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It has been quite a few years since I first investigated the different essential oil companies. Things can change a lot in just a short time, and so I decided to go back and take a fresh look at what DoTerra and Young Living are doing right now, and how they currently compare.
I have friends in both companies, and while I personally use oils from one, I wanted to just share a factual comparison (complete with source links) between the two, without commentary, so that we can all see where they are now!
I’ll be comparing the companies in many different areas, and the source documentation for each point will be linked so you can verify the information and do additional research if you want to.
I want to be 100% honest and up front with you, even though I do have a definite personal preference between the two, I want you to be able to use this comparison to make the right decision for your family, no matter where that leads you.
This is a lengthy comparison, so you can jump to specific sections by clicking on the links below:
- Business details (structure, time on the market, outside endorsements)
- Product Quantity and Variety
- Oils and Quality Measures
- Charitable Efforts
- Membership and Business Opportunity Details
- Conclusion
Business Details
How old is each company and who founded them?
DoTerra
DoTerra was founded in 2008 to sell essential oils and essential oil-infused supplements (SOURCE). DoTerra was founded by David Stirling, Emily Wright, Gregory P. Cook, Dr. David K. Hill, D.C., Robert J. Young, Mark A. Wolfert, and Corey B. Lindley (SOURCE).
Prior to founding DoTerra, David Stirling was employed as Chief Operating Officer at Young Living and Emily Wright as the personal secretary to Mary Young at Young Living. Dr. Hill and Gregory Cook were also employed at Young Living, Dr. Hill as the Young Life Clinic director before moving to an educational position at the company, and Mr. Cook as Senior Director of International Development.
Young Living
Young Living was formed in 1993 and officially incorporated in 1994 by husband and wife team Gary and Mary Young (SOURCE). Prior to forming Young Living, Gary Young ran a naturopathic clinic (1982-1989) where he specialized in herbs and later essential oils (SOURCE).
Are DoTerra and Young Living MLMs?
Both DoTerra and Young Living are Multi-Level Marketing companies (MLMs) based out of Utah.
MLMs rely on making sales by personal referrals and reward individual members with commissions from sales that they make. The details of each company’s specific structure are detailed toward the end of the post.
2015/2016 Corporate Earnings
DoTerra
Do Terra reported that they expected to achieve $325 Million in revenue in 2015 (SOURCE). I will update with the exact figure once DoTerra releases their official year end figures. I have not been able to find a 2016 revenue statement, although DoTerra did release a statement saying that they had reached 1 billion in lifetime (not yearly) sales (SOURCE).
Young Living
Young living reported actual revenue for 2015 of $1 Billion dollars in sales (SOURCE). Young Living also reported actual revenues in 2016 of over $1 Billion in sales.
What do Third Parties Say?
The Better Business Bureau (BBB)
The Better Business Bureau is a third party business ethics organization and arbitrator. The leader in business ethics and priding themselves in being an independent avenue for customers to get their problems corrected, the BBB has been bridging the gap between customers and companies since 1912.
In order to become an accredited member, companies undergo an extensive quality and customer satisfaction audit. Accredited member companies must agree to a six-point code of ethics found HERE.
DoTerra
DoTerra joined the Better Business Bureau in May of 2017 and has a rating of A+ as of August 2017 (SOURCE).
Young Living
Young Living was a Better Business Bureau Accredited Member from July of 2015 through July 2017 and has a B business rating as of August 2017 (SOURCE). I called YL customer service and’ asked why they were no longer BBB members, and was told that the costs of maintaining BBB membership were not justified by the benefits received, and that the documentation required by the BBB was not possible to provide due to the nature of the products they sell. It would appear that there was some disagreement about the wording of product descriptions on the Young Living website that led to the withdrawal from the BBB.
The Direct Selling Association (DSA)
The Direct Selling Association was founded in 1910 as a way for Direct Selling and Multi-Level Marketing companies to self-police the industry and make sure that member companies were operating within a strict code of ethics. The DSA exists to protect customers from predatory business practices and requires its members to adhere to a strict code of conduct (SOURCE). That code of conduct can be found HERE.
DoTerra
As of the time of the update to this article (July 2017), DoTerra is not a member of the Direct Selling Association.
Young Living
At the time of the update to this article (August 2017), Young Living is a member of the Direct Selling Association (SOURCE).
Product Quantity and Variety
Exclusive Single Essential Oils
For the purpose of this comparison, exclusive essential oils mean that the single essential oil is not offered by the other company. Blends were not considered for this comparison.
DoTerra
- Arborvitae (Thuja plicata)
- Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum–from the leaves of the plant)
- White Fir (Abies alba)
Young Living
- Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
- Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
- Blue Cypress (Callitris intratropica)
- Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
- Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)
- Cistus (Cistus ladanifer)
- Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus)
- Copaiba (Copaifera officinalis)
- Dill (Anethum graveolens)
- Dorado Azul (Hyptis Suaveolens)
- Elemi (Canarium luzonicum)
- Eucalyptus Blue (Eucalyptus blue)
- Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus globulus)
- Galbanum (Ferula gummosa)
- German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
- Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
- Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa)
- Hong Kuia (Chameacyparis formosensis)
- Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
- Jade Lemon (Citrus limon eureka var. formosensis)
- Jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
- Lauris Nobilis (Laurus nobilis)
- Ledum (Ledum groenlandicum)
- Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)
- Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium )
- Mastrante (Lippia alba)
- Niaouli (Melaleuca quinquenervia)
- Mountain Savory (Satureja montana)
- Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
- Neroli (Citrus aurantium)
- Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)
- Ocotea (Ocotea Quixos)
- Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini)
- Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens)
- Petitgrain (Citrus sinensis)
- Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
- Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora)
- Rose (Rosa damascena)
- Sacred Frankincense (Boswellia sacra)
- Sage (Salvia officinalis)
- Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)
- Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)
- Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
- Tsuga (Tsuga canadensis)
- Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
- Xiang Mao (Cymbopogon citratus)
Essential Oil Blends available for individual purchase
The number of essential oil blends is calculated by simply counting the blends available for individual purchase as listed HERE and HERE. There are additional blends available in kits from each company that are not included in this count.
- DoTerra has 19 essential oil blends available for individual purchase.
- Young Living has 86.
Other Products Available
Products available from DoTerra: (in the order that they are listed on their website)
- Household products
- Oral care products
- Sports muscle rubs
- Throat lozenges
- Digestive supplements
- Skincare
- Hair Care
- Bath products
- Essential Oil Infused Supplements (Longevity supplements, Women’s Supplements, Children’s Supplements)
- Weight management oils and shakes
- Essential oil diffusers
- Carrier oil
Products available from Young Living:
- Household products
- Oral care products
- Sports muscle rubs
- Throat lozenges
- Digestive supplements
- Skincare
- Hair Care
- Bath products
- Essential oil-infused supplements
- Essential oils, personal care, and supplements for kids
- Animal care
- Einkorn Wheat food products and healthy sweeteners
- Weight management oils and shakes
- Essential oil diffusers
- Carrier and massage oils
- Energy beverages and supplements
- Healthy snacks
- Mineral Makeup
- Baby Care Products
Essential Oil Quality Assurances
How do they get their essential oils?
DoTerra Co-Impact Sourcing:
- Contracts with local growers around the world to grow the raw materials for some of their essential oils (SOURCE).
- Rely on local growers for their expertise in growing, harvesting and distilling at the proper time (SOURCE).
- They prefer to use, where possible, raw materials grown in their indigenous locations (SOURCE).
- Essential oils distilled by third party distillers (SOURCE).
- Essential oils tested following distillation, at the production facility, and then chemistry is reviewed at the time of packaging (SOURCE).
- Not all oils are sourced through co-impact sourcing, some are purchased through third parties (SOURCE).
- Uses the Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade branding (CPTG) as their seal of personal approval over the purity and potency of the essential oils they sell (SOURCE).
Young Living Seed to Seal Process (SOURCE):
- Young Living owns farms to grow raw materials in:
- Young Living has exclusive cooperative growing operations in (SOURCE):
- Taiwan
- Israel
- Dubai
- Somaliland
- Australia
- Not all oils are personally grown, or from co-op/partner farms, some are sourced from vendors, but are still held to the Seed to Seal standard (SOURCE, p 277).
- Young Living distills oils on their owned and partner farms.
- Partner farms are subject to the same quality/growing/distilling standards as owned farms.
- They use the Seed to Seal branding to represent their seal of personal approval over the purity and potency of the essential oils they sell.
Lab Quality Testing
Doterra orders the following tests (SOURCE):
- Organoleptic testing (the smell test)
- Microbial testing
- Gas chromatography
- Mass spectroscopy
- Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
- Chirality testing
- Isotopic analysis
- Heavy metal testing
DoTerra’s lab testing is done by Dr. Robert Pappas and other analysts (SOURCE).
Young Living orders the following tests (SOURCE, SOURCE, SOURCE):
- Organoleptic testing (smell test)
- Optical Rotation/Chirality
- Gas chromatography
- Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy/Near Infrared (FTIR/NIR)
- UPLC: Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography
- Flashpoint
- Flashpoint and combustibility
- Peroxide testing
- Specific gravity
- Refractive index
Young Living does internal testing at their labs on their farms (including their farms in Utah, Oman, Ecuador, and Idaho (SOURCE). Young Living also orders third party testing from third party labs (SOURCE).
Charitable Efforts
DoTerra Helping Hands Foundation
DoTerra is heavily involved in both local and international charitable activities. Their Healing Hands Foundation partners with charitable organizations such as Choice Humanitarian, Days for Girls, and Mentors International (SOURCE).
DoTerra covers all the overhead costs involved in running the Healing Hands foundation, allowing all donations to go directly to charitable outreach (SOURCE).
DoTerra’s Co-Impact sourcing model allows them to provide income opportunities for local growers and distillers in low-income and impoverished areas of the world (SOURCE).
DoTerra Cares is a community service program with opportunities for local community service in Utah (SOURCE). This gives members local to the DoTerra Headquarters opportunities for charitable service.
The Young Living Foundation
Young Living operates the Young Living Foundation to do charitable work internationally. Young Living covers all overhead and administrative costs associated with running the Foundation (SOURCE).
The Young Living Foundation runs five major projects worldwide including The Young Living Academy in Ecuador, the Maestral Orphanage in Croatia, Sole Hope, African Hearts Community Organization, and Healing Faith Uganda (SOURCE).
Young Living provides jobs for workers at their personally owned and partner farms, bringing opportunity to communities around the world.
Company Membership Options and Details
Membership Options and Costs (US options)
DoTerra Membership Options/Costs:
- Retail Customer (SOURCE)
- No enrollment fee.
- Purchase directly through a Wellness Advocate’s website.
- Pay retail price.
- Preferred Customer Membership (SOURCE)
- $25 one time enrollment fee
- 20% discount off retail prices
- No required monthly purchases
- May participate in the Loyalty Rewards Program
- May earn free products and participate in free product promotions
- May not build a business
- Technically considered a retail customer (see p. 2)
- No annual renewal fee
- Can be upgraded to a Wellness Advocate account at any time by paying $35 to upgrade.
- Wellness Advocate Wholesale Membership (SOURCE)
- $35 one time enrollment fee
- $25 annual membership fee on each anniversary of your enrollment (you receive a complimentary peppermint oil with your renewal).
- Up to 25% discount off retail prices
- Enrolling with a membership kit qualifies you for Loyalty Rewards points that can be spent on products 60 days after enrollment. Membership kits start at $150 and range up to $2,500 (SOURCE).
- No required monthly purchases.
- May participate in the Loyalty Rewards Program.
- May build a business and recruit new members, but not a requirement.
Young Living Membership Options/Costs:
- Retail Membership (SOURCE)
- No enrollment fee.
- Purchases at full retail price.
- No required monthly purchases.
- May not participate in the Essential Rewards (Loyalty Rewards program).
- No annual fee.
- May not build a business.
- May qualify for product promos and special purchase deals.
- Can be upgraded to a wholesale membership by purchasing a starter kit or paying a one-time $45 membership fee.
- Wholesale Membership (SOURCE)
- Basic Starter Kit ($45) or Premium Starter Kit (options starting at $160 and ending at $260) required to open an account.
- No annual membership fee.
- 24% discount off the regular retail price.
- A purchase of 50PV (approx $50) or more per year keeps the account active for 12 more months.
- Eligible to join the Essential Rewards (loyalty rewards) program and earn points toward free products.
- May qualify for product promos and free products.
- Eligible to build a business, but not required to.
- No monthly purchase required.
Loyalty/Monthly Ordering Programs
DoTerra Loyalty Rewards Program (SOURCE)
- Members and Preferred Customers may enroll in the Loyalty Rewards program at the time they sign up for a DoTerra account.
- Purchasing a special enrollment kit earns Loyalty Rewards product credit that can be spent after 60 days.
- Loyalty Rewards requires a monthly order of 50PV or more.
- Loyalty Rewards members are eligible to get the PV equivalent of their shipping costs (or some portion of them) back in spendable Loyalty Rewards points.
- Loyalty Rewards orders of 125PV or more that are scheduled to ship on or before the 15th of the month receive a free product of the month.
- Product credits are earned at 10% (months 1-3), 15% (months 4-6), 20% (months 7-9), 25% (months 10-12) or 30% (months 13+).
- Product credits expire 12 months after they are earned, and can be redeemed only on products where PV is equal to the member price.
- Redeeming Loyalty Rewards product credits is subject to a $3 fee per 100 product credits redeemed, and shipping is not covered by reward product credits.
- Monthly order products and order date can be changed every month if desired.
Young Living Essential Rewards Program (SOURCE)
- Wholesale members only are eligible to join the Young Living Essential Rewards program.
- Essential Rewards Membership requires a minimum monthly order of 50PV.
- Essential Rewards orders (and regular orders) qualify for special free product promotions (or additional rewards points) at the 190PV, 250PV, 300 PV, and 400PV order levels.
- Essential Rewards orders receive discounted shipping rates.
- Rewards points are earned at 10% (months 1-6), 20% (months 7-12), and 25% (months 13+).
- Members receive special gifts on their 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 1 year anniversary of uninterupted Essential Rewards orders.
- Product credits expire 12 months after they are earned, and can be redeemed only on products where PV is equal to the member price.
- Business building members are eligible for special compensation plan bonuses when they are an Essential Rewards member.
- There is no fee to redeem reward points, but shipping is not covered by rewards points.
- Monthly order products and order date can be changed every month if desired.
Earning Potential
DoTerra
Wellness Advocate members are eligible to recruit new members and new preferred members, but are not required to sign up members or “do the business.” Members with downline team members and customers are required (when they are Manager level and above) to place a 100PV order to qualify for commission (SOURCE).
Because the details of the DoTerra Compensation Plan is more detailed that I can cover in this comparison, you can view the details HERE.
View the DoTerra 2014 Income Disclosure HERE.
Young Living
Wholesale members are eligible to recruit new members and retail customers, but are not required to sign up new members or “do the business.” In order to receive commission, members must place a 100PV order in the month the commission was earned (some bonuses are eligible with as low as a 50PV order) (SOURCE).
The Young Living Compensation Plan is more complicated than I can cover in this comparison, but you can view the details HERE.
View the Young Living 2013 Income Disclosure HERE.
So there you have it!
Just the details you’re looking for with the links to do more investigation! I am super glad that you are interested in essential oils, and I sincerely hope that you find what you are looking for!
Read my original DoTerra Review
Read my original Young Living Review
Did I cover the topics you were wondering about? Did I miss a critical piece of information? Share your thoughts (kindly) in the comments!
Great post! Just one correction: Young Living does sell Cilantro oil. It is labeled as Coriander oil because that is the Latin name.
Actually, they do not. The Cilantro oil that DoTerra sells is distilled from the leaves of the coriander plant. Both DoTerra and Young Living sell a coriander oil that is distilled from the coriander seed. Young Living does not sell an essential oil distilled from the leaves of the coriander plant. Hope that helps! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
Ah, I see now. I should have checked my reference guide first. Thanks for the clarification.
You are welcome! Glad to help 🙂
Yes! The Family Physician Kit is still $150
Thank you. I was thinking of leaving my current and switching but after this I think I’ll stay put.
Hey Lori! I am glad you enjoyed the comparison! Best wishes as you continue with your current company!
Thank you so much for taking the time to compare the two companies. I was also thinking about changing but think I will stay with who I am with. Was there any other reason why the employees left Young Living to start DoTerra. I think at one time I heard there was going to be a law suit.
Hi Debbie! Yes, there are sources that speak to both sides of the split, but because that was many years ago and it tends to simply polarize people, I felt that this comparison wasn’t the best place for that discussion 🙂 I feel that after this many years, much of what the companies are doing and producing would be the most meaningful information to someone who is looking to choose which company fits their needs the most. There were lawsuits between the companies, but most of them were closed. I believe there is one outstanding still, but I haven’t seen an update in a while. Thank you so much for your kind comment, and I am super glad to have been able to help!
Good and fair comparison…Thank you
Dorinda, thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I am very glad that it was helpful to you!
Very thorough and informative. Thanks for updating the info. It’s a lot and I’m too lazy to lay it out and put it all together as you have done.
Hi Peg, thank you so much for your kind comment! I am super glad that it was helpful to you!
Thanks for the information. Very well done!
You are quite welcome, I am glad it was helpful to you!
Hi Kristen, I’d read that YL only distills the plant material through a single distillation, while DoTerra will run the plant material through 2-4 distillations. Is that still true? Thanks for the detailed comparison!
Hi Robyn! That is a question I’ve seen quite a few times, but was unable to find a verifiable source to back up. DoTerra is not directly involved in the distillation of oils (except as relates to distillation done by partners), so I don’t know that this would be something that could be known either way. In either case, I wasn’t able to find any reliable documentation for this point. I appreciate you asking, and thank you for taking the time and commenting!
I too have read that DoTerra offers third and complete distillations of their oils, instead of the higher potency/quality first distillation. The woman who wrote about it had written directly to the company and simply asked. The woman from DoTerra wrote back to confirm that their Peppermint is indeed a complete distillation. I’d be interested in seeing a list from both companies to verify once and for all how many distillations each oil is subjected to.
If there is reliable documentation to share to back up the details, that may be something to add in the future, but when I have seen that particular discussion floating around, I haven’t seen any other official source of that information for DoTerra’s distillation process. Thanks for the idea!
If you at the product descriptions on the Doterra site. In some of the oils it clearly states that Doterra oils are a complete distill. Young Living oils are a first distill only. You can also call the companies.
Hey Kelli, I went and looked through the product details and didn’t see anything that said that. If you’ve got links, please send them to me through the comment form at the top of the page and I’ll be glad to take a look!
There is no distillery that will run a distillation, shut down their stills and fire them up again to try to produce more oil. All essential oils with the exception of Ylang Ylang (which is a complete distillation process) are only distilled once.
Hi Robyn, I worked the YL Melissa Harvest at the Idaho farm and I know for a fact that the melissa plants were only distilled once. I helped pack the cooker and when it was done, I ran the crane that lifted the spent material and walked it down the line to a dump truck that took it to the composting pile. I helped plant 110,000 Melissa plants during the week I was on the farm. It was terrific and hard work in 95 degree temperature. I am so grateful to the real farm workers that do this work for us. I was at the base of the cookers with the Melissa oil began to bubble up. That was exciting also. Anyway, I am one that has experienced the YL farms. Not marketing here, just letting you know you can go work on the farms.
I’ve also been to the farms….amazing experience!!
There is only 1 distillation for any plant, or oil… Once the plant material goes through the distillation process, there is nothing left to distill as the plant is void of any oil to distill out. I have seen the distillation of Roses and can tell you first hand that there is no aroma left once the distillation is complete, the flowers looked absolutely normal but had no scent! Also per Dr. Robbert Pappis there is no such thing as more than one distillation… Therefore, in my opinion, making it a complete distillation, as in you can’t distill anything again.
Kristen, I heard that when the Young’s got divorced that Mary was awwarded the “oils” and Gary kept the business and had to basically start over and introduced some synthetic stuff. What did you find about this?
Gary and Mary Young are still happily married. Gary was married and divorced to another woman prior to the founding of Young Living, but got married to Mary in 1994, and they are still married. In late 2015 Mary Young was appointed as CEO of Young Living, and Gary shifted his focus to ensuring the quality of the farming operations and establishing additional farms (such as the one most recently opened in Croatia). But both are still married to one another and still involved with Young Living directly. So what you heard was just a rumor 🙂
Didn’t I read that the couple that started, YL, started it in, 1980 +. So, just wondering if the marriage between the two happened in, the 90’s, wouldn’t work, math wise. Just curious. I would think that the owners of both companies would have a complete, and total, Bio on them and their companies and why the couple left, YL and created, Doterra so it doesn’t become, ” I read ” or, gossip. Essential oils for better living, healing, stress, sleep, etc. But, no straight answers.
Hey Barbara,
I’d be glad to clear up the timeline for you. Young Living existed before the official incorporation date in the 90s. It technically started in the 80s, but was at that time run by Gary Young. He hadn’t met his wife Mary at that time. When they moved Young Living’s headquarters to Utah in the 90s is when he incorporated it and he and Mary got married shortly thereafter.
Part of the difficulty of writing such a comparison is that it can get quite lengthy, and I tried to use some editorial judgement as to what information would be the most relevant to someone wanting to compare a company selling competitive products. For me, reading an extensive biography on the founders of two different companies would not have been as important in my decision making process as understanding what the products they sold were like, and that is why I chose to keep the background brief and focus on what is going on at the moment in each company.
I’m not clear on what you meant at the end, though, since the purpose of the article was to put the information for each company side by side for comparison’s sake. There are certainly other sources to get information on product usage 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!
Thank you so much for taking the time to put this together!
You are very welcome!
I am so impressed with this detailed summary! It makes me super happy to be with the company I’m with, too! Something people might find interesting is the price of the Doterra starter kit since you provided the price of Young Living’s starter kit. It might also be interesting to know what is included in the starter kit, like a diffuser and perhaps the quantity of oils. Either way, this is an excellent comparison and I plan on sharing it! Thank you for your great effort!
Thank you for pointing that out! I totally intended to include that, but must have overlooked it in the course of the process. I’ll go add that point now! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Thanks so much for this!
According to my friend’s doterra site, I think the least expensive kit is currently $199, not $150 anymore.
The DoTerra 2015/2016 enrollment kit flier lists the Family Physician Kit with Beadlets at $150.
Not to argue seriously….this is on my friend’s doterra site tho.
Family Physician Enrollment Kit + Beadlets
#21300001
Price: $199.95
https://www.mydoterra.com/ShoppingCart/index.cfm?FuseAction=CategoryShop&CategoryID=1968
No worries! I wasn’t taking it as an argument 😀 Without going through the enrollment process I only have the official documents to go by! Thank you for the update.
the $199.00 is retail. I pay $125.
The prices you are seeing on your friends website is retail pricing and is not an enrollment kit… Thought you should know…
That is not correct, the Family Physician Starter Kit is $150+tax.
EXCELLENT comparison, fair and balanced. Thank you for your treatment of the subject matter!
Thank you so much, I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Ditto? Information presented very well.
I don’t even know where to start as there are multiple inaccuracies in your comparison. For example, doTERRA does carry spearmint. There is also the comparison of a Preferred member program from doTERRA to a Retail Membership from Young Living. Are you really unaware that an individual can purchase Retail from doTERRA and not have an enrollment cost? But the worst part of your post is that it is not engineered in a format that heals tensions between the companies. Instead it serves to be inflammatory and divisive. In the settlements of the lawsuits, both companies were specifically directed to refrain from comments about the other. I am unimpressed with the quality of your character and it diminishes the value of everything you post. Good day.
Hi Shane!
Thank you for taking the time to comment! I got the list of DoTerra single oils available for individual purchase from their corporate website here.
I’ll see if they have spearmint listed in another place for individual purchase, and will make that change if need be…Thanks for the heads up about the retail account, I was unable to find the details on that option when I went to the enrollment site of DoTerra, but will update the article to reflect those details.
As far as the presentation of the information, I did my best to provide only the information with documented sources and without interpretation or digging up heresay. As far as there being a gag order on fair market comparison, that is not the case. There is no opinion included in this article, so while I appreciate that you are feeling bothered, there is no reason to be.
As far as healing the tensions between companies, what better way than to provide a factually comparison without any interpretation and allow people to assess the information on their own? At least that is my intent 🙂
I wish you only the best!
I truly appreciate the level of your character. This is why I love the company I am with. Everyone I have encountered has been kind, gracious, level headed, wise, patient, and speaks kindly even when they are given the same courtesy. I applaud your grace, your wisdom of choosing your words. Thank you again!
Thank you Brandy, I really appreciate your kind comment!
WOW Shane. Take a chill pill. This is a strictly factual comparison and does not offer any bias toward or against either company.
Thanks for this very nice and factual comparison. Im glad you left out the dirty laundry on both sides.:) This will be helpful for the future.
You are very welcome! I figure that at this point, dirty laundry is pretty irrelevant to most people who are just looking to make a good decision!
I didn’t see you mention which regions of the world have Young Living or Doterra offices or where you can or can’t purchase from either company… or the number of global membership or the amount of annual growth.
Thanks Shannon! I’ll see if I can find a current reliable source of the information on markets and distributor levels. I did a search for the numbers, but wasn’t able to find a source of that directly from either company that gave exact statistics. When I find it, I’ll be glad to update!
Thank you for creating what I have been looking for, for quite some time! I thought it was fair, clear, and concise. Loved it! 🙂
You are very welcome! I am very glad that it was helpful to you 🙂
Thank you Kristen. That is a wonderful and fair comparison. I do have one question for you though. Do you have a source to share that shows Young Living uses 3rd party sources?
You are very welcome Julie!
Yes, Mary Young’s 2015 book “D. Gary Young: The World Leader in Essential Oils” says on page 277, “We also purchase some of our essential oils from a variety of global vendors if their suppliers adhere by our stringent, demanding Seed to Seal process. We rigorously and thoroughly test the essential oils they provide and often travel to the farm where they are produced. If any oil fails to meet the Young Living standard, the oil is rejected and returned to the vendor.”
I believe Young Living also donates the “fruit” of citrus to locals instead of wasting it ( they only distill the Rhine ). Beautiful write up, tnough. Thanks you for all of your hard work!
Hi Brandy! I hadn’t heard that, but thank you for sharing 🙂 I am glad you enjoyed the article!
Thank you for this great side by side comparison!
You are very welcome!
It is my understanding, and I could be wrong, that Gary and Mary Young are brother and sister. I have family members with both companies and love what oils have done for all of us.
No, Gary and Mary Young were married in 1994 and have two sons together 🙂 Really glad that the oils have helped you, though!
Thank you for taking the time to compare and contrast these two leading companies in the essential oil world. I’m not quite sure why anyone would be offended by anything written or implied in this article. You did a fair and reasonable evaluation.
Thank you, I really appreciate you saying that!
Excellent. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I’m sure this took a lot of effort and time. I was just getting ready to put my own together. I really appreciate your efforts. Thanks.
Thank you! I am really glad that it was helpful to you!
Thank you so much for the effort that you put into this. It is very helpful. Thank you for your professionalism. Thank you again.
You are super welcome!
I would prefer to purchase Young living however I live in New Zealand and it costs 3x more to have it shipped than DoTerra. When the $$ is so low both oils are expensive for us to purchase. Would be great if Young Living looked at the shipping and came into line with Doterra then I would change back. Thanks for the report we enlightening
Hi Julie! You can actually purchase Young Living from their Australian warehouse. That would be much more cost effective than buying them from the United States.
Hey Kristen…with regard to shipping oils to NZ from US vs. from Australia…I have a tiny amount of experience with that. Yes it’s very expensive to ship from the US, but I know it’s also extremely expensive (regardless of currency differences) to get oils – even as a wholesale customer – in those countries because of the additional fees/taxes/tariffs added by those governments. Would love to see that fixed so more folks could have access to the oils. Loved your article….GREAT work!
Thank you!
Hi Kristen – I am very interested to know where you got the information that YL oils can be purchased from the Australian office if a person lives in NZ. I have team members in NZ now and we are trying to resolve this – any tips to a source would be VERY appreciated.
I heard it in passing at an event where we were discussing international distributors. You may want to get in touch with the international care team. In the past when I have contacted them they were very helpful!
Great post! I am not sure how to source this, but the children of YL employees at the Ecuador farm are attending the YL Academy. I’m not sure the specifics on cost, etc. YL Foundation should have more info. Also, I believe employees receive $150 product credit each month on top of their compensation. Both are worth examining, IMO. Blessings!
Yes, that is true, but a bit beyond the scope of a direct comparison! Thank you for pointing it out 😀
There is no cost for the children to attend the academy
Thank you for reporting your findings and including sources. Your detailed, factual comparison was very helpful. I have a few quick questions. It’s possible you know the answers, but may have chosen not to include them. These are not trick questions, and I do not know the answers so I appreciate your sharing what you may know about these points. (1) Do both companies sell only “first distill” or do either sell “complete distill.” (2) How many of each company’s oils (singles + blends) are currently labeled as dietary supplements? (3) Can you freeze the oils from both companies (so that capsules can be made and frozen for later use)? (4) Does either company put an “expiration date” on its label? (5) Are members allowed to visit farms and distilleries of both companies?
Hi Jayne! While possibly part of a person’s individual research, those questions are beyond the scope of this article. I do have the answers to those questions, but in the absence of official documentation from each company specifically, I feel that it would detract from the tone that I was trying to keep, which was one of factual comparison. 😀
Hi Jayne!
I just heard that Young Living has just come out with their “Vitality” line which are smaller bottles of certain EO’s that are specifically for dietary supplement and adding to food/water. They are more affordable (as they are smaller bottles compared to the regular line) and their labels look different from the same version of oil from their regular line but contain the same exact oil. I haven’t researched the other company much in regards to safety for ingestion or products for dietary supplementation.
One of my favorite things about YL is that members can visit the farms and participate in the planting, harvesting, distilling process and learn from the experts. Thank you for a great comparison!
You are very welcome!
I enjoyed the article and found it to be well written and informative. I would disagree with one item though. Young Living does have White Fir as a single. I have two bottles of it. 🙂
Hi Cecilia, actually we are both right, but I should explain. Young Living offered White Fir as part of the Exotic Oils Collection in 2014 and as a special promo free with minimum purchases in 2015. HOWEVER, they do not have it for sale at this time. Since that section was comparing oils available for purchase, Young Living does not currently offer it. Hope that helps explain it!
Good work on the comparison. I just have a few additional thoughts. I believe that Gary and Mary Young personally cover all the costs of the D Gary Young foundation instead of the company. I find I very important that Gary has been recognized as a master distiller and he designs and controls Young Livings distilleries. The art of distillation makes or breaks the strength and properties of the oil. Last but not least, no one has anything to compare to the awesome NingXia Red.
Hi Judy! According to the documentation I referenced, Young Living covers the YL Foundation administrative costs. NingXia Red is included as one of the supplements and energy products on the list of Young Living products. Hope that helps!
Thanks for this great post, Kristen. Most of it I’ve read in the past but having everything so succinctly explained in one place is helpful. Just curious if you know the answer to this question: at one point in time YL offered White Fir EO but I guess doesn’t any longer. Do you know about that?
They don’t offer it for individual sale now, they did offer it as a free promo during 2015 and put it in the 2014 exotic oils kit. That should explain 😀
How do oil prices compare between the two companies?
Hi Heather! Great question. It is a lot harder to answer that one except to say that on the oils that are comparable, they each have many that are about the same price, and both of them are cheaper than the other in other oils. Hope that helps!
Just a note that Young Living does have White Fir. I have 3 bottles of it. It may not be an oil that is always available, but they do distill it. I went back and checked just to be sure that is what it is. Sure enough, “White Fir” is listed on the label of all 3 oils.
Hi there Betsy, I’ve had several people ask already. That list was of oils that are available for purchase as singles at this time. White Fir has only been available as a single in recent days as part of the 2014 Exotic Oils Kit and as a freebie during 2015. DoTerra has access to many of the oils that are on the list of exclusive oils sold as singles by Young Living, and they use them in their blends as well. But the comparison was of oils that could be purchased as a single, and those oils are not currently purchaseable as singles by the other companies. Hope that explains it!
Thank you so much for confirming why I use the oils I use and believe in.
You are quite welcome!
thank you for the comparison! (without cometary) more convineced than ever i made the right choice!
You are very welcome!
Great write up. Any comparison on costs of individual oils? Also any comparison of out of stock product or availability? Company I am with seems to always be out of stock with my favorites. Would it be wise to just be wholesale members of both companies for that reason to alleviate frustration when we need a certain product and it’s not available?
Hey Nancy! Personally I don’t worry about out of stocks. Typically there are good reasons for that, and I find a work around until my favorites come back into stock. When it comes to comparing the cost of individual oils, that would be beyond the scope of this article, it’s already a book, lol!
Ask yourself why they are OOS. We can’t control nature….?
Very interesting post on comparison. I personally wish that neither company wouldn’t have multilevel. I don’t like the pressure 1 gets from up line to constantly sign people up with multilevel matketjng. I love essential oils & use them in my animal massage business & personal use. I am more apt to use an oil that I wouldn’t have to become a member in order to get at a better price. I do a ton of research for the physical & emotional benefits that essential oils offer for human & animals.
Totally a personal preference! I think that the level of pressure that one does/doesn’t get GREATLY depends on the team. We have a team that is made up 90% of product users, and that works AWESOME for us 😀
Although, I adore my oil company I applaud anyone that chooses either of these companies over store bought oils. One thing that I found from YL is their virtual office “university”. It was so eye opening to see the detailed explanation of the different distilling methods. Wonderful writeup 🙂
Thank you so much! And I 100% agree….either company is a far better option than health food store oils, wonderful point 🙂
I have tried both and find that Do Terra work so much better. Just take the peppermint for example, the smell is better, it is stronger so you use less and it works quicker. I wonder if that is taken into consideration from your comparisons? I do not sell either brand of oils, just my personal preference. I do wish Do Terra offered more oils though.
I tried to focus on objective and verifiable comparison points, things that I could refer people back to sources. Smell and experience are pretty subjective, and hard to back up. BUT I am super glad that you are getting the experience you are looking for! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Just a side note: a stronger smell does not necessarily mean that an oil is stronger. I’m not sure how one would work faster than the other if they are both absorbed at the same rate? People usually notice the effects of peppermint oil within 4 minutes! I find that DoTerra oils smell much sweeter, but not necessarily stronger.
Super post that lost the differences. Well done!
You are welcome!
This is a really well done comparison. I would love to have a printed up copy for myself as I can’t remember all of the specifics. Is it possible to get a copy?
Yes, you scroll to the bottom of the article where there is a bar with social sharing options, one of the options is also a print option where you can print it to your printer. I am really glad you found it to be helpful!
GREAT article. Detailed (just like I knew you would be 😉 ), factual and non-emotional. I learned several new things about both companies in this article. Super great. Best way to squash rumors?? Provide FACTS. Nicely done.
Thank you! I am VERY glad that it was helpful!
Appreciate all the work you put into this and your integrity. I am very happy with the honorable company I am part of. I am also happy you did not do a money comparison because I think the old saying “you get what you paid for” makes it hard to compare a price for what you buy and how it is produced. All personal choices. And I think many confuse Gary’s sister with his now wife Mary in business concerns. Thank you for the facts!
Thanks Jackie! Glad you enjoyed the article 🙂
VERY informative!!! Thanks for sharing Kristen!!! 🙂
You’re very welcome!
Thank you for sharing this comparison. I have used essential oils from one particular company for over 17 years now It hasn’t been until here in the past couple of years that my oil collection, usage of a variety of different oils and supplements, and the way I’ve transfer my home into a more chemical free environment.
I have used other brands and must say that my original brand 17 years ago has ALWAYS resurfaced due to the quality and effectiveness. It is worth the extra cost because a little dab will do you.
Thanks again for the comparison. It will be a great tool for me when someone ask and wants to research more.
Hi Robin! Glad that the article was helpful to you!
The botanical name for Dorado Azul is not Dorado Azul – it is Hyptis Suaveolens. Just FYI.
James Burton – Certified Professional Aromatherapist
Thanks, James for catching that oversight! I’ll make that change 🙂
I noticed that there wasnt acreference to fda violations or pending lawsuits for both companies. Though i use certain products from both ..as an aromatherapist i think these are also important things to discuss
Hi Lori! I was only including things that are of current importance. The FDA concerns have been resolved with both companies currently being in compliance with the FDA, and as far as the lawsuits, I don’t have any new information, which is why they were not included. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment!
This is awesome, thanks! I use one of these brands and it’s nice to know how the other one does business.
You are very welcome 🙂
Your facts about doTERRA. You may want to get your facts straight before writing and article. 1. To jump from preferred to wellness advocate is a $10 jump. From $25 to $35 and $25 each year on renewal. With a free peppermint upon renewal. Which is a great deal. There are several other “facts” you may want to research because after all we are in 2016 now. Both companies are based on facts a year old. Appreciate your comparisons, I will stick with my company thanks!
Hi Julie! I’d be glad to update that information. I was unable to find the documents that reflect those details on the doTerra corporate website, but if you’re willing to share the links, I’ll definitely make that update! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Is Be living oils just a part of Young living oils
No, it is another company entirely. But great question!
Kristen,
Thank you for the time and attention you took to compare the two companies and doing so with no commentary or comment on personal preference. I’m more taken though by your comments to those who have questioned you or rebuked you for your post. I am very impressed by the ongoing professionalism and kindness you have shown each and every person regardless of their comment. You are a great example to all of us. Keep it up! It’s appreciated.
Sherian, I really appreciate your kind words. They mean a great deal to hear! Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Great post!
One update needed!!!
I have a bottle or two of young living white fir.
I can send you a photo of you would like?
Hey Kelli! This was brought up by a few other people 🙂 I am aware that it was given as a freebie during 2015 and that it was sold in 2014 as part of the Exotic Oils Kit. It is not available for sale, and that is why it is on the list. I actually own two bottles myself, but you couldn’t purchase it today.
Kristen you have done a very fine job and kept very very professional!! Very hard to do in this day of age!! You have set an excellent example to those in your team!
I would like to share this article (and the article about why you passed on doTerra) with some future classes. Clicking on the print button and it is 23 pages long. Would you have it in a file format to share?
I’ll look and see if there is a simple way to make it work for less pages. 🙂 Thank you for your kind comment!
Thank you so much Kristen for putting this together. I really appreciate your objective approach.
Thank you so much!
Incredible post but I’m impressed more with your kindness towards those that might disagree with you. Upstanding character!
<3 Thank you so much!
Hi, Kristen. Thanks for compiling all of this information. I’ve shared it with my team because it covers so much and the comparison question comes up a lot. This is a great example of how to discuss without being coming across as combative. To that end, the only (unsolicited) suggestion I’d like to make is that the title could have used the word “and” instead of “vs”. As in: “DoTerra and Young Living: How Do They Compare?” In all honesty I almost didn’t click on the link to read the blog because the use of “vs” made me think it might be bashing one or the other. My curiosity won out, though, and I’m glad it did. Well written and researched. I love the grace in your presentation.
Glad that the article was helpful! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Thank you so much! I appreciate your work in pulling all this information together!
You are very welcome!
It was one of a few writings that have kept out opinions, but you are missing at least one point, loyalty rewards orders from DoTERRA get reimbursed for all shipping costs if order is done over the Internet in the form of product points, in a sense giving a form of free shipping…
Thank you for pointing that out, Ellen. Would you be able to send me a link so that I can update that information with a link to backup? That’d be great! Also, is that for all PV level of orders or just above a certain PV?
I like DoTerra oils
WOW! Thank you so much as I’m sure this took much time to research and put together! I thank God for his creation for our benefit. I am glad there are so many people who research and are passionate about how we can benefit our world for His glory.
Thank you, Bridget 🙂
Kristen,
You did a great job and you continue to do so with the answering everyone’s questions and comments so graciously. So glad I made the decision I did.
Thank you so much, Judy 🙂
This comparison is very helpful, thank you. One thing worth noting though is that when I was looking at the DoTerra Website I was able to see a lot more blends available then you have listed here. I did enter my country as being the US, so perhaps that accounts for the difference, but I saw 30 blends available as opposed to 19.
Hi Tracy! Thanks for pointing that out. I was looking at the blends listed on the doTerra corporate website: http://www.doterra.com . Would you mind sending me the link where you found more blends? If I can get a good source, I’ll be sure to update it. Keep in mind that the blends that are listed in that section are ONLY the blends that are available for INDIVIDUAL purchase. I know other blends are available for purchase only in collections (both from YL and DT), so I didn’t include them in that number. That may be part of the difference 🙂
I think this article is very biased, which is fine, but don’t try to pretend like you are giving a fair comparison when it’s clearly tilted one way. Funny how it doesn’t say that doTERRA had 24 complaints with the BBBin the last three years and YL had 89. I also didn’t notice any of doterra’s new scientific research information in this article. Also th CPTG testing information is false. Oils are tested by a third party throughout the process not only at distillation.
I don’t think it’s possible to give a true fair comparison when you use one ir the other, it’s clear which you use. A doTERRA wellness advocate could write something just like this and tilt it the other way.
I am certainly sorry you feel that way. I think it is also just as easy to read intent into something that isn’t there, which is I believe what has happened here.
Without you sharing links to the information you referenced, there is no way for me to verify that information, and if necessary, update the article. And apart from debating the fine points of an article that was never a debate to start with, I’ll just leave it as is. I wish you well, and politely disagree 🙂
http://www.doterratools.com/documents/CPTG_Testing_Methods.pdf
This pdf indicates independent laboratory testing is required by doTERRA, a fact you failed to point out clearly in your comparison.
Amy, I was pretty clear that DoTerra does third party testing in the article. Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
Thank You for Sharing this comparison. I once had someone ask me so now I can send them your link!
I am very glad this will be useful, thanks for commenting!
Hello Beautiful Lady~
Thank you so very much for your thoughtful and well-written article on this subject, Kristen~
You have chosen topic headings relevant to the focus of your article and have woven the necessary information into a precise, factual and very helpful tapestry filled with grace. I love it and will share with thankfulness.
I’m with the other readers who appreciate your spirit when responding with kind and loving words to one and all who have left replies here. May God continue to give you grace, wisdom and a loving heart…I think you are a real peach!
Julia, you have blessed me, thank you 🙂
How does shipping compare
Thank you for creating this comparison. It is helpful.
In your research did you come across any information with either company about adding any synthetics to their oils? I know that both don’t have a USDA organic certification but have heard it rumored that one adds synthetics while the other doesn’t. Unfortunately I don’t have any sources to site other than the rumor mill but I am very curious to know if you have any information on this topic. It seems counterproductive to want to purify with oils that are in part synthetic. Thanks for the information!
Hi Amanda, I don’t have any rock solid sources on that information. I purposefully avoided any sources that were not official, based on the significant amount of just flat out rumor that floats around the internet (but so far none of them have any objective or verifiable source to back them up). Everyone seems to “know a person who knows a person” who said something, but I have yet to see a document that I can show you that verifies those rumors.
really a great job with this very informative and I felt – handled well as far as can be for two opposing brands. If I had a chance I would switch – hmmmm I still may 🙂
thanks for taking the time.
Thank you so much Nancy, I hope you find exactly what you are looking for 🙂
I’m not sure I understand the single essential oil list. DoTerra carries many of the oils on the Young Living list.
Hey Toni! The comparison was made based on the oils that were listed for sale on each company’s corporate website. If there are oils that DT sells that I mistakenly listed as exclusive to YL, would you mind letting me know which ones and a link I could reference for that info? Thanks so much!
I have to agree with Shane on this – not a fair comparison, not unbiased and there are more than a few statements being presented as fact that are not true at all. I checked your sources on some of the inaccuracies and found them to be taken out of context. Truth mixed with error – the worst kind of information. If you really want to give a “fair” comparison, I suggest you find a representative from both sides of the spectrum to check your article for accuracy before you post. If you just want to try to create doubts and feed the unhealthy relationship between the two companies, than post something like this (which is, indeed, outside of the court settlement agreement).
Hi Lyndi! I am sorry you feel that way, but you also didn’t point out the specific things you found in error, so without that I am not sure how to make a fix to the article. As far as any sort of court thing, I don’t tell anyone what to choose nor do I provide any commentary. Facts put side by side (with source documents) allow you to choose (or not choose) any option you wish. I wish you well!
FYI – the statement that DoTerra’s co-sourced farms distill is incorrect. This is an important distinction. DoTerra’s website does not state distillation happens on any of the farms. The farms ONLY provide the raw materials. All plant matter is shipped to DoTerra’s Utah distillery. Raw plant matter immediately begins to degrade and decompose once cut/harvested resulting in a reduction of chemical constituents. Plus spoilage is a factor during shipping/transit time, especially if shipped over seas.
I’m sorry Michele, I believe you have some incorrect information. DoTerra does not own a distillery nor do they personally distill their oils unless something has drastically changed in their supply chain. All of the sourcing info (including using independent distillers) was from the DT corporate website.
Kristen, Would it be possible to get this post in a printer friendly version? Thank you for taking the time to put this together! I found it neutral and very informative.
I am glad that you were able to enjoy the article! At this time the best way to share the information in this site is to share the URL to the article!
Thank you for this article. Our family has just recently been questioning if we are using the best oils for our family. I feel much better after reading this. I may have missed it, but was there anything interesting your article about bottles of oils with an expiration date on them? Is this also a difference between these 2 companies?
Neither company discusses expiration dates on their websites, and without a current bottle of DoTerra oils in front of me to confirm or deny, it wouldn’t make sense for me to make a distinction that may or may not have any significance. Hope that makes sense 😀