General Safety Information

- Do not take any oils internally without consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner.

- Do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin.

- If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner.

- Use extreme caution when using oils with children and give children only the gentlest oils at extremely low doses. It is safest to consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children.

- A skin patch test should be conducted prior to using an oil that you've never used before. Instructions on conducting a skin patch test.

For some reason even when I mix peppermint oil with a carrier oil and put it in my diffuser it makes my eyes burn. Do you all think I am using too much of the oil or could it be something else?

I use (undiluted) French Lavender Oil on my skin all the time. I wouldn't use anything else. Lavender works really well at healing problem skin...for me, anyway.

Hi all,

Is there a difference between vanilla and vanilla bean essential oils? A lady at Whole Foods was telling me to get a really strong vanilla aroma that you need the pure vanilla and not the vanilla bean. I am thinking she is not correct but she was just a customer shopping so I figured I would ask the "real experts" here. :-) Does this make sense?

I would think the vanilla bean would be stronger...??? But...I haven't seen the vanilla bean or pure vanilla essential oil either. And is vanilla extract (we all use for cooking) what your talking about....

I have definately seen synthytic vanilla and I don't like that.

Uzma, give us the scoop.

Hello Vanilla Lovers

The fruit of the Vanilla plant is the pod, or bean, which bears the flavour and scent that we love.

Vanilla oil is made from cured, fermented and dried Vanilla beans. This oil is extracted using a chemical solvent.
Because the pods have been fermented and dried before the oil is extracted, the fragrance is intense.
This is the stronger of the two.
The pure Vanilla Extract you get in healthfood shops is made by the same process (bar solvent extraction) and is used in flavouring high-quality ice-cream, etc. Unfortunately, they use synthetic vanilla to scent most fragrant candles as it a zillion times cheaper.

Vanilla Bean oil is made from the un-cured immature vanilla pods and is a lighter oil used for massage and for other therapeutic purposes. It has a a "happiness-inducing" effect.
It is difficult to get hold off.

I tend to buy the cured and dried pods (from Waitrose in the UK) and steep them in virgin coconut oil in a warm place for a month. Oh my, jarred bliss......

Hope that helps, ladies....now for that ice-cream!!!

Uzma

Hi Uzma & Sophie et all,

Thank you Uzma for the explanation. I have to confess that I burn candles in my office at HB.com. I prefer vanilla because it does seem to calm me from the stresses and strains of daily business. I am wondering if you have a recommendation for a line of candles that has a really solid vanilla bean aroma. The one I am burning now came from the local Super Target and I bought it because it had such a strong aroma of vanilla. I have not found any others like it and of course I don't have the brand name. UGH.

And yes, I was wondering where to buy the oil you mention. Sounds heavenly.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Karen

Hi uzma,

Thank you for the info. So. Can you tell me how I can buy your candles? :-)

Karen

Hi Uzma,

But only if I can send a package to you in exchange. :-)

I am sure I can think of something you might like. LOL

Karen