organic vs. non-organic vs. wild crafted essential oils

in an article written by elizabeth golden that appeared in massage magazine, february issue 2009

the reason is because the plant may be pollinated differently or maybe a part of the plant had to defend itself from some type of a fungus and therefore has a much stronger immune system. therefore, essential oil properties can vary even if they are from the same area or same plant when grown in the wild.

mother nature is ever changing.

essential oils are usually added to some type of base oil, lotion or gel. the following examples are wild crafted oils from the rain forest that are used for healthy skin care: acai, andiroba, brazil nut, copaiba, annatto, buriti and passion fruit oil. these are all sustainable in the rain forest and the amount used is controlled and monitored.
organic essential oils are grown on a farm. the farmers that grow organic plants are certified and operate by a standard which translates into no harmful pesticides, fertilizers or gmo plants (genetically modified organisms) being used to enhance growth. organic plants are stronger plants because they have to maintain their own immune system and integrity. they are not dependent on chemicals to make them stronger or grow faster.

the farmers that grow organic plants take an interest in their quality of production and are usually a smaller farm, more of what we would call today a boutique farm or an artisan farm. wild crafted essential oils and organic plants are provided with the best possible environment and as a result the plants are stronger, purer and provide a therapeutic grade of essential oils. these farmers cultivate highly prized plants and receive more money due to their purity and distinction. it is a win, win for everyone involved.

not only do these farmers provide a wonderful product but they do not contribute to the polluting of our environment. they do not use pesticides, synthetics or other harmful ingredients that may run into our water supply compromising our eco system or aquatic life. the farmers that produce organic crops are more conscious about the world we live in and support holistic management of the earth.

non-organic essential oils or essential oils know as “conventional” are grown using pesticides. in other words, they are grown on a farm that uses pesticides as a means to control the life of the plant. it is the farmer’s way to make sure their crops will survive elements such as bugs, bacteria and other living organisms that may threaten a plants life. chemicals can help increase the size or rate of growth of the plant. they are not healthy for human consumption and they are not beneficial for our health. in fact they contribute to over loading our body unnecessarily with chemicals and toxins. they add excess strain on our organs and metabolism in order to process a “foreign substance” that the body does not recognize.

when chemicals are added to plants, they degenerate and adulterate the plant and its healing ability. these oils cannot be therapeutic, especially the less expensive oils.

most essential oils sold worldwide are usually sold as “industrial grade oils”. this means that they are conventional oils sold to large industrial companies. these large industrial companies provide suppliers with oils that are used for flavoring food and making perfumes. these oils are not capable of offering any therapeutic quality.

the information provided in this article is for you to decide what you want for yourself. remember, what you put on your body goes into your body. it is like food so be mindful of how you want to care for it. your body is an amazing biological system much more highly perfected than any technology available on the planet. we have lost touch with the innate healing ability of our own bodies. your body can heal itself with the right diet, rest and use of vital plants from the earth. choose wisely and do not compromise yourself. do your own research. love your body! it is your temple!

glossary of essential oils
the essential oils listed below can be used in skin care products. they are known to have healing properties and are not used exclusively for skin care. if you would like to purchase some of our essential oil blends, please go to our products pages.

essential oil	skin care	emotional attributes
balsam peru	promotes healthy growth of skin tissue	do not use if you are pregnant
basil	used in perfume bases	stimulates the mind
benzoin	good as a preservative for cosmetics and lotions	grounding
bergamot	good for acne and should not be used for sensitive skin, phototoxic	uplifting and relaxing
black pepper	good for blood circulation on skin	warming and stimulating, good for massage blended with other essential oils
carrot	relieves skin irritation and is rich in vitamin a	do not use when pregnant
cedarwood atlas	good for oily skin	a very sacred ancient tree, grounding
chamomile, roman	used in perfumes and body care products for thousands of years	soothing and relaxing
champaca oil	good in a massage oil or perfume, very sweet	uplifting and euphoric
clary sage	rejuvenates skin cells, good for mature skin and acne	grounding and relaxation, do not use while pregnant
clove	antiseptic and anti-fungal	helps stimulate the mind
coriander	warming for massage and helps with skin impurities	stimulant
cypress	good for use in massage for circulation	uplifting, stimulating and relaxing
eucalyptus	effective in the treatment of acne and has anti-inflammatory properties	refreshing
fennel	use after your bath with a carrier oil to scrub away dead skin cells; helps cellulite, heals bruises	stimulant do not use while pregnant
frankincense	good for acne and wrinkles	sacred oil used in ceremonies very grounding and relaxing
geranium, rose	good for oily or dry skin, aging, wrinkled or older skin	uplifting and stimulates the mind
grapefruit	stimulates skin so it will look healthier	relieves anxiety
helichrysum	effective with skin regeneration & acne, non-irritating	stimulating
honeysuckle	wonderful for a sweet perfume	soothing and relaxing
hyssop oil	for wounds, sores and eczema	emotional stress
inula oil	for skin rashes	sedative
jasmine	dry sensitive skin, rejuvenate aging or mature skin	uplifting aphrodisiac
lavender	wound healing, soothing, antiseptic and good for burns	calming and relaxing
lemon	oily skin, good for bruises	uplifting
lemongrass	very strong and must be diluted. good for oily hair and skin	do not use while pregnant
mandarin	very gentle for skin care or massage. can be used on babies and the elderly	relaxing and uplifting
marjoram	good for bruises, burns and inflammation & sports massage	good for stress and grief
myrrh	revitalizing aging skin	sacred oil used in ceremony grounding and relaxing
neroli	for dry and sensitive skin	used for grief, very uplifting and balancing
oakmoss	used in perfumery as a fixative	do not use if pregnant
orange	good for oily skin, do not go into the sun	refreshing and uplifting
palmarosa	cellular regeneration, good for mature skin	stimulating and soothing
patchouli	rejuvenate, restore and invigorate mature skin	grounding and uplifting, mind stimulating
peppermint	skin cleanser	refreshing, cooling, soothing and calming
petigrain	refreshing to the skin, don’t go into the sun	uplifting and refreshing to the senses
ravensare	good skin tonic & used for acne	good for stress
rose	nourishing for mature skin, good for all skin types	relaxing, uplifting & has the highest vibration of all the essential oils
rosemary	good for massage and wound cleaning	refreshing and stimulating
sandalwood	soothing, moisturizing & beneficial for dry chapped skin. good for all skin types	sacred oil, relaxing, stimulating & grounding
spikenard	a very precious oil used for skin irritation and mature skin	relaxing and calming
tea tree	use externally for deep wounds, scratches, sunburn and insect bites it’s great in a first aid kit, use undiluted, except on sensitive skin	stimulating
thyme	skin cleansing & good to use in a massage to help with circulation	uplifting, do not use while pregnant and always dilute this oil, its very strong
tuberose	used in perfumery	aphrodisiac & strengthens the emotions
vanilla	used in perfumery & food	warming, soothing & an aphrodisiac
verbena, lemon	cleansing & good for acne	refreshing, calming and soothing
vetiver	used as a fixative in perfumes and good for mature skin	comforting and calming
violet	good for all forms of skin irritation, extremely expensive	soothing and comforting
yarrow	used for rashes, wound healing & scars	relaxing and calming
ylang-ylang	good for massage, dry & mature skin	aphrodisiac, uplifting and soothing

 

it is important to have a good understanding about essential oil uses & methods, etc. do not use undiluted essential oils on your skin. always use a carrier oil, cream or lotion base. golden earth products are in a base carrier for safe and proper use of essential oils.

if you are pregnant, check with a certified aromatherapist before using any essential oils. most essential oils are not to be used during pregnancy; they include, and are not limited to balsam peru, basil, carrot, clary sage, clove, cinnamon, fennel, hyssop, juniper, lemongrass, marjoram, myrrh, oakmoss, peppermint, rosemary, sage and thyme.

oils that make your skin more susceptible to sunburn – are called phototoxic.  here are a few examples: cinnamon, expressed lemon, lemon verbena, expressed bergamot, expressed lime and expressed orange.  some people may be sensitive to oils that are not listed here so be mindful, everyone is unique.  it is recommended that after using these essential oils, you must stay out of the sun for 2-3 hours.