Essential Oils – What to Look for when Buying

by | Mar 19, 2019 | Aromapothecary

I recently did The Allergy Show at the SEC in Glasgow and had a lot of people looking at the essential oils and asking questions about oils that they had bought and advice on what to look for when buying them. So I thought it would be helpful to give some information on this at this subject here.

Citronella Organic Essential Oil

 We will examine what to look for when buying essential oils to ensure that you are getting the best therapeutic quality.


1.  Essential oils should be in a dark coloured glass bottle to protect from light.
2. There should be a dropper to dispense the oils safely. 
3. If you see the words fragrance oil or similar, it is probably a synthetic blend not a pure essential oil and so will have no therapeutic value. Look for ‘essential oil’ on the label.
4. Price is another likely indicator of quality, if all the oils in the shop or online are the same price, again they are unlikely to be of therapeutic grade.  Due to the hugely diverse nature of:  method of extraction; availability/success of harvest; the quantity of the plant required to make an essential oil,  prices will be widely different.  Sweet orange – easily obtained and extracted by expression, is more economic, whereas  rose needs around 4,000kg of petals to obtain1 kg of oil, and so is at the upper end of the price scale.
5. The latin name of the plant (and any chemotypes, if relevant) should appear on the label on the bottle, this is important as there are many different varieties of some oils, eg lavender & eucalyptus, that have varying therapeutic uses and safety considerations.
6. Check the best before date – citrus oils (and some others) have shorter shelf lives, while base note oils such as patchouli have longer lives. Some oils degrade after a time eg black pepper, and change their use therapeutically . So it is always best to buy in small amounts.

7. If you are recommended to use the essential oils for internal use, ensure that the person selling them has completed a full course on essential oils for internal use and is insured for this (and/or is working directly with your GP/Clinician). This is an entirely different qualification and is usually not included in aromatherapy training here in the UK.

These are general suggestions, there are more detailed information which affects quality such as;  the country of origin, the colour and texture of the essential oils.  When buying for my business to supply you, I am very particular, dealing with only a few trusted suppliers. I also like to know how the oils are produced, ie that they come from an ethical supplier and of course I require an organic certification to stock them within my businsss.

Eucalyptus Organic Essential Oil

These are a few baseline things that you should find helpful when looking for a good quality, therapeutic essential oil, but I am delighted to help with any further or more detailed queries that you may have. Just email me at: jacqui @ organicaj.co.uk

Sweet Orange Essential Oil – Top Ten Uses

by | Aug 30, 2018 | Essential Oil Top Ten Uses

Welcome to another of Organica J’s Top Ten Uses! This month we will be focusing on 10 helpful uses for Sweet Orange essential oil.   Working as a clinical aromatherapist, I use a lot for its sunny, relaxing, gentle but powerful action.  It is good for using with vulnerable folk, such as the young or elderly because of these properties.  I used it very regularly when I worked one day a month at a local residential home for the elderly, it was a popular choice there among the residents and staff alike.
Sweet Orange has been a favourite oil of mine since I qualified and I have is a component of my Love Soap and Essential Oil Blend.  Also of course in my Orange & Frankincense Soap,  Essential Oil Blend and my Reflexology Foot Balm.   Here are what I think are its top ten uses.
Sweet Orange Essential OilFor using essential oils for specific conditions always contact a qualified aromatherapist.

1.  Useful to calm restlessness and for mild depression
2.  Can be regenerative for skin, also for acne or irritated skin

3.   Helpful for the elderly and the young to soothe
4.   May be helpful to settle the digestive system

5.   Useful for cellulite and lymph stimulation
6.   Can be good for anxiety and stress
7.   May be helpful to ease IBS symptoms

8.  Good as an uplift in the darker, colder months

9.  Useful for insomnia.

10.  On a subtle level can be helpful for new challenges and ease self-doubt

The organic sweet orange essential oil that I hold in stock right now is Citrus Sinensis.  The sweet orange tree is a small tree and it was introduced to Europe by the Portugese early in the 16th century.  Sweet orange oil is expressed from the ripe peel of the fruit and is orange.  The scent is citrus and very sweet.    My current supplies are from Brazil.

If you feel that Sweet Orange essential oil would be a useful oil for you, you can buy it here from Organica J.

There is also available a full range of other aromatherapy essential oils, with information on their uses available in the essential oil category on the website.  Always use on the body blended with a carrier/vegetable oil.

If you require further information on any oils, feel free to contact us by email or phone.

NB if you have a medical condition/take medications check with your GP and/or a qualified aromatherapist before using essential oils.