[Red]: Today we’re speaking with Gilbert P*, who is a qualified aromatherapist from New Zealand, who, along with the rest of his profession, has serious concerns about essential oil MLMs. This is the first part of our interview with him, so stay tuned for more to come.
Gilbert, why is the qualified aromatherapy community so concerned about essential oil MLMs like Young Living and dōTERRA?
[Gilbert]: Thank you Red, I appreciate the chance to explain to your readers.
Essential oils are a complimentary health product. Yes, they are a natural product, but essentially, they are chemicals which are extracted from plants and used for non-life threatening health conditions. Natural equals natural, natural does not mean safe. Essential oils are not supplements (vitamins, minerals) or products to replace dried, herbs, zests & spices.
The MLM companies are ‘guerilla’ marketing essential oils in such a way that consumers are beginning to believe that they can not start their day (as well as their family members’ days, including babies & children) or live their lives without them, and lots of them, in so many unsafe ways! Adding to water, popping capsules, using in baking/cooking/smoothies etc . using constantly in a diffuser. Overuse, as well as internal use, incorrect dilutions and selection of essential oils for age ranges (especially babies, toddlers & children) are all HUGELY concerning, and this is all happening, worldwide, in epidemic proportions. They are promoting potentially dangerous and high risk methods of use which can lead to injuries, leading to sensitization.
The qualified community is also very concerned due to conflicting motivations. A qualified essential oil practitioner’s motivation is to provide safe, appropriate and effective products to alleviate and provide relief for specific health conditions following best practice methods and duty of care. An MLM reseller’s motivation is to sell, sell, sell, reach sales targets, climb reseller levels with material provided by the MLM company, whose purpose is to make money, as much and as fast as possible.
A qualified essential oil practitioner’s social media posts will be about ‘sharing & caring’ not ‘telling & selling’ like the MLM’s social media posts — and BOY do they go hard! They are brainwashing consumers, it’s very frightening.
https://mlmtruth.org/2018/10/15/an-aromatherapist-speaks-out-part-1/