Why would you choose to buy aromatherapy products made using traditional "artisan" aromatherapy methods of manufacturing that are "preservative-free"?

I've always been a champion of Mother Nature and her natural way of life!

A commercial product bought from a store is never natural.

Seldom will you see traditional 'artisan' custom crafted aromatherapy products for sale in a commercial store. If you do, they will be more expensive because of the additional amount time required to custom craft the product.

Processed and manufactured products are usually loaded with preservatives which give them the illusion of freshness and an "unnaturally" long shelf life

Preservatives allow a product that is manufactured using machinery to appear to be “fresh” for months or even years until the time when it is finally purchased by a consumer.

Preservatives do have a place in our modern-day lifestyle, no doubt. They safely extend shelf life and keep products free of harmful contaminants like bacteria.

However, a manufactured product itself usually contains little or no life force. Its nutritional value is also less than adequate by many of today's standards of what constitutes healthy.

Many preservatives can actually be harmful to your health and some even known to cause diseases like cancer.

Preservatives can also lead to skin issues and allergies, as well as have other detrimental side-effects.

More and more people are becoming sensitive to additives like preservatives which has given rise to preservative-free alternatives.

Myth of Natural Preservatives

There are really no “natural” preservatives available to replace the heavy chemical laden ones that will extend the shelf life of products for years.

The fact is the active anti-microbial properties of completely "natural" preservatives just "cannot" destroy the most threatening microorganisms.

Essential oils certainly have the potential to act as an "intensive broad-spectrum" preservative if used in high enough concentrations to be effective. However, in most cases, the level of concentration required is just not feasible.

One of the many advantages of buying completely "fresh" natural  products is that you can eliminate or, at least, minimize the use of harmful ingredients like preservatives.

If needed, you can adapt more "natural methods of preserving" when using your natural products.

READ my next article in this series, DIY Tips to Preserve Nature’s Freshness.