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How to identify genuine essential oil from a counterfeit

Essential oils are very popular, and for good reason. Their demand has increased a lot in recent years, which in turn means a varied market situation. Oils of many qualities are available; in addition to genuine oils, some are pure counterfeits and some are impure diluted versions. Counterfeiting and dilution affect the quality and effectiveness of essential oils. You probably want to pay for genuine properties and guaranteed pure products, not something approximate.

In this article, you will find an easy checklist of the most common ways essential oils are counterfeited and, on the other hand, how to recognize a genuine essential oil from a counterfeit.

PACKAGING

Essential oils are sensitive to light and especially to the sun. They are always packaged in dark glass bottles, which helps them maintain their quality longer and better. There are several reasons for this.

1. Protection from UV radiation

Sunlight, especially UV radiation, can break down and alter the chemical composition of essential oils. This process, known as photodegradation, can reduce the oil's effectiveness and, among other things, change its scent and composition. Dark glass, often brown or blue, prevents most UV radiation from entering the bottle.

2. Extends shelf life

When light cannot affect the product, its shelf life is extended. This is especially important for pure, undiluted essential oils, which can spoil, become rancid, or lose their therapeutic properties over time. 

3. Aesthetics and practicality

Dark glass signals quality and protection, but many manufacturers choose it especially for practical reasons. It helps to store and transport products safely in various conditions. 

When stored at home, essential oils should always be kept tightly closed, away from heat and in a place protected from light, even if they are in a dark glass bottle. This maximizes shelf life and quality. 

If you see them in clear bottles or plastic bottles, alarm bells should start ringing. That is not a good way to store essential oils.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Check the ingredient list. Genuine essential oil is 100% itself. Blends, such as Fleurance Nature's Relax and Anti-Odour, contain several essential oils. If the product description of the essential oil includes anything other than plant essential oils (for example, tar, birch extract, not to mention numeric codes and hard-to-pronounce labels), it is not genuine essential oil.

Some products may misleadingly state "contains genuine 100% essential oil," but if other substances have been added to the oil, it is not genuine essential oil. It may then be a fragrance oil. Such labels are often seen, for example, in sauna scents, where essential oil may be just one ingredient among many others.

PRICE

Essential oils come at different prices, and the price is influenced by the cost of the raw material used. A huge amount of the target plant is used for one bottle of essential oil. When comparing prices, be careful not to fall for a "particularly cheap" offer. An essential oil that is clearly cheaper than the general standard may very well be a cheap copy.

LATIN NAME

The Latin name of the target plant is indicated in the essential oil's product description/label. Essential oil always comes from a genuine plant, and therefore plants are marked with their Latin names. Different plants have different effects, so it is extremely important to know exactly which plant is involved.

If the oil does not have a Latin name, it is very likely a counterfeit.

STANDARDIZED PROCESSES

Check that the essential oil is produced using a standardized process. This ensures the manufacturer's intention to produce consistent and pure essential oil. For example, the multi-step and precise process used by Fleurance Nature is described throughout our pages. 

RELIABLE SELLER

Not everything can produce essential oil. If you see oil made from strawberries, apples, mangoes, or bananas, it is not essential oil. In such cases, the product is a plant extract or fragrance oil. However, not all fruits are impossible sources of essential oil. For example, citrus fruits are well suited as sources of essential oils and have wonderful properties.

If you see oils made from the plants mentioned above being sold in a store's selection and marketed according to their essential properties, it indicates a lack of expertise. Approach such cases with great caution.

If the seller can demonstrate the traceability of the oil's origin, you can be at ease. There are many instructions for home testing the authenticity of essential oils, such as the classic stain test, but do not trust them blindly. They do not automatically work for all oils as is, since depending on the target plant, for example, the stain or color left by the oils varies.

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READ MORE ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS:

Essential oils and their use

The relaxing magic of the sauna - essential oils as part of the steam moment

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Essential oils

Explore the selection and choose the scents that suit you best.

What are essential oils?

They are aromatic and strong plant extract concentrates that capture the plant's properties in their purest form.

Read about how they are made and the many different ways they can be used.

READ ARTICLE

E.O.B.B.D. -standardization behind pure essential oils

The E.O.B.B.D. Pure standard oil has undergone a rigorous 14-step testing process, confirming that all properties, molecular fingerprint, and botanical definition have been correctly established.

Essential oils that meet the standard can be traced back to the producing country, a specific location, plant species, and the applicable chemotype. Production is sustainable and quality impeccable.

E.O.B.B.D Pure was first introduced in France in the 1970s and has since become the standard for evaluating pure essential oils. It is a guarantee for you of high-quality essential oils.

You can read more about the steps of the standard at the bottom of the page.

E.O.B.B.D Pure - standardized process

  • 1. PLANT DATA

    Each plant family and species is given Latin names that have very precise meanings. If a company producing essential oils cannot collect the correct species with the correct botanical name, they will not produce the correct compounds for therapeutic effect. E.O.B.B.D evaluates all botanical species to accurately identify the chemical compounds present in the product.

  • 2. DETERMINATION OF COMPOUNDS AND CONCENTRATION

    It is important to know where essential oils are produced and stored in the plant.
    For example, the oils in cinnamon leaves and cinnamon bark have different chemical compositions and compound percentages, even though they have similar aromas. You don't want to bake with bitter cinnamon leaf oil, nor do you want to bathe in cinnamon bark oil coated with paprika. It is important to know which part of the plant is harvested for the oil so that you can identify its proper use.

  • 3. PHYSICAL HEALTH OF THE PLANT

    The EOBBD inspection of the plant producing essential oils and the harvest is extensive. In addition to the health of the harvested plant, it also includes an assessment of nearby plants that may affect the compounds contained in the final oil yield.

  • 4. DIFFERENT EXTRACTION PROCESSES

    The process by which oil is extracted from plant material affects the final quality of essential oils and, when done correctly, preserves their longevity.

    There are several extraction methods, varying according to the desired essential oil. Steam distillation at minimal pressure is the preferred process for 90% of essential oils. However, cold pressing is ideal for citrus oils. For delicate, flower-based essential oils, such as rose and ylang-ylang, hydro-distillation in a water bath is best.

  • 5. TESTING OF COMPOUNDS

    The physical comprehensive analysis of EOBBD examines the compounds of the essential oil. Smaller compounds are often necessary to activate the main compounds, which determines whether the oils are effective in therapeutic use.

  • 6. REFRACTION ANGLE OF LIGHT RAY

    EOBBD evaluators reflect light through the liquid oil and measure the angle of refraction of the light beam.

    Essential oils that are sealed and created with the correct parameters refract light well at a certain coefficient. If the oils are diluted, this angle of refraction changes. The refractive index is a very reliable measurement of whether the
    essential oil is pure and unadulterated.

  • 7. COLOR

    Color is an important factor in the evaluation of essential oils. For example, coriander seeds have a slight color that is distinctly different from the crystal-clear coriander leaf oil.
    The color of cinnamon bark oil is completely different from that of cinnamon leaf oil.
    The color of an essential oil identifies its source and thus reveals the oil's
    properties.

  • 8. DENSITY

    This is a highly technical measurement of atomic mass units and
    chemical analysis of molecular bonds. The physical density of oils is indexed. This test reveals whether the essential oil is counterfeit at the atomic level.

  • 9. SCENT

    The scent of the essential oil must correspond to the species listed on the label. Oils and synthetic chemicals with similar components may have a similar smell, but the subtle elements and notes of the aroma reveal the true species. In particular, low-quality citrus oils are often derived from chemicals that mimic part of the recognizable citrus fruit scent.

  • 10. VALON LIIKE

    This measurement evaluation detects the way light passing through the oil rotates when the oil is in motion. Counterfeit oil scatters light outside the prism, whereas pure essential oil draws light towards the center.

  • 11. EVALUATION OF THE UUTON

    A trained essential oils expert understands all the ingredients of any oil and recognizes its visual characteristics. The oil's viscosity, color, clarity, and other visible properties indicate purity. The appearance of inappropriate cloudiness, particles, or discolorations can reveal that the oil has been extracted incorrectly.

  • 12. IMPORTANT CLIMATE

    Changing the country of origin for plant material producing essential oils can result in such a unique product that it may behave quite differently from oil extracted from plants growing just a few hundred miles away. Altitude, water, insects, and soil quality are just a few parameters that affect the quality of the oil and the percentages of compounds it contains.

    When exposed to different environmental factors, the same plant species can contain significantly altered concentrations of key compounds.

  • 13. TRACEABILITY

    EOBBD requires that the producer of essential oils trace the batch from the field to the finished product and document every stop along the way.
    If the oil is traced to a clearinghouse, its origin may be unknown,
    so quality cannot be documented. It is important that the entire traceability chain
    is documented to ensure that the oil has not been adulterated at any stage.

  • 14. SUBSOIL ANALYSIS

    The importance of soil microbiology is vital for the plant and the final harvest. EOBBD assesses the soil where oil plants are grown to ensure that the growing conditions are truly organic or wild. If microbes are not measured at a certain ratio, this may indicate that the cultivation processes are not organic and the final crop may contain traces of unwanted chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides that can destroy the effectiveness and purity of essential oils.