Designed to be read by everyone.

Our accessibility commitment

Essential Oils Index believes that information about essential oils should be available to everyone, regardless of how they access the web. This includes readers who use screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, voice control software, switch devices, or any other assistive technology.

We approach accessibility as ongoing work rather than a one-time checklist. New articles get reviewed for accessibility before publication. Existing articles get updated when we identify issues. The design system underlying our site is built with accessibility considerations in mind, though we acknowledge that perfect conformance is a goal we have not yet fully reached.

If you encounter a barrier on our site that prevents you from accessing our content, please tell us. Your feedback directly drives our remediation priorities.

Standards we follow

The four principles of WCAG that guide our work:

• Perceivable — information and interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive (text alternatives for images, captions for media, sufficient contrast)
• Operable — interface components and navigation must be operable by everyone (keyboard-accessible, no time limits that can’t be extended, no content that causes seizures)
• Understandable — information and operation must be understandable (readable text, predictable behavior, input assistance)
• Robust — content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies

We also consider applicable U.S. regulations including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act where relevant to our content.

Accessibility features on this site

We have built or are building the following accessibility features into Essential Oils Index:

Keyboard navigation

The site is designed to be fully navigable using only a keyboard. Standard browser keyboard shortcuts work as expected. Below are the most useful navigation patterns:

Compatibility with assistive technology

We test our site with the most widely used assistive technologies and browsers. The site is designed to be compatible with:

Screen readers

• NVDA (free, Windows)
• JAWS (Windows)
• VoiceOver (macOS and iOS, built-in)
• TalkBack (Android, built-in)

Browsers

• Recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on desktop
• Mobile Safari (iOS) and Chrome (Android) on mobile devices

Other tools

• Browser zoom up to 200% without loss of functionality
• Browser-level text size adjustment
• High contrast and dark mode browser extensions
• Voice control software including Dragon NaturallySpeaking and Voice Control

If you find that our site does not work well with your specific assistive technology setup, please report the issue using the contact information below. We treat compatibility reports as priority remediation items.

Known limitations

We believe in being honest about the current state of our accessibility work. The following are limitations we are aware of and actively working to address:

• Older articles: some articles published before our accessibility audit may not yet meet our current standards. These are being reviewed and updated on a rolling basis.
• Image alt text variation: while our newer images have descriptive alt text, some earlier images may have generic or missing descriptions. This is part of our ongoing remediation work.
• Embedded third-party content: some embedded content (videos, social media embeds, advertising) is controlled by third parties and may not meet the same accessibility standards as our own content.
• PDF documents: any PDF resources on the site may not be fully accessible to screen readers. Where possible, we provide HTML alternatives. Please contact us if you need a specific document in an accessible format.
• Complex visualizations: if we publish charts, infographics, or comparison tables, we work to provide text alternatives, but some complex visualizations may not be fully accessible.

This list will be updated as we identify, address, and add new items.

Ongoing improvements

Accessibility is an ongoing project, not a destination. Our current accessibility work includes:

• Periodic automated accessibility audits using tools such as WAVE, axe DevTools, and Google Lighthouse
• Manual keyboard and screen reader testing of new templates and components before they go live
• Reviewing reader feedback about specific accessibility issues and prioritizing fixes accordingly
• Updating older content to match our current accessibility standards
• Building accessibility considerations into our writer briefs and editorial review process

We do not have a fixed timeline for full WCAG 2.1 AA conformance, because accessibility work is genuinely never finished — new content, new features, and changes to standards mean the work continues. What we can commit to is that accessibility remediation will not be deprioritized in favor of new features when issues are identified.

Third-party content

Some content on our site is provided by third parties whose accessibility we do not directly control. This includes:

• Advertisements served by Google AdSense and other ad networks
• Embedded videos from YouTube, Vimeo, or similar platforms
• Social media feeds and share buttons
• Affiliate widget content from partner brands

We choose third-party services with reasonable accessibility records when possible, but we cannot guarantee the accessibility of content we do not control. If you encounter an accessibility issue with embedded third-party content, please let us know — we may be able to find an alternative or remove the content.

How to report accessibility issues

If you encounter a barrier on our site that prevents you from accessing content, please tell us. The fastest way is to email us directly with as much detail as you can provide:

• The URL of the page where you encountered the issue
• A description of the problem — what you were trying to do, what happened instead
• Your setup — browser and version, operating system, assistive technology you were using (if any)
• Your preferred way to be contacted if you’d like a response

You don’t need to be a technical expert to report an issue. Plain descriptions like “the FAQ buttons don’t work with my screen reader” are extremely useful. We will translate your description into specific technical fixes.

Reports can be sent to accessibility@essentialoilsindex.com CONFIRM email exists or change to your contact email or through our general contact page with “Accessibility” in the subject line.

Our response commitment

When you report an accessibility issue, here is what you can expect from us:

• Acknowledgment within 5 business days — we will confirm we received your report and explain what we are doing with it
• Initial assessment within 14 days — we will tell you whether we can reproduce the issue, our initial plan for addressing it, and any clarifying questions
• Remediation timeline based on severity — critical issues that block access to content are prioritized over cosmetic improvements
• Follow-up when the issue is resolved — we will let you know when a fix has been deployed if you provided contact information

For especially urgent accessibility needs (you need access to specific content right now for a time-sensitive purpose), please mark your message “URGENT” in the subject line.

Alternative formats

If you need our content in an alternative format, we can usually accommodate. Available options include:

• Plain-text version of any article (stripped of formatting, useful for screen reader users encountering complex layouts)
• Large-print version as a PDF (useful for those who prefer not to rely on browser zoom)
• Audio summary for select articles, on request

Email accessibility@essentialoilsindex.com with the URL of the article and the format you need. We typically respond within 5 business days.

Contact information

For accessibility-related questions, feedback, or requests:

Essential Oils Index — Accessibility
Email: accessibility@essentialoilsindex.com
General contact: essentialoilsindex.com/contact-us

This Accessibility Statement was prepared in May 2026 — update when revised. We review and update this statement at least annually, or whenever significant changes occur to our accessibility practices.