Pure Essential Oils: How to Identify Them? - Absolute Aromas (2024)

Pure Essential Oils: How to Identify Them? - Absolute Aromas (1)

24 Mar Pure Essential Oils: How to Identify Them?

You’ll mostly be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing pure essential oils online or in-store. And there are so many brands available, that it is quite difficult to know which ones are poor imitations and fakes.

Quality, however, is of the utmost importance when it comes to essential oils because of the kind of usage involved.

Most likely you’ll be breathing them in via a diffuser or use them for topical applications. Both these uses involve your body. And when it comes to using anything that impacts our body, we must choosesafe and pure ingredients. This ensures minimal risk in terms of allergies and any adverse reactions.

But how do you identify pure essential oils and know them from the fake ones?

Truth is, that several essential oils available online are of low quality. They are often mixed with cheap synthetic scents that make them less effective. And in some cases even potentially harmful. This makes it really vital to distinguish the fake ones from the high-quality ones.

One way is to see if the essential oil is approved by trustworthy organizations. The ATC (Aromatherapy Trade Council), the IFEAT (The International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades), or the Soil Association provide such accreditation.

However, in case the labels or website do not mention such information, here are some ways to verify the quality of essential oils.

Take a whiff

Open the bottle and smell the contents. If the smell underwhelms you or if it feels like a cheap perfume, know that it’s a fake. Training your nose may take a little time, but it’s the best way to identify pure essential oils. Remember: high-grade essential oils give off a natural and soothing scent.

Pure Essential Oils: How to Identify Them? - Absolute Aromas (2)

Read the label carefully

Ideally, the label should say that it’s a 100% pure essential oil. If it says ‘essence oil’ and not ‘essential oil’, know that it’s not pure. Chances are, it is diluted with some carrier oil.

Pure Essential Oils: How to Identify Them? - Absolute Aromas (3)

See if the price is too-good-to-be-true

Essential oil distillation is an expensive affair. Production of pure essential oils is a lot higher than for all other kinds of oils. So if you think you’ve got a steal, it actually could be a red-flag about the quality.

Check the packaging

Any company worth its salt would know that packaging is of prime importance when it comes to essential oils. Poor quality packaging can lead to the quality of the oil suffering. And is a sign that you might be looking at a fake. What you want to look for is, essential oils in dark (amber) bottles.

What can you expect from Absolute Aromas essential oils?

Here at Absolute Aromas, we leave no stone unturned to ensure we give you the purest of essential oils. To ensure the highest quality we have an in-house lab and chemists.

We conduct GC MS testing on-demand to ensure purity. And we have a range of organic oils that the Soil Association, which is the leading certification body in the UK, has certified.

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Pure Essential Oils: How to Identify Them? - Absolute Aromas (2024)

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Pure Essential Oils: How to Identify Them? - Absolute Aromas? ›

The aroma is also decisive to know the purity of essential oils. Pure essential oils have a strong aroma and always smell like the plant they belong to. On the contrary, diluted and low quality essential oils do not smell as much, can cause an itchy nose and have an annoying smell.

How do you know if essential oils are 100% pure? ›

The aroma is also decisive to know the purity of essential oils. Pure essential oils have a strong aroma and always smell like the plant they belong to. On the contrary, diluted and low quality essential oils do not smell as much, can cause an itchy nose and have an annoying smell.

What makes an essential oil absolute? ›

Whereas essential oils are produced by distillation, boiling, or pressing, absolutes are produced through solvent extraction, or more traditionally, through enfleurage.

How to test the purity of essential oils? ›

Instrumental Testing: Gas Chromatography (GC)

The GC-MS component profile is the best way to detect whether an oil is from the correct genus/species, of inferior quality, or if it is adulterated or contaminated with other, less expensive essential oils, fragrance compounds, plasticizers, or other unwanted components.

What is the purest form of essential oils? ›

There is no such thing as “most pure”.. an essential oil is either pure, or it isn't. And an independent lab can test for purity.

What should I look for in pure essential oils? ›

Some important considerations
  • Is the Latin name of the plant provided so that you are sure you are getting the right essential oil? ...
  • Is the name of the country in which the plants were grown provided? ...
  • Is there a statement about purity? ...
  • Is the cost comparable in comparison with other brands of the same essential oil?

What makes a pure essential oil? ›

But what are Pure Essential Oils? Quite simply essential oils are the essence of various plants. Generally, aromatic plants and resins which have been used throughout time and history for their therapeutic, healing and wellbeing properties.

How can you tell if an essential oil is high quality? ›

Simply put, there is no recognized organization that certifies or grades essential oils. Essential oils are only either pure, or impure, and their purity can only be determined through a lab test called a Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry test, or GC/MS for short.

How to make a fragrance absolute? ›

Absolute extraction

Ingredients are submerged in a solvent, such as ethanol or hexane, to release their aroma. The solvent mixture dissolves the aromatic compounds of the plant and releases them into the liquid. The solvent is then removed, leaving behind a fragrant, concentrated mixture known as an absolute.

What is the most powerful essential oil? ›

Frankincense Essential Oil (Boswellia carterii) is one of the most powerful and deeply spiritual essential oils available.

What is the highest grade of essential oils? ›

Grade A oils are pure and therapeutic. These are the most expensive oils because they are made from organically grown plants and distilled numerous times. Grade B oils are “food grade,” meaning they may contain synthetics, pesticides, fertilizers, or carrier oils.

What should a pure essential oil smell like? ›

(True authentic essential oils are potent and don't always smell like you'd expect—they can smell medicinal, raw, deeply earthy, and pungent as well as intensely floral.) Think of a beautiful organic, freshly picked, summer strawberry—the difference in aroma and taste is easily discernable.

How do you extract pure essential oils? ›

Conventional and Advanced Extraction Methods
  1. Distillation. Simple distillation involves boiling water to vapor and allowing the steam to flow through biomass before condensing in a collection vessel. ...
  2. Cold Pressing (also called Expression) ...
  3. Solvent Extraction. ...
  4. Supercritical and Subcritical CO2 Extraction.
Jun 24, 2021

What does 100% pure essential oil mean? ›

100% pure essential oils- High, therapeutic grade

They do not contain any fillers or artificial ingredients and companies producing high grade therapeutic essential oils have very strict quality control.

Which company sells the purest essential oils? ›

Neom. NEOM Organics is a UK-based essential oil brand known for its wide selection of 100% pure essential oils. The brand's tagline reads, “100% natural fragrances to improve your well-being.” NEOM Organics places emphasis on clean sourcing, transparency about ingredients, and sustainable production practices.

How to identify pure lavender oil? ›

If for example, you have a lavender oil that is oil-like, it has most likely been blended in some vegetable or mineral oil. You can always do a quick paper test – a pure essential oil is volatile and should evaporate leaving a faint aroma after a few hours.

Is Doterra essential oils 100% pure? ›

Our Certified Pure Tested Grade (CPTG) protocol involves rigorous testing, including Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, to guarantee that each batch is free from contaminants and additives. This process is a cornerstone of our promise to offer 100% pure essential oils.

What to avoid when buying essential oils? ›

Check the label for terms like "therapeutic grade" or "pure essential oil." Avoid oils that are labeled as "fragrance oil" or "perfume oil," as these often contain artificial fragrances. Botanical Name: Each essential oil comes from a specific plant.

Are 100% pure essential oils safe? ›

Just because it's from a plant doesn't mean it's safe to rub on your skin, or breathe, or eat, even if it's “pure.” Natural substances can be irritating, toxic, or cause allergic reactions. Like anything else you put on your skin, it's best to test a little bit on a small area and see how your skin responds.

What is the difference between synthetic and pure essential oils? ›

While synthetics may mimic the aroma of natural oils, they lack the therapeutic integrity essential for genuine healing. Synthetic oils, often more affordable and deceptively marketed, cannot offer the holistic benefits that come from the pure essence of the plant.

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