Hi, and thank you for your interest! That is a very good question and there are several ways. The best way is to steam distill the flowering tops. I know that lavender is abundant: 20 pounds yields 7 pounds of oil, while for instance, Rose requires 60,000 blossoms for a mere 1 ounce of oil. It is very important to use natural flowers, free from pesticides - any condition during the grow period will affect the outcome of the oil, thus changing any medicinal properties.

I purchase my 100% pure, therapeutic oils from Young Living, a company with a "Seed to Seal" pledge. They either grow the plant themselves or have a trusted partner, and all products are thoroughly tested by a third party. I am happy to share how I save money with a wholesale membership and am paid for referrals!

I used to purchase essential oils at my local grocer and can now see and feel the difference. Did you know to be considered "pure" the bottle only needs 5% of the advertised oil, leaving 95% other stuff?! "Other stuff" could be carrier oils, floral water, or chemical solvents, like hexane, that are used for extracting more oil.