Could you tell the difference between a pure essential oil and a knockoff bottle or diluted mixture? Below, we’ll explain how you can know that your essential oils are pure by checking the bottle, performing tests, and more.
Table of Contents
Check the Bottle
The first thing shoppers should look for when buying authentic essential oils is the bottle. Real essential oils always come in dark glass containers, commonly amber or dark blue bottles.
There’s a good reason for this—the dark glass of essential oil containers helps to protect the contents from ultraviolet rays, which can slowly degrade the quality of the oils. If the essential oils are in any other kind of bottle, they’re likely either phony or could already be degraded and not worth risking the purchase.
Verify the Source
If the bottle looks good, you should also check the bottle’s label and verify the source of the essential oils. The label on the bottle should mention the oils’ country of origin or at least contain a lot or batch number. If the label is missing any reference to origin, they’re likely knockoff essential oils, or the seller is trying to hide something.
Test the Oil
You can also test the essential oils to see how pure they are. The simplest way is with the ring test, where you only need a drop of essential oil and white paper. Drop a small dab of the oil onto the paper surface and let dry. If there’s a visible ring of residue left over after drying, it’s been diluted with a carrier oil. This trick is useful for quick analysis, but GC/MS testing can verify the quality of essential oils more definitively.
Feel the Oil
Another quick way to know if the essential oils are pure is with a quick feel test. As we discussed, subpar essential oils contain diluting carrier oils, and you can often feel these carrier oils on your skin.
Dab a small amount of the essential oil and rub it on your fingers. The essential oil likely contains a carrier oil if it has a silky texture. If the essential oil is pure, your skin will absorb it quickly, and it won’t leave a greasy or oily residue.
Conclusion
Now you know some basic insight that’ll help you determine if your essential oils are pure. The next time you purchase essential oils, ensure you’re paying for a quality, pure product and not a diluted mixture!
