There are two competing multi-level marketing companies. The representatives from each claim to sell the best essential oils. People are told not to buy the other brand. Otherwise, they’ll end up with an inferior product.
MLM distributors also warn against getting oils from a health food store or from any other sources.
Is there any truth to these claims? Do you need to use only MLM oils? Or is it just a clever sales pitch?
A number of online aromatherapists assure us it’s perfectly okay to buy non-MLM oils But you do need to find a trusted supplier.
Essential Oils That Are Not MLM
(This post contains affiliate links, and if you purchase a product I receive a commission, at no extra cost to you.)
For general run-of-the-mill essential oil needs, I prefer to buy my oils either from well-known brands, such as Plant Therapy, Aura Cacia or Edens Garden. I’ve also purchased a special germ-fighting blend from a smaller, lesser known company called Fabulous Frannie. For general cleaning purposes, I’ve even purchased Vitacost house brand.
There are also various non-MLM suppliers preferred by some licensed aromatherapists. Many massage therapists, who earn their living using essential oils, do not use MLM oils.
In general, professional aromatherapists take issue with the fact that some MLM distributors tell customers to ingest essential oils. This should never be done unless you’re working with a professional.
So, I urge my readers to look beyond the hype. The two main MLM companies do sell quality products. But you can also find excellent oils elsewhere.
Top Essential Oils That Are Not Multilevel Marketing
One brand of oils I often recommend is Plant Therapy. Part of this company’s mission is to sell excellent oils at affordable prices. This is possible, as the consumer is not paying various layers of commissions typically seen in the multilevel marketing model.
Plant Therapy also works with Robert Tisserand, one of the world’s leading aromatherapy experts. He tests each batch of oil before it’s sent to a third-party facility for additional testing.
Plant Therapy Essential Oil Quality
Because I know that I’m buying a brand that’s pure and potent, I have no worries about exposure to potentially hazardous contaminants. I use Plant Therapy oils with complete confidence that I’m receiving all of the potential therapeutic benefits from aromatherapy oils.
Here are three Plant Therapy oils I’ve used myself. The lavender essential oil, in the middle, is heavenly. The peppermint was my first purchase. I was so impressed that I began researching Plant Therapy, and realized it’s one of the best non-MLM alternatives that exist. The blend on the left is called Rapid Relief. I use it to manage my chronic nerve pain. It’s one of a line of Plant Therapy blends designed for specific conditions.
Plant Therapy Rapid Relief
Plant Therapy Lavender OilPlant Therapy Peppermint Oil
Plant Therapy Essential Oils For Kids
There’s a lot of really bad essential oil advice out there. I’m convinced much of it comes from well-meaning people who want to sell oils. You won’t find this at the Plant Therapy website. The company continually publishes educational material on the correct use of essential oils. This means not ingesting them (unless you’re working with a professional) and not putting them directly on your skin.
Certain essential oils should not be used on young children. But other aromatics can safely be used on children between the ages of 2 and 10, and they’re found in the Plant Therapy KidSafe line. I love telling my readers about the KidSafe synergies, which include formulas designed to increase attention, kill germs and soothe eczema.
Plant Therapy Attention BlendPlant Therapy Germ DestroyerPlant Therapy Skin Soother
Where to Get Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils
By the way, don’t put too much stock in the term “therapeutic grade.” In the United States, there’s no certification process for this criteria. This term appears to have started by a multilevel marketing company, according to other published online reports.
What therapeutic grade usually means is that an oil doesn’t have chemical additives. Also, it’s been processed in a way that makes it safe inhalation or massage, provided that it’s diluted.
Essential oils are super strong versions of herbal remedies. So one of the safest ways to use them is to diffuse them. Or, if you decide to apply them to your body, you need to first cut them with a neutral carrier oil, such as jojoba, almond, grapeseed or fractionated coconut oil.
Plant Therapy Organic Essential Oils
I totally trust Plant Therapy oils enough to buy the non organic versions, because I know every effort is made to source them from plants that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides. The company also has a line of USDA certified organic essential oils, if you’re interested. Here are a few selections.
Plant Therapy Organic LemonPlant Therapy Organic OrangePlant Therapy Organic Cedarwood
How Much Do Essential Oils Cost?
Essential oils have helped me so much. They’ve pretty much solved my long-standing insomnia problem. At night, when I go to bed, I put a relaxing aromatic on a tissue (oftentimes it’s lavender essential oil) and I place it by my pillow. I drift off to sleep inhaling the soothing scent.
Because aromatherapy is such a big part of my life, I hate to think that anyone would be dissuaded from owning essential oils, just because a few companies have a big markup. If you buy MLM oils, several layers of commissions are typically rolled into the package.
What Should You Pay For Essential Oils?
Some oils are made from very precious plants. These must be harvested only at certain times of the year in remote locations. Under these circumstances, of course, you’d pay a premium. However, the more readily available oils, such as lavender, peppermint, orange or lemon essential oil, shouldn’t cost much.
If an oil that’s normally expensive carried a bargain basement price tag, you should be suspicious. However, the popular brands sold on the Internet, which I mentioned above, sell some of the more rare oils and these are priced accordingly.
When You Should Buy an MLM Oil
I frequently tell my readers they don’t need to buy MLM oils. But there’s one exception to the rule. This is Young Living Frankincense. Scientific studies have shown it’s capable of killing cancer cells in the laboratory. This research was conducted by Dr. H.K. Lin, PhD., at the University of Oklahoma. Some of the other brands of frankincense he tested did not show the same results, according to Dr. Lin. Young Living oils sold by multi-level marketing distributors. (I don’t know which other brands he tested.)
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional.
Perhaps you should read The Essential Oil Truth. How are your oils distilled? How does the company you buy from deal with pest control harvesting at the proper time to get the right constituents from the oils and do they farm their own oils or buy from a broker? Look up Aura Cacia on YouTube and see if you think they use good practices to harvest distill and test before they buy.
Hi Lisa, thank you for reading and for your feedback. I wish there was not so much contention in the essential oil industry. The truth of the matter is that there are a number of companies that sell high-quality products. I believe both major MLM companies sell good oils. I also believe that some of the bigger name non-MLM companies, such as Plant Therapy, Edens Garden and Aura Cacia, sell very good products too, as do some others. Plant Therapy works with world famous aromatherapy expert Paul Tisserand. Would he risk his reputation by lending his name to a company that sells inferior oils? I don’t think so. As I’m sure you know, the best essential oils are derived from plants grown in their native environment. This makes it impractical for most companies to run their own farms. Each batch of Plant Therapy oils is carefully tested. The company has rigorous quality control standards. Anyone who wants to read more about this is welcome to visit the Plant Therapy website, and learn about the quality of its oils and how they are sourced. I did watch a You Tube video of Aura Cacia’s Tim Blakely in Madagascar, where he was working with a ylang ylang distiller, who obviously takes a lot of pride in his job. The video was really good. I loved seeing the distillation process. I never tell my readers not to buy MLM oils. I just present them with choices. At times I recommend different companies, and I share my personal experience.
I’ve recently decided to incorporate essential oils in my life as I am going as all natural as I personally can. In every aspect of life. I didn’t know it would be this daunting of a task. It started with my first “100% Australian organic tea tree oil” my brain hurts even still as I type this. That first Google search was over a week again and I’ve not gotten on FB, or checked email, or lived much of a life other than researching oils. I’ve decided to go with either Plant Therapy or Edens, however I do have a question maybe you or a reader can answer. While the bulk of my oils will most likely come from the above mentioned companies. I am curious to know how safe/good a product some of the lesser knowns are? Such as Piping Rock, and First Botany I believe it is called. According to their labels they are 100% pure and basically match up (as far as the labels and sourcing info goes) to some of the companies known all around go be good. Like the first two mentioned. Reading reviews on several sites they seem to have an overall 80% or higher rating. Very few not liking the product and many that don’t like it I notice didn’t dilute them which, common sense my friend. My interest in these brands are actually for cleaning purposes, non skin and or use for humans/animals. A 4oz bottle is roughly $7.95-$10.00 which is obviously more practical when adding to my cleaners. Or am I off completely and they can be used on us? Or are they not recommended at all? If someone can chime in on that I’d be oh so appreciative. I don’t know that my brain can store many more Google searches lol Thank you for this article BTW it is one of the better ones I’ve seen!
Hi Parker, thanks so much for visting my site. I hear what you’re saying and I think you’ll be happy with either Plant Therapy or Edens Garden, which you mentioned, for your main essential oil supplier. This is a really good question. I don’t know much about Piping Rock oils or where they are sourced, but I have used generic brands for cleaning myself, and I think generic peppermint oil is definitely appropriate for pest control. (Mice don’t need top of the line.) Also, it strikes me as wasteful to use high-priced oils to clean your toilet. The next bottle of tea tree oil I plan to purchase for mold control will likely be a generic brand. Buying off label, in my humble opinion, is fine for cleaning. As far as for massage or diffusing, I would only use a brand I knew well and trusted, such as the two you mentioned in your comment. You seem to be on the right track.
Thank-you for a wonderful article and for sharing all your careful research. I am getting into essential oils and have been introduced to both sides of the “hype”. I just instinctively do not like MLM arenas, however, my team leader does offer a lot of free classes, etc., and I guess she is entitled for something for her labors. A rep from a non-MLM company whom I met in a health food store first started dissecting the hype. She told me that the label needs to tell the place of origin and the Latin name as well as say “100% pure” , (albeit such a declaration is not regulated; the oil itself could be pure, but could be adulterated in the bottle with other oils). I have found Plant Therapy and really like them too; the Paul Tisserand connection adds another layer of confidence, and like you, I think you need to use judgment and not swab your high-priced MLM oils in the toilet or feed them to mice.
Hi Brenda, exactly, find a company or companies you are comfortable with and stick with them. I do buy MLM oils, but not for myself. My Mom was introduced to an MLM brand and this is what she prefers. So that’s what I buy for her. For myself, I’m happy with Plant Therapy and some of the other non-MLM labels, as long as I know they’re pure. I’ve also used generic oils for cleaning.
Thankyou So Much for this!! It’s been such a struggle searching for a company you can trust and hoping your going to make the right choice.. I just want my oils in my life.. Without crappy customer service , and mis-information…… I’ve been all of a sudden So terrible disappointed with the big MLM I’ve been with for a little over a year now…… I’m out!!!
So I Thankyou for this humble price you’ve written. ?☮
Hi Jodi, thank you so much for reading my blog.