Substitutions in Oils

The big corporate essential oil companies have brought mass awareness and availability of essential oils and base oils worldwide. On the positive side, this has increased the usage of natural remedies instead of chemicals or pharmaceutical approaches, but, like with the global food chain, we've become more distant from the approach to nature, food and healing that existed throughout most of human history. 

Isn't it interesting that oils produced in the tropics, like coconut oil, in colder climates solidify and become less usable? Olive oil has become fashionably promoted as a modern dietary cure-all, but do we really think this is the solution intended for humanity, that those living in the tropics should consume olive oil while in more temperate climates we import and use coconut oil for hair, skin and cooking? Not to mention the need to preserve and adulter oils so they survive long supply chains and give enough profit to the middle men, what about the suitability for the body? The promotion around certain super foods, from whatever origin, seems to be an attempt to further dull the human intuition and instead of educating about the principle of certain categorical needs the body has to preserve and maintain its health and beauty as it ages, this approach creates an attitude of fear and lack around not having some specific cure-all. The more middle-men the more ability to profit-take, if everyone we're buying from (or bartering with) from their neighbor it would cut out most big business, banks and marketing firms, wouldn't it?

People approach us all the time and ask for tea tree oil for antiseptic purposes, or eucalyptus for breathing. We offer oregano or thyme in place of tea tree, and a blend of aromatic plants (rosemary, lavender, myrtle and bay) instead of eucalyptus. All of these local herbs were known throughout history in Cyprus for the same properties as the more globally-fashionable ones, and in fact the Cypriot herbs are quite potent and famous in their own right! For base oils, it's quite easy to compare the fatty acid profiles and other characteristics of the oil and decide on one or a few comparable ones. Our argument would be that it's better to use something fresh and pure, rather than something old and of potentially dubious origin. If we were in another country that doesn't produce the olive oil we so cherish in Cyprus, we certainly wouldn't buy some bland "olive oil" from the supermarket but would find something locally-produced and fresh instead. And if we were in northern countries we'd look for some very good butter!

So, we encourage people to open their minds a bit, and before looking for an oil that's been marketed as must-have for this use or that, ask when and where that oil you're buying off the shelf was produced, and how much of what you're paying goes for raw materials, labor and the various middle men, retailer and transport costs. Does it add up?

We are so blessed in Cyprus to be able to produce a full lineup of base and essential oils from entirely locally-grown raw materials, even when some of the plants are not native. If you have questions about potential substitutions for something you're using and familiar with, feel free to ask us, and we'll do our best to share our own experience, or direct you to someone who has the particular expertise you need.