When you're shopping for the best affordable essential oils, it's easy to get lured in by the lowest price tag. That being said, it's really important to make sure that you're not comprising on quality. Yeah, you're on a budget, but your safety should always come first — especially when you're buying something that's supposed to improve your health.
The most common mistake is assuming that all tiny, dark-colored bottles are filled with real essential oils. Is there a difference between essential oils and fragrance oils? Yes, absolutely. In most cases, fragrance oils don't have any health benefits whatsoever. In fact, most are made using harmful chemicals and artificial additives, and they can pose dangerous health risks when inhaled, ingested, or applied topically.
Still, even when something is marketed as containing "real essential oils," you have to be careful about the contents. (There's a reason why people pay hundreds of dollars for extremely high-quality essential oil sets.) Ultimately, essential oils are concentrated plant essences, and it takes a lot of plants to make one tiny bottle. For that reason, cheaper oils are usually diluted with carriers and additives, which typically means you're paying for a bottle of patchouli-scented coconut oil.
Especially if you're planning on ingesting your oils or putting them directly on your skin, it's important to go with the best USDA-certified organic essential oils. For aromatherapy, cleaning, air-purification, and use in beauty products, however, it's OK to save some money and go for a more affordable option — just make sure they're pure and high-quality, like these six sets, below.
Pros: Unfortunately, the quality of cheaper oils is rarely monitored. The Natrogix Bliss set, however, has over 1,000 reviews (and is the best overall pick) because the company actually works to ensure purity and safety. All of its oils are tested with a GC/MS report, which documents the chemical makeup of the oil, and the company even provides the results in the free e-book you're given along with your purchase. As far as the extraction method, Natrogix cold-presses and steam-distills its products in order to preserve their healing qualities. The nine included oils are versatile, surprisingly affordable, and — according to reviewers — "very concentrated and smell just like [their] other more expensive oils."
Cons: The company outwardly states that you should not ingest these. Even though they're therapeutic-grade and strictly tested, ingestion standards are a whole different ball game.
Oils Included: Tea Tree, Lemon, Lavender, Sweet Orange, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Frankincense, Peppermint, Eucalyptus
Pros: At less than $2 per 10-millimeter bottle, the Wasserstein pure essential oil set is definitely the most budget-friendly option on this list. Despite that, they don't contain any fillers or carrier oils. Since this set comes with a pretty well-rounded selection, it's a great starter kit for someone who wants to experiment with aromatherapy, DIY beauty, and natural cleaning solutions. Reviewers say the scents are pleasant — not overwhelming — and the set is "beautifully and securely packaged."
Cons: Some reviewers say the smell isn't as potent as they'd like when placed in a diffuser.
Oils Included: Tea Tree, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Orange, Peppermint
Pros: The Plant Guru essential oil set comes with 14 different oils for less than $20. That kind of value isn't easy to find, but pair it with the surprising level of quality, and buyers are floored. This set has nearly 2,000 reviews and 83 percent of them are positive. That's because Plant Guru steam-distills its essential oils and doesn't add any fillers or unnecessary ingredients. They're a favorite among people who make their own bath bombs, soaps, and beauty products because they smell beautiful and blend well to create a whole array of calming or uplifting scents.
Cons: These bottles are 5 milliliters each, so they're smaller than most. Also, some reviewers have experienced irritations with these oils when applied topically, so always use a carrier and test on a small patch of skin on the inside of the elbow.
Oils Included: Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, Orange, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Clove, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Cinnamon
Pros: People use essential oils for all different kinds of things, but if you're looking into the mood-altering benefits, this is the set for you. Instead of individual oils, the Edens Garden De-Stress set comes with three pre-mixed blends to help you unwind, reduce stress, and fall asleep faster. This set is also GC/MS-tested, and the plants they use are free from pesticides and GMOs. The company pledges to never add fillers and bases and to always source its products from reliable growers and distillers, so needless to say, reviewers are pretty happy with the quality. "Oh my holy word," one buyer raves. "Use Relaxation in a diffuser, take a hot bath with one drop of Stress Away, and listen to meditation music. I thought I had died. I had a spiritual experience. Glorious."
Cons: Smells are subjective things — especially when they're mixed together — so it's hard to tell if you'll like these blends before testing them out for yourself.
Oils Included: Stress Relief (bergamot, blood orange, grapefruit, patchouli, and ylang ylang), Relaxation (chamomile, geranium, lavender, mandarin, sweet marjoram, and patchouli), Quiet Time (chamomile, geranium, jasmine, lavender, lavandin, petitgrain, tagetes and vetiver)
Pros: Personally, I'm of the belief that organic oils are important — especially if you'll be putting them on your skin. Despite the fact that they're less than $30, these Stellar Naturals oils have the USDA-certified organic stamp of approval. They're also therapeutic-grade and tested for purity with a MS/GC report, making them of a much higher quality than most affordable oil sets. If you're going to be using your essential oils topically or diffusing them regularly, this set is definitely worth the splurge.
Cons: They're the most expensive oils on this list.
Oils Included: Lavender, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Orange
Pros: If you're just getting started with essential oils (or you know someone who wants to), the mEssentials gift set is the way to go. It comes with two individual oils, two blends, and a diffusion necklace, so you can carry your scents with you wherever you go. The oils are made using therapeutic-grade plant ingredients (unlike other diffuser gift sets, which use artificial fragrances), and the chain and locket are crafted from hypoallergenic stainless steel — that means it won't rust or cause skin irritations. It even comes with six different colors of felt pads that you can reuse and switch out of the "Tree of Life" locket depending on your outfit.
Cons: Like the Plant Guru set, these oils come in 5-milliliter bottles, so they're on the smaller side. While most reviewers love the pendant, some have some complaints about the chain, saying that it's bulky and not too comfortable.
Oils Included: Lavender, Peppermint, Inner Peace (sweet orange, clove bud, geranium, lavender, patchouli), Zen (anise star, lime, patchouli, basil, geranium, clove bud, pink grapefruit)
Elite Daily may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from Elite Daily's editorial and sales departments.
