What are essential oils - and is it safe to use them?

What are essential oils -
and is it safe to use them?

By Hanne

I have been talking about essential oils and their use from time to time here on the blog and on my other channels. In this article, I’ll go through more about what essential oils are and can they be used safely. I will also reveal why I have chosen to use doTERRA’s essential oils.

What are essential oils -
and is it safe to use them?

Essential oils come from nature, and their volatile aromatic compounds provide extensive support for overall well-being. The chemical composition of volatile aromatic compounds in essential oils allows them to spread quickly into the air. And this is one of the reasons you can recognize the aroma of the essential oil as soon as you open the bottle.

How do essential oils work? The rapid movement of volatile aromatic compounds in the air allows the scent to be detected almost immediately. Over 3,000 volatile aromatic compounds have been discovered to date, and it is essential to note that these compounds greatly determine the benefits, aroma, and character of each essential oil. Because of its unique chemical composition, each essential oil varies from species to species and even from plant to plant. The delicate ratio of aromatic components present in each essential oil makes it unique and gives it special benefits.

Essential Oils are Not a New Trend

The history of essential oils is long, although some consider essential oils to be a new trend. The use of plant extracts and plant-based products is deeply rooted in ancient traditions. Ancient civilizations used plants for aromatherapy, personal care, health care practices, religious ceremonies, beauty treatments, and cooking.

Therefore, the use of essential oils is a very long-standing tradition that began centuries ago around the world. I’ll give you a few examples. The Egyptians used plant-based products in beauty care and cooking. In ancient Greece, Homer and Hippocrates studied the aromatic uses of plants based on early Egyptian discoveries. And Romans used plant extracts as an addition to massages, perfumes, and scented baths. In India, Ayurvedic medicine, a holistic healing system native to India, has developed over 5,000 years and includes the use of aromatic and plant compounds.

How are Essential Oils Made?

It is important to note that not all essential oils are equal when using essential oils. Oil purity can vary in many different ways depending on location, distillation method, weather, and other factors.

No matter how well the plant is harvested, cared for, and harvested, the quality can either be preserved or destroyed during the distillation process. Therefore, distillers must be precise and pay special attention to harvesting methods, temperatures, distillation time, and the amount of pressure used.

How does a Plant Transform into an Essential Oil?

The exact process of making an essential oil varies depending on the type of plant the oil comes from. However, the basic idea is that the plants go through a specific distillation process using special machines to extract the essential oil from the parts of the plant—the essential oil hides in different parts of the plant, often in minimal amounts. During the distillation process, the machinery separates the essential oil from the original part of the plant. For example, machines separate the essential oil from the fruit’s peel when producing citrus oils.

The Use of Essential Oils Today

Although essential oils and plant extracts have been used for centuries, essential oils still have meaningful uses. With advances in technology, quality, effectiveness, and safety improvements, essential oils are becoming more accessible and easier to use in everyday life. We also have more and more scientific evidence and research showing the effectiveness and safety of essential oils in our modern age.

People used essential oils and plant parts in ancient times to improve their health and well-being. Because one can use essential oils in so many different ways, they have long been a popular choice for those looking to maintain well-being.

The use of essential oils as a supporter of holistic well-being is popular because it allows users to customize their oils according to their wishes and needs instead of settling for a generic solution.

The Safety of Essential oils

Once you know what essential oils are and where they come from, it is an excellent time to learn how to use them. You don’t have to be an oil expert in using oils; with the help of basic information, you can find your own daily oil use routines and thus enjoy the many benefits of oils.

If you want to learn more about oils, you can contact me, and I will tell you more.

How do I use essential oils safely? There has been a lot of talk about the safety of essential oils. The general opinion is that essential oils can only be used aromatically, for example, in a diffuser. At this point, I have a question; why, for example, shouldn’t lemon oil be used internally? Why can’t it be used internally if it’s a 100% natural and PURE essential oil? After all, we eat lemons and use lemon peel in baking and cooking. Purity and transparency is the reason why I have chosen doTERRA oils.

There are, e.g., doctors in doTERRA’s management, and doTERRA oils are also used in hospitals. doTERRA’s research activities and researchers collaborate with universities and hundreds of hospitals worldwide. Everyone can check the purity of each bottle of doTERRA oil from their very own bottle, and the tests are done for the company by a third external test group.

doTERRA's Co-impact Sourcing Model

Did you know that there are no regulations on essential oils in Europe? So no one is responsible for what’s in the bottle. An essential oil you buy at your local grocery store, wellness store, online store, or other online business may be said to be 100% pure when it may just as well be 100% synthetic. Or it may have small amounts of essential oil mixed with other diluent oils, chemicals, and who knows what else.

Why doesn’t doTERRA own its own farms? The place where the oils grow is everything. Where the plant grows changes the chemical composition of the plant itself, allowing you to achieve the therapeutic benefits you desire. DoTERRA’s important motto is “We don’t buy farms, we build farmers,” thus empowering small farmers worldwide.

doTERRA sources essential oils from over 45 countries and is committed to positively impacting the lives of farmers and distillers who contribute to its essential oil production worldwide. doTERRA works with suppliers and farmers to change lives, improve communities, eliminate middlemen, and end the exploitation of smallholder farmers worldwide. doTERRA’s Co-impact sourcing model enables whole communities to be strengthened.

Altering essential oils is everywhere. doTERRA has developed a testing chain far exceeding the industry standard in scope. More than 54 different tests are performed from start to finish, and 11 of these are entirely fulfilled by a third-party testing team on each oil batch to ensure the oil’s pure quality and efficiency. Everyone can find the oil test number on the bottom of each bottle, and each owner of the oil bottle can then check the test results.

The Use of Essential Oils

I use essential oils every day in many different ways. For example, I have made body oils from oils (essential oil mixed with, e.g., coconut or sesame oil) and even perfume. I’m a little saddened by the bad reputation of essential oils that rears its head from time to time when, e.g., “generally accepted” perfumes are sprayed on the skin without questioning what they contain and how they affect the body.

As said above, many impure oils are also on the market, from which the exact origin cannot be known. In general, one should treat the usage of essential oils the same way as everything else in today’s world. To find out about the origin, dig a little deeper. If you find, e.g., rose oil for €30 or less, you can be sure that it is not 100% pure essential oil.

Essential oils can support holistic well-being in many different ways, and if you want to move towards a more natural life, they are the right place to start your journey.

Did you already know what essential oils are? If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them.

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Hi, I'm Hanne

I am a yoga instructor and personal trainer dedicated to holistic wellbeing and natural living. On my blog, I share insights and practical tips to help you find balance and harmony in your life.