Do you have experience with "Young Living" brand of EO?

[Zing]

One of my friend's cleaned out their cupboard and gave me over a dozen bottles of essential oils, brand name "Young Living." HMU if you've used this brand in making soap and bath & body products.
Not to sound ungrateful but it's so funny that friends frequently give me 0.5 ounce bottles.

 

[Misschief]

If they're giving them to you, great! If you're buying them, they're far too expensive to use in soap. As far as I'm concerned, EO is EO; I don't know if the quality is better or worse than any other reputable EO seller.

My son and DIL wanted one of my soaps quite badly and she was a YL distributor. They sent me the EOs needed (three different ones) so I could make it. Yeah, as you've noticed, the half ounce bottles don't go very far and I would have needed twice what they sent me. That would have made it a very expensive bar of soap! I ended up buying the EOs from one of my regular suppliers.

I also had a customer who was a YL seller; I told him flat out that his products were far too expensive for me to use. He was confused because "a little goes a long way". When I explained that 1/% of 1000 grams is 1 gram and that particular batch of soap requires three different oils for a total of 30 grams, the light went on.

 

[ackosel]

Ditto. Young Living and DoTerra are considered just about the highest quality essential oils you can get. That's what you buy if you're using them as a replacement for prescription medications or the like. The reason you never get more than 0.5 oz bottles is that nobody can afford more than half an ounce at a time! They're pure, but they won't outperform any other brand in soap.

 

[lsg]

I have used this book from Connie Higley from Young Living. It is a great resource. I have never purchase EOs from Young Living; but if I had a chance at free EOs from them, I would certainly jump on it.
https://www.amazon.com/Connie-Refer...9545683&sprefix=connie+higley,aps,140&sr=8-10

 

[AliOop]

Young Living and DoTerra are considered just about the highest quality essential oils you can get. That's what you buy if you're using them as a replacement for prescription medications or the like.

I'd have to gently disagree. Their claims to higher purity, "therapeutic grade" etc. are just marketing buzz words.

There are only so many essential oil growers and manufacturers in the world, and all the sellers buy from them. What you get from a good quality soap and candle supplier is very unlikely to be much if at all lower in quality than YL or DT.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Young Living and DoTerra are both party plan, pyramid scheme type EOs so they are very expensive. Quality is always claimed to be top-notch and you "require less" than other EOs. They are fine to use in soap, and if they are free - go for gold I say! Just don't get sucked into being a 'distributor' for the stuff! (Probably why your friend is getting rid of it in the first place)

 

[ackosel]

I'd have to gently disagree. Their claims to higher purity, "therapeutic grade" etc. are just marketing buzz words.

There are only so many essential oil growers and manufacturers in the world, and all the sellers buy from them. What you get from a good quality soap and candle supplier is very unlikely to be much if at all lower in quality than YL or DT.

Oh, the things I learn here! My sister-in-law is a DT distributor... I guess I'm gullible - it's hard for me to distinguish between marketing schemes and reality, which is probably the reason I hate shopping and making decisions based on marketing.

 

[melinda48]

Ditto. Young Living and DoTerra are considered just about the highest quality essential oils you can get. That's what you buy if you're using them as a replacement for prescription medications or the like. The reason you never get more than 0.5 oz bottles is that nobody can afford more than half an ounce at a time! They're pure, but they won't outperform any other brand in soap.

They do not outperform any high quality essential oil. A side note - the term “therapeutic essential oil” was created by the CEO of Young Living as a marketing vehicle. I will stick with New Directions Aromatics.

 

[Hope Elisabeth 68]

It is a branding/marketing thing. I once asked a friend who swore by YL what the difference was. She was far from rich and so it was curious that she used such expensive Eos. She looked at me strange and said, "They have a seed to seal guarantee!!!!" As if I "should know that." And as if that meant anything at all. That was the moment I understood what "branding" meant.

 

[AliOop]

That was the moment I understood what "branding" meant.

... and "brainwashing," too. It's like a cult! Lots of folks are also unaware of the very sordid past of YL's founder. The founder of DT is no better, IMO. He was YL's protege who decided to branch out on his own by copying YL's money-making model. There was a big lawsuit between them over all this. YL has also sued or threatened to sue many mommy bloggers and others - basically, anyone without funds to defend themselves - who tried to point out that his oils were no better than any others.

 

[ackosel]

I guess I'll never get rich! It's distressing to think that people use marketing in order to deceive consumers. I'm not the only gullible person in the world!

 

[KiwiMoose]

I guess I'll never get rich! It's distressing to think that people use marketing in order to deceive consumers. I'm not the only gullible person in the world!

 

[Hope Elisabeth 68]

... and "brainwashing," too. It's like a cult! Lots of folks are also unaware of the very sordid past of YL's founder. The founder of DT is no better, IMO. He was YL's protege who decided to branch out on his own by copying YL's money-making model. There was a big lawsuit between them over all this. YL has also sued or threatened to sue many mommy bloggers and others - basically, anyone without funds to defend themselves - who tried to point out that his oils were no better than any others.

Yes! I had heard they had sketchy stuff but didn't know about any of it. We have someone in our circles who is in one of the top tiers (her picture was on the old website as 2nd tier). And then BOTH of her parents in law, who are also really into the oils, got colon cancer. I am not saying it is related, but one of the things YL has subtly promoted is you can ingest the oils. Hmm...connection?

 

[cmzaha]

I'd have to gently disagree. Their claims to higher purity, "therapeutic grade" etc. are just marketing buzz words.

There are only so many essential oil growers and manufacturers in the world, and all the sellers buy from them. What you get from a good quality soap and candle supplier is very unlikely to be much if at all lower in quality than YL or DT.

I 100% agree. As for medicinal use, the FDA has investigated them more than once for making medical claims. They always blame it on their distributors and say they have no control over what they advertise. One of the EO companies I like is Liberty Naturals along with NDA. I loved several EO's from Camden Grey but they only sell bulk now.

 

[AliOop]

This timeline about the YL founder is very interesting. Although it is from another EO seller who may not be unbiased, it is written in a factual manner, with citations to sources.

PS - sorry @Zing we've veered off topic from your original question. I'll shut up now!

 

[artemis]

Yes. And every bottle says, "do not ingest," but the consultants all push that as an option.

The reason the friend had so many little bottles is probably because the reps are required to purchase a certain amount of product in order to stay an active rep.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Given this discussion, I’m on the edge of my seat to see the million dollar soap you create with your EO gift, @Zing

 

[DeeAnna]

What I find interesting is I know of one respected supplier who sells specific varietals of a given EO. For example, I can purchase a sampler of 12 different varieties of lavender EO from this company.

From what I recall, Young Living and DoTerra only sell one type of lavender EO, which argues against their claims of being the best of the best.

 

[basti]

The relief I feel seeing regulars here rightfully describe these MLM essential oil companies negatively, beyond just their price point in regards to soaping.

 

[Vicki C]

My feeling about MLM companies… run away and don’t look back.