What makes Ananda Aromatherapy Different? Our Rigorous Essential Oil Selection Process...


How do we choose our essential oils? We sample only 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils, then add the variety with the finest aromas to our collection.

• We feel strongly that oils from naturally grown plants with more complete, 'well rounded' and very appealing aromas will be the most therapeutic in all applications. This is undoubtedly true when using oils for psychological & emotional well-being. We suspect the components which add that extra beauty to each oil may also have additional positive effects for physiological healing as well.

We realize the difficulty of buying essential oils over the internet. How do you know you're getting what we say you're getting?

• This store is owned an operated by natural health professionals - people who have dedicated their lives to improving the health of others. This dedication extends to the quality of the essential oils we offer, and to maintaining the highest level of integrity in the available product selections and their descriptions.

What does 'Therapeutic Grade' mean, and are all essential oils of this standard really the same?

• Simply put, 'therapeutic grade' means that an essential oil has been carefully distilled to retain the maximum amount of constituents that have therapeutic effects. There is no 'official' meaning of 'therapeutic grade', as there is no agency that oversees the quality of essential oils in the United States. However, 'therapeutic grade' is recognized as a standard that should be upheld by the essential oil industry to ensure you get the maximum benefits possible from the oils you purchase. We believe this is of the utmost importance in selecting which oils to offer at Ananda.

Our oils are labeled 'wildcrafted', 'natural source' and 'organic'. What does this mean?

• The most 'therapeutic' essential oils are those that contain the most complete, well-balanced, natural array of aromatic molecules. The aroma's of these oils are more complex and beautiful; they are also the most challenging to make. Small farmers (or harvesters, in the case of 'wildcrafted' oils) and distillers in remote parts of the world produce some of the finest therapeutic essential oils available. They are artesian's working carefully, from the farming and harvesting of the plants, to the distilling and bottling of the oils to ensure their pristine, therapeutic, and natural qualities.
  
  Some companies claim all their oils are 'organic' without substantiation, others do not actually state the source in print, but verbally claim organic origin. We prefer to pass on information about the oil's source as we receive it. We have found many times that many oils distilled from 'third party certified' sources are clearly not as well-rounded and balanced in their aromas as un-certified, claimed organic varieties. It is our intention to offer you the most therapeutic, healthful oils available. We use these oils ourselves in all aromatherapy modalities, and we are confident in their therapeutic value to you, your family, friends, and clients.

Can every manufacturer be offering oils of the 'Highest Quality'?

• We suppose that depends on what one means by 'highest quality'. If they mean the oil is pure (un-adulterated) and of 'therapeutic grade', then perhaps they are all offering oils of the highest quality. However, we believe (and we think your nose will immediately tell you) that there is a vast difference in the quality of essential oils, and that the statement 'Highest Quality' is now meaningless when describing these oils.
  
  Why? A simple analogy is that of wine making. A fine glass of Merlot for example, is much smoother, more full-bodied, and possibly more complex (more interesting to the taste) than a Merlot of lesser value. They are made using the same process and the same grape, but the taste can vary significantly. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR ESSENTIAL OILS - Compare brands of Lavender oil and they will all have distinctly different aromas. One may be a bit medicinal, one pleasant but a little 'flat', and one completely heavenly with a wonderful, well-rounded, sweet and complex scent.

What is Ananda's selection process - ie. What are our quality standards, and how are they different than many manufacturers?

• The essential oils offered through Ananda Apothecary, under the 'Ananda Aromatherapy' brand must be from reputable distillers or distributors - those that have been in the business a while and are known to be offering pure, unadulterated essential oils. Most of our oils undergo physical and/or chemical testing to ensure purity. (Some oils from very small, specialty distillers do not, because of the cost involved - however, here we rely on personal relationships and honesty to ensure an oil's quality. We feel this is a reasonable 'trade-off' to offer you what we've found to be some of the world's finest essential oil of a particular variety).
  
  These requirements ensure purity - but the final test is an examination of an oil's aroma. We can go through MANY 'pure' and 'therapeutic grade' samples of a particular variety before choosing one to include in our collection. We are not simply trying to find the oil with the highest 'profit margin' - we are trying to offer you the FINEST OIL OF EACH PARTICULAR VARIETY, PERIOD. And we do think that the more wonderful smelling oils will actually have the greatest therapeutic benefits - they don't just smell better, they work better!

Some companies claim that buying their oils is the only way to be sure you're getting the highest quality available because they grow all their own plants and make all their own oils. Is this the only way a quality oil can be made?

• This is like saying only one winemaker makes the best wines - it is simply not true. Essential oils have been being distilled for thousands of years. Distilling the finest oils is an art as well as a science, and many, many skilled artesian's are making very fine essential oils the world over. This is like saying only one winemaker makes the best wines - it is simply not true. You SHOULD find an oil producer that you trust, and whose oils you enjoy. It's an interesting facet of aromatherapy that your nose will tell you quite convincingly which oil is the best, and which is worth using for your needs.

Ananda is dedicated to offering you the finest essential oils available from around the world!

• It is our mission to consistently offer you essential oils of 'therapeutic grade', of the 'highest quality' and with the finest, sweetest, most wonderful aromas we can find. This is how we differentiate ourselves. Our prices will not always be lowest - the finest products of any type are rarely the least expensive - but they won't be the highest either. We are trying to offer these 'premium' oils at less than premium prices, so you can afford to use them in your own practice, and with your family and friends. We GUARRANTEE our essential oils, and offer a no-hassle return policy on ALL our products.
  
  Please email or call us if you have ANY questions about our essential oils or any of our products. Our knowledgeable staff is happy to help!

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