Bring me up to speed

[elitenaildesign]

I've been out of the b&b world again for a while. A few of the stylist I work with talk about nothing but Young Living oils and that nothing compares. It's almost a cult. I've never really gotten into EOs, but am getting intrigued. Is this just a pyramid co or are the oils really that spectacular?

[TallTayl]

You are not missing anything. YL and DoTerra have mastered the mass marketing of ordinary essential oils, coining the term 'therapeutic' to describe them.

[Candybee]

Both of those companies received citation letters from the FDA this past summer citing them on several counts of their marketing practices. I saw copies of the letters on one of the soaping forums but don't remember which one. If I can find a link I will post it.

 

Anyway they sell their oils to their affilates which in turn sell the oils to the general public. So you can surmise that you will not be getting a good price for the oils nor be able to buy in bulk quantities at least not at any type of fair market or wholesale price.

 

I have a friend that's an affiliate for Young Living oils. I have smelled some of the vials of EOs. The ones I smelled were pretty darn nice OOB. I especially loved the Thieves Blend so much I googled the recipe and checked several sources until I got common recipe put together.

 

The famous 'thieves blend' EO recipe was first put together by spice merchants during the plaque years so they could rob the dead without catching the plaque. It actually worked and the recipe became so valuable it is still being used today. (Although you would not want to make any medicinal claims there are those who do). Anyway Its been around for centuries. But I will be using EOs from reliable EO suppliers and not YL. Besides, you have no way of knowing the purity or origins of their EOs or if they have been diluted.

 

Edited because: I forgot to add that some of the affiliates also received FDA citations because they unfortunately used the verbiage handed to them from YL/Dterra marketing materials on their websites. Nice huh?!! To get suckered in by a company you thought you could trust. I feel bad for the affliates that got burned. Just goes to show you how careful you have to be. The FDA is cracking down on anyone making medicinal claims that is not licensed to do so.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Candybee

[Candybee]

Here is a copy of the link. It was posted in the soapmakingforum:

 

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=48856&highlight=young+living

 

Note that about halfway down on the YL citation is one re thieves blend.  They were telling people you could put some of the oil on your feet to keep from getting ebola!!

Edited January 4, 2015 by Candybee

[TallTayl]

Candybee... They have "medical advice" for just about every ailment known to modern man. Scary stuff that advice given by untrained salespeople.

[Candybee]

They also tell people in their marketing brochures they can apply their EOs directly on the skin. I know because I read the marketing brochure for the affiliates along with hand out flyers for customers she had with her. So the affliates in turn teach their customers the same, then customers turn around and tell their friends. Yikes!

[chappy6107]

maybe it is a sign that the EO's are thinned out and not pure.

[TallTayl]

Could be, but i tend to lean toward people just not understanding that "natural" does not always mean "safe" or not sensitizing.

[Candybee]

I was just checking out YL's website and they have a safety guide for using EOs. They are promoting diffusing their EOs with a carrier oils and precautions of their use by people with medical conditions and pregnancy. Much better than the verbiage I saw on their brochures this past summer.

[elitenaildesign]

Oh wow, now Im really going to roll my eyes when I hear them talk about it all day. They both claim to be so holistic. 

Now after reading these replies, I do remember reading pure essential oils shouldnt be put directly on the skin and many of YL eo's are applied that way. In fact, one wanted me to try a pain reliever eo for my bad wrist. Was a little hesitant, but tried it and did relieve a lot of my pain. Unfortunately it was only topical relief. A client of mine also spoke of their oils being ingested. Looks like I have a lot of reading to do. Thanks for the info!

[Candybee]

When the market season begins this year it will be interesting to see how my friend markets her YL EOs. It will be a gauge to see how the FDA impacted YL and if that equates to retraining their affiliates.

 

I must confess I liked some of YL's EO blends. I just don't know anything about them other than their claims. That's why I won't buy from them and because I don't care for their marketing practices.

 

When I use EOs in my products I must know their origin, purity, and how they were produced.

[moonshine]

Stay away from young living..... If your experienced in EO and know your stuff it's ine thing but if your new I highly recommend you don't- they have some questionable advice and I am not a fan of their "raindrop" technique....I walked out of a massage center when I saw they used them and of course pushed selling them

They do have some very nice blends but again if you don't know the components and warnings of the oils I think your better off starting with a company that sells single EO and start with basics and do your research using several different sources - not just one

[GoldieMN]

I'm not writing this to try to convince anyone to use essential oils but to share with you what I know about this.

 

1.  Essential oil distributors are not to give advice for particular medical questions but can suggest oils for different body systems like the respiratory system to be in accordance with the FDA rules.  Too many people were answering questions like "what should I use for asthma" by suggesting an oil which the FDA said is a no-no.  But a person can answer with "these oils support the respiratory system" or something on that order.

2.  If you are going to use an essential oil, read the label.  If it says "do not ingest", don't even put it on your body.  It is not 100% pure.

3.  Anyone (general public) can get wholesale prices without going through a distributor at least with Young Living.  

 

For me, I would rather use something 100% natural than a product ok'd by the FDA which comes with all kinds of warnings (you hear them on the commercials all the time) or that gets recalled due to the harm they have done.  Just my opinion.

GoldieMN

[debratant]

The girl I see for massage 2 or 3 times a year uses young living oils exclusively in her massage business.  To be honest....going to her for a massage the first time years ago...is what got me interested in soap making because I felt so GREAT after the massage and the oils were just heavenly smelling LOL.  I was super super stressed out at the time...so obviously I felt great after the massage...but I distinctly recalled how great  I smelled LOL.  I had to have me some essential oil of lavender, peppermint and lemon...to put in soap!  I didn't order from young living though....couldn't afford those prices.  I ordered them from Camden Grey.  I still use peppermint today when I have a stuffy nose...and I diffuse the lavender or apply it neat to my temples if I have a headache or if I am stressed

 

One oil that I did have her get me was the Thieves Oil.  I have a bottle that I have had for several years.  I use this every year during flu season.  I have  to say....it works for me.  I don't ingest...but I do put it on  the bottom of my feet at night with a bit of sweet almond oil.  The reason I had her get me a bottle of that was because one year...I got hit with my first ever case of bronchitis ( I am a smoker).  Sent me to the ER.  Naturally the bronchitis cough went on for awhile.  I decided to go to her office ( which is a chiropractors office as well....the Dr also uses the oils and saw me this day) and she laid me down on the table....and did some hocus pocus witch doctory stuff....mixed some thieves oil with oil...then  dropped it on my chest, placed her hands there where she had dropped the oils for about 2 minutes...eyes closed, not speaking, like she was meditating.  I thought  was way strange at the time.......

 

Later that night....I hocked up a giant fur ball....I am serious.  I coughed up something...looked like a mix of phlegm and hair...my own hair.  My cough SIGNIFICANTLY reduced right after that. I slept that night straight thru for the first time in over a week.  

 

So, was it the Thieves?  Don't know...but after that...I wanted that bottle and I paid $50 for it.  I've not had bronchitis again....and  this year?  All my coworkers have had the flu...not me...the smoker LOL.  

 

Do I fall for the gimmicks of young living? No...but I love that Thieves oil and love all essential oils if used properly.

 

Oh...and lavender eo on a cut on your finger ( you always cut yourself on the joint lol)  that hurts to high heaven?...takes the pain away instantly for me.  I only discovered this little neat benefit last week after I cut myself.  

Edited March 18, 2015 by debratant

[moonshine]

I also use their theives - it's a great oil and the only one of theirs I do buy- and I also am a smoker and knock on wood but have not had the flu when my husband just got over it 2 weeks ago

I do not allow people to use them on me in massage or chiropractic though - I would rather do it myself only because reading on their practices a lot of them are really are not safe - they use a lot of oils neat which should not be done and of course the resalers don't know any different they just follow the instructions but there are some very good doctors and massage therapists that do know what they are doing and are certified - I just play it safe after overdosing myself when I first ventured in EO

[iansmommaya]

I skip the MLM from any compnay, but especially YL and DoTerra. I blend my own blends of essential oils, I like doing it, it costs less (far far far less) and I make a great blend.

[Guest OldGlory]

Gattefosse, a French perfumer in the early 20th century and the "founder" of aromatherapy, discovered the benefits of lavender EO quite by accident in a lab when he burned a hand and stuck it into the closest vessel of liquid - which happened to be lavender EO.

 

You know, there's plenty of evidence supporting the clinical use of essential oils. One of the references I use is A Lifetime Guide to Healing with Essential Oils by Valerie Gennari Cooksley. Fascinating book. The problem is that 1) these are natural oils, and they are not being measured to assess their values, and 2) you can do a lot of damage with these oils if you are not trained to be a medical practitioner.

 

So, we don't know what we are buying, we don't know how to measure their strength, and we don't know how to use them effectively and safely. There's a lot of room for error. And there are far too many people willing to make a buck on bad information, lol!

[Guest]

The girl I see for massage 2 or 3 times a year uses young living oils exclusively in her massage business.  To be honest....going to her for a massage the first time years ago...is what got me interested in soap making because I felt so GREAT after the massage and the oils were just heavenly smelling LOL.  I was super super stressed out at the time...so obviously I felt great after the massage...but I distinctly recalled how great  I smelled LOL.  I had to have me some essential oil of lavender, peppermint and lemon...to put in soap!  I didn't order from young living though....couldn't afford those prices.  I ordered them from Camden Grey.  I still use peppermint today when I have a stuffy nose...and I diffuse the lavender or apply it neat to my temples if I have a headache or if I am stressed

 

One oil that I did have her get me was the Thieves Oil.  I have a bottle that I have had for several years.  I use this every year during flu season.  I have  to say....it works for me.  I don't ingest...but I do put it on  the bottom of my feet at night with a bit of sweet almond oil.  The reason I had her get me a bottle of that was because one year...I got hit with my first ever case of bronchitis ( I am a smoker).  Sent me to the ER.  Naturally the bronchitis cough went on for awhile.  I decided to go to her office ( which is a chiropractors office as well....the Dr also uses the oils and saw me this day) and she laid me down on the table....and did some hocus pocus witch doctory stuff....mixed some thieves oil with oil...then  dropped it on my chest, placed her hands there where she had dropped the oils for about 2 minutes...eyes closed, not speaking, like she was meditating.  I thought  was way strange at the time.......

 

Later that night....I hocked up a giant fur ball....I am serious.  I coughed up something...looked like a mix of phlegm and hair...my own hair.  My cough SIGNIFICANTLY reduced right after that. I slept that night straight thru for the first time in over a week.  

 

So, was it the Thieves?  Don't know...but after that...I wanted that bottle and I paid $50 for it.  I've not had bronchitis again....and  this year?  All my coworkers have had the flu...not me...the smoker LOL.  

 

Do I fall for the gimmicks of young living? No...but I love that Thieves oil and love all essential oils if used properly.

 

Oh...and lavender eo on a cut on your finger ( you always cut yourself on the joint lol)  that hurts to high heaven?...takes the pain away instantly for me.  I only discovered this little neat benefit last week after I cut myself.  

Is she a Reiki practioner?  That sounds like Reiki to me.  Never had it done myself, but I know one person who did and he said it worked for him also with some ailment he had. He didn't mention the use of any oils though, just the Reiki part.