Grade A?

Anyone giving such a grade will be part of a quango: quasi-autonomous national government (or non governmental) organization, self interest group. The FDA or The Trading Standards are not testing every essential oil to find out whether the essential oil is natural and unadulterated. They could not and will not because essential oils are one of the most complex products on the earth and proper testing cost around £400 per sample: if you are doing what we are doing,. Even if you were doing just a Gc-Ms without the head space analysis a test contract for 200 samples a year will cost around £250 per sample. Yes you can get cheaper test done, but that's exactly what you get cheap.

We do not do cheap and cheerful test at Kobashi. We test to isolate, as many chemical as possible. We test for phthalate, pesticide and herbicide contamination. We test for chemical composition and relative percentages. The FDA or The Trading Standards may test an oil if you had evidence that an essential oil is marked Pure or 100% essential oil and was not 100% Pure essential Oil. All our essential oils that are marked this way, are what we say they are and if anyone wants to send them to a lab to see we welcome it.

Just as in athlete drug testing, there is testing and there is testing. Cheap and cheerful gc's for some.

To us at Kobashi a FID GC (Flame ionized detector, Gas chromatography) is a hit or miss Russian Roulette, that is very good for relative percentages. Why is a FID GC hit or miss? Don't trust GC analysis alone. Many companies just use GC without the MS (mass spectroscopy). This is dangerous even if you have a complete library of standards, which very few people on earth have. GC’s are good for a cheap and cheerful look at the relative percentages of components in an oil, but they are only analyzed by retention time. (Retention time: the time a chemical comes out of the GC’s column) There can be four or five chemicals which have the same retention time, thus a 1-5 chance of being correct. This is not to say a well trained analyst cannot have good results, using cross cutting with two columns: a less polar and more polar column. It means that quantitative analysis is better performed in conjunction with Gc-Ms.) FID GC. Even a Gc-Ms with only the main components analyzed is not worth much more than the paper it is written on, if you want to know about contaminates.

Only high resolution Gc-Ms, in depth ion pattern, peak purity analysis of every possible chemical in every essential oil.

Question: Are the oils suitable for taking internally?

Answer: Scott ballard

If accidentally swallowed DO NOT induce vomiting - drink at least 1 pint of water - seek medical advice. Show bottle & amount. Many Aromatherapists and Practitioners, mostly in France, prescribe Essential Oils internally. They are also used as flavorings in many foods, beverages and liqueurs, but are mixed in low dilutions by professionals.We do not recommend any essential oils to be taken internally or applied undiluted to the skin - unless you are fully aware of what you are doing

Another difference between Kobashi Essential Oils is we suggest you do not take them internally, as our oils are the same as used for internal medicine in France. Are you a doctor in France. MANY COMPANIES WOULD LOVE YOU TO DRINK IT DOWN, AS THIS MAKES THEM MORE MONEY!

I personally take a drop of our essential oils in a table spoon of sunflower, hemp, golden flax, sesame or olive oil now and then, but this doesn't mean you should. Everyones body and constitution is different. An out of context, somewhat rediculous, but somewhat of an analogy: A Shoalin Priest can can direct his chi so a spear will not damage his throat. Many people can heal themself without the need of anything outside themselves.

The bottom line what's fine for some is not fine for others. Crudely spoken, you'll have to take responsibility for yourself.

I also use many of the oils neat on my skin. Life is full of contradictions.