Essential Oils Product Guide
Why should I choose essential oils?
Within wholesale giftware Essential Oils is a growing area. In the last few years there has been a huge increase in the number of aromatherapy and alternative medicine retailers and practitioners, as well as the development of the amateur craft and home makers market. This has largely been down to the availability and affordable cost of courses in aromatherapy, soap and candle making, and has meant that the resources and materials used in these areas have a higher demand.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils have been around in one form or another for centuries. They are fabled for their mystical properties and have been used in ceremonies and rituals throughout history. Extracted from plants and plant material either by pressing or steam distillation they are a natural product that is said to connect with both the body and mind.
- Highly concentrated
- Versatile product used in aromatherapy and health care
- Safe for use in personal care items (as long as not allergic and diluted correctly)
- 100% Pure (Unless otherwise stated)
- Extracted from plants
- Wide variety of fragrances available.
They come extremely concentrated and are generally 100% pure so a little goes a long way. Most are extracted by steam with the oil coming from all different parts of plants and natural materials including leaves, roots, seeds, flowers, bark and fruits.
What can they be used for?
You will find that most of the customers who come in to purchase these and the associated products will have a very good knowledge base of how and what they can be used for. With the many uses that essential oils have and the improvement in extraction processes the demand for essential oils continues to grow in the UK and Europe making them a great new product to add to your stock inventory.
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Where should I sell them?
The versatile nature of these products means they fit well into a huge variety of retail outlets. The bottles are small so you don't have to give up a huge amount of shelf space to them. As they are a natural product extracted without the use of chemicals up until recently you would most often find them for sale in health or alternative medicine stores. As the interest has grown so has the demand and hence the availability and competitive costs. Below is a selection of store that this product would fit well into, however as mentioned before these are a growth area and will fit well into any general gift shop.
- Health Food Stores
- Chemists and Alternative Medicine Shops
- Stone and Crystal Shops
- New Age and Pagan
- Beauty Salons
- Aromatherapists
Are there any seasonal sales trends?
Essential oils sell all year round and don't really have any strong seasonal trend. Some fragrances sell better at different times of the year, for example frankincense, myrrh and ginger sell well in the run up to Christmas, and citronella, rose and tangerine go well during the summer.
Starting from just £1 up to £4 (ex vat) essential oils are a great value affordable product. In most applications essential oils are used sparingly so they are not something customers will come in for every week, however if you establish yourself as a stockist you will find you can quickly build up a core group of repeat customers.
How do essential oils come packaged?
Our range comes in 10ml bottles and you can purchase them in singles. If don't fancy creating your own mix then we also offer a starter kit (EOSP) which contains 108 assorted bottles including more of the top sellers. The set comes with a wooden stand, which can also be purchased individually under code EOSTAND01 . If you have the room then the starter kit and stand is a great investment as it will stand out in your store and make sure your customers don't miss the new addition.
What safety and product certification do I need?
Are essential oils safe? The answer is yes, when diluted and applied correctly. As with any natural product some people will be allergic so it’s important to use them carefully and know the products and your clients.
Important factors to remember when using these oils are the amount you use, the purity and concentration of the oil and carrier oil used, plus the application method. As with anything if you are not sure then you can seek professional guidance from an aromatherapist or alternative medicine practitioner.
As already mentioned a lot of the consumers who purchase these products will have a good knowledge of the products but you can have additional information on hand if needs be in the form of MSDS forms.
MSDS, material safety data sheet, are available to download on the individual product page. They are provided by the manufacturer of the product (not by Puckator) and give detailed information on the materials, physical properties, toxicological make up of the oil and further safety and use information. These are important forms and give details of the maker of the oil if you need to contact them for any further details. It's a good idea to have a copy of each of these to give to your customer if they require it.
How should essential oils be stored?
Essential oils come with a use by date on them and they should be stored in a cool and secure location. They should be kept out of reach of children at all times and should not be ingested.
What are other related products and ranges?
A great range to stock alongside essential oils are carrier oils. Essential oils can be used neat but are generally diluted and either inhaled or topically applied. The most common way of diluting the oils in via a base or carrier oils so for the more experienced user these are an ideal product to stock with the oils.
Carrier oils, apart from the obvious of diluting the strength of the essential oil, also make it easier for the oil to pass into the skin when used in beauty and health products. The strength and dilution depends on the individual oil and the application but they do come with general instructions and basic dilution guidelines.
As with the essential oils we sell the base oils individually so you can stock a small selection that doesn't take up too much room but still gives you a good variety to sell with the oils.
When you add essential oils to your product range it then opens up a great selection of associated products such as fragrance oils, bath bombs and soaps. Essential oils will continue to be a growth area and is an ideal starting point to develop your aromatherapy product range.
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Can you use essential oils on hair?
Yes, essential oils can be used on hair but you should only use high quality oils. Essential oils can not only make your hair smell great but can nourish and moisturise your hair and can be used to help prevent dandruff. If you have a medical skin condition it is recommended you consult with a doctor before you use essential oils on your scalp.
Can you use essential oils on skin?
Yes, you can use essential oils on skin, in fact this is a common use of essential oils, though you should never use them on sensitive areas and you won't need too much as they are very potent. See here to find out more.
Can you use essential oils to treat acne?
Yes, essential oils can be used to treat acne and are often considered a much gentler, more effective alternative to chemical face washes and scrubs. Some good oils to use are:
- tea tree
- lavender
- bergamot
- rosemary