Essential oils are a wonderful way to enjoy the fragrances from some of today’s most sought after extracts. Aromatherapy oils are genuine reflections of the botanical from which they’re derived from. When these natural extracts are diffused into the air of a room in your home, they can inspire, energize, soothe, and encourage wellness and peace of mind. Today, essential oils are primarily used in therapeutic settings to help achieve a positive mood and bring about relaxation.
The NOW Essential Oils Collection
The NOW Foods essential oils company is called NOW Solutions. I’ll be using the terms NOW Foods, NOW, and NOW Solutions interchangeably, so please don’t get confused – it’s all the same thing.
NOW not only makes essential oils. Related aromatherapy products include essential oil diffusers, essential oil blends, and a selection of organic oils.
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure policy here.
As a company, they manufacture and distribute over 1,400 natural foods, dietary supplements, sports nutrition and personal care products in total.
When it comes to going for an essential oil company that offers the best value, no one beats the NOW Solutions combination of premium quality at affordable prices. They have built lasting relationships with their suppliers and vendors, and are able to purchase large quantities of raw materials at substantial discounts. This gets passed on to us customers in the form of everyday low prices.
A brief history
NOW is still family owned as it has been from the beginning. Photo courtesy of nowfoods.com.
In 1948, entrepreneur Paul Richard purchased a small Chicago-based manufacturing company that made grain and legume-based products, marking the beginning of a six-decade family company legacy. NOW Foods is still a family-owned company today.
NOW Foods was founded on the belief that good health is not a luxury available only to the wealthy. This translates into NOW Foods manufacturing high-quality, affordable nutrition products. “A helping hand since 1968” can be found as a slogan on some of their literature.
Quality Assurance
NOW essential oils are produced with loving attention to detail from start to finish. The company insists on using the best raw botanicals available, process them with gentle extraction methods, and commit to producing industry-leading quality.
Since the process of extracting essential oils from their botanical origin is unquestionably one of the most important steps in the manufacturing and quality assurance process, NOW Foods uses only the best available practices:
Steam Distillation
With steam distillation, essential oils are converted into vapor and then condensed into liquid form where they can be bottled for your enjoyment. It is a popular, natural and precise way to gently extract essential oils while leaving behind any undesirable components.
Cold Press Extraction
Cold press extraction is another natural extraction method used primarily for citrus extracts, such as Orange, Lemon, Lime, Bergamot and Tangerine. It involves carefully applying a cold “press” to the botanical to extract the highest concentration of beneficial oils.
Solvent Extraction
Botanicals that are too delicate or costly for distillation are often extracted efficiently using safe solvents such as ethanol. Examples of solvent-extracted oils include Rose and Jasmine.
CO2 Extraction
CO2 Extraction is used to remove the oils or essence from the plant matter without using heat or leaving any solvent residue behind.
Poor extraction methods can compromise the potency, aroma and effectiveness of the resulting oil – making it imperative to pay attention to any essential oil brand’s process of manufacturing. NOW Foods clearly shows great care and stewardship for extracting the best essence of the essential oils you find in the bottles available for sale.
Certified Organic
All NOW oils are pure, natural, highly concentrated and free of synthetic compounds. A selection of NOW Foods essential oils are classified as Certified Organic. Those oils are grown in soil that is free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizer and herbicidal residues. However, it is important to note that not all of NOW Foods essential oils line-up is from organic botanicals – only the ones labeled as such. Still, all essential oils in their line-up are subject to the same internal testing process as the “Certified Organic” ones, they just don’t all qualify for displaying the label because they are not all sourced from certified organic ingredients.
Line-Up of Certified Organic Essential Oils
- Organic Citronella Oil – 1 oz
- Organic Eucalyptus Oil – 1 oz
- Organic Lemon Oil – 1 oz
- Organic Lavender Oil – 1 oz
- Organic Peppermint Oil – 1 oz
- Organic Orange Oil – 1 oz
- Organic Rose Hip Seed Oil – 1 oz
- Organic Rosemary Oil – 1 oz
- Organic Tea Tree Oil – 1 oz
Testing Process
Essential oils are only a good as their active components. NOW Foods uses their own team of quality control experts to conduct quality tests and ensure that each oil matches their standard. NOW’s team conducts a series of quality tests to ensure that each oil is of the highest possible quality.
All NOW Essential Oils are GC/FTIR verified, which is an aromatherapy industry-standard testing qualification. GC stands for Gas Chromatography and FTIR for Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy…. Not that these technical details really matter to the average user, but it’s good to know that this is not only a company-internal testing process labeled with some smart marketing name to confuse consumers. For example, doTerra also uses GC and FTIR testing to ensure the quality of their essential oils (read it on doTerra’s blog here).
Food Grade and Therapeutic Grade
One of the best and most honest things you can read about food grade and therapeutic grade essential oils can be found on NOW Food’s essential oils purity guide website, in the section “Are Essential Oils Food Grade?“. I promise it will be worth your time! In summary, it says that:
- “Therapeutic grade” cannot be chemically measured and is therefore just a marketing made up by the industry with no authoritative body or organization behind the term.
- Claiming an oil to be “Food grade” (i.e., edible) would require that brand to display a Nutrition Facts panel on their label as required by law. However, if you recognize the source of these oils as food (i.e. peppermint, oregano, cinnamon bark), then natural extraction methods such as steam distillation and cold pressing do nothing to change this quality, and these methods do not make the oil toxic.
- Oils that are not food grade will have the statement “Not for Internal Use” in the caution box on the label. If you have questions regarding the use of any NOW Solutions essential oil please contact their Certified Nutritionists by calling 888-669-3663 and choosing option 5 or by emailing productinfo@nowfoods.com.
Starter Kits
NOW oils distributes a fine selection or starter sets or gift kits, making it easy to dive into using essential oils without having to decide which single oils to order to begin with. Currently, there are three starter kit options available:
- Put Some Pep In Your Step: Uplifting essential oils. Includes 3 singles (Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon), and 1 blend (Cheer Up Buttercup), 10 mL each.
- Love At First Scent: Romantic essential oils kit. Includes 3 singles (Cinnamon Cassia, Rose Absolute, Bergamot), and 1 blend (Naturally Lovable), 10 mL each.
- Let There Be Peace and Quiet: Relaxing essential oils kit. Includes 3 singles (Lavender, Peppermint, Eucalyptus), and 1 blend (Peaceful Sleep), 10 mL each.
- Seasonal Changes: Balancing essential oils kit. Includes 2 singles (Tea Tree, Eucalyptus Raidata), and 2 blends (Nature’s Shield, Clean the Air).
With any of these starter kit options you’ll be well on your way to enjoying essential oils!
Now Foods Carrier Oils
If you’ve come to love and trust the NOW essential oils brand, you might like to stock your cabinet with their carrier oils, too! You can get carrier oils in a convenient 5-pack sampler pack, including almond oil, avocado oil, vegetable gylcerine, grapeseed oil and apricot oil.
Some of the amazing properties are:
- Avocado oil is rich in vitamin A, D & E and can help you improve skin elasticity.
- Sweet Almond oil is filled with vitamins A, E , B, & D, and also Zinc and Calcium. This oil gets absorbed without blocking pores. It is lightweight and odorless, and calms skin inflammation, making your skin soft and smooth.
- Apricot oil is a great natural oil for use with sensitive skin. It easily blends with essential oils and absorbs quickly into the skin.
- Vegetable gylcerine oil is sourced from Non-GMO palm oil to provide maximum benefits.
- Grapeseed oil is a great source of essential fatty acids and prevents premature aging.
In Summary
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Now Foods Essential Oils Review. I do really feel comfortable recommending NOW essential oils to you. I like their thorough scientific testing and no-BS declaration of information. NOW oils are also attainable at a reasonable price, which I think is also a plus for their company.
Further Reading
Now Foods Essential Oils (official website)
What did you think of this review?
Put your thoughts in the comments box below!
Laurie L Larkin
Great and informative article. I have been delving into the quality of oils for a bit of time now. I was not willing to pay the high prices for YL or DoTerra oils, figuring there had to be an equal quality, less expensive alternative. After reading some of the marketing ‘schemes’ of these two, I am convinced you are buying a name and not a superior product. I liked that you explained the ‘therapeutic and ingestible’ issues that are so often pushed on us in order to sell their products. I have used NOW for years now and will continue to do so.
Patricia
Can these oils be used if someone in the household is breastfeeding?
Emma Carter
Hi Patricia. Yes SOME oils are safe to use during breastfeeding. However, it is definitely not all oils that are ok for lactating mothers. I recommend the book “Aromatherapy and Massage for Mother and Baby” by Allison England. You can get it here. Alllison England is a qualified aromatherapist and registered nurse. I personally used her book during my pregnancy and early motherhood.
Ashley Cummings
I am just getting into the EO and a friend gave me some peppermine NOW. I am currently experiencing mouth ulcers, will this help heal it? I have heard peppermint EO is great for mouth ulcers but wasn’t sure since it doesn’t specify “food grade” Should I use a carrier oil?
Mary Jo Muellerleile
I am wondering if your essential oils, and in particular Nature’s Shield, are sold in the UK. SWANSEA, WALES.
Emma Carter
Hi! Yes you can buy Now Foods Essential Oils through Amazon.co.uk. Here is a link to their Nature’s Shield blend.
Eliza Sherwany Ahmad
Hi, May I check if I can use now essential oils with my young living desert mist diffuser?
Emma Carter
Hi Eliza. Actually, you may NOT use any oils other than Young Living oils in your Young Living diffuser, if your diffuser is still under warranty and you hope to use the warranty. If your diffuser is already past its warranty period, I’d personally say use any oil you want in there – it likely won’t make a difference! But, you will void the warranty if you do. Find the details in your Desert Mist Manual, or online here (page 13): https://www.scribd.com/document/368626531/DesertMistDiffuser-Manual-US. It reads: “This Warranty Does Not Cover: […] 4. Defects or damage from use of natural oils other than those supplied or sold by Young Living Essential Oils or an authorized distributor; […]”
Diya
I purchased a few Now EOs because of reviews like these and have mixed feelings. My lavender smelt off right from the start. Could be a one off I suppose.
The recommended 3-5 drops in 100ml for diffusing could barely scent up my living room. Might be a problem with my diffuser?
But the killer for me was I used it a couple of times for steam inhalation (mix of eucalyptus, tea tree and peppermint) to clear nasal congestion. Both times led to intense coughing and chest congestion by the following day. The second time my husband actually had to visit a doctor as his coughing fits were getting progressively worse. Am I doing something wrong? I really want these oils to work but am I risking my family’s health with these oils?
John Wright
Thanks for sharing these information. I have found that many essential oils have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-fungal properties that help to boost your immune system and fight infections.
Patricia
I am a member of doTerra and read Young Living Oils can be ingested. Some of the doTerra oils can also be ingested. I know many people in my oil group that do take them but I do not since I am on medication for chronic pain and high blood pressure. I do use the oils for many things but rub them on my feet, diffuse and have blends for various things. Was wondering about that statement, thank you.
Emma Carter
Hi Patricia! Thank you for your question. Young Living has a special line of oils, the “Vitality™” line, which they promote for ingestion. More detailed information is available here: https://www.essentialoilhaven.com/using-essential-oils-safely/. Hope this helps!
Lillie
Elizabeth, I am glad you asked! When it comes to oils -you honestly get what you pay for! I have tried various other brands and then was introduced to DoTerrra’s oils. It was amazing at the sniff test difference, my other brands had a fake, alcohol whiff to them. DoTerra does a CPTG on all the oils, yes this testing is made by the company but simply because withers isn’t certain rules on natural solutions guidelines. This stiff testing gives a product that is certified pure therapeutic grade oils. Think of it this way, if a lemon oil is labeled only for aromatherapy why ever do we drink lemonade, made lemon zest with the rind? If you can take a lemon oil internally, you will want to know what is in that oil! I have researched high and low on various types of essential oils and wasn’t sure if I liked the networking side of some oil companies. I have come to respect DoTerra’s vision of sourcing their oils from there natural habitat and sourcing directly with those farmers to ensure that the farmers are being paid fairly-thus empowering their lives. Teams with DoTerra share and empower others to lead healthier life styles and natural solutions!
Elizabeth Epp
I’m confused. This article says that there are no synthetics in NOW EOs, but my jasmine from NOW has synthetics in the ingredient list…I bought them assuming there wasn’t any, because the others I have are straight 100% oils (except that frankincense is pre-diluted), but this actually have it on the label! And the bottle looks no different from the others, so I am confused!
Is there just something different about jasmine eo?? If so…why?
Irene
Is the Jasmine labeled as a fragrance or an essential oil? Does the label indicate that there is a percentage of essential oil in a carrier? These may answer your question.
I love my NOW oils, and I use a variety of essential oils. So far, NOW oils keep up with all the big name brands.
Michelle McIntosh Burklin
Are your oils synthetic?
“With the exception of one of our jasmine oil blends, which is clearly labeled as synthetic, all NOW Solutions essential oils are naturally derived. Pure, natural jasmine oil is hard to source and very expensive even at wholesale, which translates to exorbitant retail pricing. Synthetic jasmine is much less expensive and its aroma is equivalent to that of pure jasmine, which is why we offer this option to our customers. We also carry a pure jasmine absolute blended with carrier oil as a natural alternative.”
LouAnn Switzer
Lara ,
Hope you can help me with an allergy to linalool. I was asked to make a licorice scented soap that this person would like. My research tells me that Anise star seed eo and sweet fennel eo contain linalool. Sweet fennel eo contains least ppm but I do not want to give him a reaction. Any suggestions on how to get a licorice scent?
Kashley
Good evening everyone!. I am new to this oil life and I am a little confused about the difference between NOW essential oil and the Now organic along with the Food Organic essential oil? It seems as if there are a few different types. I currently have the bottles that say NOW Essential Oils. My main question I guess would be can I even use this one the skin or body butters, bath bombs ect? On the label it does disclose not to use on skin but its 100% pure Lime (this is only one flavor out of 4), I did see it says to dilute it with EX grapeseed, jojoba or almond oil. If I could locate the information as to what ratio I should follow to achieve the level I need it to be at so I can use it for skin and or bath bombs. Thank you in advance ; ) ….
LisaV
Find the dilution tables here. Tremendous information.
Darla
Are NOW oils safe for pets? I would like to use in cleaning as well as diffusers, but have learned some oils are unsafe for pets to walk on then lick paws. Thanks
Emma Carter
Hi Darla. Thanks for your comment! I think this article here will help answer your questions: https://www.essentialoilhaven.com/essential-oils-for-dogs/
Jane
I have used around 20 different NOW EO’s and have yet to be disappointed. I am looking forward to expanding my selection. I believe they offer a good balance of quality and economy. Great value in my opinion.
Cat
I’ve been using E oils over 8 years now &absolutely love Doterra but like many, I hate the price so I’ve been trying to find some other high quality oils. I’ve tried several Now oils but they just don’t seem to work as well (at least for our family). They just don’t seem as potent or something & we all ended up going back to Doterra for now. But I do still like using the Now oils in baths& diffusers. I’m wondering has anyone heard of or by chance tried Jade Bloom Essential Oils? They sound really good with great ratings& gradings& PRICES!! Lol!!
Lana
I am also using doTERRA oils. And also have some Now EOs. I have recently purchased some oils from Edens Garden ok for kids. I used the calm me down roll on for my kid didn’t really notice a change he still had melt downs so I felt that that was not helping, then I tried peace roll on from doTerra which seems to actually help him keep calm . I have noticed that doTerra peppermint smells different from Now peppermint, since peppermint is very strong in my opinion NOW smells more like candy canes and doTerras smells like the planet/mint(seems much stronger). While I am satisfied with doTerra they are very expensive. I am wondering if there are other EOs that are just as good as doTerra?
Marie Sprowl
The difference in peppermint has more to do with menthol levels, not the specific brand or quality per se. Personally, I prefer the strong menthol-y pepperment vs the sweet candy cane type. Ive found the NOW brand to have more menthol than all the brands I’ve tried . It makes my eyes water and sinuses clear on inhalation, which is the decongestion effect Im looking for. Some companies offer both types and will report menthol leveling requested.
Patricia schipf
Purchased 3 bottles of rose absolute . Very disappointed. No rose fragrance at all. Can I return 2 unopened and 1 opened bottle?
J
Thieves : 40 drops clove bud, 35 drops lemon, 20 drops cinnamon bark, 15 drops eucalyptus and 10 drops rosemary. NOW brand called Nature’s Shield contains all of these oils.
Abdul
Can you use them in the smoothie or basically what I mean can you can zoom in Edith
wayne Farrar
Hello, do you have the boswellia carterii frankincense in 4 ,8 or 16 oz size I have several of your 1 oz bottles but an living on disability and wanted to get a larger size and maybe it may be a bit less in cost even if not a bit cheaper i still would like to know if you do sale it in a larger size your frankincense smells better then most others as with your other oils i like them about the best and they have quality at the best prices thank you for your time
wayne
P.s the frankincense also seems to be helping me with knee pain and it is helping me cut back on narcotics which i hope to get away from using all together if possable
Mary
Thanks for the research! I have bought DoTerra, Young Living and NOW brands and while I want to use the best quality I can afford, I don’t want to be ripped off either. I will continue to use the NOW brand and just finished making my own batch of Thieves oil and it smells exactly like my YL brand!
Emma
Awesome! Glad to hear!
Jennifer Hilson
Mary, what is your drop ratio for your Theives?
Chris
I am also interested in this formula
Tknight
Would like the recipe for thieves oil as well.
Kristi
I am also interested in your recipe. Please share.
Mindy
I’d like your recipe also…..please post
Michelle McIntosh Burklin
I’d love to know your exact recipe. No one else seems to be able to duplicate the specific aroma. Thanks in advance!
Anna Edwards
I have several of the NOW EO and I have no complaints. I use them in my diffusers throughout my home, and cleaning products have worked so well for me!
Caroline
I purchased all the EO’s nessasary to create a ‘Theives’ blend (by Young Living) except with NOW. I made the blend today but it’s very evident that it smells completely different then ‘Theives’ by young living. Any idea why that would be? *i am using cinnamon bark (cinnamomum zeylanicum), lemon, clove (Eugenia caryophyllata), rosemary (Rosemarie’s officinalis), eucalyptus globulus
Kathy
Part of it is because the recipes may not match perfect. I also made the On Guard blend from doTerra and it doesn’t smell totally like it either. I personally believe doTerra is a better oil. However I can afford more of the oils with NOW and I’m happy with them.
Loren
NOW foods have a blend called natures shield that has the same oils. Any differences could be an issue of proportion of oils.
Paula
Real oil has a blend like Theives and its 50% off. Havent bought it yet but I am going to try it! Its called Immunity Boost.
Sara G
Caroline that’s because NOW essential oil are not actually pure essential oils. I find it VERY misleading that the company calls themselves NOW essential oils and puts 100% pure on the front. That would make one think that they are pure essential oils, right? Nope. When you turn it over you will see that they are just considered oils in the ingredients list. Not essential oils. Huge and disappointing difference. I
Michelle McIntosh Burklin
What exactly is the difference? Their website states that they are 100% pure essential oils…
Michelle McIntosh Burklin
From their website under the Essential Oils FAQ section:
All of our pure essential oils are labeled as such. We also sell clearly labeled oil blends that are formulated with essential oils or “absolute” extracts with another oil as a base; usually pure jojoba oil.
Jennifer
Sara G. Where did you find info that shows they are NOT pure EOs??
Jennifer
Also from the website:
“Are your oils watered down or diluted in any way?
No, both our pure and natural essential oils and our certified organic essential oils are never diluted or watered down in any way. We do offer a variety of essential oil blends, some of which are combined with carrier oils such as jojoba, but these blends are manufactured specifically as blends and are clearly labeled as such to avoid any confusion.”
The link to their FAQ: https://www.nowfoods.com/now/nowledge/essential-oil-faqs
MJ
I recently ordered oils from Dr. Axe and they were very expensive. Does anyone have an opinion on whether they are worth the price?
Bon
Hi: Just a new at this and was wondering what would I purchase in the Oil field to use in my Oil Diffuser for helping with Snoring and night and for my husband who is a smoker.
Emma
Hey Bon, give this article here a read, it talks about which oils are best for snoring.
Diane
There is an oil that is called breath and it is very good in the diffuser to help with sinuses, allergies, colds etc
Deborah Adkins
I’m satisfied with all my Now oils except for the Jasmine fragrance oil. The accent is so weak you can barely smell it even when I put the bottle up to my nostril. Very disappointed. It is useless in a diffuser. :/
Theresa Naville
I have never used now brand. can you take them internally? how do you rate this with doterra?
Yvonne
I would like to know how many drops do you use in a defusser of NOW? I have look all over to find out my answer.
Emma
Hi Yvonne, check how much water your exact diffuser unit holds and add 3-5 drops of oil per 100ml of water tank size. So if your diffuser has a 100ml water tank size, add 3-5 drops of oil depending on how strong you like the smell or effect of the oil to be. 200ml = 6-10 drops, 300ml = 9-15 drops, 400ml = 12-20 drops, 500ml, 15-25 drops.
Lorraine
Thanks for your advice Emma. I just purchased my now diffuser and oils yesterday send find that the five drops doesn’t seem to smell strong enough to me. Do you know of any problems that could result in adding double the amount of oil i e 12 drops in 100 ml.
Heather D.
Hey Lorraine, Congratulations on your oily journey! I saw your question not answered yet and I hope you dont mind me sharing, I would say yes, there can be some negative side affects if you use too much too soon. As a rule of thumb, I feel better starting with singles before blends, always dilute until you know how your skin handles it and you should also try to start off with a drop or two at first (whether diffusing or using topically) . True therapeutic oils will detox your body and too much too soon may cause headaches or nausea… Another thing to remember is to increase your water intake as you diffuse. (similar to after having a professional massage, they tell you to drink plenty of water afterwards to rid of impurities that were released through the message!)
Also, the biggest thing, in my opinion, to consider is the level of concentration…. It takes 60,000 Rose blossoms to make only 1oz of oil, that’s crazy!! Unfortunately, not all oils are of equal quality and people often ask “whats the difference?” The comparison is to how not all foods are of equal quality… Some companies distill with alcohol and use pesticides on their crops… Now I don’t eat organic fruit, but eating an apple sprayed with pesticides is something I’m ok with 🙂 Using essential oils distilled with alcohol or sprayed with pesticides would be like eating the whole apple tree! wow! I hope that all helped 🙂 Have a good day! –Heather
Sue
I am unhappy to learn about their use of solvents and co2 to extract oils in some instances. Otherwise, these do look to be of decent quality. Do their labels state the extraction method used?
Celeste
Yes, all their labels state the extraction method. Most are steam-distilled or cold pressed. I own about 10 different ones and am yet to see one with solvent or co2 extraction method 🙂
Tara
I have about 20 different Now oils and haven’t seen any with solvents. It must be a rare occurrence.
Michelle McIntosh Burklin
It states on their website that they only use these processes for the really difficult ones to extract (I think it’s only done for two of their oils) and maybe one super expensive, rare one. And it is labeled on the bottle that they were processed this way. Go to their website and read up on it.
Lynn
It depends on what they are using Co2 extration on. I know there are properties of ginger or frankincense that can only be brought out using Co2. I just learned about this recently as I noticed another brand was using it on frankincense. Not all of their line of frankinscence, just one.. They listed all of the frankincenses that are steam distilled, but had one that said Co2 distillation. I googled it and found out that whatever property it was, it could only be extracted using Co2. While this may not be the case for all aromatics at least with frankincense and ginger, there seems to be a good reason for it. It is important for any plant material being processed by Co2 be organically grown, as this method not only brings out more healthy properties, it also brings out the pesticides more efficiently, too. When thinking of buying something that is Co2 extracted, you should contact the company to be sure it is starting with organic material.
The National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy says this: “CO2 Hypercritical Extraction
Hypercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction is a relatively new process used for the extraction of aromatic products. The basic concept is that CO2 under pressure will turn from a gas into a liquid that can then be used as an inert liquid solvent. This liquid solvent is able to diffuse throughout the plant material thus extracting its aromatic constituents. CO2 extracts contain most of the same constituents as their essential oil counterparts, although they can contain some elements not found in essential oils. For instance, the essential oil of ginger (Zingiber officinale) does not contain the bitter principles, however the CO2 extract does. Also, the CO2 extract of frankincense (Boswellia carterii) has immune enhancing and anti-inflammatory activity not found in the essential oil. CO2 extracts are known for their strong similarity in aroma to the actual plant aroma. Other common CO2 extracts on the market include German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and Calendula (Calendula officinalis).
The three main disadvantages for this process are cost, potential pesticide residue, and the lack of information regarding their safety and therapeutic benefits.7 With regard to pesticide residue, Guba comments that “carbon dioxide extraction has been demonstrated to concentrate from 7 to 53 times more pesticide residues in the final extract.” Therefore, it seems pertinent to only use organic plant material for CO2 extraction. Perhaps as more CO2 extracts become available and more practitioners use them, further details regarding their applications will become apparent. Two of the most common essential oils available via CO2 extraction include frankincense and ginger.
Complete aritcle on extraction can be found here: https://naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/about-aromatherapy/aromatherapy-extracts-produced-from-plants
Sarah Burdick
I found a recipe to make lip balm and it calls for food grade essential oils and am hoping to make it as Christmas gifts this year. Are your essential oils safe to be used in lip balm?
Shawna
Can now oils be ingested by capsules or water safely
Diane
No, it tells you not to take internally
Jessica
Young Living is the only companied approved for safe ingestion! And the only company in the industry that can provide you with real insight on the essential oil process! They own the largest, most professional distilleries in the world! Check out, SEED TO SEAL. COM <3 Good luck with your journey!
Heather
Doterras ess oils can be taken internally..formulated by drs and scientists..my son has autism and we use alot of doterras ess oils..they are pricey but the best we have found..myself and my family all use them at this time also…my son has made much progress while using these only over a short period of time…copaiba and petitgrain are 2 of my favorites for him..also frankincense lovvvve it! WV
Angela
Thank you for this review. I just did a doTERRA workshop on facebook and learned heaps about EO’s. Also I learned there was no way on earth I could afford them or the Young Living brand or just about anything else. So I was really curious about the NOW foods line because they are so much cheaper, made me wonder if they are really suitable or not. But I need to start somewhere and I’m so glad to read a good review . Thanks so much, it was really helpful.
Terry Tidwell
Great review…… I’ve been using NOW products for years. I’m just now starting to learn about the advantages of essential oils.
Betty pea
I have been using Essential oils or a year now. Young Living Oils is where I started, but Now oils is also apart of my regiment, because of easy accessibility, and good quality as well. Their is a difference between the two. I love the oils and I use them both.
Selene
What’s the difference?
Marla
From my experience over 15 years using
EO’s Young Living, Jurlique and Starwest have a much purer scent and are better quality. I use NOW EO’s when I need a specific oil right away. The NOW Cypress I just purchased locally smells more like NOW Lavender than Cypress and I plan to return it. I do use the NOW Pea Protein Powder supplement though, and love it!
Company is better suited for supplements.
Janet
Sue, Order your Now essential oils from PureFormulas in FL – they have fantastic prices on oils, nutritional products (many doctor recommended products), personal care items, foods, etc and shipping is FREE. I live in NM and when I order say Wednesday in the morning (their time) I receive the order on Friday. They ship USPS Priority Mail. They have specials all the time that they will email to you – last time I ordered it was 10% off their already discounted prices. HAPPY ORDERING!
Sue
I have a couple bottles of the Now essential oils and I want to know if I can make my own bath salts? I have a recipe for Aches and Pain. I buy the four scents and mix them together and it really works. The problem is I live in Arkansas and the place I buy the salts is in Wisconsin, to far to go and gets expensive to have them shipped.
Thank you
Lara
You do not need to purchase expensive or special bath salts. Magnesium sulfate, aka. Epsom salt, is inexpensive and can be found at virtually any grocery store or pharmacy. It is an excellent bath salt for aches, pains, bruises, and can even be mixed into a liquid and ingested for use as a laxative. Just use epsom salt in your bath and add 4-6 drops of your choice EO (i.e. lavender, cedarwood, bergamot, camomile, wild orange, I have even used peppermint and tea tree at different times); or a combination of your choosing. FYI, I have a degree in Biochemistry & Biology and am a PhD candidate in Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience and Biotechnology. I have done research with Magnesium sulfate in my lab, so I am intimately familiar with this compound.
Heather Sidor
Hi Lara, my name is Heather.
I have been battling a serious overgrowth of candida that has attacked my face with rash with rash that just hasnt wanted to leave. There is a patch of little raised itchy redbumps glazed over my lips off to side of nose and a patch under corner of my mouth where I had a bad case of angular chelitis literally eating away at my skin ,but its starting to heal up now. I am on a strict candida cleanse of no sugar,no dairy,no fruit ,no wheat/gluten no starch diet and have been taking 150 billon in probiotics,a couple caprylic acid capsules and liposomal vit c everyday….is there a essential oil regimen you recommend or any advice for my issue? Also do you have a practice /facebook to follow? It sounds as though you are very knowledgable in many important subjects /studies that pertain to health…..also my husband and I have been taking the “Calm” Magnesium supplement ,is this a good choice or is their one you would recommend over this?
Tress
Hi Heather, Hoping to find you are feeling better. I read your comment and wanted to pipe in and recommend home-made fresh milk kefir. I purchased mine ($35 included s/h) for a starter kit and I make so much I give it away all the time. Research it, it cures your candida and corrects the bacteria balance. It’s amazing!! I purchased from the Kefirlady I found her on line. She’s wonderful. Best wishes and God bless you and those you love. Smiles and ((Hugs)) Tress
P.S. We use the Calm product too… but I recently learned I had an IRON deficiency and since I started taking Iron pills, my leg cramps and related symptoms have subsided. I’d check your iron levels. 🙂
Janet
Decent prices and even better bulk prices!
Leanna Wells
I am an avid user of NOW essential oils. Having too many allergies to count and multiple chemical sensitivities means I am not able to use the most common bug spray or rub repellents. Last year I mixed NOW citronella and lemongrass and eucalyptus together and made a natural bug spray. It kept the bugs away from me for a couple of hours. I kept the bottle beside me and reused it every so often. For the first time since I can remember I was able to sit outside from MAY to October. Do you have any other mixture suggestions I may try? My brother in law has asked me to mix one for him. I would appreciate any suggestions.
Jill
This is the bug spray mix I use
1 oz witch hazel
.5 – 1 oz water
1 tsp almond or jojoba oil
40 drops Eucalyptus
20 drops lemongrass
15 lavender
10 citronella
5-10 clove
Nicole
I created a bug spray in a 4 oz. blue glass bottle.
The mix included 2 oz. witch hazel, 1 oz. water 15 drops EACH of, citronella oil, lemon eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, lavender, lemongrass, and 2 drops clove oil (the smell can be over powering with too many drops of clove)
You can add a few drops of Jojoba oil for the moisturizing qualities but isn’t necessary. Even if you get bit by a mosquito, this mixture can reduce the itch and irritation significantly. This mix worked very well for me this summer. I wasn’t sure at first considering I’m a bug magnet. I’m pleased with the results and finally got to enjoy my summer evenings outside without the harsh chemicals from OFF. I even have my friends asking to use the spray. The only drawback I can think of is that I had to spray it more often than usual to make sure I was still protected.
Angel
I have a 32 oz. bottle mixed with water, vinegar, and NOW’speppermint oil for mopping the floor. But I use it also to KILL the terrible odor from cigarette smoking coming from my neighbor on the fourth floor. I live on the second floor. I simply spray it on the open windows in my apartment sometimes upwards so that the rest of the neighbors that I know don’t smoke would benefit from the aroma. I have been using three of this company’s products which I like, but I happen to gladly stumble on Edens Garden EOs for several months now, and I am happy I did which shopping at Amazon’s.