Labeling of Essential oils - why they are labeled for External Use

April 29, 2009

Hi Folks,

Just a few comments on why essential oils are labeled for " external use " but

also why many other carrier oils etc are also labeled that way.

I have to agree with Butch totally about covering our " butts " when it comes to

why we cannot tell folks essential oils can be ingested on our labels. Further

below you will see why they cannot be labeled for ingestion.

Quoting Butch: " Correct .. it does have that warning on the label. ALL of my

products contain that warning. Why does the label on the oils contain such a

statement? The reason is .. because it is standard and common practice for

sellers in this industry who are responsible business managers/owners to include

warnings such as that on all essential oil bottles .. consider it as a Cover

Your Butt (CYB) warning .. "

As he put it responsible and reputable companies know that you need to do this

but there is more to it that I want to add.

As you know there is a big watch dog over ALL food and drugs - THE FDA (Food and

Drug Administration) they also have other groups like the USDA (the US

Department of Agriculture) too that are part of this group. And regulating all

of this is a GREAT BIG BOOK called the Code of Federal Regulations!! (A big book

of laws!)

Yeah! Try reading it and figuring out all it has to say - your mind will go

bonkers!! I know as I have read it many times for the sections I'm about to

mention below.

Anyway, As an Aromatherapist and Supplier of Essential oils for use in aroma

therapies we are considered part of the FDA - the Cosmetics Industry. As long

as we don't make any medical claims and follow the labeling guidelines etc that

are all stated in that GREAT BIG BOOK of the CODE, (Title 21 for the Cosmetics

Industry) we are fine and can stay as part of the Cosmetics industry and not

part of the Drug industry.

BUT here in Minnesota along with MANY other STATES you cannot label these

wonderful essenses nor carrier oils for ingestion UNLESS you follow the

guidelines of the USDA for it to be considered a FOOD!!!

Now then, in Minnesota, if you want to sell foods for ingestion - that is if I'm

going to eat it - you know eat - and I love to eat :-)!! Anyway, you have to be

inspected by the State Department of Health and the USDA!!! and have proper

packaging, sanitation, etc, etc. AGAIN found in the GREAT BIG BOOK!!!

Don't get me wrong, almost all aromatherapy practitioners buy in bulk and

repackage their precious wares into smaller containers and do the requirements

for santitation and packaging and labeling guidelines, etc. BUT (here is one of

those but's) as long as we don't tell anyone to INGEST them we are not also

regulated by the USDA and the State Health departments and have to pay for all

their inspections, etc!! Because we fall under the guidelines set forth by the

" Cosmetics Industry " as part of the regulations of the FDA!!! Life is way more

simpler.

And yes you will see that in that GREAT BIG BOOK it will tell you that Essential

oils are GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) BUT (here is another one of those

but's) not all EO's are GRAS and the ones that are, well, They still have to be

used according to the GREAT BIG BOOKS guidelines for use in FOODS and FLAVORINGS

and have to be diluted down quite a bit using, well, various ingredients that

would not make them be therapeutic any more, or at least as not as much as we

want them to be for use in Aroma therapy.

SO, my point being, labeling an essential oil for " External Use Only " is because

we are NOT packaging as food!! If we were, we would have to pass even more bells

and whistles not only by the USDA, our own States, but possibly also the FDA who

might tell us it is a 'drug' and not a part of the cosmetic industry! And then

this " drug " might need to be prescribed by a licensed practioner.

Anyway, most of us are packaging it under the guidelines set forth by the

cosmetics industry division of the FDA. And unless we make a medicinal claim,

we can have folks smell it all they want in the air, use in lotions, massage

oils, etc!! (Don't make any Pesticide claim either or you'll be under the

jurisdiction of the EPA!!)

So now you have why we have our products labeled for " external use only " . It's

not that they aren't pure enough to ingest, as " they are definitely pure enough

to ingest " especially when compared to some products you buy in the stores.

And just as Butch says, & we agree and say too - We cannot tell you to ingest

them nor how to use them, nor how much to use, we will tell you what you do is

up to you, but we will NEVER, ever tell you to ingest them.

We can give you safe levels of use for diffusing and in massage oils and lotions

etc, and hope you won't over do it, but we don't know what you do in the

confines of your own home. We do hope you will use them safely and responsibly.

Yours in Aromatherapy,

Penny

Your One Stop Aromatherapy Shop!

Birch Hill Happenings Aromatherapy LLC

100% Pure Essential oils and Supplies

http://birchhillhappenings.com/aroma1.htm

Check out my new Aromatherapy Recipe Book

http://birchhillhappenings.com/recipebook.htm

April 30, 2009

What can happen if you make a bug repellant spray with E.O.'s?

-

Penny

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 5:45 PM

Labeling of Essential oils - why they are labeled

for External Use