The average woman in North America puts over 500 chemicals on her skin everyday. She uses untold amounts more in her environment. Preparing dinner, washing a load of laundry and cleaning the bathroom are all chemical-filled affairs. Information like this had me reading labels in disbelief. There had to be a better way! I started by overhauling my cabinet of cleaning products, then my beauty routine, laundry room and kitchen. Finally the medicine cabinet. Once my son was born the nursery had to be greened as well. As a researched alternatives to my chemical dependence it became clear that the only way to have full control of what was used in my home was to make it myself. Essential oils became a cornerstone of my DIY home. I tried out doTERRA’s Introductory Essential Oil Kit, which includes Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon oils. I loved these super pure oils and found myself reaching for them throughout the day in a myriad of ways. I used Lavender in the morning in a load of laundry, I added it to the bum salve I was concocting for diaper rash in the afternoon, in this blueberry hand pie recipe , as perfume before dinner and aromatically in my nightly stress-reducing bath.
What's To Love?:
– many can be used 3 ways: edible, topical and aromatically – affordable – natural alternative to toxic, and stinky, synthetic perfumes – this company also supports ingesting diluted amounts of certain essential oils (a practice that is often warned against because impure essential oils can be dangerous and because taking high doses of certain essential oils can be dangerous). I would take the advice of a holistic doctor or a nutritionist before ingesting most essential oils, but I like the idea of creating essential oils that are food grade and being able to use a drop or two of, say, lavender in a great recipe – their products smell GREAT (and just more than many essential oils) and many people, including therapeutic practitioners, have commented to me just how much they love these essential oils and how effective they are – you can get these essential oils in Canada (and other countries) whereas it is often hard to get essential oils shipped these days because of FAA standards and you can get them straight from a person who will do their best to answer questions and share your enthusiasm.
What’s not to love?
– not certified organic. They say that while they aren’t certified organic that instead “Essential oils as certified by dōTERRA contain the full and complete profile just as it was found in the plant.” and that they are free from pesticide residue. However, they don’t use a third party certification to prove this. – they use the term “Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade” oils but this is NOT a third-party certification but rather a label that they use, maintain, and monitor themselves only for their own oils. (See more about this below.) – you won’t find them on your grocery store shelf, but have to buy through a personal distributor or online.
What else to consider?
– doTerra is sold through a MLM (multi-level marketing scheme, which many used to call a pyramid scheme) which means that you need to find a representative of the product–much like Tupperware or Mary Kay–to buy. I originally put this down as a negative, but after speaking to a few different reps who PASSIONATELY supported this product and assured me they were making a living from selling this product–which they all seem to genuinely LOVE–I decided that if this MLM can help moms realize their economic dreams doing something they care about, then I am a fan of it. HOWEVER, this is a review of the product, not of the validity or security of the business model. I do like the idea that instead of a big “marketing” budget going to advertising, these products instead cost less and give more to the individual representatives. As well, these representatives often get educated on their many uses and teach workshops to educate others on how to use essential oils effectively and get away from other chemicals. And, if you love them as much as these sales reps all seem to, you can become a sales rep and buy at wholesale as well. – I will buy doTerra essential oils for myself and my family, but I didn’t give it a Green Mama Approved rating at this time. Why? I am a big fan of third party certifying bodies to prove claims. If a company is big enough, I want them to work with the Certified Organic Program in their country because these certifying bodies are important, they are only as good and strong as their membership, and if they don’t get third-partied certified organic, it leaves a lot of pressure on the consumer to research that the company is truly doing what it says. doTerra, like the best essential oil companies, does test their products inhouse to ensure they are not contaminated. They also work with the Essential Oil University to help provide independent testing. However, at this time, there is no third-party certifying body to really say that the final essential oil product is truly pure, so I am not knocking them too much, I am just registering my strong belief that organic certification is important when it is possible. You can sign up for a course or order doTerra products from one of their representatives. Or find out more about the company.
Overall Rating:
Health Rating:
Essential oils are a healthy alternative to many toxic ingredients found in our homes. – you can diffuse it as a natural air freshener – skip the cleaning aisle and use it in your homemade natural cleaning products – use a drop or two to combat everything from headaches to menstrual cramps to stress to the common cold instead of synthetic over the counter medicines – skip harsh deodorants and perfumes and use a combination of oils as your signature scent
Design Rating:
The packaging and design of these oils is the standard for the industry.
Social Rating:
This company is doing amazing work in giving back in many areas all over the world. One of the reps I spoke to was excited to be going to Guatemala (a place near and dear to my heart) this year as part of their Healing Hands nonprofit.
Waste Rating:
Essential oils are so potent and packed with goodness that you only need a drop or two at each use. This means that you can get a lot of mileage out of one tiny jar. And when stored correctly they keep for a very long time. Keep this in mind when ordering, a little goes a long way! And these are packaged in glass, far superior than plastic from a waste point of view and also for maintaining the health of the oils (which can pick up toxins from their container).
Value Rating:
In comparison to traditional cleaning products, baby care items, and western medicine, essential oils are very affordable. They vials are tiny so it may seem expensive at first, but buying the purist oils means you only need a drop or two, which will save you money in the long run.