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121 Comments

  1. Hi Meghan –

    Thanks for this!
    Do you mind me asking what you use?

    I am frequently approached by YL or Doterra reps – but I keep getting conflicting information on the quality of these brands, so until I feel comfortable with a brand I am just avoiding using them other then for cleaning my house.

    Thanks!! :)
    Andy

  2. This was such an awesome post! My favorite essential oil company and one I completely trust as having pure oils (after having tried many other companies) is Living Libations.

  3. Thanks so much for this Meghan! I had explored this topic and tried (unsuccessfully) to resolve some questions I had around oil purity a couple of months ago. It is an important question to raise, and I really appreciate the information you shared.

  4. Thanks Meghan for this information. I read an article a number of months ago, that related more to the proliferation of use of such a concentrated substance and how indiscriminate use would affect availability of good quality raw resources. I lost track of the source, but it made me think twice before going full bore on the oils that I am using. I must continue my research before jumping on this band wagon.

  5. An interesting topic. If you are familiar with Wellness Mama, she has done research on companies (USA) and does make some good points. It’s hard for the average person, gaining an interest in oils,
    to know the questions to ask and what to look for in a brand.

  6. Hi Meghan,
    My favourite brand is Aura Cacia. They also have many organic oils & oil blends as well. :)
    Thanks for your info on this topic!
    :) Jo

  7. Hi Meghan, thank you so much for this article. I wanted to start a business and was torn between choosing which one to get involved in. Your article got me thinking on the right track. Thanks again.

  8. Wonderful companies to research include Living Libations, Original Swiss Aromatics, Stillpoint Aromatics, Aromatics International and Floracopeia. Very reputable companies that research the sources, quality, extraction methods, etc. for the essential oils the sell.

  9. Thanks for the article. Thanks for the warning I was just about to dive into the EO world my focus “therapeutic grades”. My focus is on insect repellents. I am also interested in helping a MS sufferer with what (until now) I thought was a harmless but potentially beneficial process.

  10. Thanks for this article, Meghan. I appreciate that you included the sustainability issues in the discussion as well. For both health and sustainability reasons, I’m very concerned about the increasing number of people drinking essential oils daily, usually at the recommendation of network marketing sales reps looking for monthly autoship orders. Nothing wrong with the MLM model or monthly autoship orders IF things are run properly, with quality products and truthful claims, and recommendations to seek the professional guidance of a trained aromatherapist, nutritionist, or naturopathic doctor etc when necessary; but sadly, so many of them are run on business hype and misleading claims, and often washed in green these days too.

  11. Hello Meghan and community,
    Has anyone done any research on Zayat Aroma in Quebec? I use their products and believe they are high quality but wondering if anyone out there has more information. Thank you!

  12. Super helpful and well executed – oils are SUCH heated topic aren’t they. I bought some doterra one a year back but after more research won’t be buying any poor plus i had some poor customer service experiences so super help in helping me find a brand I feel comfortable using but also recommending to my clients as oils can be so healing! I am UK based so not as much variety so any tips from fellow uk readers always helpful:)

  13. What an informative read! I went on a similar research path and read that article about companies like YL, DT, And many others containing synthetics, but I can’t find a brand I’ve liked as much as those two and Plant Therapy. I read PT found the same synthetic in a batch of oil and as soon as they found that out, pulled them, which was super brave and probably costly. I just like several of the big oil companies’ blends that I can’t get replicate on my own, and I’m still unsure of alternatives. I’ve tried Aura Catia and they smelled different to me.

  14. Fabulous article Meghan. I am very much into essential oils at the moment so this was perfect timing! Great information for beginners too.

  15. When I asked for a reference Meghan gave me Living Libations. I looked at their site and it was EXACTLY what I was looking for. I spent big money and it was WORTH IT ! They rock. Save yourself time and the headache of investigating. Living Libations is the place to go. Yes it is expensive BUT you get what you pay for. They are the real deal. I just received my order a couple of days ago and I decided to ditch my old skincare regimen that same day as my skin felt so good after using my new face products and still does. I can tell you I have dry sensitive skin and was concerned. You can make your own products for less money but that takes research and time. They have done it all for you. eventually I will order just the oils from them and make my own products. Thank you Meghan because I was becoming real confused and frustrated trying to find a company and I have a Pharm D .

  16. Great article. I don’t know much about EOs, but because of a set of “coincidences” I had decided to get to know more about that and then I came across this article. Incredible, I have some bottle from Eden Organics and they were recommended by a person that I highly trust – she didn’t make any money, she just ordered for me at the same time she ordered for herself. If anyone has any information on this company, that would be good to know.

  17. Thank you for this. I am part of DoTerra and please do not think of me wrongly. I wanted to get into essential oils so I can provide safe ways for my family instead of all the chemicals. This article has definitely changed how I feel about everything. I started looking into the Living Libations and other companies others were talking about. I really wanted another income coming in so I could stay home and home school my children. I guess I will keep searching though and possibly get out of DoTerra. This article has some great information in it

  18. Thank you for an objective and non-confrontational article! There is so much tension around essential oils right now … the market is exploding … which is amazing on one hand, and a serious detriment to the credibility of the practice on the other. I’ve heard one to many horror stories of essential oils sales-pitches of oils from individuals who probably don’t mean any harm at all – they just don’t know any better. Unfortunately, the companies SHOULD know better, and it is disgraceful that sales have become more important than safety and quality, in a field about supporting peoples’ health. I hope to be certified as an Aromatherapist by the end of the year, and look forward to further supporting this industry safely and knowledgeably!

  19. Hi Meghan,
    This article is fantastic. Thanks know you. I have purchased from Aromatics International and their products are great. However with me being in Montreal, the shipping costs, insurance and customs duty charges added 50% to my total cost plus the exchange rate of 32%. So my question is do you know a reputable supplier close to Montreal? Or at least in Canada? Much appreciated. Thanks.

  20. Hi Meghan, thank you so much for this excellent article. I’m finding it so daunting to research everything myself – supplements, protein powders, skin care, cleaners, essential oils, make up and on and on. Do you know of any reputable sources that have done research on specific essential oil companies that you can point me to? I really like a ‘Consumer Reports’ style of information. Thank you for your time…. Kathy

  21. The link provided above, to learningabouteos.com is no longer valid. Do you have a copy of the article, and if so, would you share it? I’m interested in reading it. Thanks.

  22. So all in all the way to get the info for the oils that are best is through the fda website list that they have approved or though A list from A licensedaormotheropist

  23. I enjoyed your article! I was curious as to why you said that doTERRA and Young Living were suing each other when in fact it was just Young Living suing doTERRA.

  24. This is such a good post. I’ve always had a distrust of companies such as Young Living and doTerra due to their MLM and cult-like followings and in the past have purchased my oils from companies well known for quality soap making supplies or recommended by well-respected soaper makers.

    And I found it completely ridiculous when one of these companies trademarked the name of a old blend (Thieves); in my mind it tells me that you care more about marketing than the properties of your blends.

    And yes, trust your nose. I purchased “green tea essential oil” through eBay that was no essential oil at all. I sent it back.

  25. Essential Oils WORK!!
    I have severe chronic pain…i was on most of the popular opium derived meds…almost died….from the meds…
    Not the disease…
    Long story short…
    I detoxed off all…at the age of 53….searched for answers, lots of prayer….
    A friend sent me her homeade bottle of EO’s for muscle pain…
    I felt immmediate relief…tho temporary…
    But the more i usedd them the longer they worked….
    That was almost 2yrs ago…..now i have my on recipee, and many more….plus several oils for other needs….
    They are Gods medicine & I thank Him daily…

  26. Thank you so much for this great article. I really enjoyed reading it! We use essential oils every day in our family and we’ve experienced time and time again the great benefits of Eo’s :)

  27. Great article, should be read by all users of essential oils. So glad you took the initiative and did the work to research it all.
    This is probably a continuing story, however, and we will learn more as the industry itself continues to change.

  28. Thank you for sharing such a thorough article! As a soon to be Registered Aromatherapist (in 27 days haha) I am constantly explaining to friends, family and customers why all essential oils are not alike and that they get what they pay for! I do use the term “therapeutic grade” not because of cheesy marketing tactics but because I truly believe that if we are using essential oils in a therapeutic manner (not just to make our home smell pretty) that we need to choose the highest quality oils possible! I recognize that the term has been coined by some MLM companies but I like to explain it in more detail when assisting someone with an ailment. Thanks again and I’m so glad I found your site!

  29. Thank you for this great informative article. I’ve wondered about harvesting massive amounts of plant material around the globe and the devastating ripple effects mono cropping can have in sensitive areas.
    I plan to do further research as I use essential oils a lot.

  30. Hi Meghan,

    Fabulous article. Thank you for sharing. I 100% agree with everything you have stated. I avoid MLM companies because of things like this. I’m curious, have you looked at New Diewcrions Aromatics in Mississauga? I recently ordered form them and would love to know your thoughts. Many thanks.

  31. I am a medical professional that was being wooed to join DT. I was interested and started to read up and use them.
    I asked for the GC/MS results and was essentially refused. That told me all I needed to know. (the caricature MLM aspect was also a turn off…)
    There are EO companies who are so proud and confident of their products that they post every batch’s GC/MS next to the product on the retail website!
    Thanks for this article.

  32. I’ve recently have started using essential oils. I was wondering if you would reccomend Eden’s Garden? I see they have the gc/ms on their website for their oils. Does that mean they are pure?

  33. Hi Meghan, which kind of EO do you think is good quality. I’ve been thinking about Young Living and Edens Garden.

  34. Hello, I’m studying to become an aromatherapist and this article has excellent information! Thank you so much, I’m excited to dig through more of your writing!

  35. Hello,
    Great article. I’ve just recently been using some essential oils and am worrying that I’m overpaying for what I’m getting. Which smaller company would you trust? I appreciate any help/advice. Thank you!

  36. Hello, I’ve only been using essential oils for the last year and I’ve been doing a lot of research trying to buy from the safest place because I know the Sham on the grades and how therapeutic is just a term. My question to you is do you know anything about (Bulk Apothecary) brand? I was buying from them for almost a year and then it was recently I asked them for three of their C of A’s they sent them to me, but he gave me a problem when I told him one of the brands they sell of henna was bad. I don’t know what I’m supposed to look for on this certificate which I’m trying to research to find out. One of the essential oils it says that complies all the way down the other two it says it complies and then it gives it some type of percentage. I guess I would just like to know if you think that they are real or if you’ve heard of them they do offer all of the information like you say in your blog to look for, such as the bontanical name how it’s been distilled and even the history. I know the smell on every single essential oil we’ve gotten from them has been very potent. Thank you and anything would help even linking me to the right direction.

  37. Hi Megan I just started using Frankincense oil I bought from Walmart the Guruanda brand. I bought it for focus and memory. I have a test coming up this week and started using the oil for concentration. I believe its been helphing me but I have been told that Rosemary oil is better. What do you think of Guruanda. Recently I attended our Az State Fair and ran into a doTerra rep who swears their product is the best.

  38. Meghan, so glad you’re still responding to comments in this thread – I wanted to know if you’d still recommend Living Libations and saw from your Aug 18 comment that you do, thanks!

  39. Thanks so much…been on Doterra for several years as a consultant and have just quit and switching to Living Libations !

  40. Hi Meghan! Thankyou so much for all your work. I just recently found you through a podcast about crohns! I’m trying to understand the EO world to see if it will help my husband with his crohns and really appreciate this article. Living Libations seems amazing but is also a bit out of my budget. Curious if you encountered Revive Essential Oils during your research? They seem to pass a lot of the tests you mentioned, but at a lower price point. Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

  41. Hi! I have trusted young living and young living only until today I am digging into it. I purchased a bottle of rose for 190$ from young living a week ago. Today i signed up for aromatherapy school and was reccomended http://www.aromatics.com. aromatics rose oil is 77$ and actually has the GC/MS test results listed for the current batch as well as the previous batches they have sold to compare. I sent an email to young living asking for the GC/MS results for their rose oil. I want to know why rose costs so much more from young living! It seems that aromatics cares just as much if not more about quality and they also provide many more products at better prices.

  42. I am very new to the EO world, so I enjoyed reading your article. Are you familiar with the company Vitality Extracts? I read an article about them Having great oils, so I jumped in and placed an order, as their prices were great. Now I’m second guessing and wondering about their quality. On top of that, they don’t typically do returns…which seems a little weird to me.

  43. Viality Extracts oils are NOT 100% therapuetic grade EO. I have also ordered from them, and not only did I get sick from diffusing some of them (patchouli, orange, rosemary, peppermint, spearmint) but they went rancid in my bottle(amber glass) and they should NEVER go bad. Carrier oils do though. so keep that in mind. I also attempted to get money back, and not only did I NOT have anyone contact me back, I never got to return anything or get any money back. However, I found that it was because how I ordered my oils. I went through Groupon, not directly through the company. I have a company I go with and trust. And I have tried over a dozen different EO companies.

  44. Thanks for your article, I appreciate your common-sense approach to essential oils. It is interesting that they have become such a “fad” and I am sure it will pass, as all other fads eventually do.
    I have been using essential oils for years and have been doing research all that time and it amazes me that people would use these natural products with little or no regard for the huge impact they have on ones life or even on the environment. I am a firm believer that with proper education and diligent research we can incorporate oils into our lives in a safe and constructive manner. So, I will say thank you again for your wise advice and hope that people will learn from your article and be encouraged to do their own research before using essential oils.

  45. Thank you for posting this. I’ve recently gotten into essential oils. I’m very interested in oils and not brand loyal. I signed up with a company after attending a “pyramid party” give by a close friend of mine. I used and started seeing the benefits of oils soon after getting them. The cost of the oils was hard for me to stomach—especially given the MLM set up of the company. I struggled to believe that they were more expensive because of quality and not because of money needed to feed the pyramid. Led by this thought I have done lots of research. Found out that this company does not post their GC-MS results, which is troubling. All anyone can tell me is that the oils from this company meet their own self proclaimed standard of excellence, yet no one has any numbers or scientific evidence to prove it. They are all experts on the pamphlets distributed to them by the very company they are so loyal to. So, I reached out to customer service through the chat feature on their website, asking where I could find the third party test results. I was told I would have to email customer service. I did. Never heard back. I asked friends about another company I found who has testing done by Dr. Pappas and publishes test results for all batches. The response was that Dr. Pappas is a fraud and liar who manipulates test results. I found nothing on the internet to support that claim. The whole thing is clear as mud.

    My questions-

    Can gc-ms results be manipulated to show or hide adulteration?

    Have you ever reviewed Revive EO?

    Can distillation/grow methods and growth locations be revealed through GC-MS results?

    Thanks for your help! It has been shockingly difficult to find valid information about any EO companies that don’t have someone pushing an agenda behind the keyboard. I appreciate your authenticity!!

  46. Have you ever heard of or used Revive essential oils? They share their test results, which I like. It’s not an MLM company, which I also like. However, I’ve been unable to find unbiased third party reviews. All the 3rd party reviews I can find end with a link to the reviewers MLM sales page. I ordered them and they smell just like the MLM oils I have. The prices are less expensive than MLM companies, but not dollar store cheap. I just wish I could find some unbiased reviews. Any guidance would be appreciated! I just want to be sure since I’m
    using them with my young children too!

  47. Hello,
    Thank you for this review and your time. I am curious if you are still recommending living libations and why. I am also curious if you know why their gc/ms is over 2 years old?
    Thank you,
    Jenna

  48. This is a great article – thank you! But I was looking for some recommendations… are there any brands you do recommend?

  49. I looked at the living libations website and it appears that their essential oils are in bottles that are clear instead of dark? Do you know what the reason behind this is?

  50. Hello. I love living libations and trust their quality so much. I was looking for essential oils more local to me so that I wouldn’t have to wait for shipping from Canada. After reading your article, I will stick to LL. Thank you for the information.

  51. Thank you for this article. I am a professional clinical herbalist with an interest in essential oils, and I met and did a training with a representative of the long established French aromatherapy company Aroma Vera decades ago and learned a lot. I have worked in the nutritional/natural products industry and I know of certain companies that are absolute crooks right here and um Now that I will not mention, but I have to say, the big popular MultiLevelMarketed ones all seem to my nose to be utter poorly made crap. Just saying it so you don’t have to. I would say, avoid MLM. I know too much about that industry, from the wholesale manufacturer supply side, to ever back it.

  52. Thank you for your unbiased and informative article. Could you recommend or refer an online essential oil course? I would like to learn more about essential oils but am I sure of a reputable educator.
    Thank you!

  53. Hi Meghan, Thanks for the well researched & detailed article. The bullets mentioned for finding good quality essential oil are really practical. While i go online for buying a particular essential oil, sometimes there is huge price gap for same quantities. And the websites have lots of reviews and 5 star ratings which only god knows are true or fake. Its indeed difficult to choose the right product in our times but your guide is definitely helpful.

  54. A very interesting article. A friend of mine started to use essential oils for health problems. She begun to treat everything with these oils (from a normal flu to dermatological problems or to straighten the inmunsystem). She uses a brand that you mentioned in the post. From all your research can you tell if the oils from those brans are safe to use internal and external.
    Thank you!

  55. I’ve become quite fond of using essential oils. And while an admitted novice, the results I’ve seen make it hard to deny their usefulness in health and beauty applications. Additionally, my use of essential oils has helped reduce my use of more chemically derived products. Being a novice, I do alot of research in an effort to educate myself on the safety and efficacy of oils. UnfortuI’ve come across alot of useless self promoting fluff during my research, but must say that I found your article educational and quite informative! I’m looking forward to checking out more of your content…

  56. This article is amazing. I’ve been doing research on essential oils, and this by far is one of the best ones I’ve read. I checked out Living Libations, and I can see why you choose this brand. Are there any other brands you recommend?

    Thank you!

  57. I really loved reading this article! I am just getting started in the essential oil world and have been testing to research as much as possible to use the oils responsibly! There are no children in my home, only 1 pet. Would you recommend Revive essential oils (if you’re comfortable answering that question) and are there any oils to avoid with pets in the home? Thank you so much! Stay safe friend!

  58. A very informative article…thank you! I did an online workshop a few years ago that had a chemist do tests on peppermint and lavender oil for 4 of the top known sellers. The results were astounding. One of the oils (don’t recall which) was more pure in the common cheap brand than the MLM brands. I think something to remember is that if a company is MLM…by the very nature of that business model it is profit based for multiple levels and therefore it isn’t surprising they are very expensive. But that isn’t a guarantee that it’s better quality. I have recently started using Revive oils and find them to be lovely and they actually post their GC/MS reports so you can view without asking them for it. To me that speaks to transparency right there and gives me a level of trust. But no matter who you order from I think it’s hard to know if they are already diluting it with another base oil when packaging. The report only gives you the purity of the feature oil but doesn’t guarantee that they aren’t secretly cutting it to make more money, which you’d never know.

  59. This post is really informative! I had no idea that MS/GC testing should be available for reputable oils. Good to know! The big MLM companies certainly have a lot of theatrics to get around sharing lab results.