Myth Busting & FAQ’s

Myth Busting

Myth Busting

?You will read all kinds of conflicting information on line. Follow the tips above, use your oils regularly and use common sense and you'll be fine.

?ARE OILS SAFE INTERNALLY?
DōTERRA- yes, when noted as safe for Internal use
?Q&A with Dr. Hill - https://bit.ly/2FQT6XM
? Recommended Internal Dosage - https://bit.ly/2zAuor5

?CAN I BE ALLERGIC TO OILS? 

When people react to an oil it is usually because they used a spicy oil, didn’t dilute, or they have a background of immune system over-reactions. Although reactions (like rashes) are rare, they can occasionally happen.
? What to do when you have an adverse reaction to oils - https://bit.ly/2EVexKy


?DOES LAVENDER CAUSE BOYS TO GROW BREASTS? 
Nope.
?Article from a world-renowned aromatherapist - https://bit.ly/1LLVtp2


?ARE PEPPERMINT AND EUCALYPTUS SAFE FOR CHILDREN AND INGESTION? 
There are lots of articles online about the safety of Peppermint & Eucalyptus in children but be aware that they are referring to non- dōTERRA. Non-dōTERRA oils can be unsafe because they are adulterated or have different properties or were used undiluted and in massive illogical amounts such as 5 ml in a single use. ALso, doTERRA Eucalyptus single oil is Eucalyptus Radiata. BUT, the Eucalyptus that is in OnGuard and Breathe Drops is Eucalyptus Globus — a different species. The Globus variety isn’t good for internal use (and says so on the label) The eucalyptus variety in Onguard is approved safe for internal use.
?Article about the truth of the compounds that worry people - https://bit.ly/2HNA31B


?CARRAGEENAN in some DOTERRA PRODUCTS

While I personally do not have an issue with carrageenan, some people aren’t sure about the ingredient “carrageenan” that is used in our vegetarian softgels. I’ve met people with very opposite opinions and doTERRA is aware of the varying opinions on this ingredient and in a nutshell have stated they would never use an ingredient that wasn’t thoroughly researched and known to be safe.
dōTERRA has made the following statement to those with concerns:
“Carrageenan is a natural fiber extracted from seaweed and is used as a thickening agent in our vegetarian softgels. Seaweed and seaweed fiber are used safely and extensively throughout the world and have well-established safety records supported by numerous clinical studies. Carrageenan is GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) and is approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S., by the European Parliament and Council, by the Joint World Health Organization, and by the Food and Agriculture Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives. dōTERRA only uses long chain carrageenan molecules—which have been shown to be safe—in our products. Carrageenan is simply a type of fiber that is not digested or absorbed by the intestinal tract. It is therefore unable to enter the blood stream by ingestion.
We thank you for your concerns and hope you will use our softgel products with confidence, knowing that they are safe for your body. For additional questions regarding carrageenan, please contact [email protected]."

?DO ESSENTIAL OILS EXPIRE?
There are expiration dates on the bottom of your bottles as required by the FDA because they are consumable products, however they have been knowing to last decades. Oils lose efficacy over time but to make that last longer...
⓵ Keep them out of heat
⓶ Keep them out of direct sunlight
⓷ Keep the lids on- oxygen makes them evaporate

Why we LOVE dōTERRA

1. We love doTERRA’s commitment to purity.

They source their oils from all over the world and work very closely with the growers to ensure the best possible product. Each batch of oil undergoes seven different tests by a third-party laboratory to ensure purity and quality. (Here is a link to more info on the testing) Also, doTERRA is committed to working directly with growers to cut out middlemen, pay the growers a fair wage, and grow the crops in a sustainable manner. We call it “co-impact sourcing.” Here’s a video that explains it (think fair-trade coffee, but with essential oils)

2. We love that doTERRA does co-impact sourcing when sourcing oils.

3. We love the support.

There is SO MUCH solid info available to us as doTERRA consultants! There is a never-ending stream of printables, websites, audios, webinars, videos, and live events for those who want to learn.

4. We love doTERRA’s compensation plan.

It’s far more generous that many other network-marketing plans. This video explains how it is different.

5. We love the company’s integrity.

Allow me to be blunt for a moment– there is another company that has tried many different tactics to discredit doTERRA. Yet, through it all, doTERRA has maintained their professionalism, and has not stooped to those levels.

5. We love our generous Loyalty Rewards Program.

The following information is straight from founding executive Greg Cook’s Facebook page:

“doTERRA’s Loyalty Reward Program: doTERRA’s Loyalty Reward program is as generous as they come. We are not aware of a reward program out there that is more generous and flexible. Everyone appreciates getting FREE products

I generally avoid comparisons, but I am going to do so here to emphasize my point. If you compare side by side to doTERRA’s largest competitor it would look like this–

A new doTERRA member who enrolls with a $500 kit and stays on a monthly LRP order of 100 PV would earn about 452 points (1 point=$1) in free product over the course of the first year. You would receive 100 points from the Fast Track Program for your enrollment, and you would be advanced immediately to earning 15% of each LRP order in free product. In addition, you would earn Shipping Rewards on every order that was placed online.

If you compare this to our competitor, the new member would earn approximately 150 points over the course of the first year for the same ordering. So yes, you would earn 3 times the amount of free product with doTERRA’s program.

A dōTERRA member who enrolled with a 1000 pv kit and continues with a 100 pv monthly order for one year and places a monthly order would earn approximately 600 points over the first year. This compares to 150 points in the competitor’s program.

Just wanted to point this out. There are so many other advantages that provide flexibility in our program that make it easy to redeem your points.”

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you can't find the answer to your question below, simply reach out to the person you signed up under! (also called your upline)

About Essential Oil Usage

Can I overdose on essential oils?

While it's possible to apply too many essential oils to the body, you'd have to use an extreme amount to do harm.

Toxicity levels have been studied in rats for years and the conclusion has been made that it takes an EXTREME amount of essential oils to cause toxicity.

According to this book, you would need to apply 3,000 drops at one time or apply 200 drops a day everyday for a month in order for essential oils to become toxic to the body.

Rob Young (dōTERRA executive) has stated,

"If someone were able to drink a whole bottle of Deep Blue or Breathe (it would be very difficult to swallow such an amount without gagging) then you would want to watch them closely and call poison control with any signs of strong stomach or chest pain, elevated temperature, sleepiness, etc. as you would as a general household first aid rule. Some essential oils are “hot” (e.g. Cinnamon, Oregano) and might sting the mouth for a while but generally speaking there is not a great danger of long-term damage with the oils.

Using the oils as directed on the labels with moderation will help you avoid any undesirable side effects from the oils. We ere on the side of safety and conservatism on our labels and reference materials so follow the directions and you will be good to go."

Robert Tisserand said it best in his book, Essential Oil Safety...

“We live in a world replete with toxic substances, yet ‘hazard’ should not be confused with ‘risk’. The presence of a toxic substance (hazard) is only problematic if exposure is sufficiently great (risk). Roasted coffee contains furan and bezo[a]pyrene, two known carcinogens…yet coffee is not considered carcinogenic. Almost all edible fruits contain acetaldehyde, a probable human carcinogen. But bananas are not considered carcinogenic because the amounts of acetaldehyde are extremely small, and because there are large quantities of antioxidant, antimutagens, and anticarcinogens also present in the fruit. It is a similar story with coffee.”

dōTERRA encourages us to promote common sense in application. We encourage people to use 1-3 drops per dose. We also educate about proper dilution of "spicy" oils, and we encourage everybody to dilute when it comes to children & pets.

Most people use common sense and apply anywhere from 5-20 drops per day of essential oils, depending on their needs.

(source)

Which diffuser is best?

Our upline, Jill Winger, wrote this detailed review on the best diffusers.

Should I dilute essential oils?

The best way to help extend your oils and avoid any skin irritations is to dilute your essential oils while applying. Diluting is not always necessary, except in the case of “hot” oils, such as Oregano, Thyme, Cinnamon, On Guard blend, Cassia, etc. In that case, we recommend applying them to the bottom of the feet or diluting them with a carrier oil such as as olive oil or fractionated coconut oil. For children & pets, you should ALWAYS dilute the oils.

What is fractionated coconut oil?

Fractionated coconut oil is coconut that has been refined so it won't harden in the winter. It is also less greasy than standard coconut oil.

You can use fractionated coconut oil to dilute your essential oils or to add to an empty capsule when taking essential oils internally.

Why are there cheaper oils elsewhere online?

With the popularity of essential oils, comes more brands popping up online and even in your local Walmart 😉 (check out what Walmart essential oils are really made of)

The essential oil industry is a lot like the coffee bean industry in that many farmers and workers are treated poorly.

dōTERRA works closely with its farmers in sourcing, and establishes relationships and long-term contracts to benefit both parties. dōTERRA has an incredibly high standard for their essential oils, so they work with the farmers to make sure the harvest is meeting certain qualifications. dōTERRA practices co-impact sourcing, which means they provide fair pay to the farmers & workers and also help to work with them in sustainable farming practices and high quality harvests.

When I see cheaper essential oils pop up in various places, there's a high likelihood these are purchased through middle-men. Leftover crops, or lower quality crops are sold to the highest bidder, but often times, farmers are underpaid and struggle to feed their families throughout the rest of the year.

dōTERRA refuses to let that happen. They pay fair prices throughout the year at different times when the crops meet quality standards. Farmers are rewarded not just for their yield, but in the quality of their yield and overall growing & harvesting practices.

You can be sure that dōTERRA essential oils are the best of the best!

I've read essential oils shouldn't be consumed internally. Is this true?

There is some debate over whether or not essential oils should be taken internally. I (along with hundreds of thousands of other folks) personally ingest essential oils (with common sense) on a regular basis. I have never experienced any problems or adverse effects. However, this is a decision that should be left up to the individual.

Here is what Rob Young (doTERRA executive) has to say:

“Most of the oils that are marked for external use only would not pose any harm, they simply would not provide any benefit and they don’t taste very good either.

There are oils, however, that you would want to be careful to use internally such as Wintergreen. In very high amounts, Wintergreen essential oil can make you sick and even severely ill if you are a child. But you would have to drink the whole bottle (pretty hard to swallow that much) but it is a possibility nevertheless. Essential oils are very concentrated botanical extracts and you might get stomach upset if you use too much of any essential oil, or any botanical extract for that matter.

If someone were able to drink a whole bottle of Deep Blue or Breathe (it would be very difficult to swallow such an amount without gagging) then you would want to watch them closely and call poison control with any signs of strong stomach or chest pain, elevated temperature, sleepiness, etc. as you would as a general household first aid rule. Some essential oils are “hot” (e.g. Cinnamon, Oregano) and might sting the mouth for a while but generally speaking there is not a great danger of long-term damage with the oils.

Using the oils as directed on the labels with moderation will help you avoid any undesirable side effects from the oils. We ere on the side of safety and conservatism on our labels and reference materials so follow the directions and you will be good to go.”

You may come across articles or aromatherapists that promote an extremely low usage of oils in the form of diluting or only inhaling. To understand why they do this, you need to understand the history of aromatherapy...

When aromatherapy began in France in the 1930s, it was called 'Holistic Aromatherapy' and was more of a form of energy work, applied through extremely diluted oils or inhalation. Because they didn't understand at the time the effect essential oils would have on the body, aromatherapists often recommended people to ask their physicians about internal or (without dilution) application.

It's for this reason that 'Aromatic Medicine' became a popular practice among French physicians and still to this day, essential oils are used in medical practices in France in the form of topical, aromatic, or internal application.

Current aromatherapy schools  in England and the US follow the original 'Holistic Aromatherapy' approach, which is focused on "gentle" or "low-dose" application, similar to homeopathic medicine.

This is why you'll see aromatherapists write about the harms of high-dose application and why you'll see the same diluted recommendations in aromatherapy books. This is mainly done for liability purposes.

I also love this thoughtful write-up by Diamond Farrah Cullver:

“As grateful as I am for naturopaths, acupuncturists, herbalists, homeopaths, aromatherapists, and others in the natural health world (and believe me I am incredibly grateful) the truth is they are going to feel a bit of pinch as people learn to take care of themselves with essential oils. They may fear losing business, they may fear some of what they have previously taught being questioned, that is an understandably scary place to be in. However, in the long run their businesses are going to grow in every way because of what doTERRA is doing. People that have never considered natural health solutions before are starting with these oils and spring boarding from there into the wider world of natural health care. The services of all those I mentioned are going to be sought out more than ever as the general public is seeing that they are infact viable options.

We need to be both wise and gentle during the transition. Wise in discerning the information that is bubbling up on the internet; in realizing that just because someone writes with passion and a form of logic does not mean that all of their information is true or that all of their logic is correct.

Consider this, doTERRA is now in its ninth year. That is nine years of people using their oils topically, aromatically, and internally. If ingesting these oils was dangerous there would be people getting very very sick instead of better and better. doTERRA would not be able to be a company if ingesting oils was dangerous. There would be alot of very sick people right now and that just is not the case.

Also lets all do what we can to educate ourselves. This is a great reason to attend doTERRA’s annual convention. The education we get, the doctors we hear from, it all is so helpful in knowing how to respond to this kind of stuff.

Get to know aromaticscience.com There are many research articles on this site that are completely legitimate, published in medical journals, that show how beneficial taking certain oils are for various conditions.

Here is one on the benefits of taking orange oil, notice it is rats AND humans in the study.

And I really like this one- the benefit of citrus oils taken by women with breast cancer. You just can’t argue with this, no harm came, infact the cancer was being reduced.

I also love the balanced approach of this article.

Lastly, here is a short write up from a chiropractor and experienced researcher, who is also a doTERRA WA:

"Do you ever eats food that are flavored? I’m talking everything from gum, flavored purified water, ice cream to coffee to cakes to whatever it may be. Most “natural” flavors are comprised up of essential oils. Like it not, you’re most likely consuming essential oils every day! So, why not get the REAL deal instead of some fake, synthetic version!
Then, if you want to get REAL fancy… French and German aromatherapists regularly give out oils for oral consumption.
And there are several studies that confirm its efficacy. Frankincense has been used internally for thousands of years. According to a 2013 article published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, learning and memory performance is enhanced in the offspring of the mothers who consume frankincense during their pregnancy. And the list goes on and on.”

I've read there are certain oils that are dangerous for babies. Is this true?

We always encourage caution when it comes to essential oils and babies. In fact, you should always dilute essential oils on babies as a general rule.

As far as the danger factor goes, there is a concern with a certain compound found in some essential oils called 1,8-cineole, that can reduce the respiratory rate at high doses. 1,8-cineole is mostly in eucalyptus, but also in peppermint, ginger, basil, rosemary, sage, and cardamom

There have been instances where a baby has drank or applied an entire bottle of Eucalyptus and suffered a loss of consciousness, so it's good to be aware that essential oils are powerful and should be kept away from children. In this study, it is cited that "in 27 [children] who ingested known doses of eucalyptus oil, 10 had no effects after a mean of 1.7 mL (28 drops), 11 had minor poisoning after a mean of 2.0 mL (33), five had moderate poisoning after a mean of 2.5 mL (41 drops) and one had major poisoning after 7.5 mL (125 drops)."

The easiest thing you can do is not to apply an extreme amount of Eucalyptus oil or other 1,8-cineole essential oils to your babies, and avoid diffusing a 1,8-cineole essential oil in a closed room overnight in with an infant sleeping in that room so the mist doesn't build up and become too overwhelming.

All it takes is some simple safety precautions to make sure your child doesn't accidently get too much of this specific oil:)

If I want to err on the side of caution, is there a list of absolutely safe oils for babies?

Babies under the age of 3+ months need caution when it comes to essential oils.

This is because sometimes the enzymes needed to fully break down all varieties of essential oils aren't always developed.

Just like babies can have jaundice when they are born because their liver isn't fully functioning yet, the same goes with some babies and their ability to metabolize essential oils.

So, with all that being said, it's up to you if you have a situation where a baby under 3 months needs essential oils. First off, I would heavily dilute the oil. So, that means I would get 4 TBS. of a carrier oil and then only put 1-2 drops in that before I'd apply. Also, I would stick with gentle oils like Lavender or Chamomile (which have a lot of properties and can help with a wide range of issues) and avoid stronger oils like Clove, Eucalyptus, or Peppermint.

Essential oils safe for topical use/diffusion on babies 3+ months

The maximum recommended amount of essential oils used on babies 3+ months topically, should not exceed .2% of the recipe, or 1-2 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

• Chamomile, Roman and German (Anthemis nobilis, Matricaria rectutita)
• Dill (Anthum graveolens)
• Lavender – (Lavendula angustifolia)
• Yarrow, Blue (Achillea millefolium)

Essential oils safe for topical use/diffusion on babies 6+ months

This is just a general guideline and great care should be taken to research each essential oil’s maximum dermal use individually before use. The maximum recommended amount of essential oils used on babies 6+ months topically, should not exceed .5% of the recipe, or 3-5 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

• Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) bergamot essential oil is a phototoxic oil and can cause photoxic reactions on your skin, if used before going out in the sunshine. diffusion and wash-off products are safe from this though.
• Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)
• Cedarwood, Atlas/Virgina (Cedrus atlantica, Cedrus deodora, Juniperus virginiana) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum verum) this is safe for diffusion ONLY. Cinnamon bark is not safe for use on anyone’s skin, as it is too irritating. Use Cinnamon leaf instead, for topical preparations!
• Cinnamon leaf (Cinnamomum verum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
• Cypress (Cupressus sempervires)
• Fir needle (Abies sibirica)
• Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
• Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)
• Helichrysum (Helichrysum angustifolium)
• Lemon (Citrus limon) this is safe for diffusion. Though this is safe for topical application, sweet orange is suggested instead, because it’s less harsh on the skin. If cold pressed rather than steam distilled, this essential oil is a potential photosensitizer.
• Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)
• Neroli (Citrus aurantium)
• Palma Rosa (Cymbopogon martinii)
• Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium)
• Pine (pinus divaricata, pinus resinosa, pinus strobus, pinus sylvestris) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica)
• Rosalina (Melaleuca ericifolia)
• Rose Otto (Rosa damascena)
• Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum)
• Spruce (picea abies, picea glauca, picea mariana, picea rubens)
• Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
• Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)
• Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

Essential oils safe for topical use/diffusion on children 2+ years

This is just a general guideline and great care should be taken to research each essential oil’s maximum dermal use individually before use. The maximum recommended amount of essential oils used on children 2+ years topically, should not exceed 2% of the recipe, or 20 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

• Basil, Lemon (Ociumum x citriodorum)
• Basil, Sweet (Ocimum basilicum)
• Benzoin (Styrax benzoin, Styrax paralleloneurus)
• Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) this is safe ONLY for diffusion. Cinnamon cassia is not safe for use on anyone’s skin, as it is too irritating. Use Cinnamon leaf instead, for topical preparations
• Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
• Clove Bud/Clove Leaf (Syzygium aromaticum, Eugenia aromatica, Eugenia caryophyllata) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Copaiba Basalm (Copaifera officinalis)
• Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
• Garlic (Allium sativum) this is better use for diffusion as it can cause skin irritations when applied topically.
• Ginger (Zingiber officinale) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
• Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis)
• Lemongrass (Andropogon citratus, Andropogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon flexuosus) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Lime (Cirtus x aurantifolia)
• Melissa/Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
• Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
• Oregano (Origanum onites, Origanum smyrnaeum, Origanum vulgare, Origanum compactum, Origanum hirtum, Thymbra capitata, Thymus capitatus, Coridothymus capitatus, Satureeja capitata) 
• Sweet Marjoram (Marjorana hortensis)
• Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin)
• Spearmint (Mentha cardiaca, Mentha spicata)
• Tea Tree, Lemon (Leptospermum petersonii, Leptospermum citratum, Leptospermum liversidgei)
• Thyme (Thymus vulgaris, Thymus Zygis) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Tumeric (Cucuma longa)
• Verbena, Lemon (Aloysia triphylla, Aloysia citriodora, Lippa citriodora, Lippa triphylla)
• Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides)
• Valarian (Valeriana officinalis)
• Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) this can be diffused for children under 2 years

Essential oils safe for topical use/diffusion on children 6+ years

This is just a general guideline and great care should be taken to research each essential oil’s maximum dermal use individually before use. The maximum recommended amount of essential oils used on children 6+ years topically, should not exceed 3% of the recipe, or 30 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

• Anise/Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Anise, Star (Illicium verum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Cajuput (Melaleuca cajuputi, Melaleuca leucadendron)
• Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Cornmint (Mentha arvensis, Mentha canadensis)
• Fennel, sweet and bitter (Foeniculum vulgare)
• Laurel Leaf/Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
• Marjoram, Spanish (Thymus mastichina)
• Niaouli (cineole chemotype)
• Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Sage, Greek/White (Salvia officinalis, Salvia fruiticosa, Salvia tribola, Salvia apiana)

Essential oils safe for topical use/diffusion on children 10+ years

By this age, most of the essential oils are safe for topical use or diffusion for children, though you should always be sure to slowly introduce each oil individually, to be sure that there are no adverse reactions. By diluting your oils, you will avoid most, if not all, skin irritations:)

I've read I shouldn't put essential oils in water. Is this true?

From the dōTERRA Science Blog:

"Mucous membranes form a protective barrier on the surface of all hollow organs that open to the outside of the body. The mucous membranes important to essential oil usage are those that line the respiratory and digestive tracts. Mucous membranes in these areas serve different functions than mucous membranes elsewhere in the body. Some fear that using essential oils aromatically, orally, or internally will damage mucous membranes. That fear is unfounded after a quick examination of how they work and what research has found.

Mucous membranes produce a variety of protective substances, including mucin. Mucin is a glycosylated protein with the unique ability to retain water and form a gel-like structure we often call mucus. Mucus adheres to almost everything. Mucus has three main purposes: protect the body’s cells, stick to dirt and microbes, and mix with food to help it move smoothly through the digestive tract. Mucus is continuously replaced by the cells that produce it. (1-3) Mucus does a great job at protecting the underlying mucous membranes, which themselves consist of rapidly regenerating epithelial cells. (4)

A number of research studies have examined how essential oils interact with mucus and mucous membranes. Not surprisingly, essential oils have shown remarkably positive effects on mucous membranes. For example, several different essential oils have been shown to increase digestive tract mucus production*. (1,5-7) In the digestive tract, increased mucus production is a good thing, leading to increased protection for underlying mucous membrane cells. Conversely, mucus production in the respiratory tract must be more balanced to avoid congestion. (8) Some essential oils have been shown to meter the production of mucus by regulating mucin genes. (9,10)

When essential oils are ingested, they don’t just sit in the stomach. Research has shown that lipophilic substances bind to certain regions of mucin. (3) Essential oils are lipophilic substances, and likely will also bind to mucin. After binding to mucin, they will travel through the digestive tract until they are absorbed into the blood stream.

In short, when taking essential oils aromatically, orally, or internally, you don’t need to worry about them harming mucous membranes, as long as you are staying within appropriate usage guidelines (see Recommended Ideal Amounts). The body has developed great methods for utilizing essential oils in a safe and effective manner."

Does Lavender oil cause hormonal imbalances in boys?

No–this is a common myth that has been debunked. This link contains more info.

Are essential oils safe during pregnancy?

Essential oils are designed to support the body’s overall health, and many pregnant women have successfully used essential oils during pregnancy. Some oils should not be used during pregnancy, or only during certain stages. For example, Clary Sage should not be used until a pregnant woman is ready to deliver. For more information, you can read DaNelle's blog post here, "Essential Oils for Pregnancy & Childbirth".

Consult your doctor with any questions.

Will essential oils interfere with my prescription medications?

There aren't a lot of studies on the matter of essential oils and prescription medications, but just to be safe, check out this article on oils to avoid for certain medications:)

Can essential oils be used with plastic materials?

From dōTERRA executive, Dr. Hill...

"We know that essential oils interact with many forms of chemistry, including some plastics. Many varieties of plastics exist, some of which are more impervious to essential oils than others. While this is a concern, not all plastics are as delicate as others and not all essential oils affect plastics in the same way. Citrus oils, in particular, have a chemical com-position that is known to interfere with the chemistry of plastics. We should only use plastics that will not breakdown when exposed to essential oils. For instance, dōTERRA uses plastic parts (lids, orifices, diffusers, etc.) that are made of HDPE plastic and will not be broken down by essential oils. Typically, HDPE plastic as well as plastics number 1 (PETE) and 2 are safe for use with essential oils. Another alternative is using vessels made of other materials such as glass or certain metals."

(source)

About dōTERRA

What does PV, OV, & LRP stand for?

AS: Auto-Ship. Auto-Ship is another term for your monthly Loyalty Rewards Order. You can set your LRP to automatically ship to you on a designated day each month.

IO: Internet Order. An order placed by a Preferred Member or Wellness Advocate through their Virtual Office.

OV: Organizational Volume. OV is your team’s overall volume. This becomes important to know as you try to qualify for bonuses and rank advancements. It is your volume plus the volume of your entire downline.

LRP: Loyalty Rewards Program. This program provides free product credits for monthly purchases ordered on the program. When you participate, you will earn product credits that can be used as cash to purchase dōTERRA products. The longer you participate in the LRP, the more credits you can earn–up to 30% of your total monthly Loyalty Rewards purchases.

POM: Product of the Month. The Product of the Month is a special monthly promotion given to those who have an LRP order of at least 125 PV.

Po3: Power of 3 Bonus. The Power of 3 is part of the dōTERRA compensation plan. It is a system of bonuses designed to help you build your structure and prepare you to qualify for future ranks. Paid monthly, you can receive bonuses of $50, $250, or $1500. Each bonus is paid based on your structure and the amount of team volume.

PV: Personal Volume. PV is assigned to each product and is a separate total from the dollar amount on your orders. On many products the PV will match the wholesale value. There are a few products that the PV may be less than the cost (Ex: Family Physician Kit). Shipping costs and tax do not count as PV, so the dollar amount of our order will generally be more than the PV amount.

SRP: Shipping Rewards Points. This program helps consultants earn free product credits that can be used toward purchasing orders. There are three different ways to earn points: 1. Place an online order to earn 50 percent of shipping cost in SRP points. 2. Place an LRP order through Member Services to also earn 50 percent. 3. Place an LRP order online to earn 100 percent of the shipping back in SRP points.

Is dōTERRA an MLM or pyramid scheme?

Wikipedia defines a pyramid scheme as, “…an unsustainable business model that involves promising participants payment or services, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, rather than supplying any real investment or sale of products or service to the public.”

Pyramid schemes are illegal, and we would never be involved with something illegal.

doTERRA is not a pyramid scheme– it is a legitimate network marketing opportunity that provides real products to consumers through a word-of-mouth marketing by Wellness Advocates. 80% of the people in doTERRA use the products only and never share or sell.

They also have a 65% retention rate, which is incredibly high for the network-marketing world. That means nearly 7 out of every 10 people who have ever enrolled with doTERRA have stayed with the company. People don’t stick with a company like that unless the products are real and they work.

Did the dōTERRA owners leave Young Living to create their own company?

While it's true the doTERRA founders (David Sterling, David Hill and Emily Wright) used to be a part of Young Living, it's not as scandalous as one might think.

The doTERRA founders had a different vision for their business, one that didn't include aggressive sharing tactics, extreme essential oil recommendations, or fancy cars/promotion of wealth.

The doTERRA founders focus on simplicity, purity, integrity, and above all, they don't speak one bad word about Young Living. They are proud of the business they started and of the growth that has followed.

They are some of most kind, generous, humble people I've ever met, and I feel lucky to be part of a great company!

What's the deal with the FDA cracking down on essential oil companies?

The FDA's job is to make sure we aren't making outrageous claims on our products.

They recently asked essential oil companies to teach their distributors about correct language to avoid issues with the FDA.

The words 'cure' or 'heal' aren't recommended to use when sharing the oils with others.

To learn more about how to use the right wording when sharing, you can watch this video.

I found dōTERRA oils being sold on Amazon for cheaper than wholesale price. Why should I bother signing up with dōTERRA if I can just purchase there?

In order to sell doTERRA oils on Amazon, a distributor must pay a $1000 registration fee and agree not to sell the products for less than 10% above wholesale value. However, there are many Amazon sellers not following these regulations and instead selling oils for far below wholesale pricing. This is not allowed by doTERRA and they are currently working on getting these vendors shut down. If you see a vendor who is doing this, you may report them to [email protected].

This is not the only concern in purchasing oils from Amazon. There have been numerous reports of Amazon-purchased oils having been tampered with. Multiple vendors seem to be removing the caps, diluting the oil (or replacing it with another brand altogether), placing a new “safety cap” on top, and selling it as an unopened bottle of doTERRA oil.

The only way to be guaranteed that the oil you are purchasing is genuine or not is to order it directly from doTERRA.

Also, purchasing on Amazon causes a person to miss out on all the benefits of a doTERRA membership, including the Loyalty Rewards Program, free product promos, and all the support and training that comes with being on a doTERRA team.

Why was I charged retail tax on my first order?

The IRS requires doTERRA  to charge sales tax on the retail price because its wholesale members have the ability to sell. Instead of making the wholesale members pay their state's sales tax, doTERRA covers this.

Much of our product can be resold and in order to ensure all taxes are paid, we charge the tax on the retail price. When you sell product for retail prices you charge sales tax to reimburse yourself for the tax that has already been paid to the government.

>> If you have product for personal use that you will not resell, simply put it on your LRP and you can avoid paying the retail price completely!

Why does dōTERRA use carageenan in their products? Isn't that bad?

Here is the official statement from doTERRA regarding carageenan:

“Recently, dōTERRA introduced several formula updates to the products in the Lifelong Vitality Pack in conjunction with the launch of a new Vegan Lifelong Vitality Pack. Though minor, these changes have enhanced the product benefits and improved nutrient bioavailability.

We respectfully acknowledge the concerns of all of our customers at dōTERRA. While it has been postulated that these formula changes were made as a means to cut costs, these enhancements have actually increased the value of the LLV products, raising the cost of production by more than 5 percent. Although there might be differences in opinion, we, along with our scientific colleagues, believe that these enhancements are 100 percent safe and make the delivery of our product more effective.

Several of the new ingredients and changes to the product labels have given rise to questions and discussion in certain groups in the field. We always appreciate questions and concerns and strive to respond appropriately. We have prepared the following statements to clarify our commitment to safety and science and to provide you with correct, science-based information to help counter some incorrect information regarding these ingredients that is being proliferated by some on the internet.

Carrageenan:

Carrageenan is a natural fiber extracted from seaweed. It is used as a thickening agent in our vegetarian softgels. (Carrageenan-containing softgel capsules are the only stable vegetarian alternatives to animal-sourced softgel capsules.) Seaweed and seaweed fiber are used safely and extensively throughout the world and have well-established safety records supported by numerous clinical studies. Carrageenan is GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) and approved for topical use and in food preparations.

Much of the current criticism of carrageenan is based on older studies of a degraded form of carrageenan called poligeenan. dōTERRA products use only native carrageenan, not poligeenan. There is no credible evidence that carrageenan, used as a stabilizing agent in softgels, has the potential to degrade in the digestive process to materially substantial form of poligeenan. Furthermore, the very small amounts of seaweed fiber used to stabilize our vegetable softgel material are thousands of times smaller than the toxic levels of exposure some attribute to poligeenan.

Simply stated, we are firmly confident the natural seaweed fiber used in our vegetable softgel material is safe. When the option is available, we will continue to use our vegetable softgels as a preferred alternative to the more common animal gelatin. (Our two-piece vegetable HPMC hard capsules do not include seaweed fiber.)”

I read online that dōTERRA oils contain synthetics. Is this true?

doTERRA’s commitment to purity is stronger than it as ever been. Our oils do not contain synthetic compounds. In 2013, Young Living published a website called Certified Synthetic (it has since been removed from the internet). This website was used to train their distributors and it proclaimed that doTERRA’s oils contained synthetic additives. Dr. Pappas, the very well-respected essential oil chemist that tests doTERRA’s oils, refuted these claims and published the actual lab reports for doTERRA oils on his Facebook page so everyone could see that they were indeed pure. These claims have since been retracted. Unfortunately, misinformation spreads like wildfire on the internet, so some of these claims are still floating around.

Here is doTERRA’s official statement on the purity of their oils:

“dōTERRA’s CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils are pure natural aromatic compounds carefully extracted from plants. They do not contain fillers or artificial ingredients that would dilute their active qualities and are free of contaminants such as pesticides or other chemical residues. As important as it is to keep contaminants out of our oils, assuring the presence of their active compounds, at the right levels, is necessary to guarantee safety and effectiveness. Many oils claim to be therapeutic grade, and some may be pure, but few are subjected to rigorous testing standards for chemical composition. dōTERRA’s Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils are cross tested using mass spectrometry and gas chromatography to ensure both extract purity and composition potency of each batch. dōTERRA works closely with a global network of leading essential oil chemists and growers to select botanicals of the correct species, grown in the ideal environments, and carefully harvested at the right time. The aromatic compounds of the plants are skillfully extracted by experienced distillers and subjected to chemical analysis to ensure purity and composition. dōTERRA’s CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils represent the safest and most beneficial oils available in the world today. Equally stringent standards of safety and efficacy are applied to all of dōTERRA’s Essential Wellness products. Guided by our Scientific Advisory Board, dōTERRA uses only top development and manufacturing partners who maintain GMP certification and enjoy industry reputation for superior innovation and quality. Each dōTERRA product is guaranteed to exceed customer satisfaction and performance expectations.”

What’s the CPTG logo all about? Isn’t it dishonest for doTERRA to have it on their products? We all know there is no such thing as a regulatory essential oil authority.

You are correct–there is no regulatory agency in the essential oil industry. However, doTERRA wanted a way to communicate that their oils were heads-and-tails above the rest as far as purity and quality. So, they came up with the term “CPTG,” which stands for Certified Pure Theraputic Grade. This means their oils are beyond organic, pure, and effective. CPTG is an in-house trademark exclusive to doTERRA–they aren’t trying to hide that.

Are dōTERRA oils organic?

You won't see a lot of organic labeling on essential oils in general, but that's because most herbs don't need herbicides or pesticides (because herbs are natural pest repellents).

Also, organic certification is incredibly expensive, and even organic certification allows a small list of pesticides.

dōTERRA doesn't use any pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides whatsoever. They don't allow anything synthetic to come near them:)