Guide to Essential Oils: Buying Them

Ever grabbed a bottle of “essential oil” only to realize later it was basically fancy-smelling water? Yeah, that happens more than you'd think. The essential oil market is packed with companies diluting their products, using synthetic fragrances, or skipping organic standards altogether. If you're serious about using oils for skincare, cleaning, or aromatherapy, you need to know where to shop and which stores to avoid. This guide breaks down the best companies to buy from, like Mountain Rose Herbs, Plant Therapy, and NOW Foods, and gives you the insider tips to spot quality oils.

Last update on 2026-05-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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At a Glance: Where to Buy Essential Oils

• Purchase from companies that sell 100% pure, single-ingredient essential oils without fillers or carrier oil dilution.
• Choose certified organic oils to avoid concentrated pesticides and toxins that remain after plant distillation.
• Look for steam-distilled or cold-pressed oils bottled in dark amber glass to preserve quality and potency.
• Buy from reputable sellers like Mountain Rose Herbs, Plant Therapy, or NOW Foods that offer transparent sourcing and strong customer service

Quick Tips To Keep In Mind When Buying Essential Oils

• When buying essential oils (EOs), be sure the company you're going with only uses single-ingredient, pure aromatic plant oils. Some companies dilute their EOs with carrier oils or other low-quality ingredients.
• Only purchase oils that are certified organic. Because essential oils are a concentrate, any pesticides or toxins that were on the plant during distillation will be concentrated in the oil as well. (EW!)
• Avoid buying essential oils that are sold as “Fragrance Oils.” Fragrance oils are synthetically produced and are, therefore, not true plant oils.
• Keep in mind that “Therapeutic Grade” oil is not regulated by any government agency, nor is it an industry standard (it's kinda, sorta, really just a marketing claim).
• The production method used to extract your essential oil will determine it's properties and aromas. (We only like to purchase steam distilled or cold-pressed essential oil.)
• Make sure the essential oil you're purchasing is bottled in dark amber glass (contact with light will begin to degrade the quality of the EO). Also, store your EOs in a cool, dark place.
• Essential oils can last 5-10 years.
• Most importantly, when buying essential oils, buy them from a company with a reputation for great customer service. You may have questions and they should definitely be willing to provide answers!

Last update on 2026-05-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Best Companies To Buy Essential Oils From

Below are the best places to buy your essential oils, along with other tidbits to make incorporating them into your daily life easier and more beneficial.

Mountain Rose Herbs

Image from Mountain Rose Herbs

Mountain Rose Herbs is just a great company in general. In addition to essential oils, they sell herbs, spices, sprouted seeds, teas, clays, and everything that our beautiful Earth has given us. The best part about this company (aside from their stellar customer service) is that the ingredients they use are certified organic, fair trade, wild harvested, and Kosher certified. Awesome and sustainable!

Plant Therapy

Image from Plant Therapy

Plant Therapy is another great company to buy your essential oils from! We're big fans of their mission to deliver the highest quality essential oils at reasonable prices, making them accessible to any- and everyone one. And, given that that's their mission, all we can say is that Plant Therapy definitely delivers! Want a reason to love this company even more? Alright, here it goes: they have a line of essential oils just for kids!

Last update on 2026-05-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

NOW Foods

Image from NOW Foods

NOW Foods is an inexpensive, no-fuss company that can be found in health stores all over the country (we've seen them at Whole Foods). While their essential oils may not be of the same quality as Mountain Rose Herbs or Heritage Essential Oils, they have great Tea Tree and Lavender essential oils. Better used for incorporating into cleaning products, we recommend NOW Foods for those just getting acquainted with essential oils.

Last update on 2026-05-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

That concludes this guide to buying essential oils! We hope you found this series informative and, should you ever have any questions regarding EOs, send us an email or leave a comment below!

That’s all, folks! We hope you enjoyed our Guide to Essential Oils! If you enjoyed this post, please let us know in our Comments section below! We love hearing our readers’ feedback, comments and suggestions. If you’ve been using essential oils, we would love to hear about your experiences and how they’ve helped you (or maybe they haven’t helped you, let us know!).

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I look for when buying essential oils? Choose certified organic, single-ingredient oils that are steam-distilled or cold-pressed. Avoid “fragrance oils” which are synthetic, and make sure oils come in dark amber glass bottles.

How long do essential oils last? Essential oils can last 5-10 years when stored properly in a cool, dark place away from direct light.

Are “therapeutic grade” essential oils better quality? No regulatory agency or industry standard defines “therapeutic grade”, and it's primarily a marketing term. Focus on certified organic sourcing and pure ingredients instead.