Essential Oil Quality, Standards, and Safety Part 3: Testing, Verification, and Criteria for Determining “Good Quality” and “Pure” Essential Oil

What Are “Quality Essential Oils?”

Finding high-quality essential oils can be challenging due to differing opinions on what factors are important in evaluating them and the lack of regulation of their purity. Recently, I began a series aiming to clarify the criteria for identifying good quality essential oils for both new and experienced users.

Part I reviewed:

• The factors that influence how people choose their preferred essential oils brands.
• My aim to remain brand-neutral to emphasize the science of essential oils and appeal to a broader audience.
• The essential oils used in research which prioritize standardizing essential oils to active constituents, with little information on the quality and purity of the oil.

Part 2 discussed the standards and regulations of essential oils. Below are some highlights:

• The quality of essential oils can be altered by their production, manufacturing, and distribution.
• Essential oils in the United States are not regulated for standards, quality, or purity, but they are monitored for label accuracy and adverse events.
• Two main global network organizations (ISO and AFNOR) have established standards for hundreds of oils based on consensus of agreed upon percentages of active constituents.
• Standardized essential oils do not imply that these oils are high quality or pure.
• High quality or pure essential oils may not be standardized.

Now, in Part 3, I end the series by exploring the characteristics I use when choosing quality essential oils. Topics include:

• My initial considerations for choosing quality essential oils
• Ensuring quality control from seed to label
• Verification testing
• Certificates of Analysis: what are their guarantees and limitations?
• The safe use of essential oils

Click here to access the full video and additional resources.

By working together to achieve high standards, accessibility, sustainability, safety, and better education of essential oils, all oilers can unite to be a powerful force for healing.

I’d love to hear from you on how you feel about essential oil quality and what your favorite oils are in the comments!

Thank you so much for taking the time to learn how to nurture your mind, body, heart, and soul.

Sending you many blessings. ❤