How to Recognize Accurate Essential Oil Information

5 min to read
Andrea Butje
06/24/2021

Can you spot accurate essential oil information?

Every day, more content about essential oils is published—whether online, in books, or in videos. 

While that's very exciting, it can also be confusing.

It's not always easy to tell accurate essential oil information from ineffective (or even dangerous) misinformation. encouragement, and even marketing tools for new business owners.

For example...

Some posts and websites have advised people to add a drop or two of essential oil to hot tea and drink it to soothe the throat.

But essential oils don't dilute in water. (Water and oil don't mix!)

If you add a drop of essential oil to hot tea, you won't get a bit of the oil in every sip. You're more likely to get the entire drop at once. And if you're using a harsh oil—such as cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), which is rich in potent aldehydes—it can irritate or burn your lips, tongue, the lining of your esophagus, and other internal structures. The burning effects will be amplified by the hot tea.

(In general, ingesting essential oils safely requires specific training or accurate guidance by a Certified Aromatherapist.)

A safer way to soothe your throat with cinnamon bark oil is to make a throat oil and apply it topically to your neck and chest. Here's a recipe that's based on research. It's crafted and trusted by our team of Certified Aromatherapists. 

Hint of Cinnamon Throat Care Oil

Apply topically to your neck and chest to soothe your throat.

Ingredients
  • 1 fl oz (30 ml) Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis)

  • 5 drops Sandalwood Oil (Santalum album)

  • 4 drops Ravintsara Oil (Cinnamomum camphora ct 1,8-cineole)

  • 1 drop Cinnamon Bark Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)

Equipment
  • One 1oz glass bottle

Directions
  • Combine the jojoba and essential oils in the bottle.

  • Cap tightly, then shake gently.

  • This oil is meant for external application. Apply topically to your neck and chest several times a day.

This recipe combines the potent germ-clearing aldehydes of cinnamon bark with the soothing sesquiterpenols present in sandalwood. They're joined by ravintsara, which contains the antispasmodic and inflammation-calming oxide 1,8-cineole.

How you can determine which essential oil information to trust

While there are no hard and fast rules or guarantees, there are a few simple guidelines you can use to identify reliable essential oil information online.

  1. Consider the source.
    Who is sharing the information? Can you identify whether it's an individual, a company that sells products, or an educational institution?

    There's no rule of thumb saying one type of source is more reliable than another. (Not all schools will agree on safety and efficacy. And just because the information comes from an individual, that doesn't mean it's necessarily inaccurate.) But identifying the source can give you context for considering the next few points.

  2. Is the source educated?
    Does the source cite any education (such as classes or schools) or certifications in essential oils?

    This tells you whether they take essential oils seriously as a science (not a hobby), and if they've put time into understanding the research, safety issues, and therapeutic uses of the oils.

  3. How long has the source been using oils?
    Lack of experience isn't always a red flag marking a source as unreliable.

    But it often happens that after someone first discovers essential oils, they get excited—they want to share the oils with everyone! They might start posting and sharing recipes left and right . . . until they realize there's a lot more to essential oils, and they need more education.

  4. Do they have any research to back up their claims?
    They don't have to share citations from scientific journals and research studies. (Although they can!) Simply including a bit of chemistry about an oil shows that your source is thinking scientifically (or attempting to).

  5. Do they make "health claims?"
    This is a no-no! The FDA is serious about protecting the public from false claims about essential oils. It's irresponsible for a source to claim that "lavender heals eczema" or that "eucalyptus cures colds."

    A reliable source can share information and make suggestions but shouldn't try to position essential oils as a replacement for modern medicine or treatments. Aromatherapy is complementary.

We are thrilled that aromatherapy has become so popular!

But with the surge in essential oil popularity, finding accurate essential oil information has become a challenge.

Working with the wrong information can mean that your blends aren't effective (or are even unsafe), and that the advice you're sharing with others is inaccurate.

That's where education comes in.

Aromahead is one of the most internationally respected aromatherapy schools in the world.

Our team is 100% committed to providing you with information based on research and chemistry. 

We love teaching and staying engaged by answering questions over email and social media, as well as in live blending sessions with our Co-Directors of Education, Jenny and Karen. 

If you ever get confused by all of the conflicting information online (and in books) . . . please just ask us! 

It's our goal as educators to help you use essential oils in safe ways that directly make your life better—healthier, happier, and more natural.

We take pride in staying on the cutting edge of aromatherapy and keeping our students updated with the latest research.

If you're curious about getting essential oil education—so you can recognize accurate information for yourself and give reliable advice to others—we'll be right here for you. 

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Dive deeper into the complex and nuanced world of essential oils! You’ll learn foundational EO strategies you can use right away, get a clear understanding of where you are in your essential oil journey, and discover a proven path toward greater confidence, credibility and opportunity through aromatherapy certification!

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