Colourless/Clear Natural Vanilla Oil

[Guest guest]

I was talking to an acquaintance recently about Vanilla oil and she showed me an

oil she bought from a reputable essential oil supplier here in NZ that is

colourless.

I immediately thought it smelled like a fragrance oil, not a natural extract,

and told her so.

She has never really questioned the authenticity of it as she trusts the

supplier who is well known in Aromatherapy circles here in NZ.

For me however, alarm bells started ringing immediately.

I have sent several emails to them asking about their source, botanical

name(they are marketing it as pure essential oil of Vanilla Planifolia), method

of extraction, part of plant extracted from etc, and finally received the (so

called) MSDS for the oil today.

The supplier told me she hoped it would help answer any questions I had about

the oil.

However, It mentions no botanical name, and even says the liquid should be brown

(which it's not obviously) and also says it's an essential oil (and I thought

Vanilla is really only available as an absolute or CO2 extraction due to it

being too delicate to distil).

So, I am left with still no real answers to my questions, and have written to

them with my grave concerns that they may be selling a fragrance oil as a pure

essential oil.

I have asked to be shown any proof of it's legitimate (if any) botanical nature

but I am not holding my breath.

I also took the liberty of looking online at various MSDS of Vanilla Absolutes,

Vanilla CO2's, and also various vanilla fragrance oils and am still left with my

doubts.

My main concerns are that it is colourless, and also that its MSDS does not

mention any botanical name and that it is supposedly an essential oil.

Am I wrong in my concerns? Is it possible to get a clear/colourless, natural

botanical vanilla oil? Could it be extracted from the natural vanillin crystals

which appear on the beans, and if this is the case, would it still be an

essential oil? I am presuming an oil is not made from the orchid flower itself?

Any help will be much appreciated, especially if you would be willing to let me

send them your thoughts/facts on the matter.

I am very concerned about this as I am not sure even they know the truth. I feel

they may have been sucked in by some dishonest supplier but it is up to them to

make sure they are selling a pure, natural essence, especially as most of their

oils are supplied to Aromatherapy industry.

Thanks so much,

.