AROMATHERAPY -
Chapter VI Adulteration; Dilution of Essential Oilsby Deborah
Dolen
Excerpt How to Make Perfume and Aromatherapy Basics Copyright ©
Deborah Dolen 2011 This e-book is available in full version on Amazon
Kindle and Barnes
and Noble Nook. By Deborah Dolen Mabel White
Adulteration and dilution of essential oils to increase profit, like
anything in today’s society, brokers are looking for a way to save a
buck and stretch a penny. The area of essential oils is no different,
and in fact, not regulated. All you can do is buy from a reputable
'house' who is published and would risk their reputation if they were
ever caught cutting the product. When a company has a large customer
base, you know those customers are educated and would just 'know' if
standards began falling. I do buy from such a company who services the
big name Perfume & Flavour houses. Flavour cannot be adulterated with
low end chemicals or it would be obvious very fast. It took me several
years to secure that supplier, because few people want to reveal their
source. I also secured a few more back-up suppliers in 2007 so I am
not dependent on the great price fluctuations of my first supplier.
Even if a vendor did not lower standards, often they have no clue if
the broker they bought from did dilute. The country of origin is
typically the first consideration.
Natural health food stores? You
can forget it. Most are 10% EO and the rest carrier oil. The following
are some examples of what has gone on in the industry circa ten years
ago: Today much of the lavender oil sold in the US is from the hybrid
called 'lavadin', grown and distilled in China, Russia, France, and
Tasmania. It's brought into France where it is cut with synthetic
linalyl acetate to improve the fragrance. Then, propylene glycol, DEP,
or DOP (solvents that have no smell but add volume) are added. From
there it's sold in the US as lavender oil. Often lavandin is heated to
evaporate the camphor, and then is further adulterated with synthetic
linalyl acetate. Most consumers don’t know the difference and are
happy to buy this type of lavender oil for $7 to $10 per half ounce in
health food stores, beauty salons, grocery and department stores, and
through mail order. This is one of the reasons why it's very important
to know about the integrity of the company or vendor from which you
purchase your essential oils. Another great example of a commonly
adulterated oil is Frankincense. The Frankincense resin that is sold
in Somalia costs between $30,000 and $35,000 per ton. A great deal of
time, 12 hours or more, is required to properly steam-distill this
essential oil from the resin, making Frankincense essential oil
extremely expensive.
Frankincense essential oil that sells for $25 per ounce or less is
cheaply distilled with gum resins, alcohol, or other solvents, thus
leaving the essential oil laden with harmful chemicals. Sadly, when
these cut, synthetic and adulterated oils cause rashes, burns, or
other irritations, people wonder why they have not gotten the benefit
they had expected and then conclude that essential oils don’t have
much value. Some commercial statistics show that one large US
corporation uses twice as much of a particular essential oil than is
grown and produced in the entire world! Where are these 'phantom'
essential oils coming from? In France, production of true lavender oil
(Lavendula angustifolia) dropped from 87 tons in 1967 to only 12 tons
in 1998. During this same period the worldwide demand for lavender oil
grew over 100 percent. Where did essential oil marketers obtain enough
lavender to meet the demand? They probably used a combination of
synthetic and adulterated oils. There are huge chemical companies on
the east coast of the US that specialize in creating synthetic
chemicals that mimic every common essential oil. For every kilogram of
pure essential oil that is produced, it is estimated there are between
10 and 100 kilograms of synthetic created.
Adulterated and mislabeled essential oils present dangers for
consumers. One woman who had heard of the ability of Lavender to heal
burns used 'lavender oil' purchased from her local health food store
when she spilled boiling water on her arm. The pain intensified and
the burn worsened, so later she complained that lavender oil was
worthless for healing burns. When her lavender oil was analyzed, it
was found to be lavadin, the hybrid lavender that is chemically very
different from pure Lavendula angustifolia. Lavandin contains high
levels of camphor (12-18 percent) and can itself burn the skin. In
contrast, true lavender contains virtually no camphor and has
burn-healing agents not found in lavadin. Adulterated oils that are
cut with synthetic extenders can be very detrimental, causing rashes,
burning, and skin irritations. Petrochemical solvents, such as
dipropylene glycol and diethylphthalate, can all cause allergic
reactions, besides being devoid of any therapeutic benefits. Some
people assume that because an essential oil label states that the
essential oil is '100% pure' that it will not burn their skin. This is
not true. Some pure essential oils may cause skin irritation if
applied undiluted. Like Oregano, when applied to the skin of some
people, may cause severe reddening. Citrus and spice oils, like
Orange, Clove, and Cinnamon, may also produce rashes. Even the
terpenes in conifer oils, like Pine, may cause irritation in some
people. Some writers have claimed that a few compounds, when isolated
from the essential oil and tested in the lab, can exert toxic effects.
Even so-called 'Nature Identical' essential oils (structured essential
oils that have been chemically duplicated using 5 to 15 of the
essential oil’s primary chemical compounds in synthetic form) can
produce unwanted side effects or toxicities. Isolated compounds may be
toxic. However, pure essential oils, in most cases, are not. This is
because natural essential oils that are properly steam-distilled
contain hundreds of different compounds, some of which balance and
counteract each others effects. Another example is the following: Many
tourists in Egypt are eager to buy local essential oils, especially
lotus oil. Vendors convince tourists that the oils are 100 percent
pure, going so far as to touch a lighted match to the neck of the oil
container to show that the oil is not diluted with alcohol or other
petrochemical solvents. However, this test provides no reliable
indicator of purity. Many synthetic compounds can be added to an
essential oil that are not flammable, including propylene glycol. Or
flammable solvents can be added to a vegetable base that will cause it
to catch fire. Some natural essential oils that are high in terpenes
can be flammable. A great example is Orange essential oil which in
amounts over 32 ounces are considered hazardous. More flammable than
in amounts under 32 ounces. These cases do not mean every company in
France dilutes. Certain brokers get a 'name' and are not around long.
In purchasing we generally know who is doing what and it is an ever
revolving door. We actually prefer Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, and the U.S.. Ways to Test Essential Oil Quality Gas
Chromatography / Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS) is the most frequently used
technique for analyzing essential oil composition. This method of
testing requires an analytical component, a gas chromatograph, coupled
with a detection component, a mass spectrometer. Since this is quite
costly, let’s explore some other ways to test the quality of essential
oils. Reviewing the “source” is the first thing to consider. Some
countries are infamous for putting out low end essential oils. If it
is coming from a local health food store, you can be 90% sure it is
diluted. Knowing what they should look and smell like is the second
most viable way to assess. Our students can secure little sample vials
of the most popular just to keep on hand as a point of reference.
~Revised by Deborah Dolen Group 7.18.2008 via Wiki.
Excerpt How to Make Perfume and Aromatherapy Basics Copyright ©
Deborah Dolen 2011 This e-book is available in full version on Amazon
Kindle and Barnes
and Noble Nook. By Deborah Dolen Mabel White