The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Organic Essential Oils for Your Diffuser
Essential oils are potent plant extracts that can offer a variety of benefits. They can help soothe aches and pains, relieve stress and anxiety, or boost mood.
Organic oils are produced without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or GMOs and must pass strict quality standards to become certified organic. They can be eye-wateringly expensive, especially per ounce, but finding good value is possible.
Look for Certifications
When choosing the best organic essential oils for diffuser, look for a label with the USDA’s Organic seal or international equivalents. This means the oils were produced using a farming technique that avoids or reduces synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This is better for you and the earth, as it helps reduce potentially toxic residues in soil and water supply, preserves biodiversity, and contributes to long-term sustainability.
If you want to go beyond organic, look for labels that specify whether the oils were grown without chemicals or added growth enhancers and additives. You can also look for certifications from trusted organizations like the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture or ECOCERT. Many retailers also list the results of their GC/MS tests, which is another critical indicator of purity.
However, if you’re shopping for the best organic essential oil, remember that some chemical or pesticide residues could still slip into the final product during the distillation process. This is why choosing a high-quality, trustworthy supplier who offers lab testing results and safety precautions is so important. Some of our favorite suppliers include Stillpoint Aromatics – who offer batch-specific GC/MS reports for every oil posted on their website, Native American Nutritionals/Rocky Mountain Oils – who source their oils from small farms around the world and make them available at Whole Foods, Amazon, and Thrive Market (aka savings if you’re a Thrive member) — and Florihana -who are based in France and sell both organic and non-organic products.
Check the Label
Many companies need to have their products certified as such to use the term organic essential oil. This is because merely using the term organic on an oil label does not necessarily mean that the oil has never come into contact with chemicals, pesticides, or fertilizers. These chemicals can slip into the oil during production and processing or even through the air during harvesting. Check the label for a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry test report to ensure you get pure oils.
You should also check for the Latin name of the oil, the country of origin, and the date of manufacture. Quality essential oils will be sold in dark amber or cobalt glass bottles to protect them from degradation and light. They will also have a precise batch number and a certification seal from a third-party company like the USDA. If you see a suspiciously low price, it may be a sign that the oil has been diluted or tampered with somehow.
When looking at the prices of essential oils, remember that it takes a massive amount of plant material to produce just one ounce. This means that the cost per ounce of an oil can be eye-wateringly high. However, a few companies sell high-quality organic oils at reasonable prices. For example, e3 offers a wide selection of USDA-certified organic essential oils for your diffuser. They also meet Good Manufacturing Process standards and are cruelty-free.
Look for Scent
A great way to determine if an essential oil is of good quality is to smell it before purchasing. A strong, fresh scent is a good sign that it is pure and not diluted with other ingredients or chemicals.
When choosing an aroma for your bedroom, look for a blend with calming properties, such as bergamot or sweet orange, to help you relax and get a restful night’s sleep. For a relaxing living room, try grapefruit, ylang-ylang, and palmarosa for a soothing fragrance that will stimulate conversation and set the mood for your guests.
Look for a company that uses steam or cold-pressed methods for their oils to ensure they are free of additives and other fillers. Also, many quality essential oil companies will list the Latin name of the plant and its country of origin on their label.
While buying organic essential oils is important, remember that even though a product has an organic seal, it does not necessarily mean the plant is entirely pesticide-free. The chemicals used to kill insects on plants can be picked up in the soil and absorbed into the oil during production and harvesting.
The best option is to choose a company that offers a variety of organic oil options, provides lab testing results, and is willing to answer any questions you may have. Thrive Market is one such company that offers a wide selection of certified organic essential oils with prices ranging from $6 to $18.
Look for Value
You might be familiar with the phrase “organic” regarding apples or asparagus, but do you think about the organic option when shopping for essential oils? As it turns out, there is a reason to opt for organic options when shopping for essential oils, and it goes beyond just the growth process.
Since oil extraction is a complex and labor-intensive process, many high-quality organic essential oils can be expensive. That’s why it is important to look for value when choosing a product. If you see an essential oil that is suspiciously low in price, it could be diluted or adulterated with chemicals. Additionally, the product should include a label that indicates its Latin name, country of origin, batch number, and shelf-life.
An excellent place to start is looking for a USDA-certified brand offering affordable product pricing. For example, Public Goods has a line of organic essential oils that feature lemon, lavender, and argan oil, with prices ranging from $6 to $13. Similarly, Rocky Mountain has an impressive collection of single oils and expertly crafted oil blends that are USDA-certified organic and GC/MS tested for purity.
Plus, their oils are available at Whole Foods and on Amazon (and you can get a discount as a Thrive member!).