I will not tell you which company to choose, or tell you which company I chose, (though if you would like to know that, please feel free to send me a private email).
Here are some things that helped me to decide the company that I would go on to trust and use on a daily basis in my home.
I researched...A LOT. I didn't take a blogger's word for it. I didn't take each company's word for it either. Why should I? They both have something to gain. The blogger wants to convince you that her company is the best, and hopefully make some money. The company obviously wants to make money. When I would read something negative about a company, I would immediately ask myself why, and then try to find out for myself the answer.
I want to put a disclaimer here before I start. I am not afraid of MLM's, as long as their philosophies align with mine and they are honest and offer a quality product. I also want to say that there are many companies that offer excellent products. And I personally feel that if you are using essential oils, you are taking leaps in the right direction.
Here are a few things that I looked for.
Does this company help or hurt local, indigenous people and businesses with their business model?
This might not seem like a big deal to some of you, but it was a HUGE deal for me. It is a proven fact that some well-meaning non-profits actually end up hurting more than helping. I didn't want to support a company that took away the livelihood of others, or who paid less than they should for their products, and I certainly didn't want to support a company that wasn't friendly to the environment or who didn't concern themselves with the needs of the people in the regions that source those oils.
Does this company source their oils from plants that are grown in the proper region?
Believe it or not, some companies don't source their oils from the regions where they grow the best. I know what you are thinking, "SO? Does that really matter?" Well, it matters to me. Why wouldn't I want to buy oils of plants, (and pay a premium price) if they are not grown where the plants grow naturally, and where they thrive? It is possible to create an environment that mimics where the plants grow naturally, and it could very well end up in a quality essential oil as the finished product, but this goes back to the first question. I don't want to support a company that takes away from the livelihood of local, indigenous people who have been growing and farming those plants for generations. Because honestly, if I support a company that grows the plants themselves, while they still may have a quality product, it felt wrong to me. I wanted my money to go to a company that supported those farmers instead of competing with them.
Does the company show integrity?
It was important to me that the company didn't just take from the region, and move on. I wanted to make sure that they maintained the plants, and kept the future of the plants in mind. Did you know there are essential oils that are rare, or are in short supply? The company I use has been out of a few oils for a long time. And it was because of problems with the weather and droughts in the regions where they grow. So instead of just sourcing these oils from wherever, or adding fillers so they could still sell them, they removed them from the ordering forms. That means a lot to me. Is it inconvenient that I can't get those oils? Sure, maybe a little. But it speaks volumes about the integrity of the company. They are loyal to the local farmers and don't go and find another source. They ride it out with them. It also shows me that they care about the quality of the oils, and aren't willing to just sell anything. I appreciate that. The essential oil company that I wanted to use would take those things in to consideration.
Does the company have proof of their quality?
Not all companies are equal. Unfortunately, the word "pure" has become subjective. You can find that word on just about every single essential oil out there. But can they back up that claim? Because as of now the FDA doesn't regulate essential oils so there are no real standards. But most people don't know that. However it is up to the individual companies to back up the claims they make. I had questions about that. Can I trust a company owned lab to provide the accurate proof? I wanted to make sure that the oils I used were tested by third party, independent labs, and if possible, more than one. It also mattered to me how frequently they were tested, because one batch might differ from the next. How would I know if these potent oils were always potent enough? And would the company still sell oils if they were less than top quality? The company I use does rigorous testing through MULTIPLE independent labs, and they do that at three different stages of production of the oils, and with every single batch! That was a very big deal to me. I didn't want the company's word that the oils were good because their lab said it was good. I wanted independent labs to prove that they were. And if it doesn't meet their high level of standards, they throw it out!
What about the cost?
Obviously some companies are more expensive than others. Sometimes 2-3x more expensive than others! That was very off-putting to me at first. Why spend $21 on Lavender when I can spend $11 on it at the grocery store? But then, the answer to this question can be found in all the answers before this one. I would rather spend extra on a product I know has excellent quality, is from a company with high integrity, makes sure that their oils are sourced from where they grow naturally by farmers who rely on income from their products, and has a business model that I could proudly support.
Does the company give back?
This might not matter to you. But it mattered greatly to me. Not only did I want to support local farmers, I also wanted to make sure I wasn't supporting the wrong kind of help, (hand outs versus hand ups). I love it when companies use their profits to give back, especially when you know that the charities they create offer 100% of donations go to the cause, and not to corporate. I wanted to see initiatives, and actual care for the people in the world they claimed to care about. That was a very VERY big deal to me.
Those are just a few examples of how I came to my decision. My ideas might not be in line with yours. Perhaps the things that matter to me, don't matter to you. That's okay. I don't want to argue. I am just happy you want to use essential oils! They are amazing. But just be sure that whichever of the MANY companies that are out there, you choose to give money to the one(s) who offer the best results, and whose business model you are comfortable with. I wanted to feel happy using my oils.
You'll be on your way to your own oil zen in no time!
Much Love,
Susan
(I do not own the rights to the images in this post)
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