What's in Your Essential Oils?

Have you ever had a well meaning friend say to you, "Oh you use doTERRA? Well I just buy {fill in the blank brand} essential oils because they're cheaper." It's no surprise when this question or type of conversation happens, because essential oils are becoming more widely accepted and sought after. When I started with doTERRA oils, many people had never even heard of the health benefits and uses pure essential oils could provide. I shared stories of how they support the health of my family. How they help simplify living out a healthier lifestyle. Without digging in and researching WHY doTERRA, many hope that the organic bottle of EOs from the grocery store will do the same thing.

Friends, they are far from the same thing.

In fact, the essential oil industry isn't as transparent as we would expect it to be. What it should be.

Similar to the sketchy marketing claims of "natural" on food when it's the farthest thing FROM natural, is the marketing claim "100% pure" on essential oils. The dollar store lavender can put that on the bottle and no governing body will come after them saying PROVE IT.

Why this matters.

If you are purchasing essential oils you are doing so for a reason. If you like a pretty smell and don't care what chemicals and perfumes you are breathing in and exposed to, this might not interest you very much. But if you're choosing essential oils to better your health and family THIS REALLY MATTERS. It really matters to me enough to share it with you.

So lets talk about what 90% of essential oil companies aren't doing.

1. Organoleptic Assessments

In this phase, essential oil chemists, manufacturing engineers, and quality technicians manually assess the appearance, aroma, and color of each essential oil.

2. Specific Gravity

The specific gravity portion of the testing process compares the volume-to-weight ratio to reference standards to verify oil quality and purity.

3. Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS)

During this stage, molecules are separated and identified to ensure that the chemistry of the oil matches the expected chemical profile.

4. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

FTIR testing uses infrared light to analyze the material composition of an oil to determine if it meets doTERRA’s established standards.

5. Optical Rotation

Optical rotation tests for chirality by measuring the amount of light bend produced by the orientation of the molecules to determine whether the molecular structure complies with the determined standard.

6. Refractive Index

A refractometer is used to determine the essential oil’s refractive index—a measurement of how light spreads through a specific substance—to ensure that the essential oil meets doTERRA’s established standards.

7. Contamination Testing

Batches that meet the physical testing criteria are then run through a series of on-site contamination tests by expert microbiologists to confirm that there are no harmful contaminants. The oils are tested for potentially harmful microorganisms, heavy metals, and pesticides to certify safe use when proper usage guidelines are followed.

8. Stability Testing

doTERRA also conducts on-going stability testing to ensure that essential oils will maintain their purity and efficacy for the length of their intended use. In this series of tests, chambers that alter temperature and humidity are used to analyze how essential oils react when exposed to different atmospheric conditions for extended periods of time. This testing protocol ensures that doTERRA essential oils will continue to provide safe and effective benefits for years.

Thanks to doTERRA, we have essential oils sourced sustainably with purity that is transparent and we can trust. We can use essential oils aromatically, topically, and internally in a way to support the body holistically. It's an exciting time in the medical field, because we have a reliable company that seeks to partner with scientists and medical professionals to work together to learn more about how essential oils continue to benefit our health.

And we get to bring these very same oils into our home!

To learn more about the doTERRA difference and purity, sourcing, testing of the oils, visit www.sourcetoyou.com.