Where to Buy the Best Essential Oils
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I used to think that essential oils were a scam, but I ended up finding out that they are a great resource for your natural medicine cabinet for issues such as headaches, ear infections, tummy aches, viruses and bacterial infections, and more. But I eventually felt I needed to figure out where to buy essential oils that I could trust and that I could reasonably afford.
I spent a ton of time calling companies, asking questions, sampling oils. Literally, it was a ton. And it was very exhausting.
I've learned a lot with all the time I've spent researching oils companies and I've covered a lot of what I learned here in this essential oils series, some of which I wrote while I was still trying to figure out which company I was going to be using and recommending.
In this post, I'll talk about the company that I decided to purchase our oils from.
It's also the one that I recommend to you as having the best essential oils for the money, with natural healing qualities and no additives or adulterating.
How I Chose Where to Buy Essential Oils for My Family
This all started with my not being happy with the way questions were (or were not) answered by Young Living and doTERRA. So I started contacting a bunch of other essential oils companies and asked a lot of questions.
If you remember, when I started trying to figure out where to buy essential oils, I mentioned the following about Native American Nutritionals (now Rocky Mountain Oils) in Part One of the series.
“Looks like they carry good products, but they are a bit expensive. Their prices, for a number of oils, in fact, are almost identical to the MLMs in this group, Young Living and DoTerra. And I don’t see any difference on the surface in the quality department.”
In this post, you can see that I ended up recommending them, but this was really a surprise for me. After thinking that I was writing them off, I got a call back from the owner of Native American Nutritionals, and I talked with him for a few hours, which turned into many hours after that, and I felt that he really knew his stuff.
I was intrigued by what he had to say about his company and the oils industry in general.
We had countless conversations from March 2012 – January 2013, and I literally grilled him about his company and others to figure out which company I wanted to recommend, and if his, was in fact, good enough for my family and for all of you.
I now can say that I feel very comfortable recommending this company to you and am now using their oils almost exclusively (only because I have a few bottles of other brands left over).
I hope you check them out and I'd love to hear about your experience.
(Disclaimer. I did not choose this company because I was able to become an affiliate for them, but I am one. I decided to work with them and then we made an partnership agreement. I was the first affiliate for the company.)
Why I Chose Rocky Mountain Oils
Please note: since this series was written, Rocky Mountain Oils purchased Native American Nutritionals. Native American Nutritionals was the original company, then the two companies had a partnership. Then Rocky Mountain Oils (RMO) purchased NAN. I am even more confident in the quality of oils now that this all has taken place.
Here are some of the qualities that make Rocky Mountain Oils a solid place to buy your essential oils from.
1. Experience
The owner of Native American Nutritionals Paul Dean, was in the oils industry since 1997, being first introduced to essential oils about 30 years ago. He started his first full-time essential oils business in 1998.
Rocky Mountain Oils was founded in 2004 by two essential oil enthusiasts, Michael and Leah Vincent. With years of experience in essential oils, the acquisition of Native American Nutritionals, and 14 years of company growth, RMO has become one of the leading direct-to-consumer essential oil companies in the world.
2. Purity
Quality Oils – all oils have been third party GC/MS tested.
Certificates are available upon request by easily entering in the batch number from any bottle.
Almost all of the oils come from plants grown in remote locations where no pesticides, herbicides, or harmful chemicals are used and only natural fertilizers are used.
3. Indigenous Plants
All oils come from plants grown in their indigenous locations (where they grow naturally).
4. Oils from Small Farms
Almost all oils from NAN were sourced directly from small farms (many are from third-world countries). Mr. Dean contracted with locals in the countries from where he sourced the oils, finds a quality farm, sets up a distiller, and extracts the oils. The oils are then sent to Native American, then sent for testing, and bottled. The only oils at NAN that are not from small farms are mainly the organic citrus oils.
Since Rocky Mountain Oils purchased Native American Nutritionals, some of the sourcing has changed as the company felt they had to make some changes to put a higher priority on the purity and quality of the oils sold. They source from small farms and also from leading experts in the industry.
5. No Solvents
They use no solvents for distillation except when necessary, as in the case of absolutes like vanilla and jasmine (since the cost of those essential oils is otherwise prohibitive.) Update 2015: they now sell a vanilla extracted with CO2.
6. Affordable Pricing
They have affordable prices (not as expensive as the multi-level marketing companies, but not “too good to be true” either.)
7. Quality Pure Oils
I have a lot of standards for quality and making sure that you are purchasing quality oils. See this post on pure essential oils for that information.
In addition, I prefer buying organic whenever I can, and that includes essential oils. Recently (Nov 2017), Rocky Mountain Oils has included an organic line of oils in their lineup and should be expanding it soon.
8. Transparency
Details for oils are listed clearly on their site (including the Latin name and country of origin).
The company is working on how to indicate the growing method now that they sometimes have a variety of sources for some oils.
9. Reasonable Shipping Costs
Rocky Mountain Oils offers Free Shipping domestically in the U.S. and reasonable shipping internationally, with free shipping over $199.
10. No Adulterating
Oils are not heated, mixed with anything else, or adulterated in any way.
Unless declared on the label, the oils are pure. The only things added would be a carrier oil to make the oil or blend easier to use right out of the bottle.
What About Other Companies?
I often receive inquiries asking me what I think about other essential oils companies.
Please read this post on Essential Oils Testing and Quality and this report on 10 Things You Need to Know About Essential Oils to see if a brand measures up.
There are more and more companies out there on a daily basis. It truly seems that every day there is a new company selling essential oils and many are making claims that they are the only pure oils out there, which is not true.
My standards are high. I don't just want a company that says they are pure. When deciding where to buy essential oils, I want to make SURE I'm getting pure and not just a song and dance.
More Essential Oils Posts
Here are other posts that you might want to check out in this series on essential oils.
So, I have been using Young Living, but based upon your blog, I just made a small order with Native American. When I did, I received a confirmation from Rocky Mountain Oils. This appears to be the exact same website, products and packaging, just operated under a different company name. Do you know why they would do this? Made me a little suspicious.
I will check into this but the companies merged. I mentioned that in my post. I don’t know why the confirm would be coming from them though – thanks!
Great investigation. Thanks for doing all of this work.
Thanks Sue!
Awesome article! I refuse to read through the comments section (partly because there are WAY too many, but mainly because people are crude and hateful, sometimes, trying to “hide” behind the anonymity of the computer). When I read through comments on a blog such as yours, I just get aggravated at all the hateful, ugly things people say. You CLEARLY pointed out all the time and effort you put into your research, and I just wanted to say that I appreciate all your efforts and all the research you did in order to make the recommendation of Native American. I only recently became introduced to essential oils, and since my introduction was to Young Living brand, I currently purchase their products as a distributor. However, after reading all you had to say, I am looking into Native American, now. Thanks, again.
Thank you so much! Hope to see you around again. It was truly exhausting. I hope to write more but life it nuts right now!
Thank you for your help with this. I have been very interested in essential oils and went to a “class” in my area that turned out to be a doterra sales workshop. The sales people were very nice and helpful so I didn’t really feel pressured which I appreciate. I did buy some of the oils and have been happy with them but wanted to do some research before I committed to a certain brand. I stumbled on your blog and really appreciate all the hard work you put into this. Thank you for your help! I wanted to ask you about NAN as I looked them up and am interested in purchasing from them going forward. That being said everyone in my neighborhood now thinks I’m an expert and would like me to have a party so they can learn more about essential oils. I know I could go directly to NAN but since I used your site to do all my research, I would like to give you the credit if possible. I’m not looking for a new career or anything like that just want to continue to buy oils and share with my neighbors and if I can get some free stuff out of it I’m all for that. Is there a way to do this with NAN? Have parties or learn a little more so I can speak more intelligently to my friends and neighbors? Please feel free to contact me directly, again I know I can contact them but felt that since I did all my research through your blog I would like to somehow give you the credit for inspiring me. Thank you!
They are considering something but nothing yet. You can tell them I sent you if they do. Maybe consider Miessence or Lilla Rose which I am very happy with. Miessence is health related.
I have enjoyed this series you have carefully studied and written. I was wondering if you have an opinion of Essante Organics oils?
Hi there. Totally swamped – could you read my GC MS post and see if that helps please? https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/toxic-overload-health-concerns/essential-oils-testing-is-it-reliable/ Thanks!
What were your findings on Mountain Rose Herbs essential oils?
Having trouble figuring them out – first was told not to use them internally due to not being produced in a food grade facility . Now hearing other things. I am trying to get to the bottom of it but I am swamped! I have heard some folks really prefer NAN to MRH but I haven’t been able to get much more than that.
I have scoured the comments and posts but don’t see if there are any European companies that you could recommend. I’d love to order from NAN, but I’m scared of the shipping costs to Europe…
DT and YL do have that benefit (but after reading this series I hesitate to order from either of those companies)
I don’t recall – try contacting NAN and see how the costs are and then come back if you need more help please – thanks!
NAN is a place where someone can order oils, but you don’t have to be a Independent Consultant and there’s no award product plans, discounts, sign up fees or anything like there is with Doterra or Young Living, is that right? Just good oils for good prices? Is there anything for customers who places orders frequently?
I don’t believe they have that option but there are sales sometimes.
Please email me with details on details to start up
I’m not sure you are asking. Please explain!
Wow! I just sat and read through all 7 of your blogs re:essential oils. I am new to the oils and have been trying to do a lot of research myself. Your posts gave me soooo much insight! I, for one, really appreciate you going all of that work!! I will be looking into your recommended company.
By any chance, do you know anything about PlantTherapy oils? (planttherapy.com)
Thank you, again, for putting so much effort and time into this! :))
I commented on them in the last part. I didn’t choose the for a few reasons. Sorry but it’s taking me a lot of time to talk about each one – maybe I can digest it sometime. Their lavender is a concern – that’s one thing. They have the 40/42 lavender that is typically a blend w/ some synthetics in there.