• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.

Why are essential oils and oil diffusers in the Vitamin aisle at drug stores?

BAD

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,565
USA
No, your body does not need a whiff of lemongrass to go with your calcium and vitamin D.

but to my shock, there's essential oils and oil diffusers in the health aisle. Honestly this should be regulated away.

I met someone at work who told me to use essential oils when I had a fever. I said no thanks. They were also a quack that believed in supernatural things like God and health myths like Oil Pulling (google it, people are absolute idiots).

I moved them over to the Febreze shelf but it's a matter of time before they get put back
 
AlteredBeast

AlteredBeast

Don't Watch the Tape!
Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,761
Most of the the "vitamins" in the vitamin aisle are of similar bunk value. Did you move all the other BS, or just the oil diffusers?
 
HeySeuss

HeySeuss

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
8,845
Ohio
Vitamins and supplements are mostly in the same category as the holistic bs that essential oils fall in.

Do you work there? You said you moved them so I hope you do. Otherwise....that's cringey
 

ParanormalFupa

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,141
Tabaxi said:
Might wanna add homeopathy and goop to that list, while you're at it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
What is bunk about the distillation and concentration of natural ingredients into an oil? You speak with such confidence so there should be no problem describing exactly why they have no marketable value. Are individually sold elements that usually make up larger molecules bunk too?
 
Kyuuji

Kyuuji

The Favonius Fox
Member
Nov 8, 2017
32,040
Idk. Hook that shit up to an IV and shoot that pure lemongrass through your veins.
Become the essential oil.
 
BLEEN

BLEEN

Member
Oct 27, 2017
21,871
ParanormalFupa said:
Yes. I am not saying that every purported or advertised benefit is real, but to be like, "these concentrated ingredients are bunk" is not a characterization I agree with.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I know. You're gonna get dog-piled but, yeah things can have uses. Esp. in a pinch. TT oil worked swell when I got a bunch of cuts falling on my bike and was too lazy and cheap to go to the store for Neosporin.

Also works okay for athlete's foot or smelly shoes. This is just basic cheap science tho.
 
Doomsayer

Doomsayer

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,621
BAD said:
No, your body does not need a whiff of lemongrass to go with your calcium and vitamin D.

but to my shock, there's essential oils and oil diffusers in the health aisle. Honestly this should be regulated away.

I met someone at work who told me to use essential oils when I had a fever. I said no thanks. They were also a quack that believed in supernatural things like God and health myths like Oil Pulling (google it, people are absolute idiots).

I moved them over to the Febreze shelf but it's a matter of time before they get put back
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Damn, watch out we got a badass over here.

Essential oils and the marketing behind them are dumb. I use tea tree oil for beard and that shit smells amazing and my skin is super soft.

I also have a lavender humidifier that gives me the most intense nightmares of all time. Shit is awesome.
 
Bucca

Bucca

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,225
Hope you work there if you moved them otherwise pretty cunt move to do that to whoever has to move that back for some internet cringe points
 

ParanormalFupa

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,141
BLEEN said:
I know. You're gonna get dog-piled but, yeah things can have uses. Esp. in a pinch. TT oil worked swell when I got a bunch of cuts falling on my bike and was too lazy and cheap to go to the store for Neosporin.

Also works amazingly for athlete's foot or smelly shoes. This is just basic cheap science tho.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I assume most of these posters use natural ingredients to their own benefits (whether they are a part of a larger product or found individually) regularly but probably just don't realize it.
 
Tabaxi

Tabaxi

Member
Nov 18, 2018
12,868
ParanormalFupa said:
What is bunk about the distillation and concentration of natural ingredients into an oil? You speak with such confidence so there should be no problem describing exactly why they have no marketable value. Are individually sold elements that usually make up larger molecules bunk too?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Silver works as an antimicrobial, that doesn't mean drinking colloidal silver isn't bunk.

Chiropractic medicine can work to some degree on lower back pain specifically, but that doesn't make the pratice as a whole any less woo-tastic.

Yes, some oils obviously have specific and verifiable topical medical uses. Very rarely are they advertised or used for those purposes.
 

ParanormalFupa

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,141
Tabaxi said:
Silver works as an antimicrobial, that doesn't mean drinking colloidal silver isn't bunk.

Chiropractic medicine can work to some degree on lower back pain specifically, but that doesn't make the pratice as a whole any less woo-tastic.

Yes, some oils obviously have specific and verifiable topical medical uses. Very rarely are they advertised or used for those purposes.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yea for sure, I still don't agree with the characterization of essentials oils being bunk. And I don't agree with your characterization of those with specific verifiable medial uses being rarely advertised or used for those purposes. I think it's incredibly common basic long known knowledge.

Bernard Coleslaw said:
Yes, but that's the problem isn't it?

They are advertised to have therapeutic benefits when that claim is usually over exaggerated or non-existent.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This is a problem with ALL advertising. Like guess what, your big mac ain't gonna look like the picture and it's gonna wreck you. That gaterade ain't a stamina savior, and that movie isn't actually that funny.
 
HeySeuss

HeySeuss

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
8,845
Ohio
ParanormalFupa said:
I assume most of these posters use natural ingredients to their own benefits (whether they are a part of a larger product or found individually) regularly but probably just don't realize it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's one thing to say TT oil has benefits or like how peppermint oil repels mice and spiders but I think when we scoff at essential oils being bunk it's the people who think it's good for a fever or to get rid of colds or other pseudo science claims
 
chezzymann

chezzymann

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,042
Most vitamins are a scam too

Obvious if you're deficient in something they can be of some use but all the "energy" and "mind clarity" type stuff are placebo
 

ParanormalFupa

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,141
HeySeuss said:
It's one thing to say TT oil has benefits or like how peppermint oil repels mice and spiders but I think when we scoff at essential oils being bunk it's the people who think it's good for a fever or to get rid of colds or other pseudo science claims
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'm just not in the business of hedging my opinions on what other people think. That's a never ending game. I know what I know and I am speaking to that. Essential oils are not bunk, they are what they are. Do your research, set expectations appropriately. Don't interpret advertising or packaging literally. This applies to everything in life. Duh.
 

Deleted member 50454

User requested account closure
Banned
Dec 5, 2018
1,847
ParanormalFupa said:
I'm just not in the business of hedging my opinions on what other people think. That's a never ending game. I know what I know and I am speaking to that. Essential oils are not bunk, they are what they are. Do your research, set expectations appropriately. Don't just listen or read advertising or packaging literally. This applies to everything in life. Duh.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Care to share what you know about essential oils?
 
Kthulhu

Kthulhu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,670
Lack of regulations.

FDA can't regulate supplements thanks to lobbying until those supplements actually hurt someone.
 
nded

nded

Member
Nov 14, 2017
10,561
Everything in the vitamin aisle is bunk except maybe vitamin D in the winter and zinc if you have a cold.
 
Volimar

Volimar

volunteer forum janitor
Member
Oct 25, 2017
38,327
As has already been said, a lot of vitamins and supplements are similarly useless. At least the oil diffusers make the house smell nice.

BLEEN said:
Teatree oil works okay as a disinfectant/anti-microbial.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


Has a lot of decent uses as home remedies and in some crafting.
 
Squarehard

Squarehard

Member
Oct 27, 2017
25,831
It's because FDA regulations are different if you market things under different categories, so companies can avoid going through approvals, and just put untested products onto the market because of what categories they get sold under.

If you take a closer look down those aisles, there's a lot of items that are far, far, far from "vitamins".
 
tangeu

tangeu

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,229
A woman in my office had to get rid of her diffuser because she was stinking up the place. She threw a fit and she'd quote "blame us when she got cancer because she isn't getting her essential oils"
 

ParanormalFupa

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,141
Bernard Coleslaw said:
Care to share what you know about essential oils?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I have made some with my girlfriend for lip balm flavors. We took specific plants from the garden for which we either dried or kept fresh, soaked them in high proof grain alcohol, and then distilled that. We were left with an oil that had the essence of the original plant. I don't understand how that resulting substance could be characterized as function-less bunk with no marketable value when the uses are so varied and wide ranging. It's not as if every purchase of essential oils is for health reasons either even if they are marketed that way. It just seems crazy to me to call a natural product bunk.
 
Last edited:

Deleted member 50454

User requested account closure
Banned
Dec 5, 2018
1,847
ParanormalFupa said:
I have made some with my girlfriend for lip balm flavors. We took specific plants from the garden for which we either dried or kept fresh, soaked them in high proof grain alcohol, and then distilled that. We were left with an oil that had the essence of the original plant. I don't understand how that resulting substance could be a function less bunk with no marketable value when the uses are so varied and wide ranging. It's not as if every purchase of essential oils is for health reasons either even if they are marketed that way.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

When people talk about essential oils being bunk, they're not talking about how they smell.

That's not the problem.
 
dark_prinny

dark_prinny

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
5,374
I've gained 20kg of pure muscle just sniffing some lemon oil. It's magic.
 
Mulciber

Mulciber

Member
Aug 22, 2018
5,217
At least the FDA shut down DoTerra when they claimed their oils cured cancer and Ebola. Baby steps, I suppose.
 

ParanormalFupa

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,141
Bernard Coleslaw said:
Are you being obtuse on purpose, mate?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Are you? I clearly stated multiple times I had a problem with the characterization of essential oils being bunk, in general. And your response is to presume what people actually mean when they say bunk even though I clearly stated multiple times I am speaking to bunk, in general.

Bad lying advertising that fools vulnerable people does not make a thing bunk.
 
dark_prinny

dark_prinny

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
5,374
Protein and creatine are the two only supplements that really work. And maybe Omega 3 if your Omega 6 - 3 ratio is fucked.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.