Have you ever bought essential oils, and when you went home and smelled them, you always had questions in your mind: "Is this genuine?" In fact, to identify the quality of essential oils, your eyes, nose, and hands can all come in handy. Today, let's unveil the mystery of essential oils and teach you how to judge the authenticity and quality of essential oils step by step from packaging to smell.

1. Origin of essential oil plants

The plant origin of essential oils is also an important factor affecting their quality. The land, climate, and planting methods in different regions can directly affect the quality of essential oils. Natural environment and good planting conditions can create better quality essential oils.

Essential oils from well-known origins usually have higher quality assurance, and they will use raw materials such as Provence lavender, Damascus rose, and Australian tea tree, all of which have become representatives of high-quality essential oils due to their unique environment.

 

2. Look at the packaging of essential oils

Good essential oils must first have a "guardian" - packaging. Real pure plant essential oils usually use dark small Glass Bottles, which is not only for beauty, but also to avoid light damage to the essential oil components. Transparent bottle? Sorry, that's only suitable for storing air fresheners.

Essential oil bottle caps are generally resistant to strong acids and alkalis, ensuring that the essential oils do not become ineffective when exposed to air or light during storage. If the essential oils are properly stored, they can be stored at least two years at room temperature, and high-quality essential oils can even be kept for 4-5 years. Citrus essential oils are relatively delicate and have a shelf life of about 1-2 years.

If you find the words "diluted essential oil" on the bottle, it is likely that the dilution ratio is between 3% and 10%, not pure essential oil. On the bottle of real pure essential oil, the label should clearly indicate 100% purity.

3. Look at the specific gravity of the essential oil

If you want to know the quality of the essential oil, you can make a preliminary judgment based on its specific gravity. The molecules of grass essential oils are lighter, and they will diffuse quickly when dropped into water, and an oily substance will form on the water surface; while resin essential oils are heavier, and they will sink to the bottom quickly when dropped into water, and they are almost insoluble in water.

For example, chamomile in flower essential oils has a specific gravity heavier than water. It will sink to the bottom when dropped into water, and form crystal clear dark green essential oil beads.

 

4. Look at the color of essential oils

The color of essential oils often reveals their quality. For example, German chamomile (blue chamomile) is dark blue and has a strong medicinal smell because it contains precious "blue hydrocarbon" ingredients. If you encounter blue chamomile that is transparent and colorless, congratulations, you may have been "cheated" - because the blue hydrocarbon ingredients have been removed, and what is left is a defective product.

The color of high-quality essential oils should be natural and reflect the characteristics of the plant itself. Essential oils that are not bright in color or too transparent may have been processed and lost their natural value.

5. Look at the texture of essential oils

Whether it is skin care or aromatherapy, the texture of essential oils is very important. High-quality essential oils have strong penetration. Gently rub them on the back of the hand or the inside of the wrist. After a slight massage, they are almost immediately absorbed by the skin and will not leave a greasy feeling on the skin.

If your skin feels oily or not absorbed after using essential oils, it may be because it contains impurities or the purity of the essential oils is not high. Good essential oils will hardly leave a greasy feeling, but will penetrate into the skin and have a significant moisturizing effect.

6. Look at the degree of fusion of essential oils

When mixing base oils, pure essential oils will be completely fused with base oils, and the molecules of the two will be deeply combined. If the essential oils cannot be perfectly fused with the base oils, they may contain chemically synthesized ingredients or waxy substances, which will affect the effect of the essential oils.

When choosing essential oils, be sure to choose high-quality essential oils that can be completely fused with base oils to ensure their effectiveness.

 

7. Smell the smell of essential oils

The most reliable way to judge the authenticity of essential oils is actually your nose! Real plant essential oils have complex and rich fragrances, and they smell like "unclear, but very natural". The smell that everyone smells may be different, and there will be changes in the front taste, middle taste, and after taste, and the smell will continue to remain fragrant.

Chemically synthesized essential oils often have a single, direct smell and lack of layering. The smell of real plant essential oils is long-lasting and natural, and the aroma will change over time.