Do you trust your essential oil is 100% pure?

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Essential oils are being used and sold by many people and companies today. Do you know if the oils or products you are using are actually 100 % essential oil or if they contain synthetic additives or pesticides? What does “Therapeutic Grade” actually mean?

Keep in mind there isn’t any government body that certifies essential oils.

The FDA regulates claims on how companies label and market essential oils, but for now that is all. Now two of the main MLM companies in the essential oil industry,  doTERRA and Young Living have their own marketing trademarks and phrases they use to bolster their credibility. DoTerra uses “Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade” and Young Living uses “Seed to Seal”.  Sadly, there is also no real such thing in the industry as therapeutic grade, or grade A, B, C, or D.  Now, I am not saying this to undermine or discredit the quality of these 2 companies at all. I am just giving you the facts.

Here is what the FDA.gov website says:

“Essential Oils” and “Aromatherapy”
There is no regulatory definition for “essential oils,” although people commonly use the term to refer to certain oils extracted from plants. The law treats Ingredients from plants the same as those from any other source.
For example, “essential oils” are commonly used in so-called “aromatherapy” products. If an “aromatherapy” product is intended to treat or prevent disease, or to affect the structure or function of the body, it’s a drug. To learn more, see “Aromatherapy.”
Similarly, a massage oil intended to lubricate the skin is a cosmetic. But if claims are made that a massage oil relieves aches or relaxes muscles, apart from the action of the massage itself, it’s a drug, or possibly both a cosmetic and a drug.
Safety Requirements Fragrance ingredients in cosmetics must meet the same requirement for safety as other cosmetic ingredients. The law does not require FDA approval before they go on the market, but they must be safe for consumers when they are used according to labeled directions, or as people customarily use them. Companies and individuals who manufacture or market cosmetics have a legal responsibility for ensuring that their products are safe and properly labeled. To learn more, see “FDA Authority Over Cosmetics.”

This is what the FDA.gov website has under Aromatherapy:

You may see fragrance products, such as “essential oils,” marketed with “aromatherapy” claims that they will treat health problems or improve well-being. Who regulates these products, and how? Find answers here:
What’s the “intended use”?
Is it a cosmetic?
Is it a drug?
Is it both a cosmetic and a drug?
Is it something else?
If an “essential oil” or fragrance is “natural” or “organic,” doesn’t that mean it’s safe?
Who regulates advertising claims?
More Resources

What’s the “intended use”?
Under the law, how “aromatherapy” products are regulated depends mainly on how they are intended to be used.
FDA determines a product’s intended use based on factors such as claims made in the labeling, on websites, and in advertising, as well as what consumers expect it to do. We also look at how a product is marketed, not just a word or phrase taken out of context. Finally, we make decisions on a case-by-case basis.
Is it a cosmetic?
If a product is intended only to cleanse the body or to make a person more attractive, it’s a cosmetic. So, if a product such as a shower gel is intended only to cleanse the body, or a perfume or cologne is intended only to make a person smell good, it’s a cosmetic.
The law doesn’t require cosmetics to have FDA approval before they go on the market. But FDA can take action against a cosmetic on the market if we have reliable information showing that it is unsafe when consumers use it according to directions on the label, or in the customary or expected way, or if it is not labeled properly.
To learn more, see “FDA Authority Over Cosmetics.”
Is it a drug?
If a product is intended for a therapeutic use, such as treating or preventing disease, or to affect the structure or function of the body, it’s a drug. For example, claims that a product will relieve colic, ease pain, relax muscles, treat depression or anxiety, or help you sleep are drug claims.
Such claims are sometimes made for products such as soaps, lotions, and massage oils containing “essential oils” and marketed as “aromatherapy.” The fact that a fragrance material or other ingredient comes from a plant doesn’t keep it from being regulated as a drug.
Under the law, drugs must meet requirements such as FDA approval for safety and effectiveness before they go on the market. To find out if a product marketed with drug claims is FDA-approved, contact FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), at druginfo@fda.hhs.gov.
To learn more, see Drugs.
Is it both a cosmetic and a drug?
Some products are both cosmetics and drugs. For example, a baby lotion marketed with claims that it both moisturizes the baby’s skin and relieves colic would be both a cosmetic and a drug. Such products must meet the requirements for both cosmetics and drugs.
To learn more, see “Cosmetics Q&A: ‘Personal Care Products’” and “Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (or Is It Soap?).”
Is it something else?
Some fragrance products are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These include products such as air fresheners, scented candles, laundry detergents, and household cleansers.
If an “essential oil” or other fragrance is “natural” or “organic,” doesn’t that mean it’s safe?
Sometimes people think that if an “essential oil” or other ingredient comes from a plant, it must be safe. But many plants contain materials that are toxic, irritating, or likely to cause allergic reactions when applied to the skin.
For example, cumin oil is safe in food, but can cause the skin to blister. Certain citrus oils used safely in food can also be harmful in cosmetics, particularly when applied to skin exposed to the sun.
FDA doesn’t have regulations defining “natural” or “organic” for cosmetics. All cosmetic products and ingredients must meet the same safety requirement, regardless of their source. To learn more, see “’Organic’ Cosmetics” and “FDA’s Poisonous Plant Database.”
Who regulates advertising claims?
While FDA regulates labeling for cosmetics and drugs, advertising claims are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission.

 

 

 

 

 

What if an essential oil has the USDA Organic Seal? What does that really mean? Here is what the USDA site, https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/labeling says:

USDA organic products have strict production and labeling requirements. Organic products must meet the following requirements:
Produced without excluded methods, (e.g., genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge). Policy on genetically modified organisms (pdf)
Produced using allowed substances. View the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List).
Overseen by a USDA National Organic Program-authorized certifying agent, following all USDA organic regulations.
Can a product be labeled “organic” without being certified?
Overall, if you make a product and want to claim that it or its ingredients are organic, your final product probably needs to be certified. If you are not certified, you must not make any organic claim on the principal display panel or use the USDA organic seal anywhere on the package*. You may only, on the information panel, identify the certified organic ingredients as organic and the percentage of organic ingredients.
*Some operations are exempt from certification, including organic farmers who sell $5,000 or less.

Let’s take a closer look at what the label standards actually tell us.

source: https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/organic-labeling-standards

Organic Labeling Standards
The rules for labeling organic retail products, both raw and processed, are addressed under the “Product Composition” section of the USDA organic regulations. The regulations cover the wording allowed on both the front panel and the information panel of a packaged product.
Principal display panel: portion of the package most likely to be seen by customers at the time of purchase. Your certifying agent will review and approve each of your product labels to ensure compliance.
Information panel: includes ingredient statement (list of ingredients contained in a product, from highest to lowest percentage of final product) and other product information.
The four categories of labeling based on product composition & the labeling specifications for each are summarized below:
“100 percent organic”
“100 percent organic” can be used to label any product that contains 100 percent organic ingredients (excluding salt and water, which are considered natural). Most raw, unprocessed farm products can be designated “100 percent organic.” Likewise, many value-added farm products that have no added ingredients—such as grain flours, rolled oats, etc.—can also be labeled “100 percent organic.”
Principal display panel: May include USDA organic seal and/or 100 percent organic claim.
Information Panel: Must identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark.
“Organic”
“Organic” can be used to label any product that contains a minimum of 95 percent organic ingredients (excluding salt and water). Up to 5 percent of the ingredients may be nonorganic agricultural products that are not commercially available as organic and/or nonagricultural products that are on the National List.1
Principal display panel: May include USDA organic seal and/or organic claim.
Information Panel: Must identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark.
“Made with Organic ______”
“Made with Organic ______” can be used to label a product that contains at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients (excluding salt and water). There are a number of detailed constraints regarding the ingredients that comprise the nonorganic portion.
Principal display panel: May state “made with organic (insert up to three ingredients or ingredient categories).” Must not include USDA organic seal anywhere, represent finished product as organic, or state “made with organic ingredients.”
Information Panel: Must identify organic ingredients (e.g., organic dill) or via asterisk or other mark.
Specific Ingredient Listings
The specific organic ingredients may be listed in the ingredient statement of products containing less than 70 percent organic contents—for example, “Ingredients: water, barley, beans, organic tomatoes, salt.”
Principal display panel: Must not include USDA organic seal anywhere or the word “organic” on principal display panel.
Information Panel: May only list certified organic ingredients as organic in the ingredient list and the percentage of organic ingredients. Remaining ingredients are not required to follow the USDA organic regulations.
Exemptions & Exclusions
Producers who market less than $5,000 worth of organic products annually are not required to apply for organic certification. They must, however, comply with the organic production and handling requirements of the regulations, including recordkeeping (records must be kept for at least 3 years). The products from such noncertified operations cannot be used as organic ingredients in processed products produced by another operation; such noncertified products also are not allowed to display the USDA certified organic seal.

Now that I know more about the governing regulations of essential oils, I know that I need to truly trust the supplier and manufacturers of the oils I use and so should you! Now I have read on multiple sites that under FDA guidelines, essential oils can be marketed as 100% pure as long as it only contains 5%. I have scoured the FDA.gov site and can not find this information anywhere and would welcome anyone pointing that out if they can find it. I have seen some sites who say this is just a myth. Either way, it underscores the importance of trusting the supplier and manufacturer of your essential oils.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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