I love exploring essential oil chemistry!
We can break down essential oil chemistry to see the precise components in each oil with GC/MS testing (Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry). Seeing the GC/MS report for each new batch of essential oil is always exciting! Even the same plant growing in the same area can produce a different essential oil year to year depending on factors such as the weather, when the plant was harvested, and how the oil was extracted.
This means the chemical component percentages might change, and the aroma of the oil could be different. Personally, I find that fascinating! I’m not creating products that need to be exactly the same every time I make them, so the variation intrigues me.
Have you noticed variations in aroma when you buy essential oils year to year?
Andrea Butje
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I have! I purchased a Rosemary ct camphor from AI and the next batch was very nice, but also quite different. When I compared the two GC/MS reports, I understood immediately that one had more camphor than the other. It is so empowering to have knowledge of essential oils chemistry!
Liz Fulcher recently posted…Using SweetGrass Hydrosol for Smudging
What does this mean for therapeutic usage.
I think this is so interesting and the same goes for the foods that we eat. I also believe it is part of nature doing what it has to do. Can’t wait to take your classes Andrea, I have already recommended your courses to friends. Speak soon. Thank you for being a caring person!
I would love to learn more about the chemistry and quality of EO’s as well as how they are extracted.
Thanks so much for the information!! Love learning all about EO’s and aromatherapy!
That makes so much sense! Its important to remember that when using mother nature’s ingredients there will always be variability!
As a pharmacist I find this intriguing. In Australia we have a regulation through the therapeutic goods administration that if a product has an aust l or aust r number it must meet criteria regarding its contents and percentages. Inessence range meet this
I am currently studying for my level 1 and am in the process of learning the basic chemistry of essential oils, I find it fascinating and overwhelming at the same time, there is so much to learn!
Hi Melanie. I’ve taken a level 1 course here in Atlanta and very interested in the basic chemistry I see you are learning about now – can you tell me thru what vehicle you are learning it? I want to learn for my own knowledge – I have no business inclinations, but a very big and passionate interest. Thank you.