How To Tell if an Essential Oil Is Pure or Fake

Essential oils can be used as an effective way to facilitate relaxation or a means to treat a variety of physical ailments. However, the only way to fully enjoy the many beneficial properties of essential oils is to use real essential oils. Despite what crafty advertisers may lead you to believe, not all glass vials with the words “essential oil” splayed out across the label actually contain real essential oils. In some cases, the contents of such containers are nothing more than scented carrier oils. To ensure you don’t have any imposters in your collection, follow these tips on how to tell if an essential oil is pure or fake.

Look at the Label

Pure essential oils are extracted directly from plants and contain their scent and overall essence. They should not, however, contain anything else. Unfortunately, many pseudo essential oil brands will dilute their products with carrier oils and other substances, which can significantly reduce their effectiveness.

A quick way to determine if a product marketed as an essential oil is fake is to look at its label. If the product contains any ingredients other than the specified essential oil—such as carrier oils, perfumes, fragrances, alcohol, and other synthetics—it is not a pure essential oil product.

Check Out the Container

Another effective tip on how to tell if an essential oil is pure or fake is to simply look at the container it is sold in. If the container is plastic, run in the other direction. When stored in a plastic container, essential oils will slowly eat through the bottle. In addition to forming a leak, essential oils stored in plastic will likely contain plastic particles that will reduce their purity. As such, a plastic container is a dead giveaway that an essential oil product is not pure. The next time you go shopping, opt for an essential oil that’s stored in a glass bottle—preferably one with an amber or blue tint to it to block out harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Is the Deal Too Good To Be True? (Hint: It Is)

If the price tag on an essential oil product is too good to be true, it probably is. As we previously mentioned, some sellers will significantly dilute their products with carrier oils or other substances to reduce production costs. As a result, they may sell their product at a lower cost to compete with other, more expensive essential oil brands. To avoid getting duped into purchasing an over-priced bottle of jojoba oil or coconut oil with a few drops of essential oil in it, consider an unusually low price tag as a red flag.

 

Authored by Inspire Your Journey