FAQ's
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions:
What date will I see on the label of the product I have purchased?
We usually put a Best Before date on the label. This indicates the date beyond which the product will be past its best. It does not indicate the Expiry Date - it will depend on the way the product is stored, and will usually be some time well after (maybe a year if its an essential oil, and more like 3 months if its a serum, cream or lotion) the Best Before Date. When considering your use of the products think about how you approach fresh food - best used when fresh and they deteriorate after a period of time.
What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are undiluted products that have been extracted from flowers, herbs, leaves, grasses, roots, woods, barks, spices, fruits or gum. The extraction is via steam/water distillation or via cold pressing ( usually for citrus oils).
Where an oil is extracted via a solvent ( usually alcohol or CO2) then it is called an Absolute or a Total; but it looks and acts very much like an essential oil.
What is the difference between essential oils and carrier oils?
Essential oils are non-greasy and synergistic, working together to enhance the function and effect of one another. Essential oils are soluble in vegetable oil, alcohol and slightly soluble in water.
Carrier oils can be used as a base for mixing essential oils, or may be used as a straight massage oil. Carrier oils are ‘fixed’ oils – this means they do not evaporate, and leave an oily stain on absorbent surface.
Do you have Organic Certification?
We buy certified organic products from our suppliers however once they are opened they cease to be certified organic, only organic as we do not have organic certification.
Can I request COA's & MSDS documentation for products if not already available on the website?
If you would like documentation other than that we have already prepared on the website, then please ask when you place your order. It will take us some time to obtain but we will try to source it from the manufacturer.
Storing your Essential Oils
"What's the best way to look after my essential oils?" This is usually one of the first questions asked by newcomers to aromatherapy, and it is definitely worth knowing a few do's and don'ts on this important subject. Why? Because the way that you look after your oils affects their shelf life, so these two subjects are inextricably linked.
Correct storage is most definitely the key to getting the most out of your oils. Both essential and vegetable oils do not like extreme, or repeated changes in temperature, you need to make sure you look after them properly or their therapeutic properties may be lost.
The basics
For long term storage Essential oils should be packaged in dark coloured glass, since this filters out the suns ultra-violet light.
You should never leave oils in a place where the sun will shine directly on them - like on a window shelf in the bathroom, for example. Over a period of months this will dramatically speed up the process of oxidation (deterioration) due to them continually heating up and cooling down. Choose a cool, dark place to keep them safely away from heat and also inquisitive children - safety point number one.
Cool it
Citrus essential oils are the most prone to oxidation, so to avoid the damage caused by temperature variations you could store them in the refrigerator if you have the space. Carrier oils and massage oils will also benefit by being stored in this way. Don't have the refrigerator setting too cold, anywhere between 5 - 10 degrees Celsius is fine, and much better than on the window-ledge in the kitchen!
You will find that essential oils of Rose Otto, Aniseed, Star Anise and Fennel may solidify at this temperature. This just means you will need to allow them to warm up before use, and in the case of Rose Otto just holding it in your hand for a few minutes produces enough heat to dissolve the natural waxes which solidify just below room temperature. Other oils may need to stand for a few hours to return to normal.
Carrier care
During the summer when it is hot, it is a good idea to store your Carrier oils in the fridge, since they can be particularly vulnerable. Take them out of the fridge 12 hours before you need to use them to allow them to naturally adjust to room temperature, because when stored at low temperatures some carrier oils form fatty particles which will need to be dissolved again before you can use them. A quick shake of the bottle is all that is needed to ensure that waxy/fatty particles are dissolved back to their normal state.
Safety and Storing Oils
Being moderately volatile (most are not highly volatile), essential oils will evaporate fairly quickly so be sure to replace the cap tightly when you have finished using them. You don't want the essential oils evaporating up towards the heavens! Don't leave them laying around after using them, always return them to your place of storage.
And this leads to safety point number two; essential oils are flammable, therefore never leave them near sources of ignition such as cookers, fires, candles or any naked flame.
Why are some oils more expensive than others?
Essential oils are aromatic extracts from specific plant parts such as petal, heartwood, peel, stem etc…. There is only a very small amount of oil in the plant part from which the oil is taken. Some oils such as Eucalyptus produce a high yield of oil whereas Rosa Damascena (Rose) requires 30 rose heads to produce 1 drop of pure essential oil. Hence the cost of pure Rose makes it an investment and a worthwhile one at that.
Other factors which contribute to the final delivery and price of a pure essential oils include cultivation, farming methods, distillation and finally storage
Are Essential oils safe to use during pregnancy.
Certain oils are not recommended for use during the full term of pregnancy. There are however certain oils such as Lavender, Roman Chamomile and Mandarin which can provide emotional centering and comfort to the mind and body during this time.
What is the lifespan or expiry date of essential oils?
The lifespan of an essential oil varies as oxygen, heat and light affect the overall degradation of the oil so storage is critical to its preservation. For example, Orange oxidizes very quickly while Patchouli which is thick and viscose gets better with age. Our essential oils have expiry dates recorded on the bottle. Despite this date use your own judgment before discarding an expired oil.
Why are essential oils mixed into massage base oils when used on the body?
Essential oils are highly concentrated liquids and very potent and are therefore not recommended to be used directly on the skin. Cold pressed oils are the natural carriers for pure essential oils and can be massaged into the skin in the correct dosage.
If the product's country of origin is from overseas?
We list the country of origin on all our products, please note all our orders are sent from our warehouse premises in Noosa, QLD.
Can I pick up my order?
Yes. Nominate Pick-up at the time of online order placement - www.escentialsofaustralia.com
Orders can be collected during office hours (Mon-Fri 9am-3pm, excluding Public Holidays).
Can I contact someone if I have a question about an online order?
Yes. Our Customer Service team is available to assist you during office hours (Mon-Fri 9am-3pm, excluding Public Holidays). Please make contact via email escentialsofaustralia@gmail.com
How quickly will I receive my order?
Sending your goods in a timely manner is always our priority, but please remember to consider our internal processing time for your order to reach you, especially before Christmas.
Orders are processed according to the time & date we receive them.
We usually require 2-5 business days (from receipt of your payment) to dispatch your goods.
However, during peak times this may be longer. If we are experiencing delays, we will contact you directly.
Once your order processing has been completed we will email you the tracking details (Post or Courier) - please monitor its progress and if not received please contact the shipping agent before contacting us:
COURIERS PLEASE - 1300 36 1000
AUSTRALIA POST - www.auspost.com.au
TNT - www.tnt.com.au TEL. 13 11 50
Orders which are returned or need to be redelivered will most likely incur a re-delivery fee.
What are your lead times?
While we do endeavour to hold all of our products in-stock at our Noosa factory, however occasionally oils/products may be in transit, in this instance exclusive arrival dates will be advised.
Do you have a Showroom I can visit?
Due to the increase in online orders we request ALL customers to place their orders through our website www.escentialsofaustralia.com. as we will not accept phone or email orders
There will be an $10.00 Service Charge added to any non online orders that are accepted in certain circumstances.
Can I request a sample?
As we offer online wholesale prices we do not offer free samples, but we sell small quantities so that you can buy for example, just one of the products you are after so that you can run a test.
How Can I Track my Order?
Locate the tracking number emailed at despatch:
Track Australia Post - Australia Post e-Parcel http://auspost.com.au/track/ (include all characters in tracking).
Couriers Please - couriersplease.com.au and use the courier tracking number emailed at the time of your order despatch. For delivery issues please phone COURIERS PLEASE directly on 1300 36 1000.
Once an order has been completed we will email you the tracking details (Australia Post or Couriers Please/Sendle) - please monitor its progress - orders which are returned or need to be redelivered will incur a redelivery fee.
BACKORDER STATUS:
As soon as it becomes available, we will send your backordered items via Standard Delivery.