Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Essential Oil?
What is an Absolute?
What is a CO2 Extract?
What is an Organic Extract?
What is a Hydrosol?
How do I accurately assess the aroma of an Essential Oil
How do I store my Essential Oils, Absolutes and CO2 Extracts?
What is the shelf life of an Essential Oil, Absolute, CO2 Extract or Carrier Oil?
Will my oils be harmed by transport in extreme heat or extreme cold?
Which oils are appropriate for use in an Ultrasonic Diffuser?
Is it necessary to dilute an Essential Oil, Absolute or CO2 Extract?
How do I blend an Absolute, Extract or Resin that is thick or solid?
How do I dilute an Essential Oil, Absolute or Extract in a carrier oil (eg,fractionated coconut oil)?
How do I dilute an Essential Oil, Absolute or Extract in alcohol?
How do I filter non-dissolved materials, sediments, and/or cloudiness from my alcohol-based dilutions/perfumes?
How do I filter non-dissolved materials, sediments, and/or cloudiness from my oil-based dilutions/perfumes?
Are your Essential Oils, Absolutes or Extracts safe for therapeutic ingestion?
Are your Essential Oils, Absolutes or Extracts safe for flavoring food products?
Are Essential Oils, Absolutes or Extracts safe for children?
What should I do if I get an Essential Oil, Absolute or Extract in my eye?
What does it mean when an oil is "photosensitizing"?
What is a "chemotype"?
What does it mean when you talk about "constituents" in an oil?
How do I know what percentage of a particular oil to use in a blend?
Is it safe to apply Essential Oils, Absolutes or Extracts directly to the skin?
How do I perform a Patch Test?
What is an Essential Oil?
Essential Oils are volatile (quickly evaporating) aromatic fluids extracted from plants through steam distillation, or in the case of citrus fruits through expression (or cold pressing) of the rind to obtain an oil that retains a juicy, fresh fruit scent. These "oils" are found in tiny sacs or globules within the plant, are highly aromatic, and although referred to as oils, are not fats, but tiny volatile molecules that vaporize quite readily. Essential Oils can be extracted from the leaves, stems, roots, bark, flower or resin from a wide variety of botanicals, and can be used for fragrance as well as for their skincare benefits.
What is an Absolute?
Like Essential Oils, Absolutes come from volatile, aromatic fluids extracted from plants. Delicate flowers such as rose, jasmine and orange blossom are oftentimes extracted as Absolutes to yield a higher percentage of oil without using the heat that can damage the petals during steam distillation. Absolutes differ from Essential Oils in that they contain a higher density of colorants, waxes and other constituents from the plant, making the aroma highly concentrated and more true to nature. They are solvent extracted, and since a trace amount of solvent may be present they are not used for skincare benefits, but instead, for natural perfumery.
What is a CO2 Extract?
Although the method of extraction is similar to an Absolute, CO2 Extracts are more comparable to Essential Oils in that they contain a myriad of aromatic and skincare benefits without any trace of solvent left behind. Instead of hexane, they are extracted using CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas under pressure at ambient temperatures. Under normal atmospheric conditions CO2 is a gas, but in the presence of high pressure it is compressed until it has the density of a liquid and becomes "supercritical" carbon dioxide - neither a gas nor a liquid. It is while in this supercritical phase that CO2 acts as a "solvent" to extract aromatic oil from plants. The beauty of CO2 Extraction is that once the oil is extracted from the plant material, the CO2 is simply returned to its gaseous state and quickly and completely dissipates. The advantage of CO2 Extraction over steam distillation is that since there is very low heat during the process a greater amount of valuable constituents can be retained. Typically, they have an aroma closer to the natural plant, especially those oils with spicy notes. Although there are some advantages of CO2 Extraction over steam distillation, there are oils, such as Patchouli, where steam distillation produces a richer, more full-bodied oil.
What is an Organic Extract?
Our Organic Extracts are made using modernized technology similar to the ancient method of enfleurage The extraction process uses only certified organic solvents such as fixed oils and alcohol to coax the aromatic essence out of the plant material. The resulting bio-available essence, extracted without added heat, captures the intricate aroma of the original plant material. We are one of a select few in North America who carry Organic Extracts made from Rose, Jasmine and Orange Blossom.
What is a Hydrosol?
Hydrosols are the aromatic waters that occur as a co-product of Essential Oil distillation. There are a number of other (and some less than accurate) names for these: hydrolats, floral waters (although they are obtained from more than just flowers), herbal waters, etc. Also, authentic hydrosols are not to be confused with products made by combining Essential Oils or Absolutes with plain/distilled water. There are as many hydrosols as there are Essential Oils, and as awareness of their potential increases, we see many more diverse hydrosols become available due to the demand for them. In the distillation process, plant material is either subjected to steam or is immersed in boiling water, or both. In any of these cases, the heat causes the cells of the plant material that hold the Essential Oil to soften and release their contents. This oil is volatile and rises as a vapor with the steam into cooling tubes, from which two products result - the Essential Oil, and the steam that cools (condenses) into water. The condensed cellular water of the plant - known as the hydrosol - contains many components and includes the water-soluble (hydrophilic) micro-molecules of some of the components found in the Essential Oil of the plant. However, many constituents in hydrosols are different from those found in the Essential Oil from the same plant material. As such, while hydrosols may have properties similar to their Essential Oil counterparts, they may have other attributes their Essential Oil counterparts would not. The gentleness of hydrosols is ideally suited in the delivery of their attributes for children, the elderly, and those with pronounced sensitivities. They are also a profound and delightful way to experience and appreciate the life force - with all its potentiality for wholeness - found in the aromatic waters of the plants.
How do I accurately assess the aroma of an Essential Oil, Absolute or Extract?
When sampling Essential Oils, which are highly concentrated extracts, it is advisable to use a Fragrance Tester Strip (or strip of coffee filter paper). Dip a clean test strip directly into the oil you would like to sample, then waft the test strip under your nose. This will allow you to assess an aroma's intensity* as well as how it can change and evolve over time ('dry down'). This will provide a much more accurate assessment than smelling directly from the bottle, which actually exposes your nose to too many molecules, overloading the senses. To better comprehend how a mixture of multiple scents would interact in a blend, fan the fragrance test strips (one from each oil) and gently wave them under your nose.
*Aroma intensity varies widely with aromatics, to observe and explore the different nature of Essential Oils, try this simple experiment: Compare a test strip with Wintergreen or Peppermint to one with Sandalwood or Vetiver. The first two just pop off the scent strip (practically pop out of the open bottle) and the last two are relatively shy and quiet, volatilizing slowly. In this case viscosity is the reason.
How do I store my Essential Oils, Absolutes and CO2 Extracts?
Essential oils, Absolutes and CO2 extracts should be stored away from direct sunlight and heat sources, preferably in dark glass or stainless steel bottles, closed with tight fitting lids and with as little air space as possible inside the bottles. Refrigeration is not necessary for most oils, unless temperatures are higher than 65-70F. Oils for which we do recommend refrigeration are Citrus Oils, Needle Oils, and most Carrier Oils. If you wish to keep your oils cool, find a dry spot in your home fridge and put them in a closed bin to keep light, air, humidity and other odors from damaging them. If you must purchase large volumes of oils that won't be used in a reasonable time frame, decant what you might need for a month into a smaller bottle and store the remainder in the fridge. The less exposure of oils to air, the better, as repeated bottle openings will speed oxidation.
Oils such as Amyris, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Sandalwood and Vetiver will actually improve with age, that is, the aroma of these oils becomes deeper, rounder and more refined with age when properly stored at a constant temperature below 65-70F degrees. We recommend recording the date of storage on the bottle in order to track how much time has passed. To decant from an aged oil, use a clean pipette and return the unused portion to storage, transferring to a smaller bottle if necessary to reduce air space. Please remember that aged oils are best used in natural perfumery and spiritual/ritual use while fresh/more recently distilled oils are recommended for aromatherapy and cosmetic use.
What is the shelf life of an Essential Oil, Absolute, CO2 Extract or Carrier Oil?
Viability/freshness or "shelf life" of essential oils is influenced by several factors including plant type, distillation date, and handling and storage (ours and yours). We recommend the following approximate shelf life time frames:
- 1-2 years: Citrus Oils and Needle Oils
- 2-3 years: Most essential oils
- 3-5 years: Absolutes and CO2 Extracts
- Improves with age when properly stored: Amyris, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vetiver.
Whenever available, we list production and best-by dates on the COA (Certificate of Analysis) for each oil. Other than the very stable FCO (Fractionated Coconut Oil) and Jojoba carrier oils, most fats should be refrigerated to prevent oxidation and rancidity.
Will my oils be harmed by transport in extreme heat or extreme cold?
Extremely cold temperatures will not harm essential oils, although filterable waxes may "settle out" of Citrus oils and other oils may temporarily solidify. Extreme heat is potentially problematic, especially since summer temperatures in shipping vehicles can reach over 100F! That said, we have NEVER seen oils degrade after one shipment (to or from us) in the heat. Essential oils don't react to heat and oxidization like foods or wines: they won't spoil or degrade after a few exposures. They can, however, slowly lose their potency and complexity over time if repeatedly exposed to heat, light, or air (oxidation). One factor to consider is that essential oils are created under very high heat (boiling point) conditions, and it could be reasoned that they can only be extracted -- not damaged -- because of the high pressure and temperatures in the still. We feel the most important thing you can do to protect your oils at home is to store them, like we do, in tightly-capped, dark glass or stainless steel, in a cool or refrigerated spot, out of direct light, and keep them fully filled.
Hydrosols will freeze at temperatures at or below 32°F. Glass bottles may break if the liquid inside freezes and expands. Although we ship with plenty of insulation (corrugated) and packing peanuts, if you must order from us during weather extremes, we might suggest either a faster shipping method or a delay in shipping until normal temperatures resume.
Which oils are appropriate for use in a diffuser?
Diffusers work best when used with lighter viscosity oils such as Citrus, Lavender, Ylang Ylang and others of a similar weight. These Steam Distilled Essential Oils are comprised of tiny volatile molecules that vaporize quite readily.
Some diffusers are not designed to be used with thicker, more viscous oils: Carrier Oils or carrier oil-based products (Dilutions or Essence Blends), Absolutes, or thick, waxy CO2 Extracts are more viscous products that can clog your unit. If you would like to use a thicker oil (such as Vetiver, Sandalwood, or Patchouli) in your diffuser, it is best to first thin it with a lighter viscosity essential oil. For more information, please see out About Aromatic Diffusers page.
Is it necessary to dilute an Essential Oil, Absolute or CO2 Extract?
Yes! Essential oils are potent and highly concentrated extracts derived from plants. As a frame of reference, a moderately high-producing plant like Lavender can yield up to 1 kg of essential oil from about 200 kg of flowers, while it takes roughly 60 roses to yield just ONE drop of pure essential oil. Thus, whether they are used for aromatherapy or natural perfumery, these extracts must be used with a great deal of respect and care. ALL Essential Oils, Absolutes, CO2 extracts, Organic Extracts (collectively referred to as aromatics), should be properly diluted before application to the skin. Using undiluted (neat) essential oils repeatedly on the skin may lead to irritation and sensitization. Not only are essential oils safer to use in dilution, it has long been observed that aromatics in general and essential oils in particular are more highly active in low concentrations. There are some exceptions to this rule, mainly the application of neat essential oils to a very small area of the skin. There are only a few oils that are appropriate for this type of undiluted application - for example, Lavender, Tea Tree and Helichysum. For more information on proper dilution ratios, please visit our Dilution Solutions page. Always remember to perform a Patch Test!
How do I blend an Absolute, Extract or resin that is thick or solid?
We suggest gently heating the oil in a warm water bath (or a double boiler, if you have one).
1) Start by placing the oil in its original glass bottle/container in a heat-safe bowl.
2) Add enough warm-hot water to affect the temperature of the oil, but without the possibility of allowing the water to get into the oil bottle.
3) Unscrew the cap of the oil bottle slightly to accommodate for expansion while warming.
4) Allow the oil to warm for about 10-20 minutes, replacing the water as needed if it cools.
5) Alternately, you can set the heat-safe bowl inside of a saucepan that is filled with 1-2 inches of water (enough to go halfway up the heat-safe bowl), and set the saucepan on a hotplate or stovetop on low. Add a small amount of water to the heat-safe bowl, but not enough to allow the water to get into your oil bottle.
6) If you have a thermometer, check the water often while warming. Most oils will liquefy at an internal temperature of 120-140° Fahrenheit, and it is best to heat no more than 140° if possible. Therefore, keep your water temperature at a maximum of 140°.
7) Continue warming until you get the oil at the right consistency to work with. It is important to remember that different oils will take varying amounts of time to liquefy, depending on how solid they are and their ability to soften.
Some oils will stay warm for a long time, while others need to be worked with quickly to incorporate. If you will be using a glass dropper to move the heated oil, please pre-heat the glass part in a warm oven (use caution when handling). If you plan to add the heated oil to a carrier (vegetable oil or alcohol), please see the next paragraph. If you will be moving the heated oil to another glass container, it is a good idea to also pre-warm the new container to a temperature that is close to the temperature of the heated oil; if it is glass, use a warm oven or toaster oven. Also, once the oil has been blended into a carrier (whether vegetable oil or alcohol) with other oils, it may be necessary to re-warm or filter out any non-soluble particles that may remain. CAUTION: repeated heating may degrade the quality of the oil; if possible/practical, dilute the entire amount of thick or solid oil the first time it is heated.
How do I dilute an Essential Oil, Absolute or Extract in a Carrier Oil (eg, Fractionated Coconut Oil)?
First, determine to what percent you want to dilute an Essential Oil, Absolute, or Extract. For example, if you are working with a very strongly scented material, you may want to dilute it to 10%, or one part scented material plus 9 parts stable Carrier Oil. You can use drops, milliliters, ounces, etc. as the measuring unit, e.g., one drop Tobacco Absolute, 9 drops jojoba oil. Next, determine how much diluted material you want. For example, for one ounce (30 milliliters) of a 10% dilution, measure 3 milliliters of the scented material and 27 milliliters of carrier oil into a one ounce bottle.
If you are working with a very thick Essential Oil, Absolute, or Extract, it will be more easily incorporated if the carrier oil is also pre-heated to near the same temperature as the heated Essential Oil, Absolute, or Extract. If the Essential Oil, Absolute, or Extract does not mix completely into the carrier oil, you may need to allow a period of time for incorporation to be completed; shaking the bottle as often as you think of it will help speed up the process.
Remember to label, date, and record your dilutions. Please see Natural Perfumery Basics for more information on creating your own blends.
How do I dilute an Essential Oil, Absolute or Extract in alcohol?
First, determine to what percent you want to dilute an Essential Oil, Absolute, or Extract. For example, if you are working with a very strongly scented material, you may want to dilute it to 10%, or one part scented material plus 9 parts high proof alcohol (grape or grain is best, or Everclear). You can use drops, milliliters, ounces, etc. as the measuring unit, e.g., one drop Tobacco Absolute, 9 drops alcohol. Next, determine how much diluted material you want. For example, for one ounce (30 milliliters) of a 10% dilution, measure 3 milliliters of the scented material and 27 milliliters of alcohol into a one ounce bottle.
Never heat alcohol due to fire hazard - generally, the heated material should easily incorporate into room temperature alcohol. If the Essential Oil, Absolute, or Extract does not mix completely into the alcohol, you may need to allow a period of time for incorporation to be completed; shaking the bottle as often as you think of it will help speed up the process.
Remember to label, date, and record your dilutions. Please see Natural Perfumery Basics for more information on creating your own blends.
How do I filter non-dissolved materials, sediments, and/or cloudiness from my alcohol-based dilutions/perfumes?
There is a rather simple process to filter out substances such as sediment, cloudiness, or insoluble fats or waxes from an alcohol-based dilution or perfume. Unbleached coffee filters work really well for this, but before you use one, rinse it a few times with boiling water in the bottom of a glass or stainless steel pan - this will remove the "paper" smell and any other impurities. Let the filter dry thoroughly before using it to filter your alcohol-based dilutions/perfumes. You may want to get a glass or porcelain coffee cone to dedicate to this procedure; plastic cones are not good for this. Before filtering, thoroughly chill the mixture that needs to be filtered in the freezer for up to 8 hours. Chilling solidifies fats and waxes and helps to coagulate sediments for easier and more thorough removal. It may be necessary to repeat this process several times for persistent cloudiness.
How do I filter non-dissolved materials, sediments, and/or cloudiness from my oil-based dilutions/perfumes?
To remove substances such as sediment, cloudiness, or insoluble fats or waxes from an oil-based dilution or perfume, use an unbleached coffee filter that has been rinsed a few times with boiling water in the bottom of a glass or stainless steel pan - this will remove the "paper" smell and any other impurities. Let the filter dry thoroughly before using it to filter your oil-based dilutions/perfumes. You may want to get a glass or porcelain coffee cone to dedicate to this procedure; plastic cones are not good for this. The process may take a few hours or longer and may need to be repeated several times if there is persistent cloudiness.
Are your Essential Oils safe for ingestion?
Please know that as a company, Eden Botanicals cannot recommend the internal use of Essential Oils.
Are your Essential Oils safe for flavoring food products?
Please know that as a company, Eden Botanicals cannot recommend the use of Essential Oils for culinary purposes.
Eden Botanicals has no paperwork certifying our products as Food Grade. Nor are we certified as a facility that handles products for the food industry and we do not manufacture under food GMPs
Are Essential Oils, Absolutes or Extracts safe for children?
Due to their small size and age, children can be especially susceptible to the effects of Essential Oils, and it is therefore doubly important to fully understand the effects of their use, both positive and negative. Essential Oils should be treated as potentially dangerous substances and kept out of the reach of children. If you choose to use oils with your children, bear in mind that their smaller bodies may react much more strongly to a particular oil than an adult would. Do careful research about the possible effects of any oil before use, and in any case, be sure to reduce the dosage as a precautionary measure, and be sure to test with small amounts. Undiluted aromatic oils should be avoided on the skin of children under the age of two, as their skin is very delicate, thin and sensitive. For those children older than two, some oils are safe to use in a light mist, or on a piece of cloth or tissue that is out of reach to fragrance a room. Dosages should be approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of an adult dose. To learn more, visit our suggested reading list.
What should I do if I get an Essential Oil, Absolute or Extract in my eye?
With any oil, the eyes should be swabbed with a lint-free cloth dipped in vegetable oil. Some aromatic oils are more irritating than others (eg, Cinnamon Bark), and depending on the oil, a visit to your physician is suggested.
What does it mean when an oil is "photosensitizing"?
Photosensitizing means that an oil can cause skin to become more sensitive to the sun. This is true of many of the citrus oils, especially Bergamot, which contains bergaptene, a constituent that causes photosensitivity. Eden Botanicals offers both traditional Bergamot, and Bergamot FCF, which is bergaptene-free.
What is a "chemotype"?
A chemotype is the chemical variation of plants that are botanically identical, yet are grown under dissimilar growing conditions, thus have different chemical compositions. For instance, Basil ct. Linalool and Basil ct. M. Chavicol are both of the same species (Ocimum basilicum), but grown under very different climates and regions, creating different chemical constituents.
What does it mean when you talk about "constituents" in an oil?
Constituents are the chemicals that make up an Essential Oil, giving it its aroma, benefits and potential contraindications.
How do I know what percentage of a particular oil to use in a blend?
Please see the Dilution Solutions section of our website for general guidelines. Additionally, since there are so many different oils, uses, applications and schools of thought on the subject, we strongly suggest that you check out our suggested reading list for an in-depth guide to blending. Aromatherapy is such a personal and subjective art, that although we want you to have fun experimenting, we also know that they are not just fragrances and need to be handled with respect. Books are available that can provide you with a good starting point, but the perception of fragrances is by nature subjective, and therefore, you will need to experiment to discover the proper amount of dilution for any particular scent.
Is it safe to apply Essential Oils, Absolutes or Extracts directly to the skin?
Essential Oils, by their concentrated nature, can sometimes cause problems if used in their undiluted form. Education is the key to safety with Essential Oils. Be sure that you understand the potential effects and possible hazards before using any Essential Oil. Two of the oils that have been found to be well-tolerated by most when applied "neat" (undiluted) on the skin are Tea Tree and Lavender. This being said, we strongly suggest that you dilute any oil applied to the skin. Because each individual has their own particular sensitivities, we also advise a patch test when using new oils. Please review our suggested reading list for books on blending and safe dilution protocols.
How do I perform a Patch Test?
If there is a question as to whether an oil will cause skin sensitivity or an allergic skin reaction, please perform a patch test as follows:
- Place 30 drops of Vegetable Oil such as Sunflower, Jojoba, or Fractioned Coconut oil in a small glass dish and swirl in one drop of the oil to be tested.
- Using a cotton swab, spread a thin layer of the mixture over an area of skin about two inches square on the inner side of the lower arm, near the crook of the elbow.
- Do not wash the test area for 24-48 hours
- Watch for any signs of skin sensitivity or allergic reaction, such as a rash, itching, redness, swelling, pain, etc., or if nausea or respiratory reactions occur. If so, wash the area with warm water and mild soap and discontinue use of the oil. Contact an appropriate health professional if symptoms continue.
- If there is no allergic reaction or skin sensitivity, it is likely that the oil is safe to use on your skin, but please continue to watch for any adverse reaction that may be dependent on how often or how much of the oil in question is used. If any reaction does occur, please discontinue use immediately.