Are doTERRA and Young Living oils worth the price?
Short answerMost independent users say no — these are multi-level-marketing brands whose oils are typically far more expensive than equally pure alternatives. Brands like Plant Therapy, Edens Garden, Revive and Rocky Mountain Oils are widely recommended as high-quality, third-party-tested options at a fraction of the cost.
This comes up constantly, and the community consensus is unusually strong: the actual oil in MLM (multi-level-marketing) brands is often fine, but you are paying a large markup for the sales structure, not for superior quality.
Why people steer away from MLMs
- Price: comparable purity is available for much less elsewhere.
- Sourcing claims: "exclusive" sourcing narratives are frequently disputed.
- Unsafe advice: MLM sales materials sometimes promote internal use, which mainstream aromatherapists warn against.
Brands the community recommends instead
Repeatedly named favourites include Plant Therapy, Edens Garden, Revive, Rocky Mountain Oils and Aura Cacia — companies that publish third-party GC/MS test results and aren't MLMs. As one long-time buyer put it, these are "just as good as the big-name pyramid-scheme brands at a fraction of the price."
The takeaway: judge an oil by its purity testing and your own nose, not by the brand's marketing or price tag.
What people actually say
Real, unedited voices from Reddit communities and verified Amazon.com reviews — cited, not paraphrased.
“Check out Plant Therapy or Aromatics International. Both excellent brands with high quality oils and they are NOT MLMs.”
“I've been a certified Aromatherapist for 23 years. I appreciate someone talking about what these companies are doing that is harmful. I never recommend internal use of essential oils.”
“Just as good as the “big name” pyramid scheme brands at a fraction of the price.”
“Not all Tea Tree oils are created equal. Tried many, from cheap knock-offs to the top-notch MLM (YL & DT). Revive is a fantastic company.”