Leleshwa (African wild sage) as a preservative?

[Guest guest]

I found this information a few months ago on the essential oil

 

http://www.essentialoils.org/leleshwa.htm

http://oxford-consultants.tripod.com/more_about_aromatherapy.htm

 

I bought the oil a little while ago. I do not like the smell too

much, blech! Has anyone read any more information in regards to

this `natural preservative'? The article states that it

passed the BP Challenge test (what is that?), which is used by most

companies to measure preservative effectiveness. I have been

using 'natural preservatives' but am convinced that they will not be

effective any suggestions of a good synthetic preservative?

 

TIA!

Blessings,

Opal

[Guest guest]

Opal,

 

The subject of preservatives is complex, but lets first deal with

this leleshwa oil. Whenever you see such information on the internet

you must request safety data before using it. Anyone can invent

claims and essential oil suppliers are notorious for doing just

that. To the best of my knowledge this oil has not undergone any

kind of safety evaluation that would be accepted by the fragrance

trades. If it has not undergone safety testing, and those results

published in scientific or medical publications, then the wisest

thing to do is not use it for any skin application purposes.

 

Next thing is what preservatives to use: The only reliable ones are

the synthetic preservatives used by the International cosmetics

trade. I am sure others here will tell you what those are and where

to get them. Please do not be tempted to use benzoin and be wary of

citrus seed extract as a lot already contains synthetic preservatives

so might just as well use the real thing to start with.

 

Lastly as to the web site of: http://oxford-

consultants.tripod.com/more_about_aromatherapy.htm

 

If this business were also selling oils then their medicinal claims

would be illegal in the UK. This is the kind of junk information that

I have been fighting for years. The claims made are the usual mix of

ridiculous medicinal claims found in aromatherapy novels. If I had

the time I could spend all day wading through their outrageous and

dangerous claims. Here is just some:

 

>Carrot Seed Daucus carota: it has been used to boost the general

>action of all organs, including the kidney and gallbladder. May be

>helpful for anaemia, accumulation of toxins, arthritis, gout,

>oedema, rheumatism, colic, anorexia, indigestion and liver

>congestion.

All this is hogwash and I am outraged to see this on a UK web site,

it is the kind of stuff I expect to see in Canada, but not the UK.

It is all based on the internal use of carrot seed as a herbal

medicine-NOT the external use of the essential oil. Also the

essential oil was never used internally in traditional medicine.

 

Hope that helps and beware of what you will read on internet sites on

the uses of essential oils.

 

Martin Watt

 

 

, " mzfitbodi " <opal@n...> wrote:

> I found this information a few months ago on the essential oil

>

> http://www.essentialoils.org/leleshwa.htm

> http://oxford-consultants.tripod.com/more_about_aromatherapy.htm

>

> I bought the oil a little while ago. I do not like the smell too

> much, blech! Has anyone read any more information in regards to

> this `natural preservative'? The article states that it

> passed the BP Challenge test (what is that?), which is used by most

> companies to measure preservative effectiveness. I have been

> using 'natural preservatives' but am convinced that they will not

be

> effective any suggestions of a good synthetic preservative?

>

> TIA!

> Blessings,

> Opal