Aroma & Fragrance - CAUTION!
What do you think about when you hear the word aroma or the word fragrance?
Beautiful fresh smells
Heavenly floral scents
Vanilla candles
Your favourite skincare & personal care products
Your precious perfume
More and more people are becoming aware of the dangers behind the words aroma and fragrance. If you aren’t aware or a little confused, let me help you understand this a little more deeply.
I have researched this during the course of the last 12 years due to my child having major personal care product intolerances, and then my own cancer journey.
In fact, when I asked why I got it the type of cancer I had, when otherwise healthy, no doctor could explain, except the last one I asked - who said go home and look through the personal care, skin care, and makeup products you use. I’m sure you’ll find your answer there.
She was correct - EVERY SINGLE PRODUCT I had been using had at least 1 ingredient (most had many) linked to cancer, and one ingredient that was throughout all of them - fragrance/parfum/perfume.
When you use a product that has an ‘aroma’ to it, or the word ‘fragrance’ or even sometimes these days the words ‘made with essential oils’ you really need to do a little more homework. Gone are the days when we could just blindly trust.
These ‘aromas' are commonly found in:
Skin Care
Scented Candles
Makeup
Scented Soaps and Creams
Scented Massage Oils
Laundry detergent
Room Sprays
Perfumes
Car air fresheners
Shampoos & Conditioners
Children’s perfumes
Lotions
Baby products and so many more
Let’s take a look through some of the most common terms used when it comes to aroma and fragrance relating to essential oils.
Aroma through Essential Oils
You only need to look at your local thrift store, or supermarket, or products made in private homes to see that this type of product has had a resurgence in popularity.
Unfortunately, as with all things that become hugely popular everyone wants a piece of the pie. Because these are going on and in your body, it is particularly important that you use a company that specialises in their creation.
In this arena, unfortunately, there are now so many different ways of interpreting:
Fragrance Oils vs Essential Oils vs Pure/Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils vs ‘Certified’ Therapeutic Essential Oils vs ‘Pure’ Essential Oils
Yes, there most definitely is a big difference between all of these!
Fragrance Oils
Whilst you may be imagining they are coming from beautiful lavender fields, they are actually coming from a lab, or simply an essential oil that has not been diffused to the standards of pure essential oils, and therefore cheaper to create. These synthetic versions of these oils are created because they hold their fragrance longer, and can contain up to 100 chemical ingredients. This means if you have skin or fragrance sensitivities you are using a chemical cocktail that could cause a reaction, and you will never know which ingredient it is because each ingredient doesn’t have to be listed. On the labels of your cosmetics and personal care products you will be looking for the words perfume, parfum, fragrance or fragrance oil.
Essential Oils
Make of natural materials, however, we need to break the different interpretations of these down even further.
● Essential Oil - the very basic of labelling. Look past the pretty labels, and the basic wording and determine whether they are truly are an essential oil in the true sense of the word. They usually are fragrance type oils only.
● Certified Essential Oils - this is a marketing term. There is no certification body in the essential oil industry. So can’t be used as an indication of purity.
● ‘Pure’ Essential Oils - This can be the real deal (see below) or again be ‘greenwashed’ labelling. Meaning a clever way to make us believe it is totally pure. You will need to investigate further and ask the manufacturer questions.
So what should you look out for?
● Pure or Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils - made of natural materials and correctly distilled to receive maximum benefits. Quality over Quantity. Shelf life should be unlimited if a single oil or the life expectancy of the carrier oil if a blend. If your essential oil has a ‘use-by’ date and it is a single oil, there is something else in that bottle other than the pure essential oil.
If you are using a product that contains essential oils, or want the best essential oils to inhale or use, ask questions BEFORE you purchase it.
Where are they grown? Can I visit?
How are they distilled?
How are the fields weeded?
The answers should be:
At ‘xyz’ farm, and yes you can visit!
In food-grade stainless steel distillers, at low temperatures, for the exact time needed for this particular plant to ensure all constituents are present for the best
benefits for you.
By hand. No chemicals used on or near this farm. Ever.
Any answers other than these are not showing full transparency, and when you are using something that is going on and in your body - including through inhalation - you need to be so incredibly careful. The answers can also indicate that the manufacturer is trusting a broker/middle man, someone between the grower and the manufacturer, who may not have accurate information about the quality because they can't see it first hand, they aren't working the land.
Personally, I prefer to trust the original essential oil company, which is testing while the plants are still in the ground, right up to the bottling stage. Plus one that promises that if at any stage the oils do not reach gold standard, they are discarded.
Do your research! - It’s CRITICAL!
In over 13 years of using essential oils, I have never found another company that has the full transparency of the one I originally found. I have complete peace of mind using it on myself, my children and pets. I can also visit their farms and you can see to the right I am doing just that - I'm at a beautiful Helichrysum farm in Croatia.
So, my advice, make this whole minefield easy on yourself. You can either use my 12 years of research and trust my judgement or dig a little deeper yourself. Whilst it can be overwhelming listening to, and reading all the research, my basic advice is to follow closely the 3 points below and find a company that has totally transparency in these areas:
A company that owns their own farms and has a program to help farmers become partner farms, that work under the same standards required for their own farms. You also should be able to visit these farms.
A company with in-house highly trained scientists, and labs you can visit. As well as third party world-class labs verifying the results of the in-house labs.
A ‘pure’ essential oil company, not another that was formed off the coattails of one, or adding essential oils to their usual product line because they are ‘hot right now.
Why does this matter?
Because you matter. Your family matters. Your pets matter. Your babies matter. Your health matters.
What if the company is one of ‘those MLM companies', I hear some of you asking. Well, it can actually, be a great advantage! The original essential oil company, which has been thriving for 25 years, uses this model because those who use the products are the best to share their benefits. This approach also allows the company to reinvest funds typically spent on marketing and sales into their farms and product quality, ensuring you get the very best. As long as the products are pure, clean, and safe, the retail model is just a detail.
As I've mentioned not all essential oils are the same. For example lookout for companies with oils specially designed for your pets, or for oils designed for your wellness that have been listed with the Therapeutic Goods Adminstration (TGA) in Australia, or who have over-the-counter products available that are also listed with the FDA in the USA. Again, whilst you may find some listed with these bodies, you still need to do your own research into how they are planted, grown and distilled because this is the most important element.
If you would like more information on the brand I choose click here. I can honestly tell you these changed my daughter's life, my life, and I have 100% faith and peace of mind that they are the purest.
So, now you know better, you can choose better. Remember, you are the gatekeeper of your own home.
Naomi Dyer is a Bestselling Author, International Speaker, Internationally Certified Results Coach, entrepreneur, and cancer survivor. She's a beacon of resilience and empowerment, whose journey through adversity inspires audiences worldwide.
If you would like to learn more, see her story, or book her to speak at your event visit www.naomidyer.com.au
