I have been using essential oils on and off for many years. Back in the mid 90s, I ran a successful new age bookstore and was in charge of creating custom blends and products using therapeutic grade essential oils that we purchased in bulk. We sold aromatherapy books and, for a short time at least, I was very much “into” using essential oils for a variety of things.
We bought dozens of essential oils in 16oz bottles, carrier oils by the gallon and vials and containers by the flat. I blended massage oils, lotions, roller ball bottles and glass vials with droppers and they sold extremely well at the store. But while they were lovely and (for the most part) smelled divine, when the store and I parted ways my interest in aromatherapy slowly waned. Eventually I trimmed down my personal library (I used to have quite the book fetish!) and am sad to say that my aromatherapy books did not make the cut and were sold. Looking back, I realize that the oils never really “did” anything. Sure, lavender was somewhat calming, ylang ylang made me happy when I smelled it and peppermint kept the ants and critters at bay, but I never thought of these oils as much more than things that smelled nice with a little added benefit here and there. Over the years that followed, I would buy essential oils every now and then from the local health food store, but they were never anything to rave about.
Sometime last year (2013), I read a post from my aunt saying that she was using essential oils to help control her allergies. Reading it immediately brought me back to my days at the bookstore, and the fact that she was using them for something therapeutic really peaked my interest. I wondered what I was missing all those years ago and wondered if maybe I just hadn’t used them correctly.
Then in October 2013, my friend Carol (my HypnoBirthing instructor and mentor) started posting about oils on Facebook. She raved about how an oil called Thieves was helping her family stay healthy. I thought back to my aunt’s post and started paying attention. In November, when I was taking the HypnoBirthing practitioner training course, Carol gushed about the power of Thieves oil and how it keeps the flu at bay. I almost ordered a bottle. Oh how I wish I had, and I will regret the fact that I didn’t for a long, long time.
That winter, everyone in our family got sick. At least one of us was sick at any given time from the end of December through early March. I personally got the flu twice, ended up with laryngitis three times, had such a bad cough that I pulled a muscle in my rib cage (resulting in a month of pain, where it hurt to even breathe), and a chronic sinus infection that caused my face to ache, which lingered for several weeks. Being a very holistic family, we never took any medication (OTC or prescription) and made do with natural remedies, herbs and homeopathics. The potions and elixirs I concocted indeed helped, but the natural way of healing generally tends to be a slow one. I can’t tell you how many times I thought back to the Thieves oil during those months!
In the midst of all of the sickness, mostly out of desperation, I began to research essential oils. I started reading how they were killing viral infections, helping people sleep, reducing chronic pain… Thieves oil was especially interesting as it was a blend inspired by essential oils used by grave robbers back during the bubonic plague. These thieves would slather themselves with oils before robbing the graves of those who died of the plague, yet never contracted it themselves. They revealed their secret only when caught, in exchange for a reduced sentence. I decided I wanted it and started researching Young Living. My biggest concern about YL was the fact that it was a multi-level marketing company. My thoughts went to all the parties my MLM friends had over the years and how I always ordered something out of guilt. I wanted no part of that. Further, I questioned the validity of all the reviews, since most of the people leaving them were Young Living members and were potentially making commission off any sales.
I was reading a review of Young Living Thieves oil when I came across a comment from a man, claiming to be an essential oil expert, who explained in great detail the differences between essential oil grades and provided a recipe for making Thieves oil using therapeutic grade oils. He provided his recommendations for worthy brands, saying that you could make your own for a fraction of the price of Young Living’s Thieves oil. Always one to like to save a buck, I was intrigued. But after thoroughly investigating these other brands, I was not fully sold on the quality. Further, none was as transparent about their source for the oils, nor published any test results confirming quality and purity. I added a number of therapeutic grade oils to my Amazon shopping cart, where they sat for weeks. I am the type of person who relies heavily on her intuition, and something was holding me back. In the meantime, Carol continued posting seemingly impossible testimonials about the Young Living oils. I trusted Carol and knew we shared the same values. I envied her as she won a trip to HAWAII to visit Young Living’s farm. I went and deleted the other oils from my Amazon shopping cart, and talked to my husband, Evandro, about the Premium Kit from Young Living. It came with a $100 diffuser, Thieves oil, plus 10 other bottles of oil. The kit cost $150 and the value was over $300, plus then you’re eligible for wholesale pricing after that. I wanted to get the most bang for my buck and knew the kit was it. I followed the link on Carol’s website and started to fill out my membership application. But I didn’t submit it. It was a good deal, but still a lot of money. Wanting to be sure, I asked the Universe for a “sign.”
That sign came within a week. I finally got around to building this website so that I could start promoting my HypnoBirthing classes. I was getting ready to market my classes and was literally wondering where to begin when I received an email from Carol. She asked if I had started teaching HypnoBirthing yet, and, if not, would I be interested in teaching concurrent classes to hers at Babies By The Sea Birthing Center. She noted that her essential oil business was taking off and she needed someone to teach an additional weekly class as she no longer had the time. I felt like I won the lottery, and realized that her comments about the success of her oil business was the “sign” I was waiting for. I excitedly wrote back that YES, I was interested in teaching and that I coincidentally just finished pulling my website together. I also told her that I was thinking about signing up for the oil kit.
After talking to Carol, I bought my kit in the middle of March. I not only bought my kit, but I also joined the business end. There is no ongoing commitment for buying the kit. You enjoy 24% off the retail price for a year afterwards, and can renew with a $50 annual purchase. That’s really all there is to it, and I was encouraged that there are no required monthly minimum spends or required stocking of products that turned me off about other MLMs. The only time there is a monthly order requirement is to join the loyalty program (but you earn free stuff!) or to do the business end. Short version of the rest of this story: I knew these oils were for me right away. Despite not even opening my kit for about a week after I got it, I saw results immediately and posted about my success on Facebook. I sold two kits within a week, which almost paid for my own kit in commissions earned.
I decided I would give the business three months and see how it went. So far, I have been earning more than I spend every month, except the month I bought my kit (but that was a very short “month” of only about 10 days due to when I ordered my kit). Each month my team grows and my checks grow – and I have not yet held a single “party!” Last month was very slow for me due to other obligations and – even without selling a single kit – I made way more than I spent. Say what?!
The best part is these oils WORK. Each time I use them, I continue to be amazed at their power. Each time I pick up a bottle, I have this fleeting thought that I was just imagining things last time, or that it was simply a coincidence, but the oils amaze me time and time again. We have completely cleaned out our medicine cabinet and have literally not purchased a single OTC med since starting the oils. We also have not been sick; anytime one of the kids gets a sniffle or the tiniest drip in their nose, I apply Thieves oil and it’s gone, like magic. My feisty 2 year old daughter suddenly started sleeping though the night: pure magic! I LOVE LOVE LOVE these oils. They are not the same thing I was using so many years ago. Not all “therapeutic grade” oils are made equal. This company is different; these oils are different. I want to shout from the rooftops! I wish the entire world would use them.
It’s probably best to end by saying that I am not disillusioned. I know these oils are not really magic, and don’t want to give the impression that every application is a magical one. Some things require trial and error and other things take time. I can say that after years of researching and using other holistic therapies (homeopathics, herbs, homemade whole-food remedies), the oils definitely work better and faster in general. We’ve reduced the amount of money we’ve been spending on other holistic remedies pretty significantly. There are still a few cases where we use other remedies but the oils have definitely taken center stage.
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