The Truth About Standards Relating to Eucalyptus Oil. How to Buy Your Oil with Confidence

Therapeutic grade is Marketing Hype. There is no such standard!

Essential Oils have a ton of hype and popularity right now and it's for good reason! They have shown to efficiently support the body in it's ability to heal itself when they're quality meets the right standard. But what standard is that exactly? 

There are many essential oils out there and many of the ones used are of lesser quality than is safe. Let's talk about the grades for a moment. 

First of all, there's synthetic grade. This is the most common grade and is used to scent cosmetics, hair products and body lotions. That's all they should be used for. 

Then there's food grade. This level of quality (or lack thereof) is used to for food flavorings in snacks, dressings, chewing gum and things like that. In order to meet food grades standards, the oil must be listed on the FDA's list of acceptable food products. Eucalyptus oil is on the list. There is no standard beyond this set by the FDA.

Most eucalyptus oils on the market today claim a classification of therapeutic. Unfortunately this is not a standard at all, but just marketing hype. Any eucalyptus oil can claim to be therapeutic grade, and no one can prove them wrong. Many of the oils that claim to be therapeutic have great aroma and healing properties. But the use of the term "therapeutic" will not help you in selecting your eucalyptus oil.

According to Aromaweb.com

No governmental agency or generally accepted organization "grades" or "certifies" essential oils as "therapeutic grade," "medicinal grade," or "aromatherapy grade" in the U.S. There is no formally approved grading standard used consistently throughout the essential oil industry.

The only scientific grade available for eucalyptus oil is pharmaceutical grade. While there are several organizations who provide this standard, most of the standards are derived from the British Pharmacopia standards. There are not many essential oil providers out there that can honestly claim to have met that standard.  

If you would like to read more about pharaceutical grade eucalyptus oil, please check out this article in eucalyptusoil.com  

At Eurospa, we specifically only use and source the highest, pharmaceutical grade of Eucalyptus oil. While this standard provide a high degree of certainty that the oil will have a great aroma, the most pleasant eucalyptus oil aroma is selected by expert perfumers experienced with essential oils and organic chemistry. The aroma of our eucalyptus oil must be amazing and consistently pleasing to our largest customers, major 5 star resort hotels and luxury spa steam rooms. You can be certain that product you receive from Eurospa will always have that woodsy, scintillating scent.
Eucalyptus oil is made up of over 100 compounds, each compound containing a piece of the plants DNA and immune system. The less an oil is distilled, the more crude it is considered, and the more of it's compounds it still contains. Oils that do not claim pharmaceutical grade are typically distilled just one time, which leaves compounds in the oil that are either reducing the quality of the product or at least reducing the potency.

With Pharmaceutical grade, the plant is distilled a second time which eliminates more of the unwanted compounds. The pharmaceutical grade standard requires a final potency of 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) resulting in at least 70% of the desired cineole.

Eurospa eucalyptus oil products exceed these standards and all of our oils are guaranteed to contain 80-85% cineole. This means our eucalyptus oil is strong and safe enough to be used in antiseptics, muscle and bone pain, cough remedies, natural cleaning, air purification, surface sanitizing and cleansing. For home applications such as skin care, you may want to dilute Eurospa oils with other oils or products typically used for diluting essential oils. 

The 80-85% standard that we employ also assures you the best possible aroma. If you love eucalyptus oil, you may have experienced products or steam rooms where the aroma seems week, too pungent, or even not pleasant at all. This is either because the oil is only single distilled or because the supplier has added other agents (cut the oil) in order to lower the cost.

Our Eucalyptus Oil Shower Spray, available in many local steam rooms or spas, and on Amazon, meets these same standards. You spray it into the steam and are not only invigorated and muscles relaxed, but your entire respiratory system is cleansed and strengthened; great news for sinusitis and asthma sufferers! 

The safety of what you put on and in your body is very important - which is why we felt it necessary to let you in on the facts. 

Finally, we want you to rest assured knowing that all EuroSpa Aromatics’ products are produced from Eucalyptus Oil that significantly exceeds the pharmaceutical standard. All of our products are fresh and non-toxic. Health quality is our main priority.  Unlike Eucalyptus Oils common in our industry, EuroSpa’s blends do not contain any industrial solvents, isopropyl alcohol, or water. We look forward to hearing from you in the comments below.

Perfect Gift Ideas For Your Kids Heading off to College!

Your child is heading to college.  You are excited but it also hurts.  Let's make it a joyful experience for all by getting a great gift.  The preparing and giving of it will give you a sense of joy even though it still may be bittersweet and the receiving of it on your child's end will help them to feel empowered in this next chapter of their journey!

If your kids are finally heading off to college, here are the perfect gift ideas for you to share with them!

1. Money Cards.  Yeah, I know this FEELS impersonal, but believe me.  This generation is beyond that and totally excited to have a monetary plastic gift, usable in person or online for exactly what they need.

2. Movie Tickets.  Even those incredibly talented, artistic and conscious young adults need some down time with their friends... and if you don't get them money, they may be too broke to enjoy some needed entertainment. Come on, help them out.

3. Assorted Teas.  You'll want to include some for health and detox, relaxation, and awakening.  They will soon be studying long hours and will need green tea, black tea or yerba mate to stay alert, chamomile or kava to relax their nerves and white or oolong to boost their immune system.  One additional cute thing to do, would be to divide the teas into sections and insert a little note card in each section with an encouraging explanation about the tea's use in soothing their brilliant minds!

4. Yoga Class Card.  Again, male or female, you can expect them to be spending a lot of time in front of a computer screen or with their noses in a book.  Think of how soothing it would be to them to have a dependable yoga class to attend once or twice a week and unwind their tired and stiff learning muscles?  Good for the body, good for the health.. A great gift idea.

5. Multi-Purpose Spray.   What's better than an all-in-one spray that really works to better your health, relax you, invigorate you and clear the home of germs and viruses??  This Eucalyptus Oil Spray can be sprayed into the steam of the shower to  awaken the senses and open the bronchial passages while also usable to spray into a room and on to surfaces to kill the plentiful harmful germs.  That's a good choice especially for a teen new to having to keep so much clean, all on their own!

This is an exciting time in your gown child's life and the gift should allow them to feel free and ready to fly.  We are happy to enhance the life and health of people in all generations. Stop by Eurospa to see what else we can do for you today!

It's Getting HOT. Here are Some Fast and Easy Tips for Keeping Cool This Summer!

Summer is upon us and the heat is on!  How are you keeping cool?  If you are like many others at this time in the year, you are looking for some fast and easy ways to keep cool during those high temperatures.  

Well, never fear, your body health and comfort are our priority at Eurospa, and we would like to take a moment to share with your our fast and easy tips for keeping cool this summer! 

• Get a fan for your room. A fan on a low setting that can keep a light breeze blowing across your room can work wonders. If you don't like air blowing directly on you while you sleep, you can still make your room cooler by using a fan in your window to circulate fresh air.
• Put a small pillow in the freezer an hour or two before you go to bed. Put a few plastic shopping bags over it to keep ice from forming on the fabric.
• Hang up your bedding in the coolest part of the house during the day. As soon as you get up, take your bedding to the coolest room in the house (in the basement, or where there's the most shade) and hang up the blankets and sheets so that each side is exposed to the air. Take them down and put them back on your bed just before you go to sleep.
• Drink a lot of water! The relief is almost immediate, and will last for up to one hour or more. Your body will also feel cooler when you are hydrated. If you can, try drinking eight ounces of water at least every hour. If the taste is a problem, try adding mint leaves, or orange, lemon or cucumber slices to your water to make it more refreshing.
• Get a cheap spray bottle - fill it with water, adjust it to fine mist and spray it on your exposed skin for an instant chill-zing cooling effect.
• Wear summer clothing. Wear loosely-woven natural fabrics (cotton, silk, linen) rather than polyester, rayon, or other artificial fibers (with the possible exception of performance fabrics).
• Wear light colors. Darker colors will absorb the sun's heat and stay warmer longer than light or white clothing, which reflects light and heat. Wear natural summer clothing.
• Use more eucalyptus and mint. These plants refresh the skin and leave a nice cooling sensation. Try a few minty or menthol products or our own eucalyptus oil shower mist to cool your skin.
• Use cucumbers. You'd be surprised at how well this one works! Just slice a thin piece of cold cucumber (from the fridge or a cooler) and stick it in the middle of your forehead! This feels fantastic on a hot day or when stuck in a hot car and works almost immediately! An ice cube or a cold soda can work similarly, though the astringency of the cucumber is more refreshing for your eyelids.

Don't wither in the summer heat!  Try these great tips to cool off and enjoy the beauty of the season! For other health and wellness ideas and products, come visit us a Eurospa and let us know what we can do for you!

Happy summer!

Want to Feel Great? 7 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Stress Less and Live Well!

Life keeps us busy and it can be hard to find time to take care of yourself.  We get tired and need a boost but tend to reach all too quickly that dependable cup of coffee even if we are sick and our bodies are screaming for nurture and healing!

Often-ignored but totally necessary, self-care can be any behavior or practice that helps us avoid triggering worse health problems (like the risk of heart problems due to high stress, for example) and betters our life quality by improving our mental and physical health through increased self-esteem, less stress, and overall well being. Implementing these simple tips can also help provide balance in our over-stimulating world. Self-care makes up an essential part of a healthy lifestyle that keeps us healthy, happy, and more in-tune with our minds and bodies.

Problem is, we can just do it once and expect change.  New patterns of change in our lives can be hard to commit to as they can seem intimidating or we are are afraid of failing.  But I've compiled these tips because they are easy to implement into our daily lives, allowing us to set new patterns. 

So get out a pen and paper and write down the ones that feel right to you; ones that you feel you can accomplish and will make you feel good.  Cause that's what we all want, right?  To feel good?

1.  A list within a list - I want you to write a list of the things that make you smile, giggle and make your arms spread open in pure joy.  What are those things?  Can you think of 3?  How can you make those things happen each week or even each day?   For some, it's loud happy music and dancing around.  For others it's swimming or playing with a child.  Think on that one.  Life is best experienced when our hearts can smile. What gets yours going?

2.  Get Outside.  Ditching the comfort of your home gets us out in the world without obligation; cause walking from your front door to your car doesn't count.  Get outside, take a walk and BREATHE deeply.   Being outside alone is associated with less mental stress and increased quality of living.

3.  While You're At It....  Exercise outdoors.   We all know the benefits of exercise and even if you're feeling a little shy - there are plenty of ways to get your heart rate going and oxygen pouring into your lungs.  Find a friend to play tennis or go on a long walk with.  Find a more private park path or beach to stand strong and engage your core muscles.  Climb a tree.  Hike. Swim.  Run.  Bike.  

4.  Eyes Wide Open.  Look around and find happiness.  Find love.  Notice acts of kindness, encouraging words and heart felt smiles.  Watch the love between people and see the beauty in the flowers.  It can be hard to get past the sadness and hostility in the world, but when we focus on the beauty still present, we are more excited to share it.  Be part of a joy revolution - and start with yourself. 

5. Pay It Forward.   Have you heard of those stories of people in line at Starbucks, waiting to pay, only to find out that the person ahead of them took the bill?  By helping others, we actually help ourselves, too. Lending a hand not only boosts mental health, but may also lead to a longer more fulfilled life. Volunteering also affects self-confidence, self-esteem, and general wellbeing in a positive way.

6.  Common Scents.  Yes, that was intentional.  Essential oils are getting more and more recognition for their healing properties and we are happy that it's happening. 4. Breathe the right scents.  We have all been taught that deep breathing can help us relax. But what we breathe might be just as important as how we breathe. But current research suggests that citrus scents, orange essential oil in particular, can help slash stress and anxiety, and inhaling eucalyptus oil can invigorate the senses while also going deep inside our cells to purify and cleanse us from bacteria and toxins.

7.  Get Sleep! So many things can sabotage our sleep, whether it’s a late night working, a reality show marathon, a wild party, or just normal life. The problem is, skimping on sleep can seriously hurt clarity and productivity, causing us to eat more, and may lead to adrenal and thyroid problems; which domino to diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Prioritize your rest to be a healthier, happier you — even if it’s just a power nap on your lunch hour!

Are you ready?  Ready to upgrade your experience on the planet?  Ready to reduce your stress and feel GOOD?  

We are.  Eurospa is committed to global self care, which is why we provide top quality eucalyptus products and menthol crystals for spa and home use.  Your health is our priority! 

How do you reduce the stress?  We'd love to hear from you!