Within the essential oils industry there are three grades of quality

Within the essential oils industry there are three grades of quality. The first and largest are the synthetic essential oils. These oils are used in the perfume industry. The next grade is for the food industry and and conforms to the GRAS standard. The last and most exclusive grade is used for therapeutic purposes . Within the Therapeutic Grade oils are the Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. In order to reach the therapeutic grade it is absolutely vital that the plants that produce the oils follow strict growing and harvesting methods otherwise the molecules in the oils will be chemically altered. The may still smell the same, but they won't have the same effect on your body.

At dōTERRA care is taken to monitor the growing and harvesting of the plants to ensure that the proper methods. This is not unique to dōTERRA, some other companies will occasionally oversee the suppliers this way. What is unique at dōTERRA is that each and every batch is tested by an independent lab not affiliated with dōTERRA using a gas chromatography and a mass spectrometry test. This assures that every batch is Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade and ensures the exact composition and activity. This is vital because sometimes dōTERRA will receive a batch of oil from a supplier and the quality of the oil will be compromised with synthetic oils or by fillers. This process exceeds AFNOR and ISO quality standards. If dōTERRA did not test every batch these oils would slip through the system and reduce the effectiveness of your oils.

Many essential oil companies believe that they are selling the highest quality available, but if they do not test and every batch with a GC and a MS test how do they know? Why is it important to use both a GC and a MS test you may ask? The answer is that a GC will only count the different constituents or parts of a molecule to verify that all are present. It can not check for additional constituents, synthetic oils or fillers present in the sample. A GC cannot tell the difference between synthetic oils and natural oils, meaning that if only a GC is done a company may end up selling 100% pure synthetic oil when they believe that they are selling 100% pure natural oil.

A MS can tell whether a not a sample is pure or adulterated, natural or synthetic. In fact there are many different classes of drugs that look the same in a GC test, but it is only until a MS test is run that the lab technicians can tell that a patient has used one drug and not another.

Both of these tests are expensive but the MS is the more expensive test. The founders of dōTERRA choose to take home less money in order to ensure that every batch of oil was certified pure therapeutic grade oil. Why would they do this? Because they use these oils on themselves and their family's and want the highest quality available for their personal use.

Because I have such confidence in the quality of dōTERRA's oils I encourage those new to the world of Aromatherapy to test and try a variety of companies oils. In my personal use of oils with both my family and in my private practice, dōTERRA's oils are the only ones that my husband and clients repeatedly ask for. (written by mysti santiago)

If anyone would like info on how to purchase DoTerra Essentil Oils email me at sandhollow@aol.com