The benefits for medicinal and cosmetic purposes have been known for a very long time. They are no less popular for regulating the emotional state. However, all these properties are inherent primarily in natural essential oils, and not in them. How to distinguish natural products from artificial ones?
How to distinguish natural essential oils from synthetic ones?
When choosing an oil, you must first consider the purpose of its use. In general, any type of oil is suitable for use in aroma lamps, but in cosmetic and medicinal purposes, when performing a massage, it is extremely important that the product is truly natural - otherwise the risk is high allergic reactions and others side effects. At best, synthetic products simply will not bring the desired effect.
What is it difference between natural, identical to natural and synthetic oils?
- Natural essential oils. In their production, only natural plants grown in an environmentally friendly area are used. When purchasing such oil, you can be sure that all necessary technologies and degrees of purification of the finished product were strictly observed during production.
There are also cheaper natural oils - their low price is due to insufficient quality raw materials or disruption of production processes. Their use for various purposes is absolutely not dangerous to health, but also positive effect You shouldn't expect anything from them. - Oils identical to natural ones. Such products are manufactured in laboratories, artificially recreating the composition corresponding to the original one. Like cheap natural oils, they do neither harm nor tangible benefits.
- Synthetic essential oils. The process of obtaining them is in most cases very simple: to produce such oils, a mixture of solvent and flavor is used. The vast majority of fragrances and perfume oils fall into this category. Their main purpose is to add fragrance or decorative candles. Often synthetic oils are sold under the guise of natural ones due to the incompetence of the seller, so you should be vigilant: the labels "parfume oil", "fragrance oil" they say that it is simply an aromatic - or synthetic - oil.
Signs of a quality product
How to determine whether the proposed product really belongs to the category of natural? First of all, you should pay attention to the following indicators:
Cost and weight
A natural product simply cannot be cheap due to the expensive process of its production. And the point here is not so much the complexity of the process - most of them are obtained by steam distillation - but rather the ratio of the necessary raw materials and the resulting product. To produce several milliliters of natural oil, kilograms of flowers of essential plants are required - in most cases, it is the cost of raw materials that determines the price of the finished product.
In addition, by generally accepted standards, such oils are very rarely bottled in bottles larger than 15 ml. And especially expensive varieties are often sold in 1 ml bottles.
Prices for natural essential oils vary greatly depending on which group they belong to. The most budget-friendly are representatives of the citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit) and woody (spruce, fir, eucalyptus, etc.) groups. The price for 1 ml of products is about $5-15.
The next most expensive group is oils obtained from herbs and flowers: these include lavender, chamomile, ylang-ylang, etc. The price for 1 ml is $10-50.
The most expensive oils are those extracted from rare or initially expensive plants: roses, tuberose, jasmine, neroli, etc. The price for 1 ml of such oil can range from $20 to $100, depending on the raw material. One of the most expensive is considered to be lotus oil, a plant listed in the Red Book. Having seen such a product on the counter, you should not rush to purchase it - due to its high price, it does not go on sale for free.
Design of packaging and containers
All natural essential oils are very sensitive to sunlight. Under its influence they lose most of their useful properties, and some of them, as a result of chemical reactions, even begin to release harmful substances. That is why natural oils are bottled in dark—usually brown—glass bottles.
Most certified natural product manufacturers also include a first release ring on the bottle cap (similar to medicines) and a child lock system.
Since the concentration of active useful substances is quite high in a natural product, then a small amount is required to achieve the desired effect - that is why bottles with products of natural origin are equipped with a dropper dispenser.
The label of a bottle of natural oil must include the manufacturer's data, production date and batch number. But the main thing you need to pay attention to is the presence on the label Latin name the plant from which the oil is made and its country of origin. Many expensive oils are often diluted with more budget-friendly fatty carrier oils - in this case, the percentage composition of the product must be indicated on the label.
Inscriptions
On packaging with natural essential oil, nothing can be written other than “100% natural essential oil” or “100% essential oil”. All other variations in which at least one of the words is missing, and especially those containing the words “aromatic”, “perfume”, indicate synthetic products.
ATTENTION! If you have the slightest doubt when purchasing an essential oil, you can ask the seller for a product certificate. All real oils must be certified according to one of the international standards - GMP or ISO. If this is not indicated in the text of the certificate, the product is almost certainly not natural. The presence of the “refurbished” characteristic in the certificate indicates that the contents of the bottle are of synthetic origin.
Chromatogram
Find out exactly composition of the oil and the percentage of various substances in it only possible in the laboratory using chromatographic analysis. Although the accuracy of the test is highly dependent on the instrument used and may vary between laboratories, this analysis can accurately show whether an oil contains foreign substances that are not inherent in its standard composition.
The only problem this method lies in its low availability to ordinary consumers and relatively high cost.
IMPORTANT! You can try to conduct a small experiment without the help of laboratory equipment. Natural essential oils are very volatile, which means their aroma changes over time, revealing new notes. By dropping a few drops of natural oil onto a sheet of paper or cloth at intervals of 10-15 minutes, you will notice that each of them will have its own aroma. In the case of synthetic oil, this effect cannot be achieved - the smell will only weaken over time, while remaining unchanged.
Rating of 100% natural essential oils
Pharmacopoeial quality— The concept of pharmacopoeial quality determines the extent to which a particular product complies with approved norms and standards.
Today, in terms of this indicator, the oils from such manufacturers as:
- Primavera Life (Germany); 5 (100%) 2
In previous articles I told you about certain types essential oils. Today I want to tell you about the TOP 10 essential oils that are most often used in Everyday life. You may need this rating if you are going to buy several bottles of the treasured liquid at once in order to receive a discount or gift from the store. For convenience, I have duplicated the list of essential oils in the form of a table. So let's get started!
Top 10 Essential Oils Chart
In the table below I have listed 10 best oils, indicating their main properties and average price per bottle 10 ml. By clicking on the desired item, you will move to the section you need.
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Description of oils
Tea tree
It rightfully takes first place among the 10 best essential oils. This is one of the few oils that can be applied to the skin undiluted (but only if there is no allergy). Read on our website detailed information about tea tree essential oil and its properties.
Fir oil
It is a fairly inexpensive oil, but nevertheless, due to its beneficial properties and wide distribution in Russia, it is one of the 10 essential oils that are often used and available for purchase. Like other pine oils, fir ether has excellent disinfectant properties. It’s also a great idea to make your own home or car fragrance.
Rose oil
This oil is a purely feminine essence. There are classic and Damask rose oils. The product is not included in the list of budget essential oils, but nevertheless due to its excellent cosmetic properties included in the rating of ten essential oils for private use.
Be sure to read detailed information about. You will learn a lot of interesting things.
Lavender oil
Lavender essential oil is the king of scents. An excellent relaxant and aphrodisiac. Add a couple of drops to your pillow before bed and you'll have a great night's sleep. And if you want a sensual night with your loved one, then add oil to the aroma lamp.
By the way. An alternative to lavender oil can be. The properties are similar.
For additional information I suggest you watch the following video:
Peppermint oil
Excellent oil for relieving headaches. A couple of drops on your fingertips, rub with a carrier oil, and lubricate your temples. You can also add it to the aroma lamp - you are guaranteed a boost of energy. This is one of the few essential oils that can be purchased at the pharmacy. As they say, cheap and cheerful. Also suitable. “This specimen fits perfectly into the top 10 essential oils.
Lemon essential oil
This ester belongs to the top note oils - this means that the oil will evaporate very quickly. This means that for frequent use it makes sense to purchase bottles of 20 or 30 ml, but only from dark glass.
You can rub your whiskey with oil (after diluting it with a base oil). Can be added to an aroma lamp or bath. You can also make applications for teeth.
Attention! Oil should never be used in its pure form.
Ylang-ylang oil
Ylang-ylang essential oil is a worthy representative of our ranking of the best 10 essential oils. Mainly used as an aphrodisiac - to attract men. But you can also use it to care for your hair.
Juniper oil
For some reason it is more expensive than other fir representatives. But nevertheless, it is in demand not only in pharmacies but also in cosmetic stores. Most often it is used in aroma lamps to scent rooms. The second most popular method is to care for your hair by adding a couple of drops to your shampoo or hair mask.
Geranium oil
The strongest point is increased mental and physical activity. You can also dilute with an emulsifier and gargle to kill germs. The oil is quite rare, it will be problematic to get it in a pharmacy, but in special stores(usually in online stores) will be quite easy to find.
Clove essential oil
Clove essential oil rounds out our list of 10 essential oils you'll likely need. At the same time, this is the oil that is best to always have at home. Ask why? Because clove essential oil is number 1 for solving problems with toothache. If you have a sharp throbbing toothache, do the following: take any base oil (for example, olive or almond), add 3-4 drops of clove oil and make a compress on the tooth using a cotton swab. Within 30 minutes the pain will go away.
Results
To summarize, I would like to ask you to leave a review about your favorite oils. Perhaps we will review the manufacturer and include it in our rating!
Updated: 09/12/2018 11:07:42
Expert: Laila Weiss
Essential oils were used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, appreciating their beneficial properties, which helped maintain not only beauty, but also health. In those distant times, only pharaohs and their wives, priests, and people of the wealthy classes could afford them, since the cost was unaffordable for the ordinary population. The modern cosmetics industry also cannot do without this valuable ingredient.
High concentration nutrients rejuvenates skin covering, helps other components penetrate deeper into the dermis, enhancing their effect. The antiseptic and antibacterial properties of oils help in the fight against acne and other inflammatory processes, promote the healing of wounds, microcracks, smoothing scars and scars. Aromatherapy relaxes, relieves fatigue, stress, tension, and relieves insomnia. Using them during a massage significantly enhances the effect of the procedure: blood microcirculation improves and metabolic processes intensify. Oils are also indispensable in the treatment of colds.
Their secret is simple: they contain a large number of organic acids, sulfides, oxides, esters, phenols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons. Essential oils are obtained from plants by evaporation or pressing. The quality of the finished product depends on many factors. The production process is quite labor-intensive, since each plant requires certain collection rules. Some can be collected all year round, others only once a season, and then only at night. Less expensive oils are obtained not only from flowers, but also from stems and leaves. For others you will need great amount raw materials, for example, petals, which directly affects the pricing policy.
In order not to be mistaken in the quality of the product and to purchase a truly worthwhile product, Expertology experts have compiled a rating of the best manufacturers of essential oils that guarantee quality and safety, and this has been confirmed by numerous studies and reviews of real customers.
Rating of the best essential oils
| Nomination | place | Name of product | rating |
| Best Budget Essential Oil Manufacturers | 1 | 4.9 | |
| 2 | 4.8 | ||
| 3 | 4.7 | ||
| The best manufacturers of essential oils: price-quality | 1 | 4.9 | |
| 2 | 4.8 | ||
| 3 | 4.7 | ||
| The best producers of essential oils: premium segment | 1 | 4.9 | |
| 2 | 4.8 | ||
| 3 | 4.8 | ||
| 4 | 4.7 |
Best Budget Essential Oil Manufacturers
Many users are sure that essential oils are a rather expensive product, and the budget price of the product is suspicious. But no need to worry. Manufacturers have long been focused on producing products for the mass consumer and are trying to maintain a competent pricing policy. Large companies can afford to reduce costs due to large turnover, collecting raw materials on their own plantations or locating production in our country, which reduces delivery costs finished products. Below we present 3 best manufacturer essential oils that will delight you with quality and affordable prices.
The Russian brand, founded in 2001, produces effective cosmetics based on natural ingredients. These are essential and fatty oils, ready for massage or intended for mixing at home, weight loss preparations, shampoos, balms, shower gels, medicinal products beekeeping, flavorings, skin care cosmetics for eyelashes and eyebrows.
100% natural, environmentally safe and affordable prices for all segments of the population - the main advantages of Elpharma products. Companies from Europe and the UK became suppliers of raw materials. Everything, from delivery to the production of finished products, is aimed at preserving the beneficial properties of organic components.
The main philosophy of the company is to limit the use of chemical ingredients in cosmetology. Studying the beneficial properties of plant components, the brand produces new products that are absolutely safe, comfortable to use, and meet international environmental standards.
Essential oils Spivak
Second place in this rating category goes to another domestic brand, which began its activities by producing natural handmade soap. Today, the range of products is striking in its diversity: masks and creams for the face and body, hydrophilic oils for makeup removal, shampoos, foams, mousses and jams for washing, massage tiles, products for strengthening and growing eyebrows and eyelashes, bath salts, nail waxes , scrubs.
All products are created from natural, environmentally friendly ingredients without the addition of dyes, preservatives, or fragrances. The products are not tested on animals. Of particular note is the wide range of essential oils, including exotic ones.
Plants used for their production: juniper, basil, peppermint and spearmint, pine, spruce, cedar, geranium, mandarin, lime, orange, anise, coriander, cinnamon, ylang-ylang. Also presented are frankincense and elemi oils, extracted from the resin of tropical trees.
The Russian company represents the largest range of essential and fatty oils on the domestic market. All formulations are created on the basis of organic natural ingredients, the products are not tested on animals, are suitable for use by vegans, and comply international standards quality.
Buyers are offered natural shampoos, conditioners, face, body and hair masks, shower products, scrubs, lotions, massage oils, soaps, fragrances, serums, and tonics. Essential oils are presented in compositions and single-component formulations. The packaging and bottles are designed in Provence style. The sets will become the best gift for any holiday, and their price is affordable for all customers.
Botavikos is a member of the International Federation of Essential Oils and exchanges experience with other well-known manufacturers. By discovering new healing properties of herbs and flowers, the company has firmly strengthened its position not only in our country, but throughout the world.
The best manufacturers of essential oils: price-quality
Next in the rating we have collected the best brands that have become leaders in the price-quality category. Many companies are family businesses and produce products in small batches, all of which are made by hand, so their cost will be higher than budget funds. Buyers often choose these brands, not trusting cheap goods and not wanting to spend money on luxury products. We will introduce you to 3 brands that, according to experts and users, deserve to be the best.
Half a century ago, a family business was created in America, the founder of which had no idea of such resounding success and popularity in the future. The company's philosophy is that all products should be accessible not only to the rich, but to all people regardless of status. Today Now Foods is the epitome of healthy image life and produces more than 3,500 units of products.
In assortment sports nutrition, dietary supplements, vitamin preparations, care cosmetics. Essential oils are produced from organic plants: juniper, cinnamon, orange, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, lime, tangerine, rose, grapefruit, avocado and many other herbs, flowers and fruits.
All manufactured products are certified, comply with international quality standards, have passed laboratory research and numerous tests. The American manufacturer guarantees environmental safety and maximum efficiency from the use of its products.
Next, we include in the rating a Russian brand that produces natural cosmetics and environmentally friendly household detergents. The family-owned manufactory creates products in small batches and only by hand, using safe natural ingredients and unique recipes that help maintain health for many years.
Adhering to the basic rules that have not changed over the years, the brand can be proud of its achievements in the field of cosmetology. All raw materials are purchased from trusted suppliers who guarantee their environmental friendliness. Ancient production technologies make it possible to preserve the beneficial properties of plant components as much as possible. Formulas are developed jointly by domestic and foreign specialists.
Essential oils are produced from both common and rare or expensive components. These are damask rose, myrrh, blue chamomile, jasmine, hyssop, juniper berries, immortelle, cistus, sandalwood, neroli, vanilla, tropical tree resins.
The domestic company adheres to the principle that the best does not mean expensive, and proves this by producing high-quality, safe, natural products accessible to the mass consumer. The brand produces cosmetics for hair, body, face care, bath and shower accessories, and household cleaning products.
Natural oils are represented by unrefined basic, essential, organic and premium. Consumers can purchase mono-compositions with lavender, orange, spruce, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon, green coffee, cranberry, black cumin, coconut, flax and sesame seeds and other equally useful components.
Raw materials are collected from ecological areas of the world, many flowers and herbs are grown on organic farms. Cooperation with well-known suppliers guarantees high quality and absolute safety for human health and environment, and their price will be a definite bonus when purchasing.
The best producers of essential oils: premium segment
The last category of the rating will please lovers of premium products. Their high price is the result of several factors. Firstly, 100% natural, carefully selected and tested raw materials are used in production. Secondly, they are created using unique technologies that preserve the properties of plant components. Thirdly, quality control of the finished product guarantees safety and at the same time maximum efficiency when used. Such products are used in medical and rehabilitation centers and beauty salons.
Russian consumers have been enjoying high-quality, natural products from a company from Jordan for more than 10 years. Its assortment includes body and hair care products, organic decorative cosmetics, essential and aroma oils. Aleppo soap, hand-brewed according to ancient Arabic recipes, is especially famous.
Sulfates, parabens and other chemical components are absolutely excluded from the composition; the products are not tested on animals. All raw materials meet international quality standards and are collected in Jordan, Morocco, India and European countries. The formulations of the products include plant extracts, natural ingredients, and beekeeping products.
Essential oils are packaged in bottles decorated in oriental traditions. They will decorate a room or give to friends as a gift. Popular compositions presented by the brand: anise, basil, jasmine, bigardia, marigold, cypress, ylang-ylang, myrrh, petitgrain.
Created in 1990, the French company is confidently included in the list of the best brands producing BIO cosmetics, and does not forget its main principle: to respect the interests of people and nature. That is why it takes a worthy place in our ranking. Today it produces more than 13 tons of oils per year and 600 types of hygiene products, hair and body care products, cosmetics and perfumes.
The company completely abandoned the use of chemical ingredients. The compositions contain 100% natural ingredients, 95% of which are labeled ECO. The raw materials are grown on bioplantations in Provence or imported from 40 countries located in different parts of the world.
Essential essences are extracted by cold pressing or distillation. The assortment includes oils from rare plants of Tibet, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. Environmental friendliness, international quality certificates, unique recipes are the main advantages of Florame.
For almost 40 years, the brand from Italy has been scientifically developing new, high-quality formulations and producing organic products to the delight of lovers of natural products. All products are certified, do not contain synthetic ingredients, are hypoallergenic, not tested on animals, and are suitable for use by vegetarians and vegans. Cosmetics are made on the basis of green clay, the healing properties of which were discovered in ancient times.
Essential oils are made from clove, patchouli, mint, eucalyptus, sandalwood, fennel, thyme, rosemary, juniper and other plants. The most popular is the “golden” series, in which the essence is extracted in a special way. GOLD technology helps to reveal new plant odors, maximize their properties, and give oils a more delicate and rich aroma.
Today Argital offers a full range of cosmetic products: body, face, hair care, lines for children and oral hygiene, hypoallergenic and medicinal products, base and essential oils, compositions made from them.
Our rating is completed by the Iris Aromatherapy Center, which was founded in 1994 and today has become one of the popular brands natural cosmetics not only in our country, but also in Europe. He is engaged in research work, collaborates with famous scientists and companies, has been awarded diplomas, and was awarded a gold medal for his contribution to the development of aromatherapy in the world.
All essential oils were produced according to the method of Professor O. A. Irisova, have patented formulas and contain a unique complex of natural polyterpenes. Created using proprietary technology, many of them are included in collection series, the release of which is limited. The raw materials for the products comply with the BIO indicator, are transported from the cleanest corners of the planet, and shipments occur from 50 countries. Gentle production technology allows you to preserve maximum beneficial properties, which affects the effectiveness of the products.
The company offers a full list of products for healing and relaxation: basic, essential, massage oils, accessories for aromatherapy, as well as educational aids: books, science articles, video materials.
Attention! This rating is subjective in nature, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.
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In the global production of major natural oils, citrus essential oils ( and ) account for about 40% of global essential oil production. These are the cheapest oils, due to the fact that they are currently a by-product in the production of citrus juices.
The need for citrus oils is great due to the fashion for fresh citrus aromas in perfumery, cosmetics, and manufacturing. chewing gum, flavorings for drinks, in household chemicals and production of detergents.
It accounts for up to 13% in the global structure of essential oils production. can be called a hit among essential oils. Peppermint essential oil is widely used in Food Industry, medicine, in the production of toothpastes and chewing gum. Among the high-menthol types of mint oils, natural menthol is isolated, which is indispensable in the preparation of a number of drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
The main volume of production of essential oils is concentrated in the countries of North and South America (40% of the world production of these products), Asia accounts for 30% and 25% is produced in Europe.
On the American continent, the largest producer is Brazil, producing about 6 thousand tons. essential oils, including peppermint, citronella, sassafras, lemongrass, eucalyptus, vetiver, patchouli, palmarosa and rosewood essential oil.
The USA produces about 5 thousand tons of essential oils, including mint - citrus and cedar - 1 thousand tons each, as well as oil clary sage and sweet basil.
Argentina produces citrus, citronella, guaiac, lemongrass, mint, and nerole essential oils in amounts slightly less than 1 thousand tons. Paraguay produces mint and petitgrain; Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico - citrus and lemongrass; Salvador - Peruvian balsam; Haiti - non-rolewood, petitgrain and vetiver; Colombia - Tolu balsam; Peru - rosewood essential oil.
In Asia, the largest producer of essential oils is China, which produces mint oil, citronella, cedarwood, and in smaller quantities geranium, jasmine, patchouli, eugenol, basil, lemongrass, santal, star anise, and ginger oils.
India produces more than 120 tons of essential oils (santhal, mint, palmarosa, lemongrass, citronella, etc.) and almost the same amount in Indonesia (citronella, clove, vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood). Vietnam produces a large volume of essential oils (citronella, star anise, cubebean).
Japan produces about 200 tons of essential oils (mint, geranium, citrus, patchouli, vetiver, rose) and at the same time the country is one of the major importers, in Sri Lanka - up to 100 tons (citronella, lemongrass, cinnamon, cardamom).
The largest producer of essential oils in Europe is Spain, which annually produces up to 1,500 tons of essential oils, mainly lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary and thyme. France produces about 1000 tons of essential oils, mainly lavender and santhal.
Italy is the main producer of citrus oils.
Bulgaria produces the best in the world, etc. In the Soviet Union, from 800 to 1300 tons of essential oils were produced, among them the world's best coriander oil, as well as mint, rose, lavender, and sage oils. In the 90s this industry fell into decline, but is gradually beginning to revive. Production is currently underway fir oil, highly valued all over the world.
The level of development of the essential oil industry in a particular country can be assessed by the quality of products and the wide range of essential oils in production. About 30 years ago, Europe had the highest level of development of the essential oil industry. France produced over 60 types of high quality essential oils. The Soviet Union produced 25 types of these products, followed by Italy, Spain, and Bulgaria. In other countries, the range of oils was limited to no more than ten items, with a pronounced specialization of one to five types.
The largest exporter and importer of essential oils on the world market is the USA. But if the basis of US exports is only four types of essential oils (orange, mint, lemon, cedar), then imports are more than 30.
Large quantities of essential oils in a wide range are imported by countries of the European continent, primarily France, England, Holland and Germany. Export supplies in these countries are significantly lower.
Crisis phenomena of the 70s. last century in the global economy, rising prices for energy resources and land led to higher prices for all types of industrial and agricultural products, including essential oils, the production of which in some cases became unprofitable. All this resulted in the curtailment of the production of essential oils in a number of countries.
The volume and range of essential oils produced in France and other industrialized countries have been significantly reduced due to difficulties in providing cheap labor and acreage for cultivation. Under these conditions, France took the path of organizing joint essential oil production in the developing countries of Morocco, Egypt, etc.).
Competition significantly hinders the development of essential oil production. Thus, coffee and soybeans have become serious competitors for the production of essential oils in Brazil and Argentina. Growing demand and high prices for coffee and soybeans contributed to the development of the production of these crops to the detriment of essential oils.
The development of essential oil production and the growth in the production of synthetic aromatic substances, which in some cases successfully replace natural essential oils, are hindered.
Traditional centers of essential oil production continue to move to third world countries, which are located in natural and climatic conditions optimal for the cultivation of essential oils, have cheap labor and relatively free land areas. China is gradually becoming one of the largest producers of essential oils.
Now here is the main world production of high-menthol essential oil of japonica, which in 1940 was concentrated in Japan and then in Brazil. The main production of citronella oil moved to China from Sri Lanka, and eucalyptus oil from Australia.
The United States has ceased to be a monopoly in the production of cedar oil, as China is intensively developing the production of its cedar oil from mourning cypress wood. The center of vetiver oil production moved from the island. Reunion to Indonesia, and the centers of geranium oil production are located in Egypt and on the island. Reunion. The main production of jasmine oil, which was traditionally produced in Italy, Morocco and France, moved to Egypt.
Counterfeiting of essential oils
Many people mistakenly believe that artificial and synthetic oils are counterfeits of natural essential oils. This perception is incorrect even when they are marketed as natural essential oils for commercial purposes. Such perfume base compositions can rather be called a “surrogate” of natural essential oil.
The use of synthetic and artificial essential oils in perfumery is legal and very convenient when composing perfume compositions, as it ensures consistency of composition and aroma, which cannot be achieved using only natural essential oils.
After all, the composition and smell of different batches of natural essential oil of a particular name may have significant fluctuations depending on the quality of the processed plant raw materials, processing technology and other factors.
However, the use of synthetic and artificial oils on a par with natural ones in the food industry, medicine and aromatherapy is unacceptable, since they do not have the same consumer and pharmacological properties, which are inherent in natural essential oils and can cause harm due to the presence of components and isomers that are unusual for natural essential oils and have other effects on the human body.
The falsification of natural essential oils should be understood as a deliberate change in the composition of a natural essential oil for selfish purposes by mixing various additives and partially extracting the most valuable components of the essential oil while maintaining the appearance of the commercial quality of the product. Oil obtained from falsified plant raw materials can also be considered falsified.
Synthetic additives, highly volatile (the so-called turpentine fractions of some essential oils, cheaper essential oils, as well as purified kerosene, fatty vegetable and even mineral oils) can be used as products of falsification of essential oils.
Usually, unscrupulous manufacturers resort to falsification of essential oils in order to sell non-standard products, especially when it comes to expensive essential oils.
Rose essential oil can be adulterated with cheaper oils containing terpene alcohols (citronellol, geraniol), geranium oil fractions, or palmarosa.
Very expensive lemon verbena essential oil may be adulterated with citrus essential oils or synthetic citral, and vetiver oil may be adulterated with synthetic 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol.
Very expensive due to the low yield and the high labor intensity of its production is lemon balm essential oil, which has a pleasant minty-lemon smell due to the presence of neral, citronellal, geraniniol, linalool, and caryophyllene oxide in its composition. These components, synthesized long ago, can be used for adulteration.
There are known cases of replacing lemon balm essential oil with blackbeard oil (West Indian lemongrass oil) or citronella. There are ersatzes (substitutes) for lemon balm oil. However, substitutes, unless they are presented as natural essential oils, cannot be considered adulteration. In order to be sure of the authenticity of lemon balm essential oil, a complete instrumental analysis of the sample should be carried out. Chamomile essential oil is falsified by adding synthetic bisabolol or chamazulene and even high-boiling fractions of cheap essential oils.
Expensive and scarce Indian santhal essential oil is falsified by adding cedar and guaiac oils or their fractions, as well as synthetic products with a santhal odor.
Expensive jasmine concrete is adulterated with waxes obtained during the production of jasmine absolute oil in concrete. Absolute jasmine oil is adulterated with synthetic jasmine-scented products. Mixing cheap essential oils with more expensive ones is a very common method of adulteration of many other oils.
Hyssop essential oil, widely used in aromatherapy, can be adulterated with cheaper essential oils or their fractions, such as cheap eucalyptus oil.
Caiput essential oil, containing up to 60% cineole, is also quite often adulterated with eucalyptus oil.
Ho oil is used to adulterate coriander essential oil. Orange bitter (orange) essential oil, obtained by pressing from the peel of ripe orange fruits, is adulterated with the addition of cheaper, sweet orange oil, or volatile fractions separated during the desaturation of citrus essential oils, or essential oil distilled with steam from the peel after pressing.
In turn, orange (bitter and sweet) essential oil from the peel, as well as turpentine fractions of these oils, can be used to adulterate the more expensive petitgrain oil obtained from the leaves of this plant.
Neroli essential oil from bitter orange and sweet orange flowers is adulterated by adding petitgrain oil.
Clove oil from the buds of the clove tree is mixed with oil from the leaves and pedicels; and geranium - with citronella. Pyment essential oil from the fruit is mixed with cheaper clove oil.
Rosemary essential oil is adulterated with cheaper camphor or eucalyptus oils.
Bay essential oil can be adulterated with cheaper eucalyptus or cajeput oils.
To falsify some essential oils, vegetable and mineral oils, as well as purified kerosene fractions, are used. Turpentine oil is adulterated with petroleum fractions, ylang-ylang oil is adulterated with vegetable (castor, coconut, etc.) and mineral oils, essential iris oil is used with castor and some mineral oils. The content of adulterating additives in cassium (Chinese cinnamon) oil can range from 20 to 60% (rosin, fatty oils, purified kerosene, etc.).
Various products are widely used in the falsification of essential oils. organic synthesis, especially cheap synthetic fragrances. Thus, synthetic linalool and linalyl acetate are used to adulterate lavender oil. Typically, these components are added to substandard lavender oil containing linalool and linalyl acetate below the norm provided for by the standard.
This additive is foreign to natural lavender oil and disrupts the harmony of its composition. Organaleptically (by smell) such falsification is almost impossible to recognize. This can be done using chemical techniques. Synthetic linalool and linalyl acetate are also added to sage and bergamot oils, and linalool to iris and coriander oils.
Synthetic terpineol and benzyl alcohol can also be found in adulterated coriander oil. To adulterate anise oil, synthetic anethole is used, which is 20 times more toxic than natural one. Cheap synthetic eugenol, linalool and geraniol are added to basil essential oil.
Oil obtained from falsified vegetable raw materials can also be considered adulterated. For example, patchouli leaves are mixed with low-grade patchouli leaves or leaves of other odorless plants, and soil and sand are mixed in. Impurities can reach 50%.
Many essential oils turn out to be adulterated after the most valuable natural components are isolated from them.
Essential oils intended for aromatherapy require a more in-depth assessment of quality. Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils in higher concentrations than for perfumes and cosmetics (usually from 1 to 3%) and deeper penetration into the human body through the skin (massage, baths), through the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and lungs (especially during inhalation), some Schools of aromatherapists practice taking essential oils internally.
A course of aromatherapy using the same essential oils can last up to three weeks. During this time, a cumulative accumulation of some components of essential oils in the human body is possible. Therefore, aromatherapy must use natural essential oils of the highest quality and the evaluation of these oils must be especially strict!
It is also important to pay attention to the following aspects:
Since world prices for essential oil raw materials are prohibitive for the Russian cosmetics market, manufacturers of finished cosmetic products mainly use imported surrogates. As a rule, cheap essential oils or even worse - surrogates identical to natural ones are brought to Russia. For example, the price of clary sage or lavender oils produced in our country ranges from 100-160 dollars per kilogram, and is not available to domestic cosmetics manufacturers. And imported lavender oil costs 30-35 dollars. At the same time, no one questions why, when the cost of lavender oil on the world market is 90-100 dollars, and rose oil - thousands of dollars, we buy these imported oils for 30-40 and 200-250 dollars, respectively, or even cheaper? It doesn’t arise because everyone understands: these are some cheap analogues and natural oil they are distantly related;
Table 1 - Main areas of essential oil production in the world
| Types of oils | A country |
| Azhgonovoe | India |
| Anise | Bulgaria, Poland, USA |
| Orange | Jamaica |
| Star anise | Vietnam |
| Basil | Brazil, Italy |
| Bergamot | Italy |
| Vetiver | Haiti, India, Indonesia, Congo |
| Geranium | Italy, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Reunion |
| Spruce | Poland |
| Ylang-ylang | Madagascar, Reunion |
| Kanangovo | Indonesia |
| Cardamom | Guatemala, Ceylon |
| Kedrovoe | USA |
| Coriander | Poland, Russia |
| Cinnamon | Ceylon |
| Kubebovoe | Vietnam |
| Lavandin | Bulgaria, Ukraine |
| Lavender | Argentina, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Yugoslavia |
| Lemongrass | Argentina, India, Congo, Mexico, Honduras |
| Limettnoye | Jamaica |
| Nail oil tree | Zanzibar, Madagascar |
| Parsley oil | Poland |
| Wormwood oil | USA |
| Thyme oil | Spain, Portugal |
| Mirtovoe | Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria |
| Juniper | Poland |
| Carrot | Poland |
| Mint | Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, China, Poland, Russia, USA, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Japan |
| Nerolivoye | Haiti, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria |
| Patchoulia | India, Indonesia (raw materials are also exported) |
| Rosemary | Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria |
| Pink | Bulgaria, India, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Türkiye |
| Sandalwood | Haiti, Indonesia (raw materials are exported), India |
| Caraway | Poland |
| Fennel | Argentina, Yugoslavia |
| Coniferous | USA |
| Citronella | Argentina, Vietnam, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, China, Mexico, Honduras, Ceylon |
| Citrus | Brazil, Vietnam, Guinea, USA |
| Sage | Poland, Yugoslavia |
| Eucalyptus | Argentina, Brazil, India, Spain, Portugal, Congo, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria |
Japan produces more than 200 tons of essential oils (mint, citrus, geranium, patchouli, rose, vetiver), the country is a major importer, in Sri Lanka - up to 100 tons, in Vietnam they produce a large volume of citronella, star anise, cube essential oils. In Europe, the largest producer is Spain, producing up to 1,500 tons of essential oils annually (lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary and thyme). France receives mainly lavender and santhal oils in a volume of about 1000 tons. Bulgaria is recognized as producing the best rose and dill oils in the world. Plantations of essential oil plants are located in all parts of the world (Table 2). Crisis phenomena recent years In the global economy, rising prices for land and energy resources have led to higher prices for essential oils, the production of which has become unprofitable, and as a result, production in a number of countries has been discontinued.
Table 2 - Distribution of essential oil plantations in the world
| Continents and countries | Ethereal plantations |
| Australia | kayaput, nayoli, tea tree |
| Austria | fur tree, pine tree |
| America | cedar |
| Balkans | beans, blue chamomile |
| Bulgaria | rose |
| Brazil | naioli, rosewood |
| Eastern India | sandalwood |
| Guatemala | coriander |
| Guinea | neroli |
| Greece | cypress |
| India | limette, black cumin, incense, ylang-ylang |
| Spain | anise, eucalyptus, rosemary, thyme |
| Italy | bergamot, grapefruit, mandarin, oranges, lemon |
| China | lemongrass, mint |
| Madagascar | carnation |
| Morocco | Moroccan chamomile, myrtle, verbena |
| Nepal | palmarosa |
| Paraguay | petite grain |
| Porta Rico | vetiver |
| Singapore | patchouli |
| Somalia | myrrh |
| France | fennel, jasmine, lavender, marjoram, oregano |
| Czech | hyssop |
| Sri Lanka | ginger, cinnamon |
| Countries of the former Yugoslavia | valerian, sage, juniper |
| Java | citronella, lemon balm, nutmeg |
Table 3. Physico-chemical properties of some types of essential oils
|
Name of essential oil |
Yield, % of raw material |
Main Components |
|
Anise |
Anethole (80-90%), methyl chavicol (up to 10%) |
|
|
Basil |
Eugenol (52-82%), ocimene (10-16%), linalool (10-16%), cadinenes (10-12%) |
|
|
Bergamot |
Linalyl acetate (32-44%), limonene (18-30%), linalool (12-15%), bergapten (5-6%) |
|
|
Gvozdichnoe |
Eugenol (85-96%), eugenol acetate (2-3%) |
|
|
Geranium |
Citronellol (38-46%), linalool (10-12%), geraniol (15-18%), menthoni isomentone (15-18%) |
|
|
Coriander |
Linalool (65%), linalyl acetate, pinene, borneol, terpinene, myrcene, decanal |
|
|
Lavender |
Linalyl acetate (30-56%), linalool (10-20%), geraniol, caryophyllene, lavandulol |
|
|
Lemon |
Limonene (up to 90%), citral (3-5%) |
|
|
Menthol (-50%), menthone (20-25%), menthyl acetate (4-10%), cineole (~ 6%) |
||
|
Citronellol (30-35%), geraniol (1-5%), phenylethyl alcohol (40-50%) |
||
|
Santal |
Santalol(~90%), its acetate(~2%) |
|
|
Fennel |
Anethole (~60%), fenchone, limonene, methyl chavicol |
|
|
Sage |
Linalyl acetate (up to 75%), linalool (up to 20%), |
Materials used from the site http://vershen.ru/info/mirovoe_proizvodstvo_efirnyh_masel.html
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