When I need it NOW!
Essential Oils, carrier oils, Waxes and butters.
The Company!
NOW Foods
The Products!
Quality:
This is the biggest debate about NOW. NOW
standardizes their oils. What does that
mean? Standardization is a common
practice among large companies as a way to ensure consistency over large
batches and over time. It is generally achieved
by blending batches to reach a desired sent and chemical characteristic
profile. Some argue this is undesirable
and others say it is realistic and expected.
The oil I purchase the most from NOW is peppermint. In general I do not enjoy the scent of
peppermint EO. Many are very sickly
sweet to me. I like the fact that with
NOW’s standardized product I get a consistent herb scent with peppermint
instead of candy. This is an example of
standardization being a huge plus. It
can also be a huge minus. By blending
and always having a specific profile, you lose the chance to have an individual
batch that just WOWs you. NOW oils will
not knock your socks off. They are a
relatively inexpensive, decent quality option.
Selection:
NOW is available from many retailers and can often be found in your local
natural foods market. They are also
widely available on Amazon. Some oils come
clearly labeled as being sold in dilution.
It is important to check for both the percentage it is diluted and what
carrier oil is used. (For shelf life,
allergies, etc.) Each retailer will have
a different selection. The carrier oils
are frequently in my products and they are adding more organics all of the
time. Hubby really likes the Organic
jojoba. Unfortunately every now Carrier
oil I have ever used has a lid that leaks slightly. It leads to a drippy messy bottle. I still use their carriers; I just transfer
it into a different bottle. Of the
places I shop, Amazon has the most extensive collection available.
Value: The oils are sold in
30 ml instead of 10 or 15, so you are aware when comparison shopping. Frequently you can buy them in higher quantities
if you wish for bigger projects like soaping.
I frequently break a 30 ml bottle down into 2 bottles to minimize
oxidation (a process called decanting that I highly recommend.)
Service!
Shipping and packaging: Primarily I purchase mine either through a local store or
through Amazon. Neither ends up with me
paying shipping directly. I trust Amazon
to package it well, perhaps better than the clerks at the natural food stores I
use. Fast, 2 day shipping with Amazon Prime.
Customer Service: I have never needed to
contact customer service. If you ever
do, there is a batch number on each bottle allowing ease of tracking for this
very large company. I use NOW for very
basic oils and almost exclusively peppermint.
I have never requested a GC/MS.
Education: Not a company that spends resources on
educating the consumers in general but they have changed their labels over the
last few years to include Latin names and suggested uses; a big improvement!
What I love most about
this company. I love having a
dependable, consistent product. I love
that if I need something quickly it is available locally. The price per ml is very good. The increased availability of organics is
encouraging.
What I would like to
see improved. The redesign or
selection of a new source for their 4 oz. bottles for carrier oils! When selling diluted oils, I would like to
see them diluted in a long shelf life carrier such as jojoba or FCO so
rancidity is not an issue. Many are
currently diluted in grapeseed. Increase
the number of organics available.
My top 5 products from NOW for aromatherapy are:
Organic Jojoba Wax
Organic Peppermint Essential Oil
http://amzn.to/1VzlHCU
I am getting most of my NOW products from Pure Formulas these days. If you use the link above, you get $5 added to your account.
http://amzn.to/1VzlHCU
I am getting most of my NOW products from Pure Formulas these days. If you use the link above, you get $5 added to your account.
