Some Essentials Favor Harder Climates

written by T.J. Phoenix 2009
Producing essential oils organically is not that difficult, and it's only the first step.  I list the origins of my oils, not to focus
on the organic growing conditions, but because it is one aspect of the essentials profile.
What does this mean:  Lets take Lavender first.  Lavender is not difficult to grow organically.  In fact Lavender is not difficult to grow
anywhere. A side note, and it will tie in later is this.  I have read _many_ lab analysis comparing various chem-types of lavender.  My take away
from countless chemical breakdowns of lavender essential oils: both steam distilled and Co2 distilled is this:
_ Lavender grown in rough climates, higher altitudes, is medicinally superior.
_ French Lavender: Grown in France under the best of conditions is medicinally inferior, frequently. (I don't like speaking in absolutes.)
_
Why is this important:_  because the lavender adapts chemically to survive in harder climates, and as a result, passes that change on
chemically in the rendered oils.  Lavender grown in good soil, is still good, but lavender grown in difficult conditions is far superior. The chemicals the lavender produces to survive, are fortunately for us, ones our bodies can relate to, assimilate and improve ourselves
with a result.  My principal lavender I sell as an essential, and incorporate in my creams, is Kasmir Lavender.  Grown in the Northern most
state of India, the chemical breakdown on it rivals any medicinal lavender grown anywhere.

I do not distill for my products, I wouldn't begin to have the space, and frankly the world market goes up and down so much, it is only those
who have been producing essential oils the longest that survive commercially: and they do it by selling to wholesalers, largely who then farm it
out to the West and European countries.  This is important.  I actually buy in very small quantities and I can only do this at all, as a "for sale"
venture, because my distiller (an established Indian producer) sells small quantities as well as large:

For instance.  German Chamomile oil.  It is very sought after for a variety of it's near miraculous healing properties.  I purchase it in 100ml bottles
from my distiller (who produces fresh product quarterly (every three months).  His major buyer is one of the largest online wholesalers in
the world.  Their price for the exact same oil I sell, is 250% more then what I sell it for.  Last year they purchased 500k of the oil from my distiller.

If that wholesaler was my source I couldn't sell at all, because I wouldn't even be competitive.  I am competitive  and I still have only a dozen
clients a month.  That's okay, it is what it is.  I sell mostly on ebay because the cosmetic industry is so big and commercial, that even when people
are exposed to fabulous superior oils, they don't know what they are looking at, and I understand that as well.

Why do I do it then?

Because I have very eastern values on life and healing.  I am fulfilling my responsibility (one I set in my own heart) by "putting it out there". I don't work
with any oils I don't fully understand and have first hand experience with their direct healing benefits.  The objectification of the natural world, by humans.
intelligent enough to read this, is something I can't really take on, and rarely comment on, but I am trying to be concise here.  For your benefit, and
because I need to be able to write this down and move on. (As it were.)

The use of essential oils for healing is not alternative but traditional medicine in India... for over a thousand years.  Essential oil use medicinally goes back to early
Egyptian times with lavender  being one of the first to really be understand.  And that makes sense.  Lavender has so many medicinal applications.

As do peppermint/spearmint, calendula,  chamomile, sandalwood, rose, rosemary, carrot seed, citrus... the list goes on and on.

The face creams and salves I produce have been worth their creation just for my own selfish rewards.
Rapid healing,
increased vitality,
increased natural collagen,
 the stabilization of brain chemistry during difficult periods of healing,
bone and joint healing. Here again the list goes on and on .

Why am I not "marketing them"  to the big guys if they're so good.  The big guys already know essential oils are wonderful.
There's no way not to.   Their profit structure is different.  If I can cover materials, and keep going, ultimately that is enough.
The healing potential of essentials is a gift from nature.  As a gift, I try not to obstruct the flow of the energy.   If everyone grew
their own it would break down the infrastructure a lot, but like so much else in life, people are convinced not to.
For instance, I personally believe that the best carrier oils for cosmetics are: evening primrose, unrefined hemp seed oil, organically produced
coconut oil, and macadamia nut oil.  Organic carrier oils, especially the coconut oil, are, for me important.  Only because coconut
can be intensively farmed for higher yields and that is frequently done through chemical fertilizers and herbicides that would concern me.

Medicinally, I consider these "carriers"  which are far more then just carrier's (they too offer healing) as the "Fab Four" of natural cosmetics.
Not isolated or reshaped but in natural forms.  Sometimes things are listed as organic, because they are not synthetic, but depending on the
chemical fracturing that went on in the lab, they might as well be.
I thicken creams with natural unrefined beeswax only, that aside from offering anti-bacterial qualities is wonderful in other capacities as well,
which I view as a win/win situation.