Testing the Purity of Your Essential Oils
I have been wondering if there are ways to check the purity of my essential oils. After all, just like everyone else, I want my aromatherapy to be very potent. Essential oils, along with aromatherapy, are also manufactured for fragrances, cosmeceutical, beverages and food, and at least a dozen more industries. This means, there are different oil qualities available in the market.
Nonetheless, the standard quality for aromatherapy use is the most popular. Higher quality essential oils means it is more expensive. This is the basic reason why some manufacturers are tempted to alter their products. The thing is, when oil is adulterated, it becomes less effective in aromatherapy.
I always want to become a smart customer, so like any other purchase, I researched on how I can ensure that I am getting essential oils that are 100% pure for my essential oil diffuser. In the world of aromatherapy, it is difficult to assess essential oil quality using the naked eye. Thankfully, there are now ways to know if the essential oils you bought is pure or not.
GC/MS Testing
There are a number of quantifiable testing methods available for manufacturers, researchers, and consumers to check the purity of essential oils. GC/MS is short for Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy Testing. Mass Spectrometry helps in the recognizing the ingredients of an essential oil measured within Gas Chromatography. These are two different testing methods done together to identify the oil’s constituents.
A small sample of essential oil is placed in the GC and is allowed to vaporize. Each constituent will vaporize at a different speed and pass through a special detector which will measure the amount of concentration for each ingredient. The same sample will also be fed to the MS, which will ionize and analyze the different constituents. The results will be specificfor each. One can simply use a guide (some are published in essential oil books) to check for purity. A GC/MS tester may come with a price, but you can always ask a local chemistry lab to help you out with the testing.
The Blot Test
The blot testing is something that you can easily do at home. Although it is not “fool proof”, meaning not every essential oil will give an exact result, it is quick and inexpensive. The blot test is done by placing a drop of oil on an absorbent piece of paper. After about 8-12 hours, pure essential oils will evaporate and will not leave any greasy spots.
There are some oils which will not completely work with the blot testing method due to its natural makeup (tint). If you will be testing an essential oil that has a natural tint, the paper will not be greasy, but certain colors may be left behind.
For me, knowing the purity of the essential oils that I use is imperative. I personally take small steps, making sure I get only the best oils for my aromatherapy habits. You can also follow these steps to improve your buying habits:
- Buy from trusted manufacturers – you will not only support their business, you also promote integrity in the industry.
- Scrutinize the labels – although labels may not say much, some manufacturers take the time to include approval of world class agencies on their logos. For example, check for approval from ISO or AFNOR. Also, essential oils which are not pure should be included in the label.
- Cheap Oils, Cheap Results – Don’t get me wrong here, high quality oils will almost always come with a certain price. Rare oils are even more expensive. You should worry if expensive oils like Agarwood oil is affordable; most likely they are already diluted.