Quality & Grades of Essential Oils

There is a lot of terminology surrounding essential oils- therapeutic, certified grade therapeutic, food-grade, and so much more. This saturation of terms can make it challenging to select high-quality essential oils at an affordable price. So, what makes for a pure, essential oil worth purchasing? Read below to find out.

The “Certified Therapeutic Grade” Myth

There is no government agency that regulates essential oil “grades.” Terms such as “certified pure therapeutic grade” is a relatively new trademark by a multi-level marketing company used to give the appearance of being approved by a higher authority. Essential oils are regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and either classified as cosmetics or drugs based on their surrounding intent of use. Still, there are no formal testing or certifications for essential oil “grades.” 100% pure essential oils distilled from a singular plant source are inherently therapeutic.

What to Watch Out For

Even though “certified therapeutic” and other terminology is not tested and regulated by the FDA, there are other indicators to look for to point you in the direction of high-quality essential oils, and certain things to avoid. When essential oils contain terms like “fragrance oil,” “perfume oil,” “natural identical oil” or feature words like “synthetic,” it is worth noting that these essential oils do not come from a singular plant from a cold-press or steam distillation process, but rather contain synthetic additives used by suppliers to bulk up the oil and lessen the cost. Paradise Springs Essential Oils always uses 100% pure essential oil from wildcrafted or certified organic sources.

Buying High-Quality Oils at a Reasonable Price

When shopping for essential oils, it is important to seek out vendors that provide detailed information about their oils, and that gives you confidence in their knowledge and background. Additionally, reputable essential oils should meet the following requirements: 

The Latin name of the plant: Brands should be transparent about the origin of the essential oil, including the Latin name of the plant. The plant part differentiates different subspecies from more experienced customers.

The country of origin of the plant: Though customers are not expected to differentiate the scent of two oils based solely on their country of origin, it is still important to note. Some regions are more renowned for certain oils, a fact that appeals to some essential oil connoisseurs. 

Purity statement Essential oil labeling should always note that the product in the bottle is 100% pure essential oil. Failure to do this may indicate a synthetic blend or fragrance oil.

Cost Relative: Did you score a $7 bottle of Jasmine Oil when a typical bottle is $80? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Paradise Springs believes in offering customers high-quality essential oils without the MLM markup, but it is also important to be aware of price comparisons across essential oils. If it’s cheap, it probably contains synthetic additives.

Other High-Quality Distinctions

At Paradise Springs, we are transparent about our essential oils. All of our essential oils are either wildcrafted or certified USDA Organic, and never contain harmful pesticides or synthetics in the cultivation or distillation processes. We also test essential oils for quality, purity, and potency and are happy to share those tests with our customers.

Paradise Springs also takes great care in packaging our essential oils in dark glass amber bottles to ensure that chemical degradation does not occur with exposure to heat, light, or oxygen. We store our essential oils tightly closed in a cool, dark place before being shipped to our customers. 

Are you interested in learning more about essential oils? Click here to shop for our full range of products and experience the Paradise Springs difference.