One would be tempted to think that the more of them there are in a mixture, the stronger the allergenic character of essential oils… During the Aromadays organised by Cosmed and the Consortium HE at the end of 2022, Cristina Oncins Pallas, who is in charge of the toxicological evaluation of ingredients, presented a study in which she participated on the oxidation potential of essential oils, alone or in mixtures. And her initial results have shaken up a few preconceived ideas…
As a reminder, the Consortium HE brings together 10 companies specialising in the marketing of essential oil and aromatherapy products (which represent more than 90% of the aromatherapy products market in France) and two partners (the CIHEF in France and the Gehem in Madagascar) representing groups of essential oil producers, distillers and exporters. It was created with three main missions to meet the major challenges of this sector:
• To collect and disseminate up-to-date scientific information on essential oils
• To ensure consumer safety by reinforcing the proper use of essential oils
• To promote the emergence of a single and coherent regulation, adapted to aromatherapy and essential oil products
The Consortium HE study
Essential oils are known to be sensitive to degradation reactions such as oxidation, which gives them an allergenic character, and stability is a crucial parameter for their quality control.
The aim of this study was to answer two questions:
• Can the auto-oxidation of essential oils be avoided?
• Can mixtures of essential oils have a protective effect, for example with certain essential oils that could act as antioxidants and protect other more sensitive oils?
The study protocol
More than fifty essential oils, alone or in …
