Melbourne offers plenty of places to buy essential oils, from specialty aromatherapy stores like Aroma Avenue in Fitzroy and Perfect Potion on Little Collins Street, to market stalls at Queen Victoria Market, health food shops, pharmacies and Australian online retailers. Your best choice depends on whether you want expert advice, organic options or convenience.
Whether you’re winding down with lavender before bed or reaching for eucalyptus during cold season, essential oils have earned a permanent spot in many Melbourne households. But not all oils are created equal—and knowing where to shop makes a real difference to the quality you bring home.
The good news? Melbourne is spoilt for choice. From dedicated aromatherapy boutiques to bustling market stalls and trusted online stores, you’ll find pure essential oils to suit every budget and need. This guide walks you through the best places to shop across the city, plus a few tips to help you spot a quality oil from a dud.
Let’s get into it.
Specialty essential oil stores in Melbourne
If you want the widest range and staff who genuinely know their stuff, a dedicated aromatherapy store is your best bet. These retailers focus solely on essential oils and related products, so you’ll find plenty of options—and helpful advice to match.
Aroma Avenue (Fitzroy)
Tucked away in Fitzroy, Aroma Avenue is a treasure trove for anyone serious about aromatherapy. The store stocks an extensive range of 100% pure essential oils, including single oils, blends and precious oil dilutions. Think classics like lavender, frankincense, rose and sandalwood.
Beyond oils, you’ll find cold-pressed carrier oils (such as jojoba, sweet almond and rosehip), butters, unscented lotions, gels and creams for blending your own products. They even stock raw materials and DIY candle-making supplies, making it a favourite among hobbyists and professionals alike.
Prices are reasonable, too. A 100mL bottle of eucalyptus starts at around $16.95, while pricier oils like bergamot sit closer to $66. You can shop in person at the Fitzroy store or have your order delivered anywhere in Australia.
Perfect Potion (Melbourne CBD)
Perfect Potion is a well-known Australian brand offering handcrafted organic skincare and pure essential oils. If you’re in the city, you’ve got two convenient options:
- Little Collins Street: Shop 5, 263 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Melbourne Central: Shop 019, Ground Floor, 211 Latrobe St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Their focus on natural wellbeing and organic ingredients makes them a solid pick if you care about clean, ethically made products. Pop in for a browse and the staff can help you find an oil or blend that suits your needs.
Essensorie (Block Arcade)
For something a little more boutique, Essensorie sits inside the beautiful heritage-listed Block Arcade. This artisanal fragrance brand blends and handmakes its products right here in Melbourne, using pure essential oils rather than synthetic aroma-chemicals.
While Essensorie leans towards natural perfumery and home fragrance—think essence blends, ceramic diffusers, hand creams and pillow perfumes—it’s a lovely spot to experience the power of plant-based scents. The store has been featured in Time Out, Elle and Broadsheet, and visiting in person really is a treat for the senses.
Buckley & Phillips (Lilydale)
Based in Lilydale on Melbourne’s outer eastern fringe, Buckley & Phillips holds the title of Australia’s oldest essential oil manufacturer, producing aromatherapy products since 1972. They offer pure oils, certified organic oils, aromatherapy blends and roll-ons.
With that much history behind them, they’re a trusted name for quality. You can shop their full range online, which is handy if you’re not close to Lilydale.
Where to find essential oils at Melbourne markets
Markets are a wonderful way to support local makers and discover small-batch aromatherapy products you won’t find on supermarket shelves.
Queen Victoria Market
The iconic Queen Victoria Market is home to The Natural Experience, a stall specialising in handmade, natural aromatherapy products. You’ll find botanical diffusers, scented candles and handmade soaps, all lovingly handpicked.
The stall trades on Tuesdays and Thursdays at J Shed, Stalls 1–2. If you enjoy chatting with the people behind the products, this is a great place to learn about natural scents while you shop. Just keep in mind the trading days, as the stall isn’t there every day of the week.
Other Melbourne markets—like the various weekend makers’ markets around the suburbs—often feature local aromatherapy stalls too, so it’s always worth a look if you’re passing by.
Health food stores and pharmacies
If you’d rather grab your oils while running other errands, health food stores and pharmacies are convenient options across Melbourne.
Health food stores such as The Source Bulk Foods and independent wholefood shops frequently stock popular Australian essential oil brands. Staff at these stores tend to know their products well, so don’t be shy about asking questions.
Pharmacies and chemists, including Chemist Warehouse and Priceline, carry accessible brands like Oil Garden and Bosisto’s. These are perfect for everyday oils such as tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender and peppermint. While the range is narrower than a specialty store, the prices are often wallet-friendly and the locations plentiful.
Supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles also stock a small selection of essential oils, usually in the health and wellness aisle. It’s a handy option for basics, though you won’t find the same variety or expert guidance.
Buying essential oils online in Melbourne
Sometimes nothing beats the convenience of shopping from your couch. Plenty of Australian online retailers deliver quality essential oils straight to Melbourne doorsteps.
N-essentials is a go-to source for wholesale essential oils across Australia, ideal if you’re buying in bulk for skincare, candle-making or aromatherapy projects. Aroma Avenue, Perfect Potion and Buckley & Phillips all offer online shopping as well, so you can access their full ranges even if you can’t make it to a physical store.
Buying from an established Australian retailer means faster shipping, local customer support and less risk of receiving diluted or mislabelled products. When shopping online, always check the product descriptions carefully and look for clear information about purity and sourcing.
What to look for when buying essential oils
Wherever you decide to shop, knowing how to identify a quality oil will save you money and disappointment. Here are the key things to check.
Look for “100% pure essential oil.” This tells you the bottle contains only the plant oil, with no fillers, synthetic additives or diluents. Steer clear of anything labelled “fragrance oil” or “perfume oil”—these are usually synthetic and not suitable for aromatherapy.
Check the botanical (Latin) name. A quality oil lists the plant species it comes from. For example, lavender might appear as Lavandula angustifolia. This detail signals a reputable supplier who knows exactly what’s in the bottle.
Choose dark glass bottles. Essential oils degrade when exposed to light, so quality oils come in amber or cobalt glass rather than clear plastic. This helps preserve potency and shelf life.
Consider the source. Terms like “certified organic” or “wildcrafted” indicate the plants were grown or harvested with care. Some brands, such as those that test via gas chromatography, go a step further to verify purity and authenticity.
Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true. Genuine essential oils vary in price depending on the plant—rose and sandalwood are expensive to produce, while orange and eucalyptus are far cheaper. If a rare oil is being sold suspiciously cheap, it may be adulterated.
Ask questions. One of the biggest advantages of shopping at a specialty store or market stall is the ability to speak with knowledgeable staff. Don’t hesitate to ask about sourcing, purity and how best to use a particular oil.
Finding the right oils for you
Melbourne truly has something for every essential oil lover. If you want the broadest selection and expert advice, head to a specialty store like Aroma Avenue in Fitzroy or Perfect Potion in the CBD. Prefer supporting local makers? The Natural Experience at Queen Victoria Market is well worth a visit on a Tuesday or Thursday. And for everyday convenience, your local pharmacy, health food store or a trusted Australian online retailer will do the job nicely.
The most important thing is to shop with quality in mind. Look for pure oils, check the labels, and buy from reputable sources you can trust. Once you know what to look for, you’ll be well on your way to building a collection that helps you relax, refresh and feel your best.
Happy shopping—and happy diffusing.