Info on aromatherapy suppliers-long

[Guest guest]

For the benefit of new people on this group, here are a few things

you need to know about.

 

There has been a massive proliferation of people setting up web sites

to sell essential oils. Often people who know nothing about what they

are selling. Please bear in mind that aromatherapy suppliers are

frequently cottage industry based operations. There is nothing

wrong with that provided people have educated themselves properly,

but regretfully many just read a few aromatherapy novels and then

start selling oils.

 

In Britain it is illegal to make " medicinal claims " on the website of

someone who also sells the oils. This has been the case since 1968

and later laws have tightened this up even more. Most of our older

well established aromatherapy suppliers have been aware of and

complied with this legislation for years. Therefore, if you come

across a UK based web site making medicinal claims, it may be

evidence of several things:

1. Someone who has not bothered to check the law over what they sell.

2. Someone who does not care that they are breaking the law.

3. Someone who has not undertaken a sound training course.

4. Someone who has been conned by one of the larger essential oil

traders.

5. Someone new to the trade who knows little about its history.

 

In the USA making certain medicinal claims is illegal, but the

legislation is rarely enforced. Therefore you have thousands of web

sites making outrageous claims, claims that frequently have no basis

in reality. Quite a number of suppliers there sell oils with labels

that do not meet your basic legal requirements, particularly

Wintergreen oil.

 

Don't be fooled by those who claim they get ALL their oils direct

from growers, that is hogwash. The essential oils trade is

International and conducted mostly via big traders who then resupply

the aromatherapy trade. Certainly some suppliers do get oils direct

from growers, but they cannot get ALL of their oils from such sources.

 

The same comments apply to organically grown oils. Yes some are

produced that way, but only a tiny proportion compared to what

aromatherapy traders sell. In addition, many OG certificates are

forged or the association issuing them does not undertake adequate on-

the-ground inspections, particularly in under developed countries.

 

Most aromatherapy traders sell oils from trees that are on the

endangered species list, they then invent all kinds of stories to

cover their backs such as " we get our oils from legal sources

only " . In reality they simply accept what they are told by their

suppliers most of which is hogwash.

 

Many suppliers in the USA and Canada sell essential oils with known

dangers, but without any warnings. Often these suppliers are

ignorant of well acknowledged safety data, or they don't care about

your health as long as they get a sale.

 

Certificates of analysis:

There are analysts turned suppliers, who knowingly sell adulterated

oils to aromatherapy outlets. There are others who claim to do

analysis but have had no training in the fragrance trades or

experience working for big oil distributors. Only a tiny number of

aromatherapy suppliers can afford to have their oils analysed by

experts. There are those who pay for the cheapest analysis, simply

so they can claim their oils are genuine - cheap analysis will not

detect good adulteration. In reality, this trade is awash with oils

that are not all they are claimed to be.

 

" I trust my supplier " . That is the biggest load of nonsense I have

heard. There are some who do their utmost to only sell quality

products, but there are a hundred fold more who just do not care as

long as the cash is flowing. There are only a tiny number of

aromatherapy suppliers that I would trust and some of those are on my

web site. There are others who have been trading for years; you

will come across some of them on this group and most of them have

learnt their trade via long experience. So beware of those who are

new traders as many of those come under the categories above.

 

So beware of believing a fraction of the hype on suppliers web

sites. Bear in mind there is no system in place for verifying the

claims made on internet sites. Anyone can say anything they like and

will usually get away with it.

 

See my web site articles for more on essential oil sales.

 

Martin Watt

http://www.aromamedical.com