In light of recent events, essential oils have become the talk of the town. Indeed, essential oils can play a powerful role in promoting wellness - be it boosting your immune system, cleansing and purifying the air of our surrounding, or doing the tough job of helping us to relax and unwind during this stressful period. But do you know everything to harness the healing powers of these liquid gold?
It is already challenging to discern quality, natural essential oils from the plethora of options available on the market. Further, the online fervour raised by enthusiastic advertising campaigns and multilevel marketing strategies that capitalise on the recent COVID-19 situation has made it more difficult to decipher when essential oil products make a great choice for enhanced health and wellness -- and the proper ways to use them.
Using essential oils and products safely and effectively requires basic knowledge about what they are, how they work, and how they can be safely incorporated into daily life. This is because essential oils can be powerful medicine — and irresponsible use means risking overexposure, toxicity, and allergic reactions. Here is what you need to know to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy while sidestepping potential dangers.
1. Dilute, dilute, dilute.
Most essential oils should never be used undiluted on the skin. As hand sanitizers are sold out everywhere, we have seen some netizens making the erroneous claim that essential oils are readily available alternatives. This can set you up for sensitization and allergic reactions. Why is that so? The short answer is that the antiseptic and purifying qualities of essential oils are attributed to its intrinsic toxic potential, and toxicity does not discriminate between bacteria, virus and skin cell. Don't get us wrong, essential oils are considered very safe, but knowing how to use is key to harness its intrinsic benefits without all the bad stuff.
Essential oils should always be diluted with a carrier oil — not with water or a different non-oil-based liquid because the two will not mix. When mixing with a carrier oil, opt for jojoba or fractionated coconut oil because of their long shelf life. Avoid sweet-almond oil for long-term use as it will go rancid quickly.
2. It pays to invest.
Quality matters, and in the case of essential oils, the price almost always reflects the quality. It takes 10,000 pounds of actual rose-petal blossoms to make one pound of rose essential oil. That is expensive from a labour and raw-materials standpoint, and it is a big incentive for unethical producers who hope to lure in customers with lower price points. Some producers assume the average consumer will not possibly know if an oil has been diluted with olive oil or mixed with something else.
At atomi, we only sell natural essentials oils that are 100% pure and made in Japan so that you get the best quality and reap the most benefits from these liquid gold.
Our essential oils come in different aroma blends - and each has its own functions and benefits, depending on what you need.
3. But I Already Have Some Bottles of Essential Oils at Home. How Do I Test Its Purity?
Paying more helps safeguard against purchasing an oil that has been cut with cheaper ingredients, but what if you already have existing bottles sitting at home? The good news is that there is a simple way for you to find out the purity of an essential oil. Start by placing a drop on a piece of white paper. If there is a grease stain on the paper after 24 hours have elapsed, the oil has been diluted with a carrier oil. If it is pure, it will evaporate. You might see the faintest ring, but nothing more.
4. Don't Fall For Marketing Ploys
In light of the recent COVID-19 situation, it is indeed tempting to gravitate towards anything that carries the label "medical grade" or "clinical grade" as we usually associate these with "top quality" in the market. The bad news is, these labels are often nothing more than a marketing ploy. There is no authority administering the issuance of these labels, and they do not have any meaning regarding quality assessment.
5. I Want to Use My Essential Oils with a Diffuser. But There Are So Many!
Yes, we agree that the variation of diffusers on the market is 10000 too many. This is due to the fact that there are numerous methods of diffusing essential oils and many essential oil diffusers available to choose from. They range from very inexpensive to quite expensive; they also range from very effective to completely ineffective.
We have summarized the essential points that you need to know to get the right diffuser. Knowledge is power and when it concerns the power of essential oils, the more you know, the healthier you can be.
There are 4 main types of essential oil diffusers on the market:
- Evaporative Diffusers
- These models usually use a small fan that blows air past the oil, causing it to evaporate at a faster rate than normal.
- As the essential oil evaporates, the lighter components will disperse faster than heavier components, making it difficult to get the complete benefits of the oils. Evaporative essential oil diffusers are typically the least expensive and are good for those who just want a burst of freshness on occasion.
- Heat Diffusers
- These diffusers work in the same way as evaporative diffusers that use a fan to release the essential oils, but they use heat instead. They are relatively inexpensive and quiet, but they can change the chemical composition of your oils when they are heated.
- Ultrasonic or Humidifying Diffusers
- These diffusers use electronic frequencies to create ultrasonic vibrations that break up the molecules for distribution. As they use a mixture of water and essential oil, you will be diluting the potency of the essential oil upon use.
- Because essential oil is corrosive to plastic, you need to clean your ultrasonic or humidifying diffuser regularly to keep it running smoothly.
- Nebulizing Diffusers, like our made-in-japan Aroma Essential Air Diffuser
- Nebulizing diffusers are often seen as the best type of diffusers for many reasons.
- They do not require heat, water, and contain no plastic.
- It works by using pressurized air and oil - a stream of air blows across a small tube, creating a vacuum that draws the oil to the surface of the tube where it is blown away in a fine mist. Many of them can be used with timers that can be set for a burst of essence at just the right moment, but you might just choose to fill it and forget it.
- Perhaps even more important than the ease-of-use is the way that nebulizing diffusers distribute the product evenly and completely adjustable. For those who use essential oils for their physical and mental health and wellbeing, or those who practice aromatherapy, this is the type of essential oil diffuser to purchase because it can put a large amount of oil into the air when you need it the most.