Essential Oils: Not All Created Equal

After looking closely at the picture above, you are probably wondering, “how do I know which essential oil is the real deal?”  Because like me, you were probably shocked to see that both of them are labeled 100% pure.  Yet you could clearly see that one of the labels specifies not for internal use and not for topical use.  Well what exactly do you use it for than?  On the other side of the bottle, the label states to add a few drops to an oil ring and place on a light bulb.  So you are not to ingest it, not to apply topically but it’s okay to inhale it? Would you want to inhale it? Inhaling this oil means that it will enter your nasal passages and into your bloodstream, so that could also be categorized as “internal use.”   My point for this post is to show you how to read the label and to know if the product being marketed, truly is 100% pure.

Here is what I came to realize when looking at the difference between both labels.

1. If it comes from a plant source that is edible, the essential oil itself should also be one you can ingest. So look at the two essential oil labels in the picture above.  The one on the left is Clove essential oil from another company, the one on the right is also Clove, this one is from Young Living.  We know that Clove is edible.  Think of some other plants that are edible and than take a look at your essential oils that you have, read the label and see what it says.
2. If the plant is edible and the oil should be also, than what happens if it says “not for internal use,” and/or “not for topical use?”  This should be an immediate warning for you. No matter what the label may say, you can assure yourself that it is not 100% pure.

What Does All of This Mean?

This leaves us with the fact that these are essential oil imposters (my own name for them).  They are chemically concocted and harmful for us.  These chemicals are harmful to us!  They enter into our bodies via the skin, mouth or nose and become stored in our organs. Our bodies are not sure how to process these foreign substances, thus leading to illness and disease. No wonder they add on their label not to ingest or apply topically.  (I would like to say how nice of them, but than again they also falsified the label by saying that it was 100% pure.)

What to Look For

 

(In the above two photos, it shows you that Young Living’s labels peel back.)

1. Clear instructions: the bottle on the left shows the label with clear and specific instructions on how to use for ingestion, inhalation and topical use.  It is a high concentration of that plant source and therefore potent, so the warning label recommends diluting, keeping out of reach of children, not to use on infants and to consult a healthcare practitioner if pregnant or nursing.
2. Supplement Facts: the bottle on the right provides you with information on Daily Value (DV), serving size, servings per container and how many milligrams per serving

Young Living Therapeutic Grade (YLTG) Standard

Young Living is my essential oil company of choice.  They strive for top quality and and have the science to back them up.  They even have their own standard of guidelines they meet from the time they cultivate the ground for planting, to preparation, purity and potency. To read about their standard, click here.

Also, many of Young Living’s essential oils are Kosher-Certified, meaning that the product is fit to use in any application in a manner that conforms to the kosher laws rooted in Biblical and Rabbinic traditions.  These products and the facilities that produce them have been inspected and found to meet strict kosher requirements. For more on this and to see which oils are kosher-certified, click here.

~Young Living is a brand I trust.~

For information on joining Young Living and shopping for top quality, therapeutic grade essential oils, click here.

Remember

Just because the label on the front says pure, organic or anything else, ALWAYS be sure to check the label on the back to know for sure.