There are many companies that market themselves as the producers of the most effective and healthiest essential oils available. But which companies are really producing the best oils on the market?
Experts and consumers seem to have reached a consensus that there are several companies producing high-quality oils:
This article will discuss the best essential oils and the companies that manufacture and sell them. Not all oils are created equal or used for the same purpose, so it is important to learn essential facts about each of them to find the healthiest essential oils for you.
Article Topics
What is the Healthiest Essential Oil?
Of course, essential oils are made for a variety of purposes and a variety of different consumers. But, overall, the essential oil that best addresses the needs of those who generally purchase them, is lavender oil. This is likely because:
- It is easy to produce
- Relatively inexpensive
- Causes the fewest interaction and reactions
Lavender oil has sold more units worldwide than almost any other oil historically and is at the top-two best-seller list for almost every company and manufacturer.
Nonetheless, different oils are good for different reasons, and you may find that another oil is better suited to meet your needs.
What Makes an Essential Oil Brand Healthy?
An essential oil company is considered “healthy” based on several factors:
- Does it produce high-quality, effective oils?
- Is the level of purity in their oils high enough?
- Is the company healthy for the planet and the consumer?
- Do they use quality carrier oils?
Not all essential oils are the same, and many companies manufacture sub-standard oils that are diluted with additives or made using inefficient and unhealthy ingredients. It is generally accepted that the best method for extracting oils from plants is distillation or cold pressing.
Distillation is superior in many ways to solvent and chemical extraction methods because it yields the purest oils from the plant itself, without using caustic chemicals that damage and pollute the final product.
Many companies that manufacture cheaper essential oils do not use sophisticated extraction and filtration methods, and as a result, the oils they produce contain impurities and irritants.
Cold pressing and distillation are more labor intensive and costly but yield a superior oil from the plant. These methods also require greater amounts of plant matter from which to extract these oils, but, if sustainably sourced, this ecological impact can be mitigated.
Lastly, something that is often overlooked is the carrier oil. A carrier oil is a substrate that is blended with the raw plant extract in order to facilitate the use of the oil in either a diffuser or topically. The purity of the carrier oil is also very important when considering the overall quality.
What Types of Essential Oils Are Out There?
Although there are more than a hundred different essential oils currently available, they are generally considered under two major categories:
- Food Grade
- Therapeutic
Food-grade oils are safe for internal use and are deemed fit for human consumption. Therapeutic grade oils are those which should not be consumed and are used for more specific purposes such as aromatherapy and dermatology.
You should never use a pure, therapeutic-grade essential oil internally or mixed with teas or foods. They can cause serious harm in some cases because of their high concentrations of plant essences.
Under the two broad categories are a veritable plethora of essential oils, from lavender, cassia, orange blossom, and peppermint, to more exotic types (sometimes exclusive to company lineup) like copaiba and black spruce.
Some of these oils are present in blends that are marketed as having complementary properties, while still others are touted as having special properties all on their own. With so many choices, it helps to pick a company with a great reputation for quality.
There are even special oils for specific activities. For instance, there are essential oils for meditation or yoga or sleep and many other things!
What Are the 7 Healthiest Essential Oil Brands?
Everything that makes an essential oil healthy should be taken into consideration by the companies that manufacture them.
Larger companies do not always have the edge over smaller, boutique companies, and sometimes go out of their way to reduce costs rather than improve practices and products.
Although most of these companies have similar practices and quality control standards, there are key differences among them that set one apart from another in terms of quality or practices.
The order of this list should not be considered in any particular order of quality or ranking, we have simply taken the best companies and listed them for your review.
1. Plant Therapy
This company has a litany of products at fair prices as well as several certifications and accolades to its name. They use methods for harvesting and extraction that are endorsed by the USDA as organic and sustainable. For more organic essential oil brands, check out that article.
Plant Therapy received an award from the Cosmetic Good Manufacturing Process (GMP), which is highly sought after, and a Leaping Bunny certification.
- The Leaping Bunny certification signifies that they have never tested on animals at any stage of testing or manufacture.
They are also a Green Power Partner, which means that for every draw they place on electrical grids, they purchase a Renewable Energy Certificate to offset the environmental impacts.
All of their testing is Third-Party and they provide downloadable documentation to prove their scores. Also, they provide dilution and pregnancy charts to help keep consumers informed of best practices for their products.
They are also a member of the Planting Kindness initiative, which is a philanthropic program designed to enrich the global environment by donating certain proceeds from sales to ecological protection agencies and initiatives.
2. Blue Lotus Essential Oil
Blue Lotus oil is also known as Egyptian Lotus or Blue Water Lily. It is exceptionally rare among oils and is known for its captivating and mysterious persona.
What sets Blue Lotus apart is that it is high in squalane, which is the body’s natural chemical for moisture and hydration. This oil is cleansing and moisturizing, making it a perfect addition to skin and hair care.
Blue Lotus Oil has an intoxicating floral scent that promotes well-being and tranquility.
3. Hana Nai'a
Next on our list is the Organic Lavender Essential Oil by Hana Nai’a. Hana Nai’a products are 100% pure and Made with Aloha in Hawaiʻi using all organic ingredients wherever possible or wild crafted in a conscious manner. There are no synthetic or “natural” fragrances, no preservatives, no alcohol, no mineral oil, no petroleum, no parabens and we NEVER test on animals.
Just a few more of the great products they have:
- Hawaiin Coffeeberry Superfruit
- Green Tea Coffeeberry
- Hawaiian Coffeeberry Mineral Mask
They’re on our list of the healthiest essential oils because of their dedication of organic ingredients produced responsibly.
4. doTERRA
This company is widely considered the most popular and accessible brand in essential oils. doTERRA was formed in 2008 and offers 25 distinct essential oils. doTERRA endorses the use of steam distillation and the cold-press method for their extraction process.
Although the particulars of doTERRA’s methods are a trade secret, as they themselves claim, they do detail several steps in the process that they use. They say that the process is more of an art than a science and they maintain a holistic approach as well.
Part of what makes doTERRA appealing to many is that they have a marketing structure that allows consumers to participate in the sale and advertisement of their products, which provides an informative and supportive community to those who use the oils.
5. Saje Wellness
Saje is a holistic wellness essential oil manufacturer with a mission statement centered around emotional and physical well-being. Their products are 100% pure, derived from natural sources, and are processed according to internationally recognized standards and practices.
They sell an array of essential oil blends which are advertised for specific needs and uses. They do not appear to sell any single essential oils, like lavender or peppermint, but they do sell lavender and peppermint blends.
They offer a multidimensional quiz and expert help to assist you with identifying which product is best for you. This is different from many of the others on this list, as Saje is a larger company.
6. Vitruvi
Vitruvi was started by two siblings on Vancouver Island. They carry a limited number of blends and do not directly advertise any GMP or organic certifications from the Canadian regulatory agencies.
They do have a robust customer base and excellent reviews in their home country of Canada. Their products are 100% pure and their blends are uniquely designed for particular moods and artistic concepts.
A relatively new company, Vitruvi is one of the up-and-coming companies that is catering to a “designer” target market with their oil blends. They are available to anyone and are not MLM.
7. Eden’s Garden
Eden’s Garden Inc. was started in 2009 and sells over 250 essential oil blends and singles on their website. They have a great reputation with customer bases and carry even better accolades from the industry.
All of their products are gas chromatography and mass spectrometry testing, are ethically and sustainably sourced and produced and contain no additives, impurities, or substitutes. Their products are available (when possible) in roll-on sticks and diffuser vials and most blends come in both.
They boast cheaper oils overall than many competitors and they are not a Multi-Level company, meaning all their products are available to anyone, straight from their website. Not only are all their products third-party tested, but a percentage of all purchases go to sustainable organizations.
All their oils and blends are vegan, cruelty-free, and sustainably sourced with minimal ecological impact. They have farm partnerships in India, Bulgaria, and South Africa which help support and grow farms in those regions.
Outro
Essential oils are a big market with many companies jostling for your attention. It can be hard to decide on an essential oil to purchase considering all of this variety, so remember to make sure the oils are tested at a high grade.
The more committed a company is to its craft, the more transparent it will be about these practices, many of which are easily practicable. Do not look for the cheapest prices, but do not be pressured into thinking you need the most expensive products either.
The essential oil brands listed earlier demonstrate that you can find quality essential oil brands at a reasonable price point.
