Our FAQs

Our products can indeed present olfactory variations from one batch to another but always remain within the norm of the accepted variations by our quality control and by the current legislations (Afnor, European Pharmacopoeia ...). This doesn't affect their formula or the biochemical components in the essential oils. Our essential oils are 100% natural plant substances, 100% pure and unrefined. The aromatic molecules composition of essential oils depends on environmental factors such as climatic and geographical conditions (sunshine, humidity, exposure, altitude, nature of the soil ...) The essential oils used by Puressentiel are selected on criteria related to their biochemical composition and not just their olfactory note, unlike the essential oils selected by the perfume, cosmetics, laundry or food industries which, above all, are looking for a "standardized" flavor or aroma. Puressentiel aromatherapy products may not always have the same fragrance (unlike perfumes or other types of industries that can be rectified by adding or removing certain natural or synthetic molecules so that they always have the same olfactory note). Also, each of our products are made up of several essential oils blends so they can present perceptible olfactory differences but with no modification of its intrinsic properties. These olfactory variations that you can notice from one batch to another are therefore a sign of its natural property and does not alter the product. These olfactory variations are above all a guarantee of quality of a 100% pure and natural origin product.

It serves as a base for essential oils, facilitating their penetration into the epidermis and limiting the risks of irritation. It softens and protects the skin.

It is an aromatic water (or floral water, when made from flowers). This is the residual water obtained after separating the product from distillation (the essential oil). It is much less concentrated in active ingredients (between 0.02% and 0.20%) than the essential oil.

Plant oils are essential supplements to essential oils. They allow for the optimization and reinforcement of the actions and benefits of essential oils. They are also helpful to dilute the essential oils before a massage or skin application: a point of interest as some essential oils can turn to be irritant if used pure.

Plant oils are extracted from seeds, fruit stones, or plants.

Some essential oils, such as lemon or sweet orange, are phototoxic. This means that they should not be used before sun exposure.

Immediately contact the poison control center.

Rinse immediately and abundantly, preferably with a vegetable oil (cooking oil or other), or, in the absence of vegetable oil, rinse with clear water. Contact a doctor or the poison control center.

The rectal and vaginal routes are occasional and reserved for magistral preparations made in pharmacies, or on medical prescription. No essential oil should be ever intramuscularly injected, instilled in the eyes or applied pure to an irritated or sensitive area, in the ear canal or on the ano-genital areas.

There are different routes of administration: oral, cutaneous, olfactory or by atmospheric dispersion. The choice of the route of administration will depend on the problem to be treated, the different properties of the essential oil, the precautions related to its use, and the age of the user. If certain essential oils can be used pure (mostly when diffused or on skin as a local application), it is often required to be used with an essential complement: plant oil (cutaneous route), neutral tablet or edible plant oil (oral route), neutral base (for the bath and the shower). For the directions and precautions for use, please refer to the products' labels and advice of health professionals.

Essential oils must be packed in glass bottles (not plastic) with a dark color: it facilitates their conservation since they are altered by the sun's ultraviolet rays. For extra safety, choose vials with tamper-proof caps with a child-proof system.

Some oils are coloured, it's normal. For example, thymol thyme essential oil can be blood red; that of bergamot, green; and that of lavender, pale yellow. Thus, the color of an essential oil may depend on the nature of the plant but also on the material in which the still is made: a copper still will give a pink wintergreen essential oil, while an aluminum still will produce a light yellow oil.

Essential oils should be stored away from light and heat (ideally between 3 and 30 °C). The essential oils of rose, thyme thymol or peppermint, for example, freeze in crystals at low temperature (this does not affect the quality of the essential oil which, as soon as it is at room temperature again, liquefies). It is ideal to keep them in their original packaging (with the instructions) to avoid mistakes, to keep them well closed (they are oxidizable and volatile) and upright (to prevent the oils from "gnawing"on the dropper and cap, which are plastic). With these precautions, your essential oils can be kept about 5 years (3 years for citrus essences, and 2 years for essential oils obtained from coniferous needles, such as Scots pine).

All the essential oils cannot be certified as organic because of some remote production sites, some wild plants grow in countries where there is no organic certification bodies. Purchase organic essential oils where possible.

Essential oils can be perfectly kept up to 3 to 5 years, provided you follow some strict guidelines. Protect them from air, heat and light, especially citrus essential oils (lemon, mandarin...), mastic tree or pine, which must even be kept away from halogen or light spots. At ambient temperature, in a closed cupboard- out of reach of children - it's perfect. There is no need to store them in the fridge.

• The Latin name: which helps to avoid any confusion
• The chemotype: to avoid any mistake regarding the properties. For example, thyme has 7 main chemotypes, with different indications and uses
• Expiry date
• The batch number
• The place of production
• The route of use and dosage: specific to each oil
• Precautions for use 
• Equivalence (1 ml = x drops)

Since 2008, the AFSSAPS (now ANSM, National Agency for Drug Safety) in France, has provided recommendations on quality criteria, to regulate the use of essential oils and allow a better control. A good essential oil usually bear the following mentions: - EOBBD (Essential Oils Botanically and Biochemically Defined) and 100% pure and natural. A guarantee of traceability, quality and strict control. - 100% pure. Namely with no addition of another essential oil, a plant oil, or any other solvent. - 100% natural. Meaning free from nasty chemicals (mineral spirits, synthetic molecules ...) - Traceability must be perfectly controlled. Systematic checks of each essential oil batch (gas chromatography) must be carried out.

Yes, especially since the essential oils have been proven to be even more efficient when it is associated in synergy.

1) Carefully observe the dosages, precautions for use, the duration of the treatment and the route of administration: essential oils are pure potent extracts whose use must be rigorous. To do this, always keep your essential oils in its original packaging, with its leaflet to which you can refer to at any time if needed.

2) Do not replace an essential oil by another even if its name is close : for instance, true lavender and fat spike lavender have different compositions, as well as thymol thyme and linalol thyme, or ravensare and ravintsara .

3) Always wash your hands thoroughly after using an essential oil.

4) Do not heat the essential oils by placing on a dish on top of a candle or tealight cup for example. Use a diffuser that is made for the use of essential oils.

5) Observe the precautions for use. Many essential oils are prohibited during pregnancy (especially the first trimester) and during breastfeeding. In children, some of them are generally not recommended before 7 years old. If you have a history of kidney and liver problems, seizure disorders, cardiovascular disease or people with epilepsy, asthmatics and more generally if you are under a medical treatment or suffer from a long-term illness, always seek advice from your GP before use.

6) If you are under a medical treatment, pay attention to interactions with essential oils! Do not hesitate to seek advice from your pharmacist or GP.

7) An allergy may be possible, especially in fragile or sensitized subjects. We advise that you perform a skin test (pour 1 or 2 drops of essential oil in the crook of the elbow, wait 48 hours and then start again and wait 1 hour to check the absence of reaction).

The two traditional methods of obtaining an essential oil are cold expression (for citrus zests) and steam distillation, which are suitable for most plants. It involves circulating steam water through the plant mass to release the essence contained in the small glandular pockets within the plants and then collecting them after condensation, in the form of essential oil. This process being completely natural, allows for a perfectly pure product to be obtained.

An esssential oil is a liquid and aromatic extract that is generally obtained by steam distillation from a plant or cold expression, which contains the concentrated volatile components. It represents the quintessence of the plant, in the form of a concentrate, rich in a large variety of active substances identified very precisely by chromatographic analysis.