An Aromatherapist, Mrs Abisola Arowosola, has advised Nigerians to be vigilant when purchasing essential oils to avoid fake products capable of causing adverse effects on the body.
TBI Africa said Arowosola, Managing Director, Mo’s Natural Solutions, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Lagos.
According to her, essential oils have numerous healing properties and benefits, yet, should be purchased with caution.
To identify fake essential oils, Arowosola explained that botanical names, pricing, consistency, packaging were things to look out for when buying essential oils.
“You can do a feel test. An essential oil should not be oily. If you pour it and it feels oily, then it is fake.
“Packaging is also important. It should be stored in a glassware because of the strong chemical components of the oil. If it is in plastic, it is not original.
“Also, the cover of the bottle should have either a stopper or a dropper. This helps to control the amount of drops used.
“It is also important to take note of the price. Essential oils are not cheap even if you are getting from the farms.
“It takes a ton of plant material just to fill a single bottle of essential oil, and when the plant is rare or scarce, it makes it more expensive.
“We do not produce essential oils in Nigeria. When we add the cost of buying, shipping, customs and NAFDAC dues, there is no way you can sell cheaper here than where it is grown.
“We have to be careful of what we buy, because what we put on your skin goes into the bloodstream; so we need to beware of fake essential oils,” she said.
NAN reports that essential oils are organic compounds extracted from plants with some proven healing properties, the act of which is called aromatherapy.
According to Arowosola, aromatherapy is a holistic treatment seeking to improve physical, mental and emotional health.
“You can use aromatherapy for physiological healing, respiratory issues, heart-related issues, detoxification, skin care, hair care, insomnia, among others.
“Every essential oil has its benefits.
“For instance, when I woke up this morning, I was still sleepy and I had a lot of work to do. I inhaled peppermint essential oil to wake me up and keep me focused.
“Whenever I get nervous, I use frankincense, neroli or rosewood oils, using a diffuser bracelet.
“For respiratory issues, you can use oils such as tea tree oil, or eucalyptus. For wounds and skin care: cistus, lavender and sandalwood are good.
“There is no point in time you do not need aromatherapy, it just depends on what you want to achieve,” she said.
Arowosola, however, advised against the ingestion of such oils without proper medical prescription or supervision.
She added that the oils must be diluted before use internally or on the skin.
“You can only ingest under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner or an aromatherapist.
“You can also get the same benefit by using topically or through inhalation. You can inhale using a diffuser, vaporizer or a diffuser bracelet,” she said.
