NOW (Bloomingdale, IL) continued its commitment to product quality and transparency in the essential oil industry by evaluating 28 lavender essential oil products purchased from Amazon.
According to the company, the goal was to determine whether products marketed as “Lavandula angustifolia” or “pure lavender essential oil” were consistent with the composition expected of authentic lavender essential oil, according to ISO standards for French/Bulgarian lavender oils. NOW said “the results were concerning.”
According to NOW, lavender essential oil is one of the most widely used essential oils in aromatherapy and personal care products. Genuine lavender oil has a naturally balanced chemical profile dominated by compounds such as linalool and linalyl acetate, along with a characteristic terpene distribution. Since lavender oil is popular and relatively expensive, it is vulnerable to dilution, substitution and fragrance formulation—these practices can affect not only aroma and quality, but also overall product authenticity and label accuracy.
This round of testing focused on confirmation of authentic lavender species; detection of carrier oils, mineral oils or extender materials; and identification of synthetic or fragrance-related compounds not expected in pure lavender oil.
Of the 28 tested products only three brands met ISO criteria for authentic lavender oil and showed no evidence of adulteration. According to NOW, 11 brands appeared to contain low-grade or non-authentic lavender; 12 brands showed evidence of dilution; 13 brands contained synthetic compounds or incorrect compositional patterns; and eight samples “failed due to not claiming or containing Lavandula angustifolia.”
“These analyses underscore the importance of analytical testing in the essential oil marketplace. Although many of the tested products were labeled and marketed as ‘pure lavender essential oil,’ the majority did not fully match the chemical profile expected of authentic Lavandula angustifolia lavender oil,” NOW wrote in a statement. “Buyers should be cautious when purchasing lavender oil products on Amazon. NOW Lavender Essential Oil was among the few products that met ISO authenticity criteria, with no evidence of dilution or synthetic formulation. NOW will continue evaluating products sold through major online marketplaces and sharing analytical findings to support transparency, authenticity, and higher quality standards across the industry. This report will be shared with the FDA and Amazon.”
For more information, visit www.nowfoods.com.
