In his book, "The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy" Salvatore Battaglia estimates that only 5% of all essential oils are produced specifically for the aromatherapy market. And the folks at Amrita tell us that the vast majority of essential oils are grown and produced for the food, perfume or pharmaceutical industries. Unfortunately, these industries focus more on a stable, predictable yield than the botanical purity of their oils. So how do you know you're getting a quality product? Here are some things to look for:

• Botanical Purity
  If you’re new to aromatherapy, it’s important to realize that the words “aromatherapy” and “essential oil” don’t guarantee that you’re getting a botanical product. Potpourri oils, for example, are usually synthetic fragrance products not intended for use on the body. Authentic essential oil will be labeled with botanical information stating both the common plant name and the official botanical nomenclature.
  
  
• Specialization
  Whether you buy at your local health food store or directly from an essential oil producer you should look for oils marketed specifically for use in aromatherapy. Though they’re almost certainly going to be more expensive, these oils are produced with their therapeutic qualities in mind.
  
  
• Opaque Containers
  Opaque containers protect your oils from damaging UV rays. Most
  essential oils are sold in amber or dark blue glass bottles but aluminum bottles are growing in popularity. Bottles should have tight-fitting hard plastic lids—essential oils should never be sold with permeable rubber bulb-droppers already attached.
  
  
• GC Testing
  If you're purchasing in bulk, especially if you’re purchasing directly from a grower, your supplier should make GC (gas chromatography) test results available. CG is a standard test--if a supplier balks at sending you this information or acts offended by your request, look for another supplier.
  
  
• Full-Disclosure Labels
  To assure that you’re buying for a supplier that knows what he’s doing, I recommend only purchasing oils labeled with the following:
  
  
  • Common Name (for example, Peppermint)
  • Botanical Name (for example, Mentha piperita)
  • Plant Part Used (for example, Leaves)
  • Country of Origin (for example, USA)
  • Extraction Method (for example, Distilled)
  • Lot Number (or production date)

Lisa Barger is a traditionally trained naturopath in private practice as a natural health educator. To see our entire collection of reprintable natural health articles and free online classes see our web site at http://www.LisaBarger.com

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