| All but a few essential oils are derived from plants and their respective parts, where they circulate through the plant's system to ward off disease and predators while attracting beneficial insects. Highly concentrated, volatile, and with a multifaceted make-up, an essential oil depicts the unique characteristics of the plant from which it comes. By tedious and sophisticated means, essential oils are extracted from a plant through steam distillation or expression of its leaves, flowers, twigs, stems, roots, bar, berries, or petals. It is this oil which usually inherits and owns the distinct fragrance and properties of the plant from which it comes from.
As we continue to fully realize, respect and honor the power of essential oils in the realms of personal and holistic healthcare, so too do we comprehend the necessity for obtaining only the purest of natural oils. One of the factors that determines an oil's purity is its chemical constituents. These constituents can be effected by a large number of factors including: the part of the plant from which the oil was produced, organic or inorganic fertilizers used, soil conditions, climate, geographical region, harvest season and time, and methods used in the distillation process.
Where massive quantities of a plant are often required to extract the smallest amount of an essential oil, pure essential oils are quite expensive. Those essential oils requiring more plant material for extraction processes are more costly than others. Because the majority of oils produced today are used by the perfume industry, they are purchased for their aromatic qualities only. In order for a greater quantity to be produced at a faster rate, high temperatures, high pressures, and rapid processing with the use of chemical solvents in the distillation process may be employed with an end result of chemical solvents not being completely removed. These oils may smell as fragrant and cost far less, but will lack most, if not all, of the chemical constituents so important for therapeutic results. Whenever possible, we at Hummingbird, purchase essential oils that are either cold-pressed or distilled, in order to eliminate any residues. |
