What's in YOUR Oil?

Did you know essential oils are NOT regulated by the FDA?  Or by any other government agency for that matter.  So what does that mean?  Are essential oils safe?  What it means is you need to do your research when choosing a product.  Even though the FDA doesn't specifically regulate essential oils, they do have a published food guideline for consuming essential oils which are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS).  If being marketed as consumable, the label must include supplement facts.  See the list here:  GRAS Essential Oils.  The FDA also regulates how products are labeled and marketed, which means they can step in if they feel consumers are being mislead by how something is labeled and marketed.  Why is this important?  Well, if there isn't a governing agency with published standards on what constitutes essential oils as "100% pure", or "Organic", how can you trust what you're buying?  Just because the FDA regulates marketing of products doesn't mean they step in every time to slap someone's hand.  That's why it's important you do your own homework on the product and brand you're buying.  Which leads me to share doTERRA's testing process. 

All of their testing reassures me I am using 100% natural and pure essential oils that are safe for me and my family to use.

When shopping for a brand of essential oils, here are some things to look for.

1. The common name: such as Lemon, Rosemary, or Basil.  It should be on the label.
2. The botanical name/Latin name (preferably directly under or above the common name). Example of a botanical name: Eucalyptus globulus (Eucalyptus). Including the botanical name will prevent confusion, as there can be different species. The species is important because it tells you where it comes from and if it's safe.  Not all species of the same plant are safe.
   
3. The extraction method: steam distilled, CO2 extracted, cold pressed, solvent extracted – each method provides different therapeutic properties and safety precautions.
   
4. The plant part used in extraction: flowers, fruit, leaves, resin, twigs, seeds, roots, etc. 
5. Country of origin should be noted, as the climate and soil conditions can affect the therapeutic properties.
6. Safety warnings including but not limited to: keeping out of the reach of children; not using internally without the advice of a qualified aromatherapist; notifications to dilute; and when applicable, phototoxicity warnings.  These are important to adhere to.  I will also note that anything I can't consume that is listed on the GRAS listed, I would personally be leery of.  If it's labeled as 100% pure Lemon, and isn't consumable...RED FLAG!
7. Bottle:  A quality oil should always be stored in dark glass bottles for it to retain it's potency and properties.  If it's not, RED FLAG!