Hello from The Lab, our new blog series celebrating 30 years of EO. This series will focus on how our community has impacted and allowed us to foster a movement toward sustainable well-being with essential oils and a lot of heart. 
From Stockpot to Shelves
EO was born in a 10-gallon stockpot in a garage in San Francisco. Recognized as a local brand, EO got its big national break when Bloomingdales contacted Susan Griffin-Black, then primarily known in the fashion world, to create a collection for the 1995 Holiday Catalog. Susan and her then-husband, Brad Black, created what would now be EO Products.
And the rest, as they say, was history.
It grew from a small home project to a company with a manufacturing facility in Marin. The desire to grow EO came from cultivating the values the founders desired, as stated on the Meant For It podcast:
“Our premise was to create a company we would want to work for.”
— Susan Griffin-Black, Co-Founder and Co-CEO
EO has led us to a community that values sustainability for people and the planet. Regardless of background or point of view, essential oils transcend boundaries to celebrate the self through care and scents.
Community at The Heart
When EO first got its footing, we relied on the community to get into natural food stores and co-ops, with one in particular: Whole Foods. By the 1990s, Whole Foods had roughly 50 or so stores. The community gathered and requested the brand, asking about it on Whole Foods' community bulletin board.
Before we knew it, we were in Whole Foods, co-ops, and natural food stores.
Why grocery stores? The choice was simple. Essential oils are rooted in agriculture and nourish the mind, body, and soul. Everything is cyclical—in the same way, one might approach organic food to nourish one's body or the farm-to-table concept—we wanted to create the same experience for personal care on a metaphysical level.
We weren’t the first personal care brand to enter Whole Foods or the organic and natural care industry. Our sophisticated approach, moving away from the crunchy granola mindset, sets us apart from other natural products. From the use of sleek blue bottles to our devotion to pure essential oil scents, EO was and still is about marrying intentional design and methodical ingredient sourcing. We remain dedicated to creating a holistic experience that elevates mundane routines to daily, treasured rituals through products that combine beauty, function, and scent.
As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, it doesn’t feel like we’ve been doing this for 30 years. We still have that small garage mindset—granted, with much larger stockpots and our goal has remained to create exceptional personal care products with intention for you.
Thank you for being a large part of our story. We look forward to the next thirty years.
EO Main Stays
While EO has evolved, some scents harken back to our beginning.
French Lavender Hand Sanitizer Gel
The scent we are known for, French Lavender, allows you to embrace the moment and soothe your senses with high-quality essential oils.
Warm Embrace Bath Oil in Rose Geranium
Our luxurious Bath Oil is called Warm Embrace for a reason: rose geranium and sweet orange blend to uplift and comfort those seeking it.
Citrus Certified Organic Deodorant Spray
Citrus was one of the first scents EO developed and is one of our most popular deodorant scents. The vibrant grapefruit and smoky vetiver create a scent that matches your glowing energy.
