Finding a Reputable Essential Oil Brand
There are many essential oil brands that claim they sell “pure essential oils” or my favorite saying, “pure therapeutic essential oils”. And while there are some brands that do sell 100% pure essential oils, there are a lot that do not. My goal is to teach you the information to look for when you are shopping for essential oils. Here’s some questions you should ask yourself when doing your research!
Are all the essential oils they are selling the same price?
Is the essential oil you are looking at around the price that other reputable companies are selling it for?
Does the label or website list the Latin name for the specific oil you are looking at?
Does the label use the word “fragrance”?
Does the company GC/MS test their essential oils, and do they provide the reports?
What safety information do they provide for each essential oil?
Let’s look further into these questions and why they are important. Pricing is something you can spot right away if something is off. For example, if every oil is the same price, or if you can get a set for an extremely cheap price. Essential oils will vary in price because of how much plant material it takes to make a bottle, and where and when the plant was harvested. While Lavender (Lavendula angustafolia), and Lemon (Citrus limon) might be around $7-$9, Frankincense Carterii (Boswellia carterrii) will be around $17-$20. You should never be able to purchase Frankincense Carterii for the same price as Lavender. Of course, essential oil companies have promotions that make their essential oils on sale, but the regular prices should be around the ballpark I mentioned above.
Another thing to search for is if the Latin name is listed on the bottle. It is crucial to know the Latin name of an essential oil for many reasons. There are different species of the same plant, and they can have different chemical constituents from each other. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Lavender Spiked (Lavandula latifolia) and both lavenders, but have a different chemical makeup. Lavandula angustifolia has chemical constituents that are generally safe to use with all ages. Whereas, Lavandula latifolia has the chemical constituent 1,8- cineole which has some safety concerns. Because of this difference, Lavandula latifolia would not be as safe to use as Lavandula angustifolia. For these reasons, I always look to see if a company displays the Latin name either on their bottle, or on their website. I want to be sure of what I am purchasing, and usually if they don’t provide the information, I am hesitant to trust that it is a pure essential oil.
Speaking of pure, using the term “fragrance” when talking about an essential oil is usually a sign that the product in the bottle is synthetic as well. I would not use a bottle that says this, as it can not only cause major skin irritation, but other problems as well.
Did you know that essential oils can ONLY be tested for purity by a report called GC/MS? Gas chromatography- mass spectrometry is a test that should be done on every batch of essential oils. A reputable company will have a third party test their batches to make sure they meet quality standards. This includes making sure that a specific essential oil has the right chemical composition that it should have. As a consumer, you should be able to access this information. Usually the batch number will be on the bottom of the essential oil bottle you purchased, and you can look up those test results on the company’s website. I personally love when the company has their most recent test results right on their website, so that even before purchasing, you can look at those and see for yourself what the results are.
Safety is extremely important to me, and is the main reason why I became a certified aromatherapist. While essential oils are wonderful and have many benefits, we do have to use caution while using them. Every company has slightly different opinions when it comes to safety, but there should still be some kind of safety information listed with each oil. Examples of this would be if the oil is safe to use with children, what the maximum dermal dilution is, and if there are any known irritants such as respiratory. Knowing this information empowers you to make an informed decision on what you would like to use for you and your family! My recommendation is to try a few different companies and see which ones you like, and what fits the criteria you are looking for.
Companies that I have used, and would recommend are Plant Therapy, Jade Bloom, Eden’s Garden, Simply Earth, Rocky Mountain Oils, and Revive Essential Oils. These are more essential oil companies that sell pure essential oils, these are just the ones I personally use! They are affordable options and check the boxes I listed above. Again, each company has different opinions when it comes to safety, so check out a few of them and compare what they say. Plant Therapy has the most safety information listed on their website that I’ve seen, and Jade Bloom offers a free essential oil course called Jade Bloom University that dives into these topics more. You even receive a $32 credit to use on their website for completing the course (which hello, how amazing is that?!).
If you want more information on the companies I listed above, or any other company you are curious about, please reach out to me! I would love to talk and help any questions you may have :)
*Disclaimer* I do have an affiliate link for Jade Bloom and Plant Therapy that is linked above. These programs give me a small percentage back if you choose to purchase from them, at no extra cost to you! :)