I love using essential oils. So far, I’ve tried a number companies, including Young Living, doTerra, Plant Therapy, Edens Garden, Aura Cacia, Now Foods, Spark Naturals, Plant Guru, Fabulous Frannie, Wyndemere, Journey Layne and The Botanical Societies.
I might have missed mentioning a brand or two. But I’ve sampled many of the popular labels. There are other well respected brands I haven’t tried yet. But I probably will in the future.
Long ago, I realized good essential oil companies abound. Not all of them are involved in multilevel marketing sales. No matter what you see on social media, non-MLM brand oils also have “therapeutic” properties. That’s because they’re derived highly concentrated plant extracts, the same as multilevel marketing labels.
What you want to focus on is purity, potency and a company’s reputation, instead of labels.
Essential Oil Companies Comparison
(This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything, I receive a referral fee, at no extra cost to you.)
For personal use, I stick to companies I trust. Right now, for personal care, the brands I use most are Plant Therapy, Aura Cacia, Edens Garden and Natures Fusions.
For cleaning and household projects, I have different criteria. For rodent control, I generally recommend a big bottle of Now Foods peppermint essential oil. That’s because it comes in a big bottle. And it’s very affordable. So you can use it liberally.
Mice hate the smell of peppermint oil. So it’s a good idea to regularly apply it to cotton balls, and leave anywhere you notice droppings. Now peppermint oil is what I prefer. (That’s because it comes in a big bottle.)
But I also trust this Now peppermint oil enough to use it for massage. When I have a headache, I often rub diluted peppermint essential oil into my forehead. This works well, at least for me. My headache usually disappears within minutes.
However, in general, I use Now essential oils only for cleaning. Although Now is a well-known American-based natural health company, I prefer to buy essential oils (for personal care) from a supplier that only deals with essential oils, such as Plant Therapy. But for cleaning I prefer Now because of the amount of essential oil you get for the price. I don’t think you have to be fussy with essential oils that you add to DIY cleaning formulas.
Good Quality Essential Oil Brands
Anyway, it’s okay to experiment. You can build an essential oil collection with different brands. You may find a particular blend, from one company that you fall in love with. But you buy most of your oils somewhere else. That’s okay.
The good news is that there’s a lot of choice. With aromatherapy, it’s a buyer’s market.
So if you’re interested in my personal impressions of all of the companies I just mentioned, keep reading. Please understand that I’m not a professional aromatherapist. I can’t give medical advice or promise a certain product will solve a particular health problem. I have no access to testing facilities. So all of this is based upon first-hand user experience, as well as on information provided by these companies.
Plant Therapy Essential Oils
Plant Therapy is one of the brands I use the most. I know the company has strict quality control and safety standards. Actually, this company is at the forefront of educating people on essential oil safety.
No, it’s not okay for essential oil salespeople to tell potential customers to ingest oils. There may be times when internal use might be appropriate. But this should always be done while working with a doctor.
Here’s a good example of why I don’t like blanket advice to ingest. A while back, one of my readers left a comment. She had a severe allergic reaction to lemon oil. This happened after putting just a few drops in her bathtub. I’m so glad she didn’t ingest them instead.
Apparently, these types of reactions are rare. But that’s why you can’t indiscriminately consume essential oils.
However, used properly, essential oils are very safe. You just have to respect their strength. If you put them on your body, you must also use a carrier oil.
What are Good Essential Oil Brands
Plant Therapy is also very ethical when it comes to safe use of essential oils. This means putting only a little bit in a carrier oil. (Carrier oils, by the way, are believed to “carry” the aromatic molecules into your cells. They also protect your skin from the strong aromatics.)
A standard dilution ratio is 2 percent. This means putting just 3 drops of essential oil in a teaspoon of carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil, before applying it to your body. Plant Therapy stresses the importance of safety.
My first Plant Therapy purchase was peppermint essential oil. I loved it and started buying more Plant Therapy oils. If you’d like to sample what this company offers, below are three of the company’s most popular singles. Plant Therapy also has Synergy Blends. A number of them are designed for stress and relaxation.
Plant Therapy Organic Orange
Plant Therapy Peppermint Oil
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What are Good Essential Oil Brands?
I have purchased MLM oils in the past. Judging from personal experience, it seems that both Young Living and doTerra sell good products.
However, I’ve decided that, in general, I don’t need to buy multilevel marketing oils. That’s because excellent choices exist, outside of these networks. Right now, the four brands I use the most are Plant Therapy, Aura Cacia, Edens Garden and Natures Fusions. I believe they are great non-MLM alternatives.
Edens Garden is an American-based family run company. In some ways, it strikes me as similar to Plant Therapy. It has an excellent reputation. Its oils are very high quality. You won’t go wrong with either of these brands.
Edens Garden Essential Oil Blends
I love trying new blends. So far, I’ve ordered three from Edens Garden. This company has a huge line of synergy blends. At night, I use essential oils for sleep and relaxation. So my first purchase was Stress Relief Synergy Blend. I loved it, and followed up with another purchase.
My second Edens Garden oil was Sweet Ambiance Synery Blend. It has strong citrus tones, balanced by the addition of ylang ylang and Peru Balsam. I fell in love with this as well.
Then I wanted to try something different. So I ordered the Earth & Wood Synergy blend. It contains cardamon, cedarleaf, cedarwood, fir, patchouli and sandlewood oils.
Earth & Wood has a very strong smell out of the bottle. Sniffing it, it’s not nearly as pleasant as the other Edens Garden blends I’ve tried. But, if you dilute it with a carrier oil, it smells great. Sometimes I use a little bit of this in a carrier oil and I put it on my face. Then I love the smell. Anyway, you can see three of my Edens Garden purchases below.
Edens Garden Stress ReliefEdens Garden Sweet AmbianceEarth & Wood Synergy Blend
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Reviews for Aura Cacia Essential Oils
This is another one of my favorite companies. These oils are widely available online. I’ve probably ordered at least 20 different kinds, and have yet to be disappointed. I’ve ordered mostly singles. I wasn’t crazy about the smell of the Aura Cacia Tranquility blend. But it did the job. I use it at night to relax, and it does work for me.
Aura Cacia Pure Essential Oils
Every one of the Aura Cacia singles I’ve tried has rich undertones. This is the only brand of lemongrass essential oil I’ve ever used. It smells incredible. It’s so deep and complex. I can say the same about the geranium oil and the palmarosa essential oil too, as well as the others. I love to use palmarosa oil on my skin, because it gives it a healthy glow.
Aura Cacia Products
Aura Cacia sweet orange essential oil is incredible. So is the clary sage and the lavender. I can recommend Aura Cacia oils in complete confidence. The company guarantees they are 100 percent pure, with no adulturants or additives. Aura Cacia oils have been on the market for decades, long before essential oils became wildly popular in America again. Here are three singles.
Aura Cacia Sweet OrangeAura Cacia Eucalyptus OilAura Cacia Clary Sage
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Some Good Essential Oil Brands
Essential oils have helped me so much. They have literally changed my life. I’ve suffered from chronic insomnia since early adulthood. Now it’s not an issue. Every night, I’m confident that I’m going to get a good night’s sleep, thanks to my essential oils.
It’s believed that some aromatic plant extracts contain natural tranquilizers. This is a much safer and healthier way of taking the edge off, especially compared to drugs. There are many good essential oil companies, and I want my readers to know that.
Comparison of Essential Oil Brands
I also use essential oils for cleaning and mold control. While I’m working, I use certain oils to help me stay focused. Given how often I use my oils (every day), I’d hate to think that anyone would be discouraged from trying them, just because they don’t want to buy them through multilevel marketing channels. Trust me, you don’t have to do this.
I’ve also ordered a number of oils from Fabulous Frannie. I think this company has good products, although it doesn’t seem as large as the other three brands I just mentioned. I’ve repeatedly ordered the Fabulous Frannie Protect germ fighting blend, and was very happy with the quality.
Quality of Essential Oil Brands
There are a number of other brands I have yet to try. There are a couple, though, that have a good reputation. I just don’t know enough about them to share my personal experience. But I believe in giving my readers a lot of choices, and letting them make the decision. Here are a couple of other companies you may want to consider.
Reputable Essential Oil Companies You Might Like
Natures Fusions Essential Oils – This Utah-based company sent me free shipment of oils. I was so impressed that I consider Nature’s Fusions essential oils among the brands I regularly recommend. This is an excellent MLM alternative. You can order Nature’s Fusions essential oils here.
Plant Guru Essential Oils – I’ve also tried this company. I ordered some Plant Guru ylang ylang that was shipped to my Mom. I also use Plant Guru Stress Relief Synergy Blend. It seems a little thinner than some of the other essential oils I’ve used, but it’s extremely potent. I was very happy with this blend.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils.
ESsential oils are changing my life for the better, too.
Hi Lora, I know just what you mean. Thanks so much for reading.
Thanks for the info! I don’t like the price of most Doterra and young living blends, but want quality oils. Have you ever heard of Majestic Pure?
Hi Ronda, thank you so much for reading. I have heard of Majestic Pure but I have no personal experience with this brand, so I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t have enough information to make a recommendation. This brand sells oils in big 4-ounce bottles. Keep in mind that essential oils don’t last forever, so I don’t know if you’d use that much oil before it went bad. However, someone might want a lot of peppermint oil if they planned to use it for rodent control. In that case, I might want a big bottle of peppermint if I planned to use a lot of it.
I recently read a report that stated they are NOt pure.
Julie I don’t know much about Majestic Pure. I can definitely recommend other good brands that I use myself, including Plant Therapy, Edens Garden, Aura Cacia and Nature’s Fusions.
What is the difference between pure essential oils and, organic essential oils?
Hi Patty, that’s a really good question. Pure essential oils mean that the aromatic oil is 100 percent pure, with no additives. Reputable companies also do their own purity tests, typically in house and also using an independent third party. Just because an oil is pure does not mean it was grown organically. It may have been. But the farmer may be too small to go for the USDA-organic certification label. When you see the USDA-certified organic label, it means the plant from which the oil was derived was grown without pesticides, herbicides or other potentially dangerous chemicals, and only organic fertilizers were used. I don’t always buy USDA-certified organic oils for personal use, because I’m buying from companies I trust.
Hi, I’ve just been reading along. As an Essential Oil user, you always need to decide if the oil is going to touch your body or not. I’ve noticed the use of the word ‘aromatic’ quite frequently. Because essential oils can break the blood brain carrier, please only use therapeutic grade oils to touch your skin. Aromatics are for just that – aroma. My recommendation is that you only use them in an oil burner, necklace made for the oils so you can wear them as an aroma, or maybe even in a diffuser. I’ve read so much and have educated myself over quite a few years before jumping on the EO bandwagon, so I would certainly hate to see anybody confused on therapeutic and aromatic. I always buy therapeutic grade oils and have purchased some from the sellers on the authors list as well as having some of them on my list to try. Thank you.
The term therapeutic grade is more of a marketing concept, and it’s come to mean oils that are 100 percent pure, as opposed to fragrance oils. Of course, the brands I recommend on this page would all be safe to use on your skin. I still wouldn’t want to inhale oils that aren’t totally pure and made from chemical fragrance. All of the brands shown here would be safe to use in a diffuser.
I’m sorry that should have said blood brain barrier and not carrier.
What company sells quality oils in larger containers I regularly use a few I blend and run out all the time.
I am aware the self-life is shortened for quality.
Thanks enjoyed your article.
Bobbi
Plant Therapy sells larger 1 ounce versions of its oils. Also, Now Foods does too. I like the Now brand peppermint oil because I also use it for natural pest control, and it comes in a big bottle. Ants hate the smell of peppermint. Thanks for reading.
Fabulous Frannie sells some oils in larger bottles: Lavender, tea tree, peppermint. They also have a deal where you buy 3 and get one free. I use a lot of lavender for baths and my diffuser. Bigger bottles make sense.
I’ve bought Fabulous Frannie oils as well. This is also an option for people who can’t afford pricier oils. I prefer Plant Therapy because I know how thoroughly its products are tested. But I was happy with the potency of Fabulous Frannie and I really like this company’s Protect blend.
I had some Tea Tree Oil I purchased from the NOW Brand of oils (thinking too they were 100% pure because our health food store sells them; but it was NOT pure, so I (personally) don’t use them any more.
Thought I’d let you know. I agree with you on the others. I have a whole list of those that are pure and those that are not if you’d like for me to send it to you.
Hi Charlotte, thank you for your feedback. I prefer essential oils that come from companies that just sell essential oils, at least for personal care, just as diffusing and massage. However, for DIY cleaning solutions I often recommend Now brand because it comes in such a big bottle. The company is a well-known American-based company and it says that its oils are 100 percent pure. So I buy Plant Therapy, Edens Garden and Aura Cacia for personal care. I’ll still order Now for ant control and natural rodent control to keep mice out of the house. I’ve used NOW on my headaches and it worked. I don’t have in-house testing facilities to test it myself.
Love your informative article, and wanted to suggest a wonderful company based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania- Josiah’s Oils . I have had a wonderful experience with the company and great success with the oils . Blessings
Hi Cathy, thanks for the feedback. I will check out the website. There are a lot of good, reputable essential oil companies out there. This is good for the consumer.
This is interesting. I live in the next county over from Lancaster and will definitely look into these oils. Thanks
I recently had a slightly uncomfortable conversation with a doctor of mine whose colleague fully believes the hype surrounding the two main MLM companies and that they are the only pure oil brands, as I completely disagree. I don’t doubt they are just as good, but that doesn’t change the fact that I can’t afford them. I also am not fond of some of the safety guidelines I have seen from these companies, especially with regards to ingesting or using undiluted. It was very uncomfortable to disagree with a medical professional on the basis of a health and safety guideline. I mainly use Eden’s Garden, but I am planning on purchasing some Aura Cacia and maybe some Now Foods at a Whole Foods sale that is going on soon. Whole Foods actually has a brand of EOs now, and I might try theirs out as well. Your article was very helpful when I was trying to figure out what brand I wanted to go with. I ended up going with Eden’s Garden because of a specific deal they had, but I love Plant Therapy’s kid-safe attitude. It was very important to me that I choose a company that realized you need to be extra careful when using oils around children and sought to educate on the subject.
Hannah, thanks so much for reading and thank you for your feedback. I totally agree. I think the MLM brands are just fine. But I’ve found some excellent products outside of these networks, and I like to tell my readers about them.
Can you post how you use the peppermint for rodents. I have found evidence In my dogshop and i cannot use poisons especially around my puppies.
Susie, a couple of years ago we had the same problem, in our house. It was horrible. I put cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil in places where I thought the rodents would go. This was for deterrent. It’s also important to do something about the ones inside though. For that, we used a product called a Rat Zapper. It was the most humane thing I could think of, and it worked. If you have dog food that is lying out and not covered at night, the rats and mice will feast. They love dog food. (I learned this the hard way.)
I am really impressed with Rocky Mountain Oils (merged with Native American Nutritional). They offer quality therapeutic oils at reasonable prices and free shipping.
Beth, I haven’t tried that brand yet. But I’ve heard really good things about it.
This is a great article. Far too many people get conned into believing that only the most expensive oils are safe to use. I started using essential oils over twenty years ago. I use them in just about every aspect of my life. I have found that the “NOW” brand works well for me, especially since I use them daily. I hope that this article will reach lots of consumers so that more people can afford to use essential oils daily.
Hi Lisa, I hope the word gets out too, that you don’t need to spend a fortune on essential oils because really good products exist outside of the MLM networks. I’ve been happy with the NOW brand as well. I totally recommend the peppermint for household uses and pest control, and it’s also good enough to use for personal care. Thanks so much for reading my blog.
I suffer from terrible insomnia. Which oils do you use?
Tina
Hi Tina, I use a number of different types of essential oils, which work for me. What works for one may not work for another. But, in general, my favorite sleep remedies are lavender oil, clary sage oil, cedarwood oil, patchouli oil, frankincense oil and the various sleep blends. I find best results from rotating, so I don’t use the same oil too many nights in a row. I also combine oils, such as frankincense and lavender. I hope this helps.
I to use oils and I have found a small company called Ra Goods. I have known the young owners for years and trust their products. Thank you for your information.
Thank you for your feedback. There are a lot of good essential oil companies now, and I’m glad you found one that you like. I went to the Ra Goods website and it looks nice. The oils are more expensive than the brands I use and recommend the most on this site. But it’s good you’ve found a company you are happy with.
I think its great that essential oils are getting the recognition they deserve. However i DO use DoTerra. You get what you pay for. No, im not rich and no im not a “sales person” . Just believe in the purity and community resourceing Doterra provides.
Hi Shawn, I’m glad you’re happy with doTerra, and I know it’s a good company, but I stand by the brands I write about in this post. They are 100 percent pure as well. They are amazing. I say if people are curious to just compare. But one bottle of doTerra and buy a comparable bottle of something else. That way they can see for themselves. Thanks so much for reading my blog.
Thx for this article. I’m grateful for all the information. can you pls do a segment on ingesting oils ( noy your recommendation i get that) just as a did you know this is how it works etc..? Thanks in advance
PeonyJoy
Hi Peony, that’s a great idea. I will try to do that within the next couple of weeks. Thank you for the idea.
I agree that most of the non-MLM oils are safe to use, but I’m wondering why you haven’t reviewed these as well?
Hi Susan, because I don’t tend to buy MLM oils, and I only like to review what I use myself. Plus, there are plenty of people already promoting MLM oils, so there’s plenty of information readily available. Not so much with some of the other companies. But I think the MLM brands are perfectly good, as are a number of the other brands. Thanks so much for reading my blog.
What are some of your favorite synergy blends from Plant Therapy and Edens Garden for your insomnia?
Hi Danielle, that’s a really good question. From Plant Therapy I love Meditation and Relax synergy blends. I don’t like the smell of Sleep Aid as much. But it works. Edens Garden has some really good blends too. Edens Garden Stress Relief and Sweet Ambiance smell amazing. The Earth & Wood Synergy Blend has an interesting smell, but not pleasant. But it’s good if you diffuse it.
I have had great success with essential oils and use them for many things. I have nothing against the popular MLM’s except their pricing, but I love the company Jade Bloom. Not only for their selection and pricing but also their desire to educate and provide educational resources.
Other people seem to have good things to say about Jade Bloom as well. I have yet to try them. But I probably should, just for comparison.
Thanks, this was a really informative article. I’d been considering Plant Therapy and Edens Garden, plus our local Vitamin Shoppe sells Aura Cacia oils. Do you have an opinion on Radha Beauty oils? They’re the first brand I ever used so I didn’t really have anything to compare them to (except doTerra which I received as a gift and can’t afford to purchase myself) and I was considering buying their 18-piece kit, but I’m not really sure how Radha stacks up compared to the brands you mentioned.
I don’t know enough about Radha but Aura Cacia is a trusted brand that I’ve used myself. Very affordable too.