Different Grades of Essential Oils

There are 4 Grades of Essential Oils
There are 4 grades of essential oils, listed here from highest quality to lowest.  Be sure to check the label to see what is in the bottle of oil you buy so you know what you are buying.  Also check the company website or brochure to find out what kinds of oils they sell, the country of origin, whether it is organic, etc.. 

Only the highest grade - Therapeutic Grade - essential oils have the benefits listed. The others are just for fragrance, candles or cleaning and are not part of Aromatherapy since they have no therapeutic benefits.

 
Grade A - Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils are the highest quality esential oils, and usually obtained from organically grown plants.  These are  very carefully harvested, handled and distilled at the proper temperature to preserve the many delicate and powerful properties.  The composition and fragrance of true essential oils vary slightly from bottle to bottle because of the variables in Nature -- the species of plant, their location, elevation, the amount of rain and sunshine and how they were harvested. Therapeutic essential oils are the pure plant oils and do not contain any fillers or carrier oils. For example, Lavender Essential Oil should only contain 100% pure essential oil, no carrier oil, no artificial fragrance. Therapeutic grade essential oils cost more than fragrance oils, but you are gettingt the genuine essential oil, not a chemically created imitation. The label should indicate that it is therapeutic grade.

Floral Waters - are not essential oils at all but are created as a natural byproduct of the distillation process as the oils from the plant are separated from the water. Floral waters can be wonderful products for skin and hair care if they are high quality from a quality distillation process. In this case they would still contain many therapeutic properties but not as many as true essential oils. Low quality floral waters are the result of a chemical distillation or extraction process.

Grade B Oils - Food Grade - are used extensively by the Food Industry for flavoring, cooking, candies, chewing gum, confection, baking and other foods as well as toothpaste, mouthwash, losenges, and flavors for cough and cold remedies and childrens medicines (grape flavored cough syrup, anyone?)

Food grade (and perfume grade) oils are often extracted by heat or chemicals .and may contain synthetics, pesticides, fertilizers, extenders, or carrier oils. These are created in the lab from a combination of natural extracts and synthetics. Food Grade oils used as flavorings (lemon or peppermint, for example) are less expensive than true essential oils and often contain synthetics, fillers, carrier oils, alcohol and other ingredients. You will find these in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Vanilla extract is a good example - it can be artificial vanilla or natural vanilla from the vanilla bean but both contain alcohol and other ingredients. Food grade oils have no therapeutic benefits and are not part of aromatherapy.

Grade C - Perfume Grade Oils and Fragrance Oils - are not essential oils at all but synthetic and chemical blends created in the lab for a specific fragrance. In the early years of perfumery, the French creators used true essential oils for their blends but found that their fragrances using plant oils would vary from batch to batch. As the demand for designer perfumes grew, they needed a standardized product that always smelled the same. So they turned to chemistry to create recipies for standardized perfumes with specific fragrances.

Perfumes are strong blends of natural and artificial fragrances plus alcohol that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA to wear on the skin. Perfume oils that are extracted from flowers and plants with chemical solvents result in a higher yield of oil per harvest, but no therapeutic value. They are created for specific fragrance only. Perfume blends, especially the top designer fragrances can command a much higher price than other fragrances used for bath and body products, lotions, soaps, candles and home-scented products.

Synthetic fragrances are used extensively in the health and beauty industry for body and bath products - shampoo & conditioner and thousands of hair & styling products, hand and body lotions,skin care products, bath oils, bath and hand soap, bath gels, salts and washes, children's bubble bath, deodorants, personal care products, feminine products, men's colonge and after shave, and every lotion and potion on the store shelves. These are also considered GRAS - generally recognized as safe by the FDA to use on the skin, however some of the hundreds of common addidives (sodium laurel sulfate and others) may cause slkin sensitivity. Check the label to see what is in your products and if there are any cautions or warnings.

Synthetic fragrances are added to a wide variety of home products, laundry detergent, fabric softeners and all the variety of household soaps and cleaners. Fragrance oils are also used expensively in pet products including shampoos, coat conditioners, sprays, grooming products, cat litter, etc... to appeal to the pet owner, not the pet.

You can buy fragrance oils designed for making candles and porpourri but they have no therapeutic value and most have a warning on the label not to use them on the skin at all. Fragrance oils may smell pleasant and may resemble the smell of the pure botanical oils (i.e. rose, lavender or other florals) but they do not contain the complex chemical components of true essential oils. Fragrance oils do not have any medicinal properties and are not part of aromatherapy.

Industrial Grade Oils - are the lowest grade of oils extracted from plants with chemicals and mixed with chemicals and solvents used to gain a higher yield of oil per harvest. This grade of oils are used for the basis of many household products - a wide variety of strong cleaning products and floor cleaners, some which are harsh on the skin and require the use of gloves. Industrial oils are also added to floor and furniture waxes, bleach, furniture polish, floor cleaners.

Some are strong industrial cleaners - some pine based, and others are citrus based (citrus de-greasers) used for heavy industrial cleaning, floors and de-greasing machinery. These must be used with caution and care, many advise using in a well ventilated area with gloves.

Note that outdoor citronella candles and cirtonella torch oils are made from a strong industrial grade citronella oil which may repell misquotoes but has no therapeutic value. This grade of citronella oil CANNOT be used in any natural insect repellant recipe that you may make.

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What are Carrier Oils?
These are commonly used in massage oils, skin oils and lotions for the skin. They are light, very nourishing for the skin and high in anti-oxidants. Some recipes on this website call for carrier oils in skin products since you will be suing just a few drops of essential oils in the recipe.

There are various qualities of carrier oils available - look for the highest quality available. These should be 100% pure and natural so there are no additives, preservatives, pesticides or chemical solvents (like those commonly found in hydrogenated oils like cottonseed and others).

You can buy some organic oils in the cooking section of a natural food store that would be good carrier oils. Buy organic if at all possible, in a very small quantity (4-6 oz) and use within a few months. Store in a cool place. Carrier oils can go rancid in heat and do not have a long shelf life without preservatives.

Carrier Oils:

Almond (sweet) Oil - hydrating, nourishing, beneficial for dry skin.

Apricot Kernel Oil - Rich in vitamin A, nourishing, great for all skin types.

Emu Oil - penetrating & excellent for arthritis, burns, stretch marks, skin conditions. If you are a vegetarian - note that this is an animal product.

Grapeseed Oil - light and beneficial for those with oily skin, sensitive skin or acne.

JoJoba Oil - simiilar to the natural oils of human skin. Excellent and gentle for all skin types. Very nourishing and absorbs well.

Sunflower - High in vitamins, may feel oily but absorbes quickly.