Tuesday, September 24, 2013
New Home! www.myessentialexperience.com
It is time to announce that this blog is moving to it's new home!!! I now have a new website. The address is http://www.myessentialexperience.com. You can now visit the blog there for new posts as well as MUCH more information! Come on over and click to subscribe. See you soon!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Peppermint Oil Brownies!
I hosted an event yesterday called Mom's Day Out. We do them once a month. We make a fun product to take home and have snacks that are made using essential oils. Find our event calender on this Facebook page (click here).
We made a Coconut Lime Scrub that was just heavenly using Lime essential oil.
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Yesterday was my turn to make a snack. To be honest I was running low on time. I wanted something yummy and something quick. So I came across a recipe and here is what I did.
*disclaimer: This was ONLY using Young Living oils. They are safe for consumption. Please do not try with a "health food store" or other oil. Look on the oil's label. It will say not for internal use if it's not safe.
I decided on Peppermint Brownies. Yummy!!
We made a Coconut Lime Scrub that was just heavenly using Lime essential oil.
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Yesterday was my turn to make a snack. To be honest I was running low on time. I wanted something yummy and something quick. So I came across a recipe and here is what I did.
*disclaimer: This was ONLY using Young Living oils. They are safe for consumption. Please do not try with a "health food store" or other oil. Look on the oil's label. It will say not for internal use if it's not safe.
I decided on Peppermint Brownies. Yummy!!
It was SO easy you guys! I used a brownie mix (that's right). It was made for an 8x8 pan so I used 2 and put it in a 9x13. All I did was before I put my batter in the pan I added 10 drops of Peppermint oil and stirred. Then baked. Can you even imagine the dreamy smell of peppermint and brownies that was wafting through my home? They turned out great and it was just the right amount of Peppermint oil.
So maybe cut it down to 5 drops if you are using a small pan.
Happy Baking!
Until next time ...
Heather
Monday, August 19, 2013
How To Get Rid Of A Headache
I get small headaches now and then. I used to get very severe headaches years ago. If you have had them before you know what I am talking about. It's the headache that you know is heading for the point of no return. It's the kind of headache that takes over your whole body. The kind where you can not move anymore or speak anymore or keep your eyes open.
Last week I had one of these. It was my normal occasional headache or so I thought. Then it starts to pound and force my body to shut down. In the past if it got too bad I have had them last for several days. I DO NOT want to get to that point.
I knew I was within about 30 minutes to 1 hour away from my point of no return. I was starting to not speak and was needing to be still. My instinct was to go for some over the counter medication.
In my oil classes that I teach, we discuss using oils for headaches. So, even though I was nervous about it not working I decided to try the oils first.
I used Lavender around my hairline and the back of my neck. Then I layered it with Peppermint around my hairline and neck. I waited about 10 minutes. It was not as bad but I still wanted to take medication. So I tried the oils again. I put another layer of Peppermint around my hairline and my neck. This time I also added a drop of it the the crown (or top) of my head.
Within about 5 minutes I felt much better. I did not feel the need for medicine. Within 20 or so minutes my headache was GONE. It was an amazing victory for me! I saved my liver the job of putting up with filtering out the medication I was planning to take. I did not have to worry about any medicine going into my breastmilk. My favorite part is that it was FASTER than taking medication. It was almost immediate relief.
Maybe this could work on your next headache?
Until next time ...
Heather
Last week I had one of these. It was my normal occasional headache or so I thought. Then it starts to pound and force my body to shut down. In the past if it got too bad I have had them last for several days. I DO NOT want to get to that point.
I knew I was within about 30 minutes to 1 hour away from my point of no return. I was starting to not speak and was needing to be still. My instinct was to go for some over the counter medication.
In my oil classes that I teach, we discuss using oils for headaches. So, even though I was nervous about it not working I decided to try the oils first.
I used Lavender around my hairline and the back of my neck. Then I layered it with Peppermint around my hairline and neck. I waited about 10 minutes. It was not as bad but I still wanted to take medication. So I tried the oils again. I put another layer of Peppermint around my hairline and my neck. This time I also added a drop of it the the crown (or top) of my head.
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Within about 5 minutes I felt much better. I did not feel the need for medicine. Within 20 or so minutes my headache was GONE. It was an amazing victory for me! I saved my liver the job of putting up with filtering out the medication I was planning to take. I did not have to worry about any medicine going into my breastmilk. My favorite part is that it was FASTER than taking medication. It was almost immediate relief.
Maybe this could work on your next headache?
Until next time ...
Heather
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
The Power Of Prayer (and oils)
I just HAD to share my experience from last night.
It was so powerful for me.
A little background:
My family has caught a virus this week. It is going through my children's preschool (where I also work) VERY quickly. I have other friends that have it too. Both my girls have had fevers and lots and lots of mucous and sore throats.
My sweet little 10 month old does NOT sleep. Ever. She does not nap more than 30 minutes during the day. She does not sleep more than 2 hours at night. She has not slept more than an hour and a half at night in weeks. She has stayed up an average of 2 or 3 hours during the night for weeks on top of all that. If you can imagine I am one tired momma.
Back to last night:
With my baby being very sick I knew I was in for a tough night again. It makes me so sad because I know she needs rest so her body can heal. I have been using Thieves, Eucalyptus Globulus, RC, and Lemon on both girls like crazy. I can tell that the virus is trying to cause a bacterial infection but we seem to be holding it off with use of these germ fighting oils. I put her to sleep about 10:00. She was up by midnight. Nothing new. If anything that was a good stretch of sleep for her. But after that she could NOT go back to sleep from coughing and mucous.
I decided to put more oils on her. The same ones I had been using. I suctioned her. Then I spent the next 2 hours comforting her with my hands on her in prayer. I begged God to give her rest. I begged him to use these oils that HE created to heal my baby. I fully believed that He could and WOULD do this. I mean, He healed my dad of the worst possible type of cancer. So this should be no big deal. God has the power to heal. I believe He does heal everyday. Again these prayers went on for 2 hours as I cuddled and comforted my baby.
Then the most amazing thing happened. Her nose cleared up. She was able to breathe! She feel asleep so hard. Then she slept for FOUR hours. FOUR. That has not happened in many months. She woke up for milk, went back to sleep 10 minutes later and slept another THREE hours!! I knew that God had heard my prayers. He listened to the cries of a tired mother in the night. He used His creation to let my daughter rest.
For me it was a miracle.
What I learned was to use your oils with intent. With prayer. Just how when David asked the Lord to cleanse him with Hyssop in the Bible. Can I get a Hallelujah?!
Until next time ...
Heather
It was so powerful for me.
A little background:
My family has caught a virus this week. It is going through my children's preschool (where I also work) VERY quickly. I have other friends that have it too. Both my girls have had fevers and lots and lots of mucous and sore throats.
My sweet little 10 month old does NOT sleep. Ever. She does not nap more than 30 minutes during the day. She does not sleep more than 2 hours at night. She has not slept more than an hour and a half at night in weeks. She has stayed up an average of 2 or 3 hours during the night for weeks on top of all that. If you can imagine I am one tired momma.
Back to last night:
With my baby being very sick I knew I was in for a tough night again. It makes me so sad because I know she needs rest so her body can heal. I have been using Thieves, Eucalyptus Globulus, RC, and Lemon on both girls like crazy. I can tell that the virus is trying to cause a bacterial infection but we seem to be holding it off with use of these germ fighting oils. I put her to sleep about 10:00. She was up by midnight. Nothing new. If anything that was a good stretch of sleep for her. But after that she could NOT go back to sleep from coughing and mucous.
I decided to put more oils on her. The same ones I had been using. I suctioned her. Then I spent the next 2 hours comforting her with my hands on her in prayer. I begged God to give her rest. I begged him to use these oils that HE created to heal my baby. I fully believed that He could and WOULD do this. I mean, He healed my dad of the worst possible type of cancer. So this should be no big deal. God has the power to heal. I believe He does heal everyday. Again these prayers went on for 2 hours as I cuddled and comforted my baby.
Then the most amazing thing happened. Her nose cleared up. She was able to breathe! She feel asleep so hard. Then she slept for FOUR hours. FOUR. That has not happened in many months. She woke up for milk, went back to sleep 10 minutes later and slept another THREE hours!! I knew that God had heard my prayers. He listened to the cries of a tired mother in the night. He used His creation to let my daughter rest.
For me it was a miracle.
What I learned was to use your oils with intent. With prayer. Just how when David asked the Lord to cleanse him with Hyssop in the Bible. Can I get a Hallelujah?!
Until next time ...
Heather
Monday, July 15, 2013
Had enough about my deodorant yet? Here's a little more :)
I know I have done TWO other posts on home made deodorant but I have one last thing to share.
It's my husband.
He has seen me making all my own grooming products lately. He sat back quietly but then recently decided to jump on board.
I left him my notes on how I made my deodorant and he decided to make his own too. He used the same one with coconut oil, baking soda, and oils.
He chose to use Cedarwood because he really likes the woodsy smell of it.
It's my husband.
He has seen me making all my own grooming products lately. He sat back quietly but then recently decided to jump on board.
I left him my notes on how I made my deodorant and he decided to make his own too. He used the same one with coconut oil, baking soda, and oils.
He chose to use Cedarwood because he really likes the woodsy smell of it.
He has gone on and on about how much he likes it. We both have had NO ODOR ever since starting this up.
Yesterday it was about 100 degrees. We had gotten in the car to head to church ... and what do we both do? We smell our arms to see if it is working even in that condition. Haha! We both were totally odor free and spent half the drive to church talking about how shocking it is that the stuff works so much better than commercial products.
It is sort of scary to think that people are out there buying something they have to purchase over and over again that is full of such harmful chemicals (article here).
Just my thoughts.
Until next time ...
Heather
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Baby Miracles Once Again!
I have posted before about a baby at my work that was SO helped by some oils!
Well we have a new sweet little baby who has had a very rough transition into being cared for by others. It has been so rough that this baby has only been able to stay a couple of hours because we can't even feed or calm it down. Ever.
I was gone on Monday. My sweet coworker sent me a message before I came back in asking me to bring my oils. I guess this baby had stayed all day Monday and it was rough to say the least.
I prepared for the worst and brought the oils with me. My work is AWESOME enough to recognize the benefit of oils, so they bought a diffuser for my room!! I started diffusing the Peace and Calming blend along with some Lavender. Drop off went well and we had no crying for over an hour!! Then I placed a drop of both of those oils on the swing before it was nap time. This baby stayed still with eyes open just enjoying the swing for 45 minutes, then fell asleep!!! This was unbelievable.
The rest of the day went fine. And I should also mention that the feeding went fine too. Again it was one of those moments where if I did not believe the full power of oils ... I sure just witnessed a reminder.
Babies and oils ... a match made in heaven. *Deep sigh*
Until next time ...
Heather
Well we have a new sweet little baby who has had a very rough transition into being cared for by others. It has been so rough that this baby has only been able to stay a couple of hours because we can't even feed or calm it down. Ever.
I was gone on Monday. My sweet coworker sent me a message before I came back in asking me to bring my oils. I guess this baby had stayed all day Monday and it was rough to say the least.
I prepared for the worst and brought the oils with me. My work is AWESOME enough to recognize the benefit of oils, so they bought a diffuser for my room!! I started diffusing the Peace and Calming blend along with some Lavender. Drop off went well and we had no crying for over an hour!! Then I placed a drop of both of those oils on the swing before it was nap time. This baby stayed still with eyes open just enjoying the swing for 45 minutes, then fell asleep!!! This was unbelievable.
The rest of the day went fine. And I should also mention that the feeding went fine too. Again it was one of those moments where if I did not believe the full power of oils ... I sure just witnessed a reminder.
Babies and oils ... a match made in heaven. *Deep sigh*
Until next time ...
Heather
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Be Gone Mastitis! Take That!!
If you don't know what mastitis is ... it is an infection in the ducts of a lactating breast. That's a lot of information so if this post is not for you, kindly close it out now.
I am breastfeeding my 9 month old baby girl. I have never had any infection. This past week I was out of town, and started noticing some soreness in my right side. My thoughts, "Oh NO!" Please not while I am out of town. Over about 2 days the soreness became so intense that I could not even hold my baby because I could not even stand anything to touch it.
I figured I was well on my way to a nasty infection. I had thought about loading up on pain meds because I felt so bad. But I stopped, and remembered to try some oils first. I did not have my reference with me so I just went off of gut instinct.
I had a bottle of Mountain Savory oil. It is a good antibiotic. I decided to just rub it all around that area. I said some prayers hoping it would get in there and get rid of any possible infection that could have occurred.
I followed up with some Frankincense because it is just good at healing everything in my opinion.
Then I did what I teach in my childbirth class. I for the first time did a dangle feeding. That was an interesting experience to get in position for. Haha!
But, later that afternoon with plenty of continued nursing I was PAIN FREE!! How amazing!! I don't have the time or energy for full blown mastitis and I am so thankful that these oils helped in preventing that.
Until next time ...
Heather
I am breastfeeding my 9 month old baby girl. I have never had any infection. This past week I was out of town, and started noticing some soreness in my right side. My thoughts, "Oh NO!" Please not while I am out of town. Over about 2 days the soreness became so intense that I could not even hold my baby because I could not even stand anything to touch it.
I figured I was well on my way to a nasty infection. I had thought about loading up on pain meds because I felt so bad. But I stopped, and remembered to try some oils first. I did not have my reference with me so I just went off of gut instinct.
I had a bottle of Mountain Savory oil. It is a good antibiotic. I decided to just rub it all around that area. I said some prayers hoping it would get in there and get rid of any possible infection that could have occurred.
I followed up with some Frankincense because it is just good at healing everything in my opinion.
Then I did what I teach in my childbirth class. I for the first time did a dangle feeding. That was an interesting experience to get in position for. Haha!
But, later that afternoon with plenty of continued nursing I was PAIN FREE!! How amazing!! I don't have the time or energy for full blown mastitis and I am so thankful that these oils helped in preventing that.
Until next time ...
Heather
Friday, July 5, 2013
Oils and Travel
I have spent some time traveling this week and let me share what I plan to bring and why.
1. Thieves Spray: It is a MUST have for me. I will be spraying everything on the airplane that I touch with this. I will be spraying it at each table I eat out at to sanitize it as well. I will use a quick but intense spray in my mouth if I feel like I could have caught something or may be getting sick.
1. Thieves Spray: It is a MUST have for me. I will be spraying everything on the airplane that I touch with this. I will be spraying it at each table I eat out at to sanitize it as well. I will use a quick but intense spray in my mouth if I feel like I could have caught something or may be getting sick.
2. Purification: Yet another way to get rid of odor or kill germs where I am. You can even put it on a cotton ball or a cloth and place on an air vent.
3. RutaVaLa: My baby sleeps SO much better with this and I am not about to change that. I use a little on the back of her neck and her feet before bed. With us not being at our normal home environment I feel it is even more important.
I plan to keep my oils safe during travel by keeping them in my carrying case. I love this thing and don't know how I would take my oils safely without it!!
Until next time ...
Heather
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
4th Of July Fears ... No More!
I wanted to share my plans for the upcoming 4th of July holiday. How could oils possibly play into this? Let me share.
I love fireworks. My kids get scared by the loud sounds. How will we compromise?
I plan to use Valor on them for confidence and courage. I will also keep my Peace and Calming with me as well if I need to help them calm down from fear. How great is this?
Sometimes families do big gatherings to spend time together over the holiday. There is no better time to use your Valor than a family gathering. You won't go without it again once you have done it.
Indulge in too much food? No worries. Use your DiGize blend on your tummy and it is like you did not just eat more food than you do in a day. :)
Have a SAFE and happy 4th!
Until next time ...
Heather
I love fireworks. My kids get scared by the loud sounds. How will we compromise?
I plan to use Valor on them for confidence and courage. I will also keep my Peace and Calming with me as well if I need to help them calm down from fear. How great is this?
Sometimes families do big gatherings to spend time together over the holiday. There is no better time to use your Valor than a family gathering. You won't go without it again once you have done it.
Indulge in too much food? No worries. Use your DiGize blend on your tummy and it is like you did not just eat more food than you do in a day. :)
Have a SAFE and happy 4th!
Until next time ...
Heather
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Home made deodorant ... Take 2!!!
I recently did a post on the dangers of commercial deodorant here. I started trying to make my own by doing a spray with raw apple cider vinegar and lemon oil. It works great because it kills all the bacteria and gets rid of any odor.
It did work but I got to where I did not like the smell of the vinegar. So, I made a deodorant paste instead. Here are the ingredients that I used:
Coconut Oil
Baking Soda
10 drops essential oils (optional)
Remember when using coconut oil on your skin to use an unrefined organic high quality oil. This is the one that I used.
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I then got a glass jar and put in enough baking soda to fill it about half way up. Then I added in coconut oil and kept stirring until it made a paste. You could then add 10 or so drops of essential oils to scent it and increase antibacterial properties. Lemon or Lavender or Purification would be great choices.
The reasons I like this home made deodorant better:
1. It does not smell like vinegar.
2. The baking soda in it has stopped any sweating from happening in the first place!
3. It is quick and easy.
I just take a little bit on my finger tip and rub it right in. Have fun!
Until next time ...
Heather
It did work but I got to where I did not like the smell of the vinegar. So, I made a deodorant paste instead. Here are the ingredients that I used:
Coconut Oil
Baking Soda
10 drops essential oils (optional)
Remember when using coconut oil on your skin to use an unrefined organic high quality oil. This is the one that I used.
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I then got a glass jar and put in enough baking soda to fill it about half way up. Then I added in coconut oil and kept stirring until it made a paste. You could then add 10 or so drops of essential oils to scent it and increase antibacterial properties. Lemon or Lavender or Purification would be great choices.
The reasons I like this home made deodorant better:
1. It does not smell like vinegar.
2. The baking soda in it has stopped any sweating from happening in the first place!
3. It is quick and easy.
I just take a little bit on my finger tip and rub it right in. Have fun!
Until next time ...
Heather
Friday, June 28, 2013
RutaVaLa ... Ooh la la!
Having trouble sleeping? Try the RutaVaLa blend!
A bit of this on the bottom of your feet and/or the back of your neck and prepare for some great sleep!
It does not seem to act the same as some common over the counter meds or prescription meds. It does not just hit you out of nowhere quickly with a hard sleep. It is gentle. It eases in. I do not fall asleep immediately but I get better quality and longer stretches of sleep.
I even use it on my baby. It has added on average about an extra hour between wakings. If you know my situation with her then you know that is HUGE. She also goes back to sleep very easily and so do I.
If you have not tried this oil you are missing out.
Until next time ...
Heather
Thursday, June 27, 2013
FREE, Available, and On Time ... Oh My!!
I am going to make a confession. I love FREE stuff. And, I really really love FREE oils!!!
I also love that when anyone in my family is getting sick, whether getting a tummy bug or a cold or whatever else, I have my needed oils already in hand. I am ready to treat what comes our way as soon as it starts. I have noticed that our illness time seems to be shortened when I start treating immediately with oils.
This is why I signed up with Young Living Essential Rewards program. It does require some commitment, but here are some reasons that I thought this was the BEST option for our family!
Once you sign up and get your Young Living account, you can get set up on the Rewards program. It is an automatic monthly shipment of your favorite products. Why it worked for my family was the flexibility. You can change your process date each month depending on what your needs are. You can also change what ships each month until midnight the day of your process date.
Think of it like an open shopping cart. You can fill it and change it all month according to what would be on your list that you need.
This is a great and practical way to get started with oils. I am not going to lie and will admit that (at least to me) they are expensive!! This way I spend a little bit each month and over time build up my stash. Now after several months of doing this I have everything I need. If I have a need come up I am not waiting a week for shipment of an oil. What would be the point of that? You need it right when you need it and this is the best way to ensure that happens.
So here comes the FREE. When you start your rewards purchasing, you accumulate points. In the beginning 10% of your pv dollars go into your points account. When ever you want to use them you just call Young Living and "cash" them in for free product!! The longer you are on the rewards program the more percentage you accumulate. How awesome is that?
I also want to mention that the shipping is cheaper on rewards orders than standard orders. Even better.
Until next time ...
Heather
I also love that when anyone in my family is getting sick, whether getting a tummy bug or a cold or whatever else, I have my needed oils already in hand. I am ready to treat what comes our way as soon as it starts. I have noticed that our illness time seems to be shortened when I start treating immediately with oils.
This is why I signed up with Young Living Essential Rewards program. It does require some commitment, but here are some reasons that I thought this was the BEST option for our family!
Once you sign up and get your Young Living account, you can get set up on the Rewards program. It is an automatic monthly shipment of your favorite products. Why it worked for my family was the flexibility. You can change your process date each month depending on what your needs are. You can also change what ships each month until midnight the day of your process date.
Think of it like an open shopping cart. You can fill it and change it all month according to what would be on your list that you need.
This is a great and practical way to get started with oils. I am not going to lie and will admit that (at least to me) they are expensive!! This way I spend a little bit each month and over time build up my stash. Now after several months of doing this I have everything I need. If I have a need come up I am not waiting a week for shipment of an oil. What would be the point of that? You need it right when you need it and this is the best way to ensure that happens.
So here comes the FREE. When you start your rewards purchasing, you accumulate points. In the beginning 10% of your pv dollars go into your points account. When ever you want to use them you just call Young Living and "cash" them in for free product!! The longer you are on the rewards program the more percentage you accumulate. How awesome is that?
I also want to mention that the shipping is cheaper on rewards orders than standard orders. Even better.
Until next time ...
Heather
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Sample Giveaway!
Interested in trying an oil? I am interested in helping out!
This offer is for those who are not yet signed up with Young Living. Just leave a comment here on the blog about which oil you would like to try. Then share my blog on Facebook so your friends can start reading too! The first 3 people to do so that request an oil I currently have to give will receive a sample bottle to try out. This is a great way to try it out and see for yourself if you think the oils do work.
Hmmm ... what will you choose? Digize for tummy issues? Lemon for concentration? Eucalyptus for a head cold? RC for respiratory congestion? Clove for teething? Just suggest any oil you want and if I have it ... it will be yours if you are one of the first 3 to comment and share.
Let the fun begin!
Until next time ...
Heather
This offer is for those who are not yet signed up with Young Living. Just leave a comment here on the blog about which oil you would like to try. Then share my blog on Facebook so your friends can start reading too! The first 3 people to do so that request an oil I currently have to give will receive a sample bottle to try out. This is a great way to try it out and see for yourself if you think the oils do work.
Hmmm ... what will you choose? Digize for tummy issues? Lemon for concentration? Eucalyptus for a head cold? RC for respiratory congestion? Clove for teething? Just suggest any oil you want and if I have it ... it will be yours if you are one of the first 3 to comment and share.
Let the fun begin!
Until next time ...
Heather
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Making Your Spouse A Believer
One of the first things I hear when I talk to families about oils is this: "I love using them but my husband is not on board with it."
Mine lets me indulge in my oils. He watches them work and says how it is neat. He has wanted to start using them but doesn't really know where to begin.
This past week I thought I would help him out. As the girls and I were leaving for work I told him what oils to use. I got an "okay". But as I was leaving I repeated it several times. He is in graduate school so I suggested applying the Motivation blend and diffusing Lemon to reduce mistakes on school work.
If you know my husband you know he is a really "take it easy" type of guy. I am more the "get 'er done" type girl. Hehe. So imagine my surprise when I got this text message from him while I was at work:
"So today after using the Motivation and Lemon I finished writing 3 papers, cleaned the air filter, got gas, got the gates our of the attic, got milk from Braum's, clipped my nails, took care of the papers on the shredder and am now going to work out. And I went out and got Jamba Juice too!"
We left at 8:45 and this was about 2:00. This made me one happy wife and made him a believer in Motivation (my favorite blend these days)!!
So how do we get our husbands "on board" with oils? Get them to start using them. Let them experience for themselves!
Until next time ...
Heather
Mine lets me indulge in my oils. He watches them work and says how it is neat. He has wanted to start using them but doesn't really know where to begin.
This past week I thought I would help him out. As the girls and I were leaving for work I told him what oils to use. I got an "okay". But as I was leaving I repeated it several times. He is in graduate school so I suggested applying the Motivation blend and diffusing Lemon to reduce mistakes on school work.
If you know my husband you know he is a really "take it easy" type of guy. I am more the "get 'er done" type girl. Hehe. So imagine my surprise when I got this text message from him while I was at work:
"So today after using the Motivation and Lemon I finished writing 3 papers, cleaned the air filter, got gas, got the gates our of the attic, got milk from Braum's, clipped my nails, took care of the papers on the shredder and am now going to work out. And I went out and got Jamba Juice too!"
We left at 8:45 and this was about 2:00. This made me one happy wife and made him a believer in Motivation (my favorite blend these days)!!
So how do we get our husbands "on board" with oils? Get them to start using them. Let them experience for themselves!
Until next time ...
Heather
Monday, June 24, 2013
HUGE FREE GIVEAWAY!
This week I will be doing some posts on how to get you FREE on! How great is that?!
I am going to start today with a really REALLY big free give away. This will be for MY downline only. This means that you have signed up directly under me. If you have not done that yet and are interested, please contact me to find out how. You can always email me at stylezhair@yahoo.com.
This give away will be good for the month of July only. I wanted to post it early so you all can plan ahead and take advantage of this great offer.
A lot of people want to get started with oils but do not know how. A great way to know what you need is by getting a desk reference. I use this one.
So here is where the FREE comes in. If you are signed up directly under me and you sign up for the first time on the Essential Rewards program I will be supplying you with a FREE DESK REFERENCE. (envision the Oprah give away yell here). I want my team to know how best to use oils and know they are doing it safely.
If you have questions about the Rewards program just stay tuned this week because I will be explaining it a bit more. You are always welcome to contact me about it as well.
So remember ...
1. For my team only.
2. First time sign up on Rewards program.
3. During the month of July only.
Until next time ...
Heather
I am going to start today with a really REALLY big free give away. This will be for MY downline only. This means that you have signed up directly under me. If you have not done that yet and are interested, please contact me to find out how. You can always email me at stylezhair@yahoo.com.
This give away will be good for the month of July only. I wanted to post it early so you all can plan ahead and take advantage of this great offer.
A lot of people want to get started with oils but do not know how. A great way to know what you need is by getting a desk reference. I use this one.
If you have questions about the Rewards program just stay tuned this week because I will be explaining it a bit more. You are always welcome to contact me about it as well.
So remember ...
1. For my team only.
2. First time sign up on Rewards program.
3. During the month of July only.
Until next time ...
Heather
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Natural Nail Polish Remover
I happened to come across a little discovery yesterday.
I was using Lemongrass oil on my feet and put a drop of it on my polished toe to see what it would do. To my surprise the nail polish IMMEDIATELY start melting away! I had to grab a tissue quickly and I swiped over the nail and all the polish came off!
I know that essential oils can digest down toxins. I have seen lemon oil pop a balloon. I have seen it eat through a styrofoam bowl. So, it totally makes sense.
I was so excited because I really don't like the smell of nail polish remover. I found this quicker and easier. No more acetone! I just wanted to pass it along!
Until next time ...
Heather
I was using Lemongrass oil on my feet and put a drop of it on my polished toe to see what it would do. To my surprise the nail polish IMMEDIATELY start melting away! I had to grab a tissue quickly and I swiped over the nail and all the polish came off!
I know that essential oils can digest down toxins. I have seen lemon oil pop a balloon. I have seen it eat through a styrofoam bowl. So, it totally makes sense.
I was so excited because I really don't like the smell of nail polish remover. I found this quicker and easier. No more acetone! I just wanted to pass it along!
Until next time ...
Heather
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Home Made Facial Cleanser
I recently have been learning about oil cleansing. This is where you do not use soap on your face. You just rub with oil and water to clean. My first thought was, "What about my make up?" Well then I remembered how make up removers are oily. Haha!
When you cleanse with oils you want to use high quality products. This means that for coconut oil you would want to purchase one that is NOT refined and extra virgin and organic. This helps it not clog pores and maintain a great anti microbial property.
I also got avocado oil and almond oil. I used small glass jars (not plastic) to store it in. I put about 15 drops of essential oils in each jar. I used oils to help my skin problems. I chose to mix in Purification, Melaleuca Alterniforlia and Lavender for my break outs.
I mixed up about a cup and a half of coconut oil and added about a tablespoon each of almond oil and avocado oil. I whipped it with a whisk. It made an amazing creamy texture. I put mine into 3 jars. But FIRST I added my drops of oils. I poured the coconut mixture offer the essential oils in each jar and very gently swirled them in.
Viola!! I had another batch I experimented with that I got too runny from too much avocado oil. I left it that consistency and added Frankincense oil for a spot and wrinkle correcting moisturizer. I only dab on a bit before bed and let it soak in overnight. It is amazing!
My skin has never felt better. I was having break outs and having dry flakiness and all sorts of issues. My skin is now glowing and moisturized but not oily.
I will add in that I am using my Clarsonic along with the oil. It is dreamy!!
When you cleanse with oils you want to use high quality products. This means that for coconut oil you would want to purchase one that is NOT refined and extra virgin and organic. This helps it not clog pores and maintain a great anti microbial property.
I also got avocado oil and almond oil. I used small glass jars (not plastic) to store it in. I put about 15 drops of essential oils in each jar. I used oils to help my skin problems. I chose to mix in Purification, Melaleuca Alterniforlia and Lavender for my break outs.
I mixed up about a cup and a half of coconut oil and added about a tablespoon each of almond oil and avocado oil. I whipped it with a whisk. It made an amazing creamy texture. I put mine into 3 jars. But FIRST I added my drops of oils. I poured the coconut mixture offer the essential oils in each jar and very gently swirled them in.
Viola!! I had another batch I experimented with that I got too runny from too much avocado oil. I left it that consistency and added Frankincense oil for a spot and wrinkle correcting moisturizer. I only dab on a bit before bed and let it soak in overnight. It is amazing!
My skin has never felt better. I was having break outs and having dry flakiness and all sorts of issues. My skin is now glowing and moisturized but not oily.
I will add in that I am using my Clarsonic along with the oil. It is dreamy!!
Friday, June 7, 2013
Upcoming Events
There is a great opportunity coming to Oklahoma City! I wanted to share it with you as well as some local events happening for my team as well.
Locally I am a part of a few events happening.
First there is the "Parenting With Oils" class on Saturday, June 15th at 10:30am. Email me at stylezhair@yahoo.com if interested in coming.
Second, I am doing a "Let's Talk Basics" discussion on Thursday, June 20th at 6:30pm. This will be a VERY basic introduction and discussion on oils as well as experiencing them. If you are brand new then this would be great to check out. Again, email me at stylezhair@yahoo.com if interested.
Third, we have a "Healing Oils Of The Bible" class on July 26th at 6:30pm. This class will be small and intimate and an amazing journey through the Bible learning the history of God's gifts to us. You will also get to use all oils in this class as well. Email me at stylezhair@yahoo.com if interested.
Also in July is an introductory class from Young Living. What a great opportunity! No pre registration required!
From the "class description"
"Young Living Introductory Meeting
What is Young Living and what is an essential oil? How can essential oils benefit me and my family? The answers to these and many other important questions are waiting in a Young Living Introductory Meeting near you! We have designed each Young Living Introductory Meeting as a fun and educational look into the history, products, and benefits of the World Leader in Essential Oils®.Curriculum
At these insightful, entertaining events, you will learn about:
- How company Founder and CEO D. Gary Young discovered the unique power of essential oils
- Gary’s subsequent creation of Young Living Essential Oils and the company’s global reach
- Our diverse, essential oil-infused product lines, including single oils and blends, personal care, nutrition, preparations for the home, and much more
- Our latest and most innovative products
These events are free and open to the public; no pre-registration is required.
Promotion Material
An Introductory Meeting is a great way to share the benefits of Young Living with others! In the table below, you will find several ways to spread the word about these presentations. Just click the link of the desired invite, and then e-mail or print it to share with others!"
See the flyer here.
See the class description here.
The time to get involved is now.
Until next time ...
Heather
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Oil Wars
This is a great blog post from an oil user trying to decide between the two main companies. It is worth reading through so I have posted the article. You can find the link to the website I got it from here. Did you have a hard time deciding which oil company to work with? How did you come about your choice? I am not saying that one choice is right for everyone, or that we would all come to the same choice when researching companies. This does include some reasons that I knew about when choosing to go with Young Living. And I want to give a special shout out to Whitney for leading me to this post!
"The Young Living / doTerra DecisionJen Rollins, Whole Living Co-op
(The following is a summary of my personal findings during my comparison and exploration of MLM opportunities of both companies and is intended only to benefit others in their pursuit of knowledge of these companies. These are my opinions and personal experiences and are not to be interpreted as official opinions of doTerra, Young Living, or any of their affiliates.)
My name is Jen Rollins and I am privileged to coordinate a whole foods co-op based in
Arlington, Texas. My family has been on a journey of modifying our health and nutrition from the
conventional American diet of processed foods and pharmaceuticals for the last 10 years. I love to
share the information I have discovered with others so it (hopefully) doesn’t take them as long as it
did me to discover this information so they can make an informed decision for what is most
beneficial for themselves and their family based on their needs and goals. Although we had been
transitioning to a more natural lifestyle and utilizing local farmers and producers, we were rather
late in discovering the amazing benefits of high quality, therapeutic grade essential oils. I had many
friends that gladly shared their opinions on what oils to use for this or that, and I had been invited
to a few classes on how to use essential oils, but had never been able to coordinate my schedule
with their availability until late November 2012. It was then that my friend invited me to her house
to attend an essential oils class.
I was excited to learn about the oils and experience them. The first oil I tried was
lavender, which was a big step for me since all lavender-scented things made me feel ill and have a
horrible migraine. When I smelled this lavender I was amazed at how sweet it smelled and how it
didn’t give me an instant headache. I gladly passed bottle after little brown bottle, dropping and
applying oils as instructed by the leader of the class. At the end, I was sold and was excited to
start using these oils on a daily basis. I ordered my starter kit, took my book home to start reading,
and felt that the final piece to my family’s holistic health puzzle was in place.
Over the next three months I discovered that there is a lot of controversy over the big
essential oil companies. Although IPC’s were respectful of the other companies (at least in my
personal circles) there were definitely a lot of passionate opinions on quality, purity, compensation,
and ethics of the leading essential oils distributors. I had people hang up on me because I
mentioned a certain company’s name, and had others make a disgusted face at me when I mentioned
which oils I used. I decided I had better learn more about this issue so that I understood not only
what everyone was so worked up about, but where I would stand on an issue that I had unwittingly
stumbled into the night I ordered my first bottles of oils.
So, what’s the big deal? Aren’t all oils created equal?
Well, the short answer is no. I found through classes, research, and use of the oils that
many of the reactions I had previously to essential oils purchased from health food stores or
vitamin shops were actually sensitivities to probable contaminants that were concentrated during
the distilling process. I also found out that there is a big difference in the sources of materials
from which oils are extracted and what you don’t know can hurt you. Companies don’t have to tell
you if they use chemicals or ultra high temperature to extract oils from organic material. They also
don’t have to tell you if they spray their fields or use synthetic fertilizers or soil amendments to
grow their crops, or even where they come from. I knew I was committed to purchasing oils from a
company that was willing to tell me where they are getting their crops from and making sure that I
was truly investing in safe and beneficial oils. This brought me to two companies: doTerra and Young
Living.
Without going into all the drama, Young Living is the more established of the two companies,
in business for over 20 years with domestic and international farms and partnerships with other
countries for research and harvesting. The six owners of doTerra were employees of Young Living in
some capacity and left YL to found their own essential oils company. Each company accuses the
other of miscellaneous professional misdeeds, and as with any relationship gone bad the waters are
so muddy there will probably never be a clear answer as to who did what. Once I became aware of
the controversy, I did a general inquiry and decided that both companies had a high quality product
(probably the highest quality products out there) and if a person chose to invest in either company
they would have a high quality, pure oil with great health and healing benefits. However, as I used
the oils more and listened closely to what I was hearing in classes and through leaders, questions
were raised in my mind about if the sales pitches made sense.
I found a blog by a natural mom who had the same misgivings and spent over a year
researching the topic of essential oils. She not only tried the big two, but also several smaller
essential oil companies. Her article (found here) and the other six articles attached to it helped me
understand the difference in oils and extraction processes, and although it answered a lot of my
questions, it raised more based on what I had been told by not only my direct upline, but also with
high level team leaders. I attended conference calls, consulted with customer service, and even
spoke with representatives from the other essential oils company, and I found answers I was
confident with. Ultimately, it was the misinformation and lack of knowledge of consultants and
leaders in doTerra that led me to my decision to leave their company and purchase Young Living
essential oils exclusively for my family and my co-op.
Just the facts, Ma’am, just the facts…
Okay, the fact is, if you’re reading this you probably are aware of the conflict what I just
told you is probably nothing new. You have probably seen or been informed of some of the hotly
debated issues and, like me, have questions that need to be answered so you can make the best
decision for yourself, your family, your business, or your future. So, here are the questions I had,
and the answers (or lack thereof) I found:
Q: Aren’t YL and DT oils the same? (a rose by any other name…)
A: Not really. If you have ever sat through a doTerra “class” or spoken with a rep, you have
probably had the experience of having a bottle of doTerra Lavender or Peppermint essential oil
given to you to smell while they point out how much stronger the aroma is than YL and make some
comment about how smelling is believing or if they smell stronger they must be stronger. Sounds
logical, right? Well, for those coffee drinkers out there, let me give you an example: blonde coffee
beans are so lightly roasted they don’t even really smell like coffee but boy do they give you a jolt
of caffeine! Dark roast beans have been roasted the longest and have a strong, smoky smell and
taste, but they actually have the least amount of caffeine in them. Why? Because the longer and
hotter they are cooked, the more caffeine is removed. So, just because something smells stronger
doesn’t mean it is stronger.
The reason some of doTerra’s oils have a stronger, sweeter smell than other brands of oils
is because they are complete distillations. I had two separate customer service reps with doTerra
confirm that Peppermint and Lavender are complete distillations. I have been told that other oils
such as orange and lemon are as well. I have tried to confirm this with doTerra, and although I am
still a current IPC in good standing with doTerra and have requested this information in writing
three times they have not responded. I also called Young Living to find out if their oils were
complete distillations and was informed that their individual oils are first distillations and 100%
pure with no additives or dilutions. I personally did a side-by-side direct comparison of doTerra and
Young Living essential oils and was very puzzled at my findings. I found four essential oils from
doTerra that had a “sweeter”, stronger smell. I knew that the oils were essentially the same and
should be the same strength since they are 100% pure with no additives or carrier oils and not
diluted in any way or had anything added to them to make the smell stronger or more fragrant. The
four oils were Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon and Wild Orange (lavender and peppermint smelled
“candy-like” while lemon and orange smelled like fruit juice, not rind). All the other doTerra single
oils, in my opinion, had an “off” smell that I didn’t notice as much until I compared them directly
with Young Living’s oils. The YL oils I smelled had a more pure, clean and plant-like smell. The
doTerra blends had a distinct pungent smell to them that I never noticed in any of the Young Living
blends (and I compared about 30 of them). And these were my personal oils that were only two
months old and had been kept in my home at a constant 72 degrees so I knew they were good oils.
Also, my mother and grandmother are very sensitive to smells and were unable to use several of the
doTerra oils because they were too strong-smelling. They have both used the Young Living oils and
found them not only tolerable but pleasant and are very happy using them. I personally grew
concerned when I started getting a headache from using the doTerra Lavender and have had no
such reaction from the Young Living Lavender, so that was a huge selling point for me.
It really puzzled me how those particular four oils were so different, especially when those
four oils are ones heavily promoted at every doTerra class and presentation I have attended. It
became clear that doTerra developed these oils somehow to naturally have a particularly stronger
aroma than their Young Living counterparts and I wanted to know how they did it. I finally found
information that discussed 1st, 2nd, 3rd and even 4th distillations of certain oils and the resulting
change in aroma when those distillations were blended. In particular, peppermint develops a less
plant-y smell and a more candy-like aroma when it is more distilled or when the multiple distillations
are blended. Similarly, lavender develops a candy-like sweetness when distilled longer and blended. I
was concerned as to how many of their oils doTerra was selling that were complete distillations. I
know we live in a society that puts perfumes and smells in everything so doTerra may be trying to
appeal to a market that craves strong smells, but at what price? Complete distillations are a blend
of first, second, and sometimes third and fourth distillations, with each subsequent distillation
requiring higher temperatures and pressure to extract the oils. This process can and often does
damage the components of the oil. Again with a coffee analogy, the first distillation is like the first
part of a brewing of coffee- strong and dark. However, as the grounds brew longer there is less
coffee and more water that comes out, so the last part of the brew is quite weak. The final pot of
coffee is a blend of the strong and the weak, which is inherently less potent than the first part of
the brew.
There is such a difference in the phases of distillation that the oil cost changes based on
the distillation. For example, the ultra pure and 1st distillation of oils is the most expensive, the 2nd
distillation costs less, and if a plant can still produce oils for a 3rd or 4th distillation the resulting
oils are so inferior they are sold cheaply and often used as fragrances only due to their inferior
quality. I experienced this difference when I tried YL Peppermint oil for the first time. doTerra’s
Peppermint smells like an actual peppermint candy- very sweet and strong. The YL oil smells more
like a peppermint plant in my opinion. I was used to putting a drop of Peppermint on my hand and
licking it to ingest it and although it is strong it is not overbearing, so I opened up my new YL
Peppermint and did the same with it. The YL oil was much, much stronger than the doTerra oil I had
been using- so much so that it nearly took my breath away! I totally understood that although the
oil may smell stronger it definitely doesn’t prove anything about the strength of the actual oil- the
milder smelling YL oil was way more potent than the doTerra one!
Q: doTerra emphasizes quality and testing and claims that they are the only ones that do GC/MS
testing (gas chromatograph and mass spectrometry) to verify their purity. Is that true?
A: Young Living does the following tests on every incoming batch of their oils: gas chromatography,
GC/MS, heavy metals analysis, Microbial, Flash Point, Optical Rotation, Refractive Index, and
Specific Gravity. Oils that exhibit even the slightest hint of possible tampering or adulterationeven
if provided from a trusted supplier-are sent to outside laboratories for even more in-depth
dissection using techniques such as carbon isotope analysis. (cited: Essential Oils: Finding Answers) Furthermore, Young Living regulates quality throughout the process with their Seed to Seal policy,
whereas doTerra has working relationships with outsourced farms but is not involved with
regulation or testing of the life cycle of the plant or the history of the land they grow on like Young
Living.
Q: Is there any validity to the lawsuit?
A: Basically the courts are allowing the lawsuit to progress so they are seeing enough evidence that
it merits further deliberation. Personally, I am not sure how much of the infractions will be legally
enforceable but I personally spoke with two different Young Living reps at different times, and
they both informed me they were contacted by an owner or executive of doTerra and asked to
move their team from YL to doTerra. Whether or not there are legal consequences for their
actions, in my opinion that is not the way to do business.
As far as copying blends, well that one is pretty easy to investigate for yourself. For
example, Young Living created the Raindrop technique and uses an oil blend called Aroma Siez.
doTerra has the Aromatouch technique and uses a blend called AromaTouch which is an exact copy
of Aroma Siez with Grapefruit essential oil added in. A second oil used in the original Raindrop
technique is Young Living’s Valor blend, which has spruce, rosewood, blue tansy and frankincense in a
carrier oil. doTerra’s technique uses their Balance blend which is spruce, rosewood, frankincense,
and blue tansy in a carrier oil. Notice any similarities? Several other oil blends are similar but the
citrus component has been swapped, like in Thieves you have lemon and in On Guard you have wild
orange but the other four oils are exactly the same. You can compare many other blends by viewing
the blends on each company’s website or the books Modern Essentials for doTerra and Essential
Oils Pocket Reference for Young Living. There is a great chart on doTerra’s resource site that
compares the oils, although I have found some oils are not accurately compared- you can view it
here.
Q: Aren’t the blends the same and don’t they cost about the same?
A: Well, this one has a two part answer. Yes a lot of the blends are similar because the owners of
doTerra worked in key leadership roles with Young Living before starting their own company. That
is where a part of the Young Living lawsuit comes from: whether doTerra is benefiting from
proprietary knowledge of oils and blends. Although many blend recipes are known and fairly easy to
duplicate, there is still a basic understanding that doTerra has copied a lot of what Young Living
developed. When I compared the ingredients of oil blends that were intended to treat similar
conditions, I found consistently that the doTerra blends used less expensive oils rather than the
more expensive oils. For example, one blend swaps Melissa for Oregano and another swaps Rose for
Rosemary. However, the blends are similar price even though the Young Living blends have more
expensive and potent oils in their blends. Also, when you take into consideration the fact that Young
Living is using 1st distillations and doTerra utilizes some complete distillations that further
illustrates the greater value in the Young Living oils. This makes me wonder where the extra money
is going in doTerra…
Q: What about the compensation plan? doTerra has way more high level leaders and they make more
money quicker, right?
A: No, not really. This one got me at first until I realized that doTerra’s monetary levels for
achieving a new rank are lower than Young Living, and once you make a rank you never go down in
title (although you’re not paid on a title but on actual volume). doTerra reps are also strongly
encouraged to grow their teams deep, not wide like YL. Therefore it appears you have more volume
than you actually do, and since you can advance to a title quicker and never lose that title you could
have 1,000 high rank consultants that aren’t even working the business or getting paid since you get
paid commission on your sales, not your title. Also, many leaders in doTerra advise their teams to
move members around to develop deep legs on their teams, which often results in new consultants
being placed under people they don’t even know. This happened to me personally and was very
frustrating in my efforts to develop a business.
Also, Young Living pays their reps more for longer in many areas. For example, doTerra pays
a quick start bonus of 20% for each new enrollee’s purchases for 60 days, however Young Living
pays 25% on all purchases for 90 days. I also didn’t like the fact that I had multiple upper level
leaders in doTerra state how much better it is to be in doTerra because they have a lot more
executive consultants, therefore being easier to advance. However, the executive level in doTerra
is actually equal to the Senior Star level in Young Living, and the Executive level in Young Living is a
higher level of compensation and overall volume per consultant. I felt this was very misleading and
deceptive on the part of doTerra representatives.
Q: doTerra has a great variety of oils just like Young Living, right?
A: Young Living has many more individual oils and oil blends than doTerra does. They also address
the aromatherapy side of essential oils, as well as the use of oils for emotional healing and therapy.
This is something doTerra does not address. Also, Young Living is actively seeking out new oils and
developing them for the market, whereas doTerra is simply choosing the easier or more common oils
to promote. Young Living also has unique products such as NingXia Red and Frankincense and Myrrh
resins and a resin burner that are not offered by doTerra. Young Living also offers a great variety
of oils and items in a wide range of prices which makes it possible for many people to be able to
purchase oils and items from Young Living on their individual budget. They have multiple diffusers in
all price ranges and designs whereas doTerra only has two. Also, Young Living has multiple strains of
oils- they have two different Frankincense oils, three Eucalyptus oils, and multiple oils that doTerra
does not offer at all.
Q: doTerra has a lot of training materials and presentations that I can use as an IPC, and Young
Living doesn’t have as much. Isn’t it harder to teach a class without all of that?
A: I have found multiple errors and “truth stretching” in the doTerra presentations I have seen. I
wouldn’t use them because of it while I was with doTerra. For example, the doTerra presentations I
have seen cite the cancer study by Dr. HK Lin using Frankincense essential oil successfully against
bladder cancer while promoting their Frankincense. However they don’t inform you that the
particular form of Frankincense that was found successful in the study is boswellia sacra which is
where Young Living gets their Sacred Frankincense (one of the YL Frankincense variants). You can
hear him state specifically the Sacred Frankincense he was using in this YouTube video. It is also
confirmed in this article. Boswellia carteri, the other YL Frankincense oil, was also cited in this
article as being effective against cancer. However, doTerra only offers boswellia frereana. To me
that is deceptive and misleading. I was also told directly and adamantly by a high ranking executive
within doTerra that they only use first distillations and “there is no such thing as a complete
distillation or second or third distillation”. However, I have confirmed this with customer service
reps as well as multiple sources online that not only are there complete distillations but also that
doTerra sell oils that are complete distillations.
Q: doTerra oils are a higher quality of oil since they are CPTG, a new rating of essential oils, right?
A: CPTG is a brandmark (slogan) created by doTerra and is not an official classification. As a
matter of fact, Young Living oils are now being covered by some health insurance companies as
medicinal supplements. Because the insurance company found a difference in the oils they only cover
Young Living oils- doTerra oils are not covered.
The fact is it’s really hard to reinvent the wheel. You can’t patent essential oils, which is
what drives the pharmaceutical companies crazy, and that has led to a lot of similarities between
these two companies. Unfortunately the way each company negotiates their business operations is a
grey area that can only be regulated by ethics and morals. I have seen firsthand how
representatives and leaders from both companies conduct themselves and I am confident in my
decision to support and represent Young Living oils. I feel that for me to invest my time, effort,
and reputation in a company I need to be confident that they are operating in a way that I can
support, as well as making sure I am utilizing and offering the highest quality product at the highest
potency for the cost. In all these areas I feel confident that Young Living is that company for me,
my family, and my business. I am also proud to support a company that is leading new research and
development of essential oils and EO based products, which has a leader who continues to pursue
new leads and opportunities to develop beneficial and safe essential oils. You will have to decide for
yourself which company you can support with your resources, and I hope that the information I
have to offer will help you in that decision. Either way, a safe therapeutic grade essential oil from
either company is much better than its’ pharmaceutical alternatives so no matter what I hope more
people will discover the blessing of essential oils and focus on growing knowledge of their benefits
and uses rather than which company you buy from.
Resources
Whole New Mom blog: which essential oils are best? http://wholenewmom.com/what-to-buy/bestessential-
oils-company-young-living-review-doterra-review/
(please read all seven articles on the wholenewmom.com site related to this topic, they are very
informative and educating)
Essential Oils: Finding Answers http://www.modernalternativehealth.com/2012/10/24/essentialoils-
finding-answers-part-2/
doTerra/Young Living blends comparison chart http://www.everythingessential.me/Hints/
BlendsCompared.html
Can Frankincense Help Cancer? http://ologsinquito.hubpages.com/hub/Can-Frankincense-Help-
Cancer
Dr. Lin Frankincense interview (YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=897_84HJ4d4
Essential Oil Quality http://www.aromatherapy-school.com/aromatherapy-schools/aromatherapyarticles/
aromatherapy-essential-oil-quality.html
Frankincense Oil Kills Bladder Cancer Cells http://www.naturalnews.com/
025892_cancer_frankincense_oil.html#ixzz1noJIgfAU"
"The Young Living / doTerra DecisionJen Rollins, Whole Living Co-op
(The following is a summary of my personal findings during my comparison and exploration of MLM opportunities of both companies and is intended only to benefit others in their pursuit of knowledge of these companies. These are my opinions and personal experiences and are not to be interpreted as official opinions of doTerra, Young Living, or any of their affiliates.)
My name is Jen Rollins and I am privileged to coordinate a whole foods co-op based in
Arlington, Texas. My family has been on a journey of modifying our health and nutrition from the
conventional American diet of processed foods and pharmaceuticals for the last 10 years. I love to
share the information I have discovered with others so it (hopefully) doesn’t take them as long as it
did me to discover this information so they can make an informed decision for what is most
beneficial for themselves and their family based on their needs and goals. Although we had been
transitioning to a more natural lifestyle and utilizing local farmers and producers, we were rather
late in discovering the amazing benefits of high quality, therapeutic grade essential oils. I had many
friends that gladly shared their opinions on what oils to use for this or that, and I had been invited
to a few classes on how to use essential oils, but had never been able to coordinate my schedule
with their availability until late November 2012. It was then that my friend invited me to her house
to attend an essential oils class.
I was excited to learn about the oils and experience them. The first oil I tried was
lavender, which was a big step for me since all lavender-scented things made me feel ill and have a
horrible migraine. When I smelled this lavender I was amazed at how sweet it smelled and how it
didn’t give me an instant headache. I gladly passed bottle after little brown bottle, dropping and
applying oils as instructed by the leader of the class. At the end, I was sold and was excited to
start using these oils on a daily basis. I ordered my starter kit, took my book home to start reading,
and felt that the final piece to my family’s holistic health puzzle was in place.
Over the next three months I discovered that there is a lot of controversy over the big
essential oil companies. Although IPC’s were respectful of the other companies (at least in my
personal circles) there were definitely a lot of passionate opinions on quality, purity, compensation,
and ethics of the leading essential oils distributors. I had people hang up on me because I
mentioned a certain company’s name, and had others make a disgusted face at me when I mentioned
which oils I used. I decided I had better learn more about this issue so that I understood not only
what everyone was so worked up about, but where I would stand on an issue that I had unwittingly
stumbled into the night I ordered my first bottles of oils.
So, what’s the big deal? Aren’t all oils created equal?
Well, the short answer is no. I found through classes, research, and use of the oils that
many of the reactions I had previously to essential oils purchased from health food stores or
vitamin shops were actually sensitivities to probable contaminants that were concentrated during
the distilling process. I also found out that there is a big difference in the sources of materials
from which oils are extracted and what you don’t know can hurt you. Companies don’t have to tell
you if they use chemicals or ultra high temperature to extract oils from organic material. They also
don’t have to tell you if they spray their fields or use synthetic fertilizers or soil amendments to
grow their crops, or even where they come from. I knew I was committed to purchasing oils from a
company that was willing to tell me where they are getting their crops from and making sure that I
was truly investing in safe and beneficial oils. This brought me to two companies: doTerra and Young
Living.
Without going into all the drama, Young Living is the more established of the two companies,
in business for over 20 years with domestic and international farms and partnerships with other
countries for research and harvesting. The six owners of doTerra were employees of Young Living in
some capacity and left YL to found their own essential oils company. Each company accuses the
other of miscellaneous professional misdeeds, and as with any relationship gone bad the waters are
so muddy there will probably never be a clear answer as to who did what. Once I became aware of
the controversy, I did a general inquiry and decided that both companies had a high quality product
(probably the highest quality products out there) and if a person chose to invest in either company
they would have a high quality, pure oil with great health and healing benefits. However, as I used
the oils more and listened closely to what I was hearing in classes and through leaders, questions
were raised in my mind about if the sales pitches made sense.
I found a blog by a natural mom who had the same misgivings and spent over a year
researching the topic of essential oils. She not only tried the big two, but also several smaller
essential oil companies. Her article (found here) and the other six articles attached to it helped me
understand the difference in oils and extraction processes, and although it answered a lot of my
questions, it raised more based on what I had been told by not only my direct upline, but also with
high level team leaders. I attended conference calls, consulted with customer service, and even
spoke with representatives from the other essential oils company, and I found answers I was
confident with. Ultimately, it was the misinformation and lack of knowledge of consultants and
leaders in doTerra that led me to my decision to leave their company and purchase Young Living
essential oils exclusively for my family and my co-op.
Just the facts, Ma’am, just the facts…
Okay, the fact is, if you’re reading this you probably are aware of the conflict what I just
told you is probably nothing new. You have probably seen or been informed of some of the hotly
debated issues and, like me, have questions that need to be answered so you can make the best
decision for yourself, your family, your business, or your future. So, here are the questions I had,
and the answers (or lack thereof) I found:
Q: Aren’t YL and DT oils the same? (a rose by any other name…)
A: Not really. If you have ever sat through a doTerra “class” or spoken with a rep, you have
probably had the experience of having a bottle of doTerra Lavender or Peppermint essential oil
given to you to smell while they point out how much stronger the aroma is than YL and make some
comment about how smelling is believing or if they smell stronger they must be stronger. Sounds
logical, right? Well, for those coffee drinkers out there, let me give you an example: blonde coffee
beans are so lightly roasted they don’t even really smell like coffee but boy do they give you a jolt
of caffeine! Dark roast beans have been roasted the longest and have a strong, smoky smell and
taste, but they actually have the least amount of caffeine in them. Why? Because the longer and
hotter they are cooked, the more caffeine is removed. So, just because something smells stronger
doesn’t mean it is stronger.
The reason some of doTerra’s oils have a stronger, sweeter smell than other brands of oils
is because they are complete distillations. I had two separate customer service reps with doTerra
confirm that Peppermint and Lavender are complete distillations. I have been told that other oils
such as orange and lemon are as well. I have tried to confirm this with doTerra, and although I am
still a current IPC in good standing with doTerra and have requested this information in writing
three times they have not responded. I also called Young Living to find out if their oils were
complete distillations and was informed that their individual oils are first distillations and 100%
pure with no additives or dilutions. I personally did a side-by-side direct comparison of doTerra and
Young Living essential oils and was very puzzled at my findings. I found four essential oils from
doTerra that had a “sweeter”, stronger smell. I knew that the oils were essentially the same and
should be the same strength since they are 100% pure with no additives or carrier oils and not
diluted in any way or had anything added to them to make the smell stronger or more fragrant. The
four oils were Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon and Wild Orange (lavender and peppermint smelled
“candy-like” while lemon and orange smelled like fruit juice, not rind). All the other doTerra single
oils, in my opinion, had an “off” smell that I didn’t notice as much until I compared them directly
with Young Living’s oils. The YL oils I smelled had a more pure, clean and plant-like smell. The
doTerra blends had a distinct pungent smell to them that I never noticed in any of the Young Living
blends (and I compared about 30 of them). And these were my personal oils that were only two
months old and had been kept in my home at a constant 72 degrees so I knew they were good oils.
Also, my mother and grandmother are very sensitive to smells and were unable to use several of the
doTerra oils because they were too strong-smelling. They have both used the Young Living oils and
found them not only tolerable but pleasant and are very happy using them. I personally grew
concerned when I started getting a headache from using the doTerra Lavender and have had no
such reaction from the Young Living Lavender, so that was a huge selling point for me.
It really puzzled me how those particular four oils were so different, especially when those
four oils are ones heavily promoted at every doTerra class and presentation I have attended. It
became clear that doTerra developed these oils somehow to naturally have a particularly stronger
aroma than their Young Living counterparts and I wanted to know how they did it. I finally found
information that discussed 1st, 2nd, 3rd and even 4th distillations of certain oils and the resulting
change in aroma when those distillations were blended. In particular, peppermint develops a less
plant-y smell and a more candy-like aroma when it is more distilled or when the multiple distillations
are blended. Similarly, lavender develops a candy-like sweetness when distilled longer and blended. I
was concerned as to how many of their oils doTerra was selling that were complete distillations. I
know we live in a society that puts perfumes and smells in everything so doTerra may be trying to
appeal to a market that craves strong smells, but at what price? Complete distillations are a blend
of first, second, and sometimes third and fourth distillations, with each subsequent distillation
requiring higher temperatures and pressure to extract the oils. This process can and often does
damage the components of the oil. Again with a coffee analogy, the first distillation is like the first
part of a brewing of coffee- strong and dark. However, as the grounds brew longer there is less
coffee and more water that comes out, so the last part of the brew is quite weak. The final pot of
coffee is a blend of the strong and the weak, which is inherently less potent than the first part of
the brew.
There is such a difference in the phases of distillation that the oil cost changes based on
the distillation. For example, the ultra pure and 1st distillation of oils is the most expensive, the 2nd
distillation costs less, and if a plant can still produce oils for a 3rd or 4th distillation the resulting
oils are so inferior they are sold cheaply and often used as fragrances only due to their inferior
quality. I experienced this difference when I tried YL Peppermint oil for the first time. doTerra’s
Peppermint smells like an actual peppermint candy- very sweet and strong. The YL oil smells more
like a peppermint plant in my opinion. I was used to putting a drop of Peppermint on my hand and
licking it to ingest it and although it is strong it is not overbearing, so I opened up my new YL
Peppermint and did the same with it. The YL oil was much, much stronger than the doTerra oil I had
been using- so much so that it nearly took my breath away! I totally understood that although the
oil may smell stronger it definitely doesn’t prove anything about the strength of the actual oil- the
milder smelling YL oil was way more potent than the doTerra one!
Q: doTerra emphasizes quality and testing and claims that they are the only ones that do GC/MS
testing (gas chromatograph and mass spectrometry) to verify their purity. Is that true?
A: Young Living does the following tests on every incoming batch of their oils: gas chromatography,
GC/MS, heavy metals analysis, Microbial, Flash Point, Optical Rotation, Refractive Index, and
Specific Gravity. Oils that exhibit even the slightest hint of possible tampering or adulterationeven
if provided from a trusted supplier-are sent to outside laboratories for even more in-depth
dissection using techniques such as carbon isotope analysis. (cited: Essential Oils: Finding Answers) Furthermore, Young Living regulates quality throughout the process with their Seed to Seal policy,
whereas doTerra has working relationships with outsourced farms but is not involved with
regulation or testing of the life cycle of the plant or the history of the land they grow on like Young
Living.
Q: Is there any validity to the lawsuit?
A: Basically the courts are allowing the lawsuit to progress so they are seeing enough evidence that
it merits further deliberation. Personally, I am not sure how much of the infractions will be legally
enforceable but I personally spoke with two different Young Living reps at different times, and
they both informed me they were contacted by an owner or executive of doTerra and asked to
move their team from YL to doTerra. Whether or not there are legal consequences for their
actions, in my opinion that is not the way to do business.
As far as copying blends, well that one is pretty easy to investigate for yourself. For
example, Young Living created the Raindrop technique and uses an oil blend called Aroma Siez.
doTerra has the Aromatouch technique and uses a blend called AromaTouch which is an exact copy
of Aroma Siez with Grapefruit essential oil added in. A second oil used in the original Raindrop
technique is Young Living’s Valor blend, which has spruce, rosewood, blue tansy and frankincense in a
carrier oil. doTerra’s technique uses their Balance blend which is spruce, rosewood, frankincense,
and blue tansy in a carrier oil. Notice any similarities? Several other oil blends are similar but the
citrus component has been swapped, like in Thieves you have lemon and in On Guard you have wild
orange but the other four oils are exactly the same. You can compare many other blends by viewing
the blends on each company’s website or the books Modern Essentials for doTerra and Essential
Oils Pocket Reference for Young Living. There is a great chart on doTerra’s resource site that
compares the oils, although I have found some oils are not accurately compared- you can view it
here.
Q: Aren’t the blends the same and don’t they cost about the same?
A: Well, this one has a two part answer. Yes a lot of the blends are similar because the owners of
doTerra worked in key leadership roles with Young Living before starting their own company. That
is where a part of the Young Living lawsuit comes from: whether doTerra is benefiting from
proprietary knowledge of oils and blends. Although many blend recipes are known and fairly easy to
duplicate, there is still a basic understanding that doTerra has copied a lot of what Young Living
developed. When I compared the ingredients of oil blends that were intended to treat similar
conditions, I found consistently that the doTerra blends used less expensive oils rather than the
more expensive oils. For example, one blend swaps Melissa for Oregano and another swaps Rose for
Rosemary. However, the blends are similar price even though the Young Living blends have more
expensive and potent oils in their blends. Also, when you take into consideration the fact that Young
Living is using 1st distillations and doTerra utilizes some complete distillations that further
illustrates the greater value in the Young Living oils. This makes me wonder where the extra money
is going in doTerra…
Q: What about the compensation plan? doTerra has way more high level leaders and they make more
money quicker, right?
A: No, not really. This one got me at first until I realized that doTerra’s monetary levels for
achieving a new rank are lower than Young Living, and once you make a rank you never go down in
title (although you’re not paid on a title but on actual volume). doTerra reps are also strongly
encouraged to grow their teams deep, not wide like YL. Therefore it appears you have more volume
than you actually do, and since you can advance to a title quicker and never lose that title you could
have 1,000 high rank consultants that aren’t even working the business or getting paid since you get
paid commission on your sales, not your title. Also, many leaders in doTerra advise their teams to
move members around to develop deep legs on their teams, which often results in new consultants
being placed under people they don’t even know. This happened to me personally and was very
frustrating in my efforts to develop a business.
Also, Young Living pays their reps more for longer in many areas. For example, doTerra pays
a quick start bonus of 20% for each new enrollee’s purchases for 60 days, however Young Living
pays 25% on all purchases for 90 days. I also didn’t like the fact that I had multiple upper level
leaders in doTerra state how much better it is to be in doTerra because they have a lot more
executive consultants, therefore being easier to advance. However, the executive level in doTerra
is actually equal to the Senior Star level in Young Living, and the Executive level in Young Living is a
higher level of compensation and overall volume per consultant. I felt this was very misleading and
deceptive on the part of doTerra representatives.
Q: doTerra has a great variety of oils just like Young Living, right?
A: Young Living has many more individual oils and oil blends than doTerra does. They also address
the aromatherapy side of essential oils, as well as the use of oils for emotional healing and therapy.
This is something doTerra does not address. Also, Young Living is actively seeking out new oils and
developing them for the market, whereas doTerra is simply choosing the easier or more common oils
to promote. Young Living also has unique products such as NingXia Red and Frankincense and Myrrh
resins and a resin burner that are not offered by doTerra. Young Living also offers a great variety
of oils and items in a wide range of prices which makes it possible for many people to be able to
purchase oils and items from Young Living on their individual budget. They have multiple diffusers in
all price ranges and designs whereas doTerra only has two. Also, Young Living has multiple strains of
oils- they have two different Frankincense oils, three Eucalyptus oils, and multiple oils that doTerra
does not offer at all.
Q: doTerra has a lot of training materials and presentations that I can use as an IPC, and Young
Living doesn’t have as much. Isn’t it harder to teach a class without all of that?
A: I have found multiple errors and “truth stretching” in the doTerra presentations I have seen. I
wouldn’t use them because of it while I was with doTerra. For example, the doTerra presentations I
have seen cite the cancer study by Dr. HK Lin using Frankincense essential oil successfully against
bladder cancer while promoting their Frankincense. However they don’t inform you that the
particular form of Frankincense that was found successful in the study is boswellia sacra which is
where Young Living gets their Sacred Frankincense (one of the YL Frankincense variants). You can
hear him state specifically the Sacred Frankincense he was using in this YouTube video. It is also
confirmed in this article. Boswellia carteri, the other YL Frankincense oil, was also cited in this
article as being effective against cancer. However, doTerra only offers boswellia frereana. To me
that is deceptive and misleading. I was also told directly and adamantly by a high ranking executive
within doTerra that they only use first distillations and “there is no such thing as a complete
distillation or second or third distillation”. However, I have confirmed this with customer service
reps as well as multiple sources online that not only are there complete distillations but also that
doTerra sell oils that are complete distillations.
Q: doTerra oils are a higher quality of oil since they are CPTG, a new rating of essential oils, right?
A: CPTG is a brandmark (slogan) created by doTerra and is not an official classification. As a
matter of fact, Young Living oils are now being covered by some health insurance companies as
medicinal supplements. Because the insurance company found a difference in the oils they only cover
Young Living oils- doTerra oils are not covered.
The fact is it’s really hard to reinvent the wheel. You can’t patent essential oils, which is
what drives the pharmaceutical companies crazy, and that has led to a lot of similarities between
these two companies. Unfortunately the way each company negotiates their business operations is a
grey area that can only be regulated by ethics and morals. I have seen firsthand how
representatives and leaders from both companies conduct themselves and I am confident in my
decision to support and represent Young Living oils. I feel that for me to invest my time, effort,
and reputation in a company I need to be confident that they are operating in a way that I can
support, as well as making sure I am utilizing and offering the highest quality product at the highest
potency for the cost. In all these areas I feel confident that Young Living is that company for me,
my family, and my business. I am also proud to support a company that is leading new research and
development of essential oils and EO based products, which has a leader who continues to pursue
new leads and opportunities to develop beneficial and safe essential oils. You will have to decide for
yourself which company you can support with your resources, and I hope that the information I
have to offer will help you in that decision. Either way, a safe therapeutic grade essential oil from
either company is much better than its’ pharmaceutical alternatives so no matter what I hope more
people will discover the blessing of essential oils and focus on growing knowledge of their benefits
and uses rather than which company you buy from.
Resources
Whole New Mom blog: which essential oils are best? http://wholenewmom.com/what-to-buy/bestessential-
oils-company-young-living-review-doterra-review/
(please read all seven articles on the wholenewmom.com site related to this topic, they are very
informative and educating)
Essential Oils: Finding Answers http://www.modernalternativehealth.com/2012/10/24/essentialoils-
finding-answers-part-2/
doTerra/Young Living blends comparison chart http://www.everythingessential.me/Hints/
BlendsCompared.html
Can Frankincense Help Cancer? http://ologsinquito.hubpages.com/hub/Can-Frankincense-Help-
Cancer
Dr. Lin Frankincense interview (YouTube) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=897_84HJ4d4
Essential Oil Quality http://www.aromatherapy-school.com/aromatherapy-schools/aromatherapyarticles/
aromatherapy-essential-oil-quality.html
Frankincense Oil Kills Bladder Cancer Cells http://www.naturalnews.com/
025892_cancer_frankincense_oil.html#ixzz1noJIgfAU"
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