Where To Buy Essential Oils?

Essential oils can provide amazing benefits leading to a more fulfilling and healthy lifestyle. They can be used many different ways therapeutically, in your beauty routine and around the house. Fortunately, essential oils are widely available for sale. Unfortunately, they are not ALL the best quality or 100% pure. Read more about what to look for when to purchasing the right oils.

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Things to think about before Purchasing Essential Oils

Because the essential oil industry is not regulated like other products we purchase, finding essential oils that are of the highest quality, grade and purity is not easy. Oil brands can add labels such as “therapeutic grade” or “100% pure” without meeting any standards. And if you are not aware of this, you may believe you found some great oils for an inexpensive price. But what many aromatherapist know, is that ‘cheap’ and ‘essential oil’ should not be in the same sentence.

The reason you may find cheap essential oils in your local Walmart or Target, is because they are not of the highest quality. These oils, usually have fillers, additives, bases or carriers added which dilutes them down meaning your not paying for what you think.

For instance, rose oil is one of the most expensive oils on the market because of how many rose petals are required for extraction. To give you some perspective, the most well-known essential oil sites like Young Living and DoTerra, rose oil costs a few hundred dollars. However on Amazon, I have come across no-name brands that sell rose oil for less than $20.00. That seems a bit crazy right?

So although there is no standard labeling to look for, we can still look for other key factors that will ensure we are purchasing the highest quality oils.

a hand brushing through lavender flowers in a field

factors That Can Impact oil Quality

There are many things that can impact the quality of essential oils and unfortunately, most of them are beyond our control.

Some of the things can negatively affect the quality of oils are:

pesticides
chemicals
altitude/climate
soil conditions
amount of rainfall
packaging
handling
extracting methods
exposure to light or heat

This is why I like to look deeper into the companies that produce essential oils. I want to learn about the process they use and what differentiates them from all the other brands out there. Organically grown oils are also important to me because I want to know that I am paying for plant oils in their most natural state. Not oils that were extracted from plants grown in a toxic (pesticide/fertilizer) grown environment.

dark amber essential oil bottles with eucalyptus leaves

Things to look for when Buying Essential Oils

Is your head spinning right now? I know. My was too. So I put together a list of some key things or wording to lookout for when purchasing oils that will help to ensure your not being fooled.

If the bottle states, “do not place this oil directly onto your skin”, you may want to stay away from it.
Bottles that are dark brown or amber colored bottle is a sign of good quality.
Glass bottles are the best containers for essential oils compared to plastic which can leech into the oils.
Essential oils are made to be sold in small amounts usually less than 15 ml.
Look for the label to state the Latin name of the plant from which the oil was extracted.
Make sure your bottles are tightly sealed and include a dropper or dropper cap.
Smell the oil if you can! If you smell alcohol or other chemicals, steer clear.
Don’t be fooled by the words “therapeutic grade” or “100% pure”. Those words don’t mean much when it comes to standards.
Don’t purchase oils that are too good to be true price-wise. Most quality oils are at least $10 per bottle (5ml-15ml)
Look to see if the essential oil company requires its oils to undergo GC/MS testing and if they offer those testing results to the public, which would be a plus.

Conduct a paper test Yourself!

If you already purchased an essential oil and want to really make sure you purchased the BEST oil with the highest quality, you can conduct a paper test! It is simple to do and the results don’t lie!

All you need to do is drop a few drops of oil onto a piece of paper. Wait a few hours for the oil to dry and see if you notice any oil marks on the paper. If you DO see a noticeable stain, you know your oil is not 100% pure. It is most likely mixed with other oils or additives. If it drys clear or you barely notice a stain, you know you’ve got yourself a quality bottle of essential oil.

woman smelling a bottle of breathe essential oil

so where can you purchase The BEST essential oils?

If you are serious about starting your journey off on the right foot, it is important that you do your research first and find a company that you trust! So the fact that you are reading this is a good thing! Saving a few bucks may help your bank account but when it comes to your health, money is no object. Plus, quality oils that are not diluted or adulterated go a long way and can last you many, many years.

Directly From The Company Site

There are many companies that sell essential oils directly from their site. Here are some of the top companies known to have some of the highest essential oil grades. Some are also organic which is a bonus and something I like to look for! Before choosing a brand, make sure you do diligent research on them and compare companies! Don’t be fooled by labels.

Final Thoughts

Please do not feel intimidated by all this information. Choosing essential oils does not need to be a life or death decision. I think people put way too much pressure on themselves when decided where to purchase their oils. You are in charge of your own life and health so it is up to you what you want to put in/on your body. I wish you the best of luck on your essential oil journey. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions!