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By Deborah Bier, M.Ed for the Vibration Magazine Editors
Did you know there are ethical and unethical ways in which essences may be diluted and given or sold to someone who did not purchase the original stock essences? That there are ways in which those who dilute and sell essences could be breaking the law -- or several laws, for that matter? This article is meant to help raise readers' awareness about these issues.
We consulted with several essence makers and an essence distributor for this article, as well as read literature published by other makers. While we are not lawyers and cannot not offer legal advice or interpretation, we present their reactions and opinions here.
 Custom Dosage Bottles Made by Practitioners for Individual Clients
Essence practitioners often purchase stock bottles of essences which they either resell whole, or from which they may make customized dosage bottles for clients. These dosage bottles may be blends of essences made by either one or several companies. While they usually label the bottle to show its contents, they do not pass off the essences as their own manufacture.
And this is all well and fine with all the essence makers we consulted. However, some other makers do not permit dosage preparations to be made and given to clients by practitioners. Do read the literature or websites published by the manufacturers whose work you use.
Other essence makers take it as a violation of their trademark if the practitioner labels the bottle with the maker's name. They interpret this as using their proprietary name without permission. While this is an understandable point, some essence makers we contacted disagreed, and would prefer being given credit for their products. One way to compromise may be to give the client a slip of paper which contains more information about what is in the dosage bottle.
Selling Dosage Essences Rebottled Under a New Label
This practice can take two forms we know of. One is that a product manufacturer purchases stock essences for use with other types of ingredients in a new product which contains an essence, but is not just an essence. The second version is that the essences are diluted to dosage strength (either several blended or just one) and then rebottled and sold under another company's label.
If this is done with permission and/or by license from the essence maker, the WWES encourages this reuse as we think this helps spread the goodness of essences throughout the world in new and beneficial ways. So, for example, if you are making bath salts and want to add an essence someone else makes to your product, you must get that maker's permission. Ditto, if you are making blends from one or several makers' products and are bottling them under your own label.
Some makers will be open to this idea; others will not be, but all should respect being asked for permission. If it is a go, expect there may be a written agreement to sign, and expect there may be a fee beyond the cost of the stock essence.
If this reuse is done without permission, agreement, or license by the original maker, there the trouble starts. All makers consulted were outraged that some might misuse their products in this way and view it as theft of their property. Some essence companies told us they would seek legal solutions -- some with demands for damages and percentages of sales already made -- if they found their products had been misused in this way.
The position some makers take is that stock essences are bottled and sold by them with the sole intention that they are to be used by consumers or resold whole in retail or professional outlets. Rebottling their products under another name is taking credit and making profit from that which is not the rebottler's own. This is understood for many other manufactured products packaged and sold for consumer use only; essences are no exception.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Deborah Bier, M.Ed author of The Encyclopedia of Vibrational Essences, is a co-editor of this publication and the founder of the World Wide Essence Society. She is the maker of Whole Energy Essences. An educator and holistic health care practitioner, her practice in Concord Massachusetts includes energy work, psychotherapy, and essences.
The World Wide Essence Society does not mean to imply any recommendation of nor give certification to any individuals or companies above. This article is provided purely for informational purposes. We ask consumers to make their own determination as to quality of the services and products offered above. This article is not meant to be advice, and the information is not meant to replace legal advice, medical or psychological treatment.
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