Widespread Adulteration Detected in Amazon Lavender Essential Oil Offerings

A recent analytical investigation into lavender essential oils sold on Amazon revealed widespread quality issues, with the vast majority of tested products failing to meet authenticity standards.¹ Conducted by natural products manufacturer NOW, the study evaluated 28 products marketed as "pure lavender essential oil" or as “Lavandula angustifolia” to verify their composition against ISO standards for French and Bulgarian lavender oils.

The findings indicate significant vulnerabilities in the e-commerce supply chain for botanical ingredients, raising quality control implications for finished product manufacturers and industry stakeholders.

High Failure Rates and Common Adulterants

Out of the 28 products subjected to Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry/Flame Ionization Detection (GC-MS/FID) testing, only three brands (11%) successfully met the ISO criteria for authentic Lavandula angustifolia without evidence of adulteration. The remaining majority failed due to various forms of composition modification:

• Species Substitution: Eleven samples (55%) exhibited chemical profiles inconsistent with true lavender, instead containing lower-grade lavender materials, non-authentic species, or blends reminiscent of lavandin or spike lavender, marked by elevated levels of camphor and 1,8-cineole.
• Dilution: Twelve samples (60%) showed evidence of dilution using carrier oils, mineral oil-type substances, fatty esters, or synthetic extenders like triethyl citrate and octan-2-yl palmitate.
• Synthetic Additives: Thirteen samples (65%) contained synthetic fragrance compounds or non-native solvents, such as diethyl phthalate and artificial musk ambrette, which are atypical for genuine essential oils.

An additional eight products were evaluated separately because their labels did not explicitly claim pure Lavandula angustifolia, though they similarly demonstrated heavy formulation, dilution, or profile adjustments using synthetic compounds.

The three brands that passed the testing were First Botany Cosmeceuticals, NOW Lavender Oil Pure, and Pure Body.

Price and Origin Correlations

The investigation identified distinct correlations between product pricing, geographic origin, and testing outcomes. Foreign-sourced brands face specific scrutiny, as all eight tested brands from China and all four from India failed to meet the authenticity criteria.

Furthermore, the data highlighted a relationship between low cost and poor quality. Imported brands comprised four of the top five lowest-priced products on the platform. Conversely, the three passing products, which included NOW’s own brand, were positioned among the four highest-priced lavender oils evaluated.

Implications for the Industry

For manufacturers and buyers within the nutraceutical sector, these results emphasize that front-label claims of "100% pure" or "natural" can fail to reflect the chemical reality of the contents. The study underscores the necessity of robust, independent analytical verification—such as GC-MS/FID testing—to ensure raw material integrity, label accuracy, and regulatory compliance before ingredients enter the manufacturing stream.

Additional Product Testing Conducted by NOW

Over the years, NOW has conducted several other extensive tests on natural products. In April, the company released results from third-party testing on oregano oil products sold on Amazon, revealing widespread potency failures.² Out of 35 oregano oil products tested, only 14, including NOW’s product, met their labeled claims for carvacrol content, which is associated with the efficacy of the product. Six of the tested products did not contain detectable levels of carvacrol. NOW highlighted the quality and labeling concerns the testing results raise, as well as analytical methods that may lead to inflated potency claims, and manufacturing practices that may also contribute to the quality of the products.

In November 2025, the company published results from testing on 22 St. John’s Wort products sold on Amazon, finding only NOW’s St. John’s Wort veg capsules product passed the potency testing, specifically of the active compounds hypericin and pseudo hypericin.³ “We are accustomed to seeing abysmal test results in at least some of the brands we buy from Amazon for this testing program, but this time we were shocked to find that they all failed, and only NOW St. John’s Wort met the label claim for total hypericin and showed no evidence of dye adulteration,” stated Katie Banaszewski, NOW Senior Director of Quality. The testing also indicated that nine products contained synthetic dyes, which can be misrepresented by nonspecific testing, leading to inflated potency results, the company explained.

This article was created with assistance from AI. The content has been reviewed and edited by Erin McEvoy, Associate Editor. For more information on the extent and nature of AI usage, please contact us.

References

1. NOW. NOW Tests Lavender Essential Oils Sold on Amazon for Authenticity and Adulteration; the Majority Failed. May 20, 2026. Accessed May 21, 2026. Press release provided via email.
2. McEvoy E. NOW Testing Reveals Potency Failures in Oregano Oil on Amazon, Raising Quality Concerns in Supplements. April 2, 2026. Accessed May 21, 2026. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/now-testing-reveals-potency-failures-in-oregano-oil-on-amazon-raising-quality-concerns-in-supplements
3. McEvoy E. NOW’s potency testing finds only one St. John’s Wort supplement passed. November 7, 2026. Accessed May 21, 2026. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/now-s-potency-testing-finds-only-one-st-john-s-wort-supplement-passed