are of the highest quality? World production of essential oils, the most demanded essential oils

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In the world production of essential natural oils, citrus essential oils ( and ) make up about 40% of the world production of essential oils. These are the cheapest oils, which is due to the fact that they are currently a by-product in the production of citrus juices.

The need for citrus oils is high due to the fashion for fresh citrus flavors in perfumery, cosmetics, chewing gum, beverage flavors, household chemicals and detergents.

Makes up to 13% in the global structure of production of essential oils. can be called a hit among essential oils. Peppermint essential oil is widely used in the food industry, medicine, in the production of toothpastes and chewing gum. From high-menthol types of mint oils, natural menthol is isolated, which is indispensable in the preparation of a number of drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

The main volume of production of essential oils is concentrated in the countries of North and South America (40% of the world production of these products), Asia accounts for 30% and 25% is produced in Europe.

On the American continent, the largest producer is Brazil, which produces about 6 thousand tons. essential oils, including mint, citronella, sassafras, lemongrass, eucalyptus, vetiver, patchouli, palmarosa and rosewood essential oils.

The United States produces about 5,000 tons of essential oils, including 1,000 tons of mint - citrus and cedar - as well as oils of clary sage and sweet basil.

Argentina produces citrus, citronella, guaiac, lemongrass, mint, non-role essential oils in the amount of slightly less than 1 thousand tons. Paraguay produces mint and petitgrain; Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico - citrus and lemongrass; Salvador - Peruvian balsam; Haiti - non-role, petitgrain and vetiver; Columbia - tolu balm; Peru - rosewood essential oil.

In Asia, the largest producer of essential oils is China, which produces mint, citronella, cedar, and, to a lesser extent, geranium, jasmine, patchouli, eugenol, basil, lemongrass, sandal, star anise, and ginger oils.

India produces more than 120 tons of essential oils (santal, mint, palmarose, lemongrass, citronella, etc.) and almost the same number - Indonesia (citronella, clove, vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood). Vietnam produces a large volume of essential oils (citronella, star anise, cubeb).

Japan produces about 200 tons of essential oils (mint, geranium, citrus, patchouli, vetiver, rose) and at the same time the country is one of the major importers, in Sri Lanka - up to 100 tons (citronella, lemongrass, cinnamon, cardamom).

The largest producer of essential oils in Europe is Spain, which annually produces up to 1500 tons of essential oils, mainly lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary and thyme. France produces about 1000 tons of essential oils, mainly lavender and sandal.

Italy is the main producer of citrus oils.

Bulgaria produces the best in the world, etc. In the Soviet Union, from 800 to 1300 tons of essential oils were produced, among them the world's best coriander oil, as well as mint, rose, lavender, and sage oils. In the 90s. This industry has fallen into decline, but is gradually beginning to revive. At present, the production of fir oil, which is highly valued all over the world, has been established.

The level of development of the essential oil industry in a particular country can be assessed by the quality of products and a wide range of essential oils in production. About 30 years ago Europe had the highest level of development of the essential oil industry. France produced over 60 high quality essential oils. In the Soviet Union, 25 items of this product were produced, followed by Italy, Spain, and Bulgaria. In other countries, the range of oils was limited to no more than ten items, with a pronounced specialization of one to five types.

The United States is the largest exporter and importer of essential oils in the world market. But if the basis of US exports is only four types of essential oils (orange, mint, lemon, cedar), then imports are more than 30.

Large quantities of essential oils in a wide range are imported by the countries of the European continent, primarily France, England, Holland and Germany. Export deliveries in these countries are much lower.

Crisis phenomena of the 70s. of the last century in the world economy, the rise in prices for energy resources and land plots led to an increase in the cost of all types of industrial and agricultural products, including essential oils, the production of which in some cases became unprofitable. All this resulted in curtailing the production of essential oils in a number of countries.

Significantly reduced the volume and range of essential oils produced in France and other industrialized countries due to difficulties in providing cheap labor and acreage. Under these conditions, France took the path of organizing a joint production of essential oil in the developing countries of Morocco, Egypt, etc.).

Competition significantly hinders the development of essential oil production. Thus, coffee and soybeans have become serious competitors for the production of essential oils in Brazil and Argentina. Growing demand and high prices for coffee and soybeans have contributed to the development of the production of these crops to the detriment of ethereal plants.

It hinders the development of essential oil production and the growth in the production of synthetic aromatic substances, which in some cases successfully replace natural essential oils.

Traditional centers of essential oil production continue to move to third world countries, which are located in optimal natural and climatic conditions for the cultivation of essential oil, have cheap labor and relatively free land. Gradually, China is becoming one of the largest producers of essential oils.

Now here is the main world production of high-menthol Japanese mint essential oil, which in 1940 was concentrated in Japan and then in Brazil. The main production of citronella oil moved to China from Sri Lanka, and eucalyptus oil from Australia.

The United States has ceased to be a monopoly in the production of cedar oil, as China is intensively developing the production of its cedar oil from mourning cypress wood. The center for the production of vetiver oil has moved from about. Reunion to Indonesia, and the centers of production of geranium oil are located in Egypt and on about. Reunion. The main production of jasmine oil, which was traditionally produced in Italy, Morocco and France, moved to Egypt.

Fraudulent essential oils

Many mistakenly believe that artificial and synthetic oils are fakes of natural essential oils. This notion is incorrect even if commercially they are passed off as natural essential oils. Such perfume base compositions can rather be called a “surrogate” of natural essential oil.

The use of synthetic and artificial essential oils in perfumery is legitimate and very convenient in the preparation of perfume compositions, as it ensures the consistency of composition and aroma, which cannot be achieved using only natural essential oils.

After all, the composition and smell of various batches of natural essential oil of a particular name may vary significantly depending on the quality of the processed plant materials, processing technology and other factors.

However, the use of synthetic and artificial oils along with natural ones in the food industry, medicine and aromatherapy is unacceptable, since they do not have those consumer and pharmacological properties that are inherent in natural essential oils and can be harmful due to the presence of components and isomers that are unusual for natural essential oils and have other effects on the human body.

The falsification of natural essential oils should be understood as a deliberate change in the composition of a natural essential oil with a mercenary purpose by mixing various additives and partial extraction of the most valuable components of the essential oil while maintaining the appearance of the commercial quality of the product. An oil obtained from falsified plant materials can also be considered falsified.

Synthetic additives, volatile (the so-called turpentine fractions of some essential oils, cheaper essential oils, as well as purified kerosene, fatty vegetable and even mineral oils) can be used as falsification products of essential oils.

Usually, unscrupulous manufacturers resort to adulteration of essential oils in order to sell non-standard products, especially when it comes to expensive essential oils.

Rose essential oil can be adulterated with cheaper oils containing terpene alcohols (citronellol, geraniol), geranium oil fractions, or palmarosa.

The very expensive essential oil of lemon verbena can be falsified with citrus essential oils or synthetic citral, and vetiver oil with the addition of synthetic 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol.

Melissa essential oil, which has a pleasant mint-lemon smell due to the presence of neral, citronellal, geraniniol, linalool, caryophyllene oxide, is very expensive due to the low yield and high labor intensity of its production. These components, synthesized long ago, can be used for falsification.

There are known cases of replacing the essential oil of lemon balm with lemon blackberry oil (West Indian lemongrass oil) or citronella. There are ersatz (substitutes) for lemon balm oil. However, substitutes, if they are not issued for natural essential oil, cannot be considered falsification. In order to be sure of the authenticity of lemon balm essential oil, a complete instrumental analysis of the sample should be carried out. The essential oil of pharmacy chamomile is falsified by the addition of synthetic bisabolol or chamazulene and even high-boiling fractions of cheap essential oils.

Expensive and scarce Indian santal essential oil is falsified by the addition of cedar and guaiac oils or their fractions, as well as synthetic products with a santal smell.

Expensive jasmine concrete is adulterated with waxes obtained from the production of jasmine absolute oil in concrete. Jasmine absolute oil is adulterated with jasmine-scented synthetic products. Mixing cheap essential oils with more expensive ones is a very common counterfeit technique for many other oils.

Hyssop essential oil, widely used in aromatherapy, can be adulterated with cheaper essential oils or their fractions, such as cheap eucalyptus oil.

Caiput essential oil, containing up to 60% cineole, is also quite often adulterated with eucalyptus oil.

Ho oil is used to adulterate coriander essential oil. Orange bitter (orange) essential oil, obtained by pressing from the peel of ripe orange fruits, is adulterated with the addition of cheaper, sweet orange oil, or with volatile fractions separated during detoxification of citrus essential oils, or with essential oil distilled with steam from the peel after pressing.

In turn, the orange (bitter and sweet) essential oil from the peel, as well as the turpentine fractions of these oils, can be used to adulterate the more expensive petitgrain oil obtained from the leaves of this plant.

The essential oil of neroli from orange blossom and sweet orange is adulterated with the addition of petitgrain oil.

Clove oil from the buds of the clove tree is mixed with oil from the leaves and pedicels; and geranium with citronella. Pimento essential oil from the fruit is mixed with cheaper clove oil.

Rosemary essential oil is faked with cheaper camphor or eucalyptus oils.

Laurel essential oil can be adulterated with cheaper eucalyptus or cajeput oils.

To falsify some essential oils, vegetable and mineral oils, as well as purified fractions of kerosene, are used. Turpentine oil is falsified with oil fractions, ylang-ylang oil is falsified with vegetable (castor, coconut, etc.) and mineral oils, essential iris oil is used with castor and some mineral oils. The content of falsifying additives in cassium (Chinese cinnamon) oil can range from 20 to 60% (rosin, fatty oils, refined kerosene, etc.).

When falsifying essential oils, various products of organic synthesis are widely used, especially cheap synthetic fragrances. Thus, synthetic linalool and linalyl acetate are used to adulterate lavender oil. Typically, these components are added to substandard lavender oil containing linalool and linalyl acetate below the standard.

Such an additive is alien to natural lavender oil and disrupts the harmony of its composition. Organaleptically (by smell) such a falsification is almost impossible to recognize. This can be done using chemical methods. Synthetic linalool and linalyl acetate are also added to sage and bergamot oils, and linalool to iris and coriander oils.

Synthetic terpineol and benzyl alcohol can also be found in adulterated coriander oil. To falsify anise oil, synthetic anethole is used, which is 20 times more toxic than natural. Cheap synthetic eugenol, linalool and geraniol are added to basil essential oil.

Oil obtained from falsified vegetable raw materials can also be considered counterfeit. For example, patchouli leaves are mixed with low-grade patchouli leaves or leaves of other odorless plants, mixed with earth and sand. Impurities can reach 50%.

Many essential oils turn out to be adulterated after the most valuable natural components are isolated from them.

Essential oils intended for aromatherapy require a more in-depth study of quality assessment. Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils in a concentration greater than for perfumery and cosmetics (usually from 1 to 3%) and deeper penetration into the human body through the skin (massage, baths), through the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and lungs (especially when inhaled), some schools of aromatherapists practice the ingestion of essential oils.

A course of aromatherapy using the same essential oils can last up to three weeks. During this time, a cumulative accumulation of some components of essential oils in the human body is possible. Therefore, aromatherapy must use the highest quality natural essential oils and the evaluation of these oils must be especially strict!

It is also important to pay attention to the following aspects:

Since world prices for essential oil raw materials are unaffordable for the Russian cosmetic market, manufacturers of finished cosmetic products mainly use imported surrogates. As a rule, cheap essential oils are brought to Russia, or even worse - surrogates identical to natural ones. For example, the price of clary sage or lavender oils produced in our country fluctuates between 100-160 dollars per kilogram, and is not affordable for a domestic cosmetics manufacturer. And imported lavender oil costs 30-35 dollars. At the same time, no one has a question why, with the cost of lavender oil on the world market of 90-100 dollars, and rose oil - thousands of dollars, we buy these imported oils for 30-40 and 200-250 dollars, respectively, or even cheaper? It does not arise, because everyone understands: these are some cheap analogues and they have a distant relation to natural oil;

Table 1 - Main areas of production of essential oils in the world

More than 200 tons of essential oils (mint, citrus, geranium, patchouli, rose, vetiver) are produced in Japan, the country is a major importer, in Sri Lanka - up to 100 tons, in Vietnam a large volume of citronella, star anise, cubeb essential oils are produced. In Europe, the largest producer is Spain, which produces up to 1500 tons of essential oils annually (lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary and thyme). France receives mainly lavender and sandalwood oils in the amount of about 1000 tons. Bulgaria is known to produce the best rose and dill oil in the world. Plantations of essential oil plants are located in all parts of the world (Table 2). The crisis phenomena of recent years in the world economy, the rise in prices for land and energy resources have led to an increase in the cost of essential oils, the production of which has become unprofitable, as a result, production in a number of countries has been discontinued.

Table 2 - Location of plantations of essential oil crops in the world

Table 3. Physical and chemical properties of some types of essential oils

Used materials from the site http://vershen.ru/info/mirovoe_proizvodstvo_efirnyh_masel.html

Every day of my life in Thailand, I am more and more immersed in the world of natural oils, communicating with manufacturers, local aromatherapists, reading specialized resources and research articles. And the more I delve into the question, the more I admire these natural wonders - powerful and effective, many of which the modern industrial cosmetic industry does not use just because of their activity, individual perception by the skin of each person, short shelf life and high cost. In my posts, I am not going to encourage anyone to rush to make “homemade creams”)), but I want to dig a little on the vast topic of natural oils and, at the level that is available to me, tell about some interesting features of their use. Despite the fact that Beautician has written about oils more than once (including me), I wanted to collect the information that I know together (maybe even more for myself)) I would be glad if it is useful to someone too.

I'll start with simple definitions.

What are essential oils

What are essential vegetable oils

What are absolutes (absolu) and concretes

Negative (as well as positive) skin reactions to all natural oils individual and depend on a huge number of points (for example, the region and growing conditions of the material, the quality of cleaning, the diseases you have, the correct use of oil, skin type, reactivity, etc.), therefore, hg, the perception of any oil is checked, in principle, only by experience. That is, no one can predict exactly how your skin will behave. Some people in ecstasy completely switch to natural oils in their care, others, having tried one and got clogged pores, forever refuse them. The truth, as always, lies in the middle

Where to buy oils and how to choose the real one

2. High-quality natural essential oils (and some base oils) are expensive, and absolutes are fabulously expensive, this is an axiom. A rare exception is some citrus oils (for example, lemon), but pure rose essential oil for 100 rubles. in any case it does not happen (for example, a good price is $ 20 for 1 ml of Damascus rose). The production process of esters is complex, expensive raw materials, which are needed in a huge amount.

3. If you see on sale a line of essential oils that are positioned as natural, but they all cost the same - you have synthetics or a fake in front of you (about fakes in general, a terribly interesting separate topic). The prices of oils cannot be the same for the simple reason that the plants from which the oils are made cost very differently. Esters of sweet orange and neroli will cost like heaven and earth.

4. It is best to buy from well-known and trusted manufacturers specializing specifically in oils and aromatherapy.

5. Pure natural essential oil should be sold in a dark-colored glass bottle with a tight stopper (without a stopper, it will evaporate, in transparent glass it will collapse). The bottle should have the Latin name of the plant from which the oil is made.

6. Sunlight is detrimental to all oils (both base and essential), so in the store, pay attention to the place where the oil stood. If this is a showcase that was exposed to sunlight, there is no point in this oil.
One of the few oils that remain stable in a clear bottle is coconut oil. But it, of course, cannot be stored in a place where the sun falls. In general, the topic of oil storage is very extensive, be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions, if any, because some essential and base oils are best stored in the refrigerator to increase their shelf life.

7. Essential oils smell good. The aroma may be sharp, it may be unusual, but it cannot be bright chemical, unnatural and disgusting. Usually the ability to determine the quality of the ether by smell comes with experience, so see the points above)

General features of the use of ethers.

2. Never exceed the dosage of esters indicated in the recipes, especially if you are new to this business, it is simply dangerous. I think no one wants to earn dermatitis?)

3. Many essential oils are contraindicated for epileptics. There are other restrictions on diseases, there is a lot of information on this topic on the Internet. Esters are used with caution in pregnant women, some manufacturers generally ban just in case) There are esters that cause photosensitivity (i.e. skin sensitivity to the sun), so be sure to read the instructions before use.

4. You can not use essential oils inside without a doctor's prescription. Despite the scientifically proven effectiveness of esters in the treatment of many diseases, doing amateur activities, you can cause significant harm to your body.

5. Before using any pure essential oil, a sensitivity test should be done. To do this, 1 drop of ether is diluted in 5 ml of base oil and applied to the crook of the elbow or behind the ear. If there is no irritation within 12 hours, the oil can be safely used for care.

6. There are essential oils that are recognized as unsafe and have side effects in addition to their medicinal properties. Esters such as cinnamon, sage, verbena are not recommended for use without the supervision of an experienced aromatherapist or the recommendation of a physician. In general, ideally, to get the maximum effect from any essential oil, you need to consult a specialist.

7. Essential oils often take a bit of getting used to, especially if you've used cosmetics with synthetic fragrances before. But when you get used to the esters, artificial fragrances seem like a nightmare))

In conclusion, I want to say that now everyone is speculating on the properties of oils, some oils are even credited with such properties as a cure for cancer! The hair on your head moves if you imagine that there are people who trust this ((Natural and effective is not at all a synonym for safe.

I re-read the text above and realized that after all this it is not entirely clear why use natural oils at all when you can buy care in a store?)) The main reason, of course, is that the effectiveness of natural oils in many aspects surpasses the finished prom. cosmetics, in the absence of side effects and unnecessary useless, or even simply harmful impurities. Watching how the skin changes with the regular use of natural oils is a great pleasure.
And yes, it's not hard to take precautions. But, as they said in the movie The Fifth Element, each weapon has its own instructions.

Why all this hassle? (Or mineral hydrocarbons versus vegetable oils)

" What are the arguments against using inexpensive mineral hydrocarbons in cosmetic products instead of sensitive vegetable oils, if the former are produced even in our body?
To answer this question, consider the characteristics of triglycerides derived from vegetable oils and used in the manufacture of skin care products:
- Vegetable oils are substances related to the skin. They are built into the triglyceride balance of the skin and can even be processed by it;
- Vegetable oils contain physiological acids, such as palmitic (found in the skin) and unsaturated omega-6 and probably omega-3 acids. Linoleic acid is embedded in ceramide I and therefore enhances the barrier function. From linoleic, alpha and gamma linoleic acids in the skin anti-inflammatory substances are produced.
- Due to their lipid nature, plant triglycerides have a softening effect on the skin. Lipids reduce transepidermal fluid loss (TEL), which is quite good, especially in winter when indoor humidity is very low."

" Mineral oils (my note: called "mineral oil" or "paraffinum liquidum" in cosmetic formulations) do not contribute to the regeneration of a damaged skin barrier ... "

"... this explains why those who use products with mineral oils have dry skin. Even if mineral oils form tiny inclusions in the skin, they will not be absorbed by the epidermis like vegetable oils. The relatively rapid penetration of vegetable triglycerides is due to their enzymatic breakdown into glycerol and fatty acids, which means that mineral oil hydrocarbons accumulate in the superficial layers of the skin, where they can persist much longer than vegetable triglycerides. The feeling of smooth skin will last longer, which can certainly be considered an advantage in terms of application and feel. However, the natural balance of the skin and its ability to regenerate are affected. "

" Residues of hydrocarbons and paraffin-based silicones enter the body through breathing or through the skin. There they not recycled, but accumulate in adipose tissues or are excreted in an unchanged state in the process of life. Data on these processes are heterogeneous"

" From the point of view of modern corneotherapy, it is recommended to use cosmetic products with natural oils and lipids, even if they feel inferior to petrochemical products. However, the selection of vegetable oils should be done on the basis of skin analysis "

In the next post (I hope you have learned at least something interesting from this)), I will talk about those vegetable oils that I use in my daily life and about which of their properties I personally like. Something like an oil cosmetic bag.

P.S. Virgo, in Russia I only knew about good olive oil) I was not interested in the topic of the cosmetic use of oils while living there, so I simply cannot recommend specific manufacturers. If you have oils for sale, be guided by the signs that I wrote about and the chance that you buy something wrong will be very small.

Aromatherapy is making its way around the world, and more and more people are addicted to the wonderful properties of essential oils. Where demand increases, negligent manufacturers always appear, caring little about their own reputation, and even less about the health of their customers. Thanks to them, the shelves in pharmacies are loaded with counterfeit products in packages promising 100% natural products. Specialists easily distinguish fakes, but how to choose an essential oil for an ordinary user?

What is the danger of synthetic oil

It is difficult for a beginner to distinguish between a natural essential oil and a synthetic fragrance by smell. This is a professional who will tell you how many levels and notes the remedy has, and an artificial fragrance may seem even more interesting to a person from the street. The difference becomes noticeable only after application, and, unfortunately, instead of a magical transformation of appearance or improvement in well-being, a person gets a headache, fever and other "joys" of allergies.

The use of surrogates in the absence of such a reaction also poses a threat, especially in the case of making solutions for inhalation, use in aroma lamps, flavoring food (for example, tea).

Artificial components, penetrating the body, can cause unforeseen consequences, up to the appearance of an asthmatic attack, jumps in blood pressure, eczema, and general poisoning. Even in everyday life, it is very dangerous to dispose of pseudo-essential oils - washed floors or cabinet walls will exude a specific smell for a long time to come.

Low price pitfalls

The crudest fake of aromatic oil is a mixture of a solvent with aromatic fragrances. This is the most striking example of falsification, but there are many other production methods that reduce the cost of the final product with significant damage to its quality.

These include replacing an expensive component with a cheaper one: lavender is replaced with lavender, kananga takes the place of ylang-ylang, and dill - fennel. In addition, vegetable oil, such as jojoba, is added to the essential oil (supposedly to improve consumer properties).

One of the methods for extracting esters is extraction, which involves the secondary processing of natural raw materials. Thus, it becomes possible to obtain the maximum amount of aromatic substances from a smaller volume of raw materials, but the potent reagents used in this case significantly change the chemical composition.

The oils obtained in this way are called naturally reconstituted. They are great for perfumery and cosmetic products, but completely unsuitable for therapeutic purposes. Knowing how to choose the right essential oil will help you not to run into a fake.

How to choose the right natural product

The only way that guarantees obtaining reliable information about the real chemical composition of the essential oil is a chromatographic study. In large cities, there are laboratories that provide such a service for a fee. Those who do not have this option have to limit themselves to indirect signs that characterize a good quality product. Some of them can be determined even before making a purchase, and the second part needs to be studied by experimenting with oil (but not with health!) At home.

Only a chromatogram of an essential oil gives a detailed idea of ​​its naturalness.

What to look for when examining packaging in a store

A conscientious manufacturer always tries to indicate all the information that is important for the end buyer. If the packaging contains a lot of advertising promises with a minimum of specifics, the product should already arouse suspicion.

When choosing a natural essential oil, you should definitely pay attention to the following points:

1. The label must say "100% natural, pure and whole" (or 100% Essential Oil, Pure and Natural, 100% Naturelle, Pure et Complète). Other inscriptions - "100% essential oil", "100% environmentally friendly oil" are often a marketing ploy.
2. The bottle in which the aromatic concentrate is located must have a dispenser protected from opening, and must be made of dark glass. Any other container does not ensure the proper safety of the product. The volume of the bottle is no more than 10 ml, and even less for the most expensive types of oil (rose, mimosa, verbena).
3. The following information is very significant:

• the name of the plant in Latin, its genus and species, the part from which the ether was obtained;
• country and address of the producer (countries with highly developed essential oil production include Austria, Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy);
• the composition of the components in percentage terms and the expiration date.

1. The cost of the bottle also indicates the quality of its contents. The prices of natural and synthetic oils can differ tenfold. However, the high price in itself is not a guarantee of the purity and naturalness of the product.
2. It is great if the packaging has one or more of the following certification marks:

• Ecocert certifies that this oil is 100% natural, as described, and contains no additives;
• Agriculture Biologique certifies the origin of the plant material from which the EO has been extracted;
• NaTrue is assigned only to genuine organic products, while classifying them with a 3-star system;
• Nature Progres demonstrates that the product is free from artificial colors and fragrances.

Quality control at home

Aroma oils should be purchased in stores that have positive recommendations from regular customers. Here, experienced sellers will advise you on how to choose a quality essential oil, select the type you need, and suggest how to use it.

1. Smell the contents: real oil will have a subtle unobtrusive aroma that changes character over time.
2. Consider: a high-quality blow is transparent or has a uniform natural shade, without any precipitation.
3. Put a drop on white paper and observe it from 30 minutes to several days: natural essential oils tend to evaporate without leaving greasy and colored spots.
4. Refrigerate: The esters of some plants (such as anise or rose) freeze at low temperatures.

After making sure that the purchase corresponds to the declared characteristics, you can proceed to its direct use.

How to test an essential oil for allergies

To exclude troubles in the form of rebellious immunity, before the first experience of using any type of essential oil, it is imperative to examine the reaction of your body. To do this, it is recommended to go through 3 stages:

1. Apply a few drops of the product to a cotton pad and periodically inhale the fragrance. Natural oil should not cause headaches and discomfort throughout the day.
2. Mix the concentrate with any neutral herbal (olive, jojoba) in a ratio of 1:4 and apply the mixture on the crook of the elbow. A positive result is the absence of any signs of inflammation.
3. Add 3-5 drops of an aromatic product to 50 g of honey, mix and pour the mixture into a warm bath. You can take it no more than 5 minutes.

If all stages are completed without negative reactions, you can safely use the selected essential oil for its intended purpose and open with it the endless possibilities of natural cosmetology and aromatherapy.

Treatment with aromas, a pleasant and effective method of healing, is gaining more and more fans. Supporters should be able to distinguish a natural product from a fake.

This article is about how to check the quality of an essential oil at the stage of purchase and at home in order to protect your health.

Natural grades of essential oils

natural essential oils produced according to the classical (standard) technology. The accuracy of the technological process and the quality of raw materials determine the degree of naturalness of the resulting oil.

It is worth noting that most often we are dealing with essential oils that are relatively natural. The thing is that the chemical composition of natural raw materials is very difficult to accurately reproduce, and proper processing requires experience, high skill, and often intuition.

Azulene containing essential oils belong to a special group and are distinguished by the presence in the composition of isomeric azulenes that are not contained in plants, but are formed during steam distillation during the production of oil.

Isolates. Some essential oils contain a high percentage of one of the constituents.

For example, coriander oil contains about 70% linalool. Such oils are used to obtain this particular component (isolate) for the purpose of its subsequent use in perfumery, adding to other essential oils, extracting other elements from them.

Partially natural essential oils(enriched or adjusted) consist of the main essential oil and additives of natural substances isolated from other natural essential oils.

The purpose of fortifying or adjusting an oil is to improve the quality of the product by changing the chemical composition. However, such an adjustment is not always justified, since the biological activity of natural oil and the added component may not be equivalent. The quality of such oils can be considered satisfactory provided that the following conditions are met:

• the ratio of components characteristic of natural oil,
• compliance with the biological activity of the added components.

artificial essential oils consist partly or wholly of synthetic substances similar to natural ones.

Synthetic essential oils composed of substances that have no analogues in nature.

Artificial and especially synthetic essential oils are often completely unsuitable for the purposes of aromatherapy, being a gross falsification. They are distinguished by a pungent odor and allergic responses.

Aromatic compositions:

natural essential oils dissolved in natural fatty oils, or in synthetic solvents (propleglycol, ethyl alcohol, heavy esters),

blends of natural essential oils.

On the one hand, being a natural product, on the other hand, they have no analogues in nature. Aromatic solutions and blends of essential oils often have unpredictable and complex biological activities. Therefore, their use must be strictly controlled. These compositions are mainly used for the production of perfumes and cosmetics.

Fraudulent essential oils

The low content of essential oils in plants and the complexity of their production process explains the high cost of the final product.

For example, only 2.5 kg of oil is obtained from 100 kg of lavender, and to obtain half a kilogram of rose oil, 100 kg of rose petals will need to be processed.

High demand and the need to reduce the cost of production has led to the flooding of the market with low-quality essential oils diluted with cheap oils, solvents, impurities, as well as "natural copies" - chemically synthesized products ("nature identical").

You can get natural essential oil not from any plant, but only from essential oil.

Essential oils of cucumber, peach, lotus, fern, mango, coconut, banana, magnolia, linden, apricot, lilac, watermelon, kiwi, strawberry, melon, apple, pear, lily of the valley does not exist in nature!

All of the above "essential oils" are fake, and the plants from which they are allegedly obtained are not essential oils! These oils are perfume compositions.

To date, only 4% of the fragrance market is natural essential oils, and 96% are "natural copies" that have a lower cost.

Natural essential oils have a complex chemical composition: several hundred chemical compounds, many of which are unknown. It is impossible to copy this unique composition, which means it is impossible to copy the pharmacological properties of natural oil.

Artificial analogues not only do not have medicinal properties, but also pose a serious danger to our health.

in their composition there are isomers and components alien to natural essential oils.

Their human is not fully understood and can be unpredictable.

When buying cheap artificial or synthetic oils, remember

it is unacceptable to use them for medicinal purposes, it is especially dangerous to inhale such “ethers” through aroma lamps,aroma medallions.

This is fraught with allergic reactions, skin infection and more serious consequences in the form of eczema, asthma, and general poisoning of the body.

Only undiluted, unprocessed essential oils have true aromatherapy properties..

IMPORTANT!

If you are not sure about the quality, never use the oil for medicinal purposes. Counterfeits can be both harmless and very dangerous:

to harmless include essential oils diluted with alcohol or vegetable oil.

dangerous can become imitations of essential oils containing a high concentration of resins, synthetic fragrances, solvents.

Synthetic and artificial essential oils can only be used for domestic purposes: removing unpleasant odors in wardrobes, shoes, washing floors, scenting rooms. Using such drugs in everyday life, you need exercise extreme caution.

Label must contain:

botanical name of the ethereal plant in Russian and Latin. For example: "Lavender", Lavandula angustifolia;

the inscription "100% natural essential oil";

manufacturer;

receiving method;

best before date.

Package. International standards provide for dark brown glass packaging, 5-10 ml each, and for expensive oils, the packaging volume is even smaller. The bottle is supplied with a dispenser and a cap with a tamper-evident ring.

IMPORTANT: the presence of an orange square with a black cross on the package or label means that we have an active, potent, concentrated undiluted essential oil, which must be used with extreme caution for purposes.

With this sign, Council Directive 67/548/EWG (2008) obligated all European manufacturers of potent biologically active concentrated substances to inform consumers about the need to follow all points of the rules for use and not to exceed the indicated dosages.

Essential oil cost.

Many factors affect the price of the final product:

the value and rarity of the ether-bearing plant,

essential oil quality

percentage of essential oil in the plant,

labor costs in cultivation, production, transportation,

commercial markup.

Synthetic and artificial analogues are always much cheaper.

However, the high price of an essential oil, unfortunately, is not always a guarantee of its high quality.

We determine the naturalness of essential oils at home

Smell natural oil should not be flat and give off synthetics. Real natural oils smell multifaceted, different notes replace each other.

When opening the bottle, the smell should not hit the nose. Real essential oils are volatile, their smell dissipates in the air.

We sniff correctly: do not bring the bubble to the very nose, keep it at the level of the lower lip, move the bubble from side to side.

Citrus oils cannot smell for long - they are the most volatile. The heaviest and most resinous - conifers, can smell for a long time. If the esters of sandalwood or cedar have evaporated in a couple of hours, you have a fake in front of you.

However, modern aroma synthesis technologies make it possible to bring the artificial smell as close as possible to the natural one, it can be difficult to distinguish them right away. Therefore, when determining the naturalness of an oil, one should pay attention to one more characteristic property of a natural essential oil - its volatility.

Volatility. The essential oil evaporates rather slowly, with the exception of citrus fruits, and can leave behind a stain, pigments, but in no case is it greasy. The presence of fat may indicate that

esters are diluted with vegetable oils,

poorly cleaned of resins,

in front of you is an aromatic composition for domestic use.

Appearance oils should be clear and clean, without suspensions and sediment.

If you add low-quality oil to cosmetics, then the milk or gel will become cloudy, and the cream will exfoliate.

At home, it is very difficult to determine the naturalness of an essential oil; only chromatographic analysis gives a 100% guarantee.

How do you define the quality of an essential oil?

Elena Valve for the Sleepy Cantata project