Nowadays, we can hear a lot about nature being able to provide us with everything we need to live in perfect health and harmony. I personally fully agree with this statement and am an active supporter of natural products as an “alternative” to artificial and synthetic ones, with some conditions though: as long as it does not violate the natural balance, and is supported by common sense and reliable data. For me, the sustainability is of crucial importance, and in particular when it comes to essential oils.

It is true that natural essential oils of good quality are not easy to find and are quite expensive. As in many industries, people have learned to produce cheap and easily accessible fakes. Let’s bear in mind that all good and useful things you learn about aromatherapy ONLY apply to products obtained from plants, trees and flowers grown in nature, and not to their counterfeits created in laboratories synthetically. It is very important not to be misled by the term “aromatherapy”: it implies “treatment with natural essential oils”, and not just any “aromas” of unknown origin. Therefore, my advice to beginners is to spend some time searching for a reliable supplier of quality oils in order to get all the benefits of aromatherapy. The supplier’s “reliability” might be proved by such factors as specialization in essential oils, reputation and customer reviews, as well as professional labeling of products. In terms of labelling, be sure to look for the botanical name of the plant from which the essential oil is obtained, the indication “natural”, “100% pure” or, in some cases, “organic”; country of origin and minimum precautions. You may get an idea about the supplier’s professionalism by referring to their website and learning about their criteria for selecting and interacting directly with manufacturers in different countries, as well as their point of view regarding the essential oils sustainability and participation in fair trade movement. If you get the good first impression, go ahead and place your fist order. In case your positive impression is confirmed after testing the products, then search no more!

With all that said, choosing the right supplier is only one side of the issue. The way we actually consume the essential oils is of no less importance. Ask yourself a question: how much do I need to buy? If you are professionally engaged in aromatherapy and use essential oils not only for yourself, but also to provide services and products to clients, then it certainly makes sense to have and regularly replenish a collection of, say, 50 types of oils or more. But “collecting” essential oils just as a hobby definitely falls into the category of non-sustainable consumption. Think of it this way: each essential oil is precious. It has an expiration date. Many oils have similar properties (and even aromas). So, it is not wise to keep a couple of dozen bottles on your shelf with a sole purpose to periodically open and smell them, and then throw in the garbage once they expire – this is not what a huge amount of natural resources and human effort were used, wouldn’t you agree?

So what do we do? Aromatherapy is becoming more and more popular, how do we find an eco-friendly balance? To answer this, I invite you to refer to article here for tips on choosing essential oils for home use.