Kurt Schnaubelt, Ph.D.

With “Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils” being in the stores and the year being 2011 it was interesting to revisit what we had to say on our ten year anniversary in 1993. Here is the original article from our, then, “inside aromatherapy” newsletter:

History of Firsts

Ten years ago, Bill Mandel’s feature article about Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt and Original Swiss Aromatics appeared in the San Francisco Examiner. It has been an exciting decade filled with many firsts in American aromatherapy. Since 1983, Original Swiss Aromatics and the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy together have been the first…

…to establish the concept of genuine and authentic essential oils in the US,

…to create the Aromatherapy Course, the first comprehensive text on scientific aromatherapy to come out of the US and the first and foremost course with a pharmacological basis that is internationally recognized,

…to bring Robert Tisserand to this country for his first major US seminar,

…to set the stage and present Dr. Daniel Penoël, aromatherapy researcher, author and lecturer, who has since become practically a household word in American aromatherapy,

…to present Pierre Franchomme, Master Aromatherapy Scientist and aromatherapy consultant for the Origins product line,

…to coordinate the original two American aromatherapy conventions in the US,

…to speak out not only about the quality of essential oils but to start a rigorous program of purity analysis by GC/MS.

Many have adopted our concepts and now espouse essential oil purity and others have copied or adapted our innovative and academically oriented course materials as a basis for their own training programs. Graduates of our International Certification Seminars include corporate executives, spa directors, medical professionals and representatives from almost every major manufacturer of aromatherapy products or importer of essential oils in this country. Inviting distinguished aromatherapists from France has now become a must for virtually any business even remotely involved with aromatherapy.

In retrospect, so much has occurred in aromatherapy in the last 10 years, but it seems that we are only now beginning to grasp the enormous potential this modality has in our lives, our work, and for our health. Aromatherapy is currently the fastest growing, most dynamic, alternative healing method being explored today.

As we peer into the future, we see even more exciting possibilities on the horizon. Learn with us, if you want to be on the cutting edge of scientific aromatherapy.
Watch out for more innovation and “firsts” in our field.
Join us on our journey into the world of aromatic plants, and that gentle, effective art of “sustainable” medicine…AROMATHERAPY.

Finally the new book is out. Please check back here for more details how it relates to the Plant Language Course and for suggestions on how to work with the Journey sections in the book.

Dear Friend of Aromatherapy,
Recent communications with respect to essential oil “quality” prompt me to again add my 5 cents to this ongoing discussion. There is so much talk about analysis, certified this and certified that, therapeutic and all sorts of other grades that  a little reality check seems in order.
1) So when essential oil quality is discussed, the first question one might ask is, what is the purpose of the discussion. Generally someone is trying to make the point that the oils from a certain source are of good or excellent quality.
2) The claim is generally supported by pointing to the GC-MS analysis that has been performed with the oil in question.
3) Immediately the question arises, how does the analysis of an essential oil sample prove or ascertain the “quality” of an essential oil? Presumably by showing the absence of adulteration.
4) Only brief research in this field makes it clear that there are different kinds of adulteration. There are those, which are called ‘gross’ adulterations, where truly foreign materials are added to an essential oil to stretch it. These adulterations are readily discovered by GC-MS analysis.
5) But there are also those adulterations termed adjustments or standardization and there is also the mixing of essential oils from different origins, ostensibly to maintain essential oil quality when nature does not deliver a product conforming to the specifications set forth by some industrial user or similar entity.
6) A simple GC-MS will generally not detect the more elaborate engineering applied to essential oils.
7) The question arises whether or not the rather limited capacity of GC-MS analysis to detect gross adulterations is really a measure for essential oil quality. At OSA we believe that the most desirable essential oil is one that is truly a representation of the plants interaction with its environment and consecutively of the dedication of the distiller. This is why we purchase practically all our oils directly from the producer.

Greetings from San Rafael

Kurt Schnaubelt

One of the most common give aways that a Lavender on a essential oil pricelist is an engineered oil is when the Lavender fine is listed at a lower price than the Lavender Maillette. Maillette is a clone and often 30% or more below the price of the population or fine Lavender at the source.

2011 population Lavender: Prices for true Lavender fine (Lavender population) of the 2011 harvest have risen sharply, increasing for some qualities for up to 60% over 2010 levels.

True Helichrysum italicum either originates from the different countries of the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Croatia) and also Corsica and the supplier should be sure where it is really coming from. Helichrysum oils designated “French” are highly spurious. The plant is protected from harvesting in mainland France and it appears that EO of Helichrysum italicum, designated French, is, if nothing else, a blend created in Grasse between Bosnian and Corsican varieties, and then, who knows what? In any case, the oils designated French are typically a bit less expensive than the oils sold at the source. The question remains, how do they do it??

OSA  has a small quantity of 2011 Helichrysum italicum essential oil available in liter quantities from our growing and production contracts.  We can offer some part of our stock at a very advantageous price. Please check the OSA website

Aromatherapy Lifestyle

presented by Monika Haas

Reno: April 29th

Registration and Contact:
Deborah Wenig
dwenig.ob@gmail.com
tel: 775 722 4128
or PIA, tel: 415 479 9121

PLANT LANGUAGE and ASIA AROMATHERAPY

a continuation of the Plant Language Process presented by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt

Singapore: March 3 and 4

Registration and Contact:=
Veronica Yap
veronicayap@yahoo.com
www.massoinstitute.com
mobile: 65 9387 3867
fax: 65 6288 5288
or in North America, PIA, tel + 1 415 479 9121

Tokyo, Asia Aromatherapy only: March 24

Registration and Contact:
Ayako Berg, LSA Japan
6-18-11-4F, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
107-0052
e-mail: contact@lsajapan.com
Tel/Fax: 813-6426-5068
www.lsajapan.com

Seoul: March 31st/April 1st

Seattle, April 14 and 15

San Francisco: April 21 and 22

Seoul presented by Kurt Schnaubelt, Seattle and San Francisco presented by Monika Haas and Kurt Schnaubelt
Registration and Contact:
PIA: +1 415 479 9121
www.pacificinstituteofaromatherapy.com
pacificinstituteofaromatherapy