Are Essential Oils a Scam? ~ A Skeptic Looks at Thieves® Oil
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Are essential oils a scam? Is Thieves Oil (or other oil blends like it) a scam?
I used to think so! I mean, these teeny tiny bottles of oil smelled nice, but they’re supposed to really be good for you?
Well, here’s what happened to me.
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I’m a Skeptic
I’m not one to put my trust in things or people readily.
Really, I’m not. However, sometimes you have to rethink things.
With all that we’ve been through with autism, adrenal fatigue, heavy metals, and more, I’ve been in and out of doctor’s offices, both mainstream and alternative.
Among other things, we’ve tried:
- chiropractic
- homeopathy
- kinesiology
- ionic foot bath (only once)
- acupressure
- tons of supplements (no–I haven’t weighed them. But if I did I’m scared it would be close to a ton.)
- nutritional balancing (help based on hair mineral testing. This didn’t really help us.)
Anyway, we’ve tried a lot on our road to healing. I’ve been really careful not to mortgage the farm (er–our house) while trying to heal my son’s autism, but it’s been tempting at times.
Looking back at that list of alternative medical practices, I guess it’s pretty hard to think that I’m a skeptic, right?
But really I am.
We’ve tried a lot of things, but we really did put a lot of thought into all of these “healing options” prior to working with them, and most of them we aren’t doing anymore.
Either they haven’t worked, or we’ve found something that’s worked better or cheaper.
Before finishing this post, please note that I am NO LONGER USING YOUNG LIVING ESSENTIAL OILS.
I moved on for various reasons.
To find out what essential oils I’m using now, read this post, or skip ahead to the final post in the series here.
Are Essential Oils a Scam?
Well, the latest object of my skepticism is….you guessed it. Essential Oils.
I’d heard about essential oils a number of times over the years.
People would tell me how great essential oils were and I’d think, “Yeah, right. You’re just trying to get me into another one of those network marketing things.”
And frankly, putting oil on your body and expecting it to do anything except smell good, well, basically loaded with “woo woo foo foo” to me.
Nonetheless, it seemed that over and over that someone would be telling me about essential oils. Especially the antibacterial blends often called “Thieves” or “Four Thieves” or something like that.
Those blends and the oils in them are supposed to be antiviral, antibacterial.
“Yeah, right. Sure,” this skeptic thought.
I Got Sick
Anyway, about 10 months ago, I got sick.
Really sick.
I had a bad something that I just couldn’t shake. For a long time.
I had fluid in my ear and then my nose – and then both. Three weeks or more passed. I started asking friends for advice and feared that the dreaded antibiotic would be in my future. One natural-minded friend suggested I try one of these multi-level-marketing company anti-bacterial blends.
I am fine, of course, with taking antibiotics when needed, but I am concerned about antibiotic resistance.
According to the CDC, there is a lot of antibiotic resistance going on and it’s best to use caution when taking antibiotics.
This is how our conversation went:
“I always use that when I feel something coming on. It’s great!” she said.
“So, do you sell the oils?” I asked.
“No.”
OK then. Someone recommending it who wasn’t selling it.
Now I was seriously curious and was wondering if maybe the essential oils weren’t a scam?
So I went on a hunt to get some without spending the huge retail price for a bottle.
I got a small sample from a local woman, but it wasn’t nearly enough to deal with my problem. So I called the original person who had told me about Young Living and she sent me a larger sample– enough to get me through a few days.
Three days after I started using the oil I was better.
Good stuff.
(Please note that I no longer recommend taking essential oils internally unless one is under the care of a physician or other medical professional or certified aromatherapist — someone who knows your condition and your overall health. Furthermore, taking oils internally can lead to damage of the mucous membranes, and essential oils must be emulsified before using with a water base.)
Since then, this oil blend, or similar blends from other companies have helped my family and others with various issues.
Fingernail Owie
I used to be really prone to these–getting an owie just after something jabbed me under my fingernail (for one of them about 5 years ago, I ended up needing antibiotics since it got really nasty). I hadn’t gotten them for awhile, but I did get one again about 5 months ago.
Colloidal silver and peroxide wouldn’t do anything, so I thought about the “Thieves oil-type” blend.
I stuck a little of the diluted oil on another clean fingernail, pushed it into the injured area – and a few days and several treatments later, the problem was gone.
Viral Mouth Sores
One night, while we were out, my son complained that his lip was sore. He said he’d gotten bumped. When we got home, however, there were 6-7 obvious sores, filled with pus (sorry to be so descriptive.)
After doing research on oils and sores, I ended up trying Thieves again, this time diluted with a carrier oil.
The next day, here is what his lip looked like and it was MUCH better than before. (I wish I’d thought to take a photo the first day. Sigh.)
There was no sign of the sores within 3 days.
Lumpy Blemishes
I used to have a rough time with blemishes in my 20s but hadn’t really struggled with any skin issues but rosacea since then. Suddenly, this past month, I started getting some small breakouts. None of them really bothered me, however, until I got a large blemish next to my cheek.
I used the anti-bacterial blend diluted with a carrier oil and overnight the lump had shrunk noticeably. Within 3 days it was gone.
Another reader since shared that she’s used one of these blends on some underarm lumps / sores and they’ve vanished.
Sinus Troubles
A local reader who is prone to sinus issues had a bad sinus problem again.
She ended up trying the Immune Strength blend from my favorite essential oils company, and all signs of the problem were gone overnight.
Persistent Illness
Another local reader’s son had not been feeling well for several days that was had become worrisome. She’d gotten an Rx for an antibiotic but really didn’t want to fill it (see my story about avoiding antibiotics). She ended up trying an anti-bacterial essential oils blend along with an herbal supplement and said that the next day her son woke up and he was his old self again.
The “Thieves Oil Story”
Thieves-type oils were apparently developed from historical information about four thieves in France who would rob victims of the Black Plague (get it–stealing things off of dead bodies. Ick.)
They’d protect themselves from the plague with a secret recipe of natural ingredients including cloves and rosemary. The thieves were captured and given a lighter sentence in exchange for their recipe. And it really works.
Now I don’t know if this is a valid story at all, but it’s interesting, and the essential oils involved have been shown to have many antibacterial and antiviral properties. There are many studies about these qualities including this one and this one.
Essential Oils can be a very valid part of your natural medicine cabinet. I’ll fill you in on more in my next post on essential oils where I’ll talk about Peppermint, Wintergreen and other oils and my experience with them.
And I really don’t mean this to be a commercial. I am just so floored by my experience with them that I feel compelled to share (some things are just too good to keep to yourself!)
But Essential Oils are Expensive….
Do you feel this way? I did.
So – how do essential oils fit into a “financially concerned” household?
You can buy these blends pre-blended for convenience from the essential oils company that I recommend. You can go here to see how I ended up choosing this company. It’s a series, so you can read what you like – some of the comments got pretty dicey though.
And when someone gets sick, we don’t go through a whole bottle. It’s a whole lot cheaper than the gas (whoa – $4 per gallon?!) and copay and maybe an antibiotic on top of it. And we all know there is more than up-front finances involved with antibiotics and other meds, right?
Additionally, you can make your own anti-bacterial essential oils blend and save a bunch of money that way.
Again, please note that I am no longer using Young Living Oils.
You can read more starting with this post, or skip ahead to the final post here.
Interested in learning more about using essential oils for healthy living? This book is a GREAT resource:
Free Essential Oils Report and VIP Newsletter Access
Also, if you go and grab my Free Report on 10 Things to Know About Essential Oils Before You Buy, you will not only get more myth-busting essential oils information, but you’ll get access to my VIP newsletter as well–complete with updates, great healthy living offers, of course new posts on essential oils, and more.
Please share your thoughts on and questions about essential oils.
Do you or did you think essential oils are a scam?
This post is for entertainment purposes only and is not to be used as medical advice as I am not a physician, nor do I pretend to be one. Please consult with your physician prior to using any kind of natural remedy or supplement. Thank you.
We love YL at our house. I was a major skeptic until I had a baby and wanted nothing but the best for her. I was not comfortable polluting her little body if it wasn’t necessary. I add lavander and frakinscene to her lotion routine every night. I swear by them now. Thieves is wonderful for breaking fevers also. Rub it on the bottom of your feet and it helps break the fever. Essensial oils are amazing!
Thanks for the fever tip, Toni!
Oh I’m a big fan of the Thieves oil blend! I plan on mixing my own once my current bottle runs out.
Except for the Thieves I use the Beeyoutiful brand essential oils. From talking with the company, the reason their oils are so much less expensive than YL is because they don’t carry all the liability insurance that YL has to to be able to state that their oils can be used internally. That’s why the less expensive essential oils are labeled as not for internal use. Anyway, I think the most important thing is to do your research (as you’ve done!) and make an informed decision that you’re comfortable with.
That said, when I use Thieves I put a drop on my finger and rub it on the roof of my mouth (if I feel like I’m coming down with something). I also add it to a carrier oil (along with more eucalyptus, tea tree, lavender and peppermint oils) and rub behind my ears and down my neck and throat. It helps keep the lymph nodes and ears draining so I don’t end up with an ear infection. If I do all this when I first feel sick many times I can totally avoid getting sick!
Interesting, Deb. Thanks for sharing! I’m still holding off a cold w/ 5 drops internally about 1-2 times per day. So far – I’m not giving in :-).
I LOVE Young Living Oils…I too am learning more and more and just love the results we have gotten as well. Thieves, Peppermint and Clove are on my auto ship every month..LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them…They have kept my family of 6 healthy and friends have been getting my “elixir” off of me…I take homemade elderberry syrup and add in couple drops of Thieves, Peppermint and a drop of Clove. It works!!
Also, I did want to say from all that I have heard DO NOT PUT YOUNG LIVING OILS IN THE EARS!!! Maybe a lessor value one wouldn’t hurt, but I PROMISE YOU YOUNG LIVING WOULD!
Interesting about the ears – even diluted w/ carrier oils?
You rub the oils on the outside of the ear, but NEVER put into the ear.
I am just starting to use essential oils for healing as I am trying to live a healthier, less chemical filled life. I have fibromyalgia, lupus and mixed connective tissue disease and would love to hear how Tiffany used essential oils to help her fibromyalgia. Love this post!
I’d love to hear as well. I know my practitioner says fibro is linked to heavy metals. You can see her info on my adrenal fatigue post. Also, I would not be surprised if what I had was fibro. I am almost completely healed now. Please keep reading. I’ll be sharing more about my healing. Take care.
I am nuts about Thieves Oil! I have a handful of essential oils at home, but the Thieves is the one that gets the most use. I keep a bottle of diluted Thieves Oil (1:4 Thieves to olive oil) in a leftover hotel shampoo bottle and rub it on whatever is ailing me — my chest if I’ve got a cough, my sinuses if I’m stuffed up, my throat if it’s scratchy, whatever! and I swear by its effectiveness. Amazing stuff.
Neato tip! Thanks!
Wonderful idea…… will definitely use the little bottles and keep soulution handy in purse. Thanks
I have been into alternative medicine for years and, I must say, essential oils are often my first line of defense. High quality, therapeutic grade essential oils work. Period. I use doTERRA but have only heard good things about YL. It’s always amazing to see how quick and effective essential oils work. We have successfully treated bronchitis, urinary tract infections, acid reflux and ear infections. Headaches, stomach aches and heartburn generally go away within 2 minutes.
Keep spreading the word about the power of oils!
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie.
I have head a little about doTERRA as well. Take care!
I love essential oils and use them all the time. I don’t think the cats thing is totally correct though. You can even buy an info sheet back from a company called Aroma Tools that talks all about how to use essential oils for cats. I would think though that you need to make sure you are using truly pure therapeutic oils or yes they could be harmful.
Thanks for the clarification, AnnaLaura! Whew – research, research! Thank God for smart readers!
This is way late, but many essential oils ARE unsafe for cats. Lavender oil is toxic to them, for example, but some people still recommend using it because of old wives tales and hearsay.
Don’t look at a piece of paper printed by an EO company when looking into what you can or can’t use on your pets. They are not animal experts and shouldn’t be treated as such. They are there to make money, not to protect your pets. Do a thorough search that excludes any unproven science unless you want to risk hurting or killing your pets. A simple google search for “Is such-and-such essential oil toxic to cats” will give you better information than some shady company trying to make a quick buck.
Natural remedies are great, but don’t expect natural to be the same as safe.
There is a cat comment on here from the owner of NAN. Here is what he said:
I had heard than Young Living was a dangerous scam, not so much the oils, but the claims made for them. I know essential oils are very powerful, and they must be used carefully to avoid getting a bad skin reaction. Personally, I would get the oils from reputable companies other than Young Living, but that’s just me. I am interested in hearing more about the “scam”. Please listen, though: DO NOT USE ESSENTIAL OILS ON OR AROUND CATS!!!! They are toxic to cats, and cats have died from them. If you have a cat, use hydrosols instead; they are much safer for cats. Essential oils are great for people (and dogs) though.
Hi Bethany – I’ve heard a lot about YL that, after looking into it, seems unfounded. Their “claims” for sure are not dangerous. They are super careful. You can tell by my posts on FDA that the FDA is just waiting to sue companies making false claims. I have posted a few things about YL on 2 sites that had to be moderated before they could be published to make sure that I wasn’t making claims that could be a problem for them. I am still on the lookout about other options but I am starting to feel that a lot of the info about YL is silly.
Again – I’m open to hear and will investigate as I can.
Thanks for the info on cats – do you have info on that? What types of oils were a problem – all? Some?
Thanks!
Melaleuca Alternifolia (aka tea tree oil) is the only one that I know of to be harmful to cats. Because animals are so accepting of things you have to dilute oils A LOT! With that said a good friend of mine has saved HUNDREDS of dollars using Young Living oils and supplements on her cat after she ran it over with her van, same with her dog who was “high fived” by a passing car. Also young livings raindrop technique has been said to be great on horses. Let me know if you want more info! sandywieber at gmail dot com!
It’s much of our conventional medicine that’s the scam… While the hospital is great at putting people back together after an accident or treating infections with anti-biotics it’s simply rubbish at healing disease. Instead, you often hear of people being put on medications that treat the symptoms rather than cure the problem. Medications that cost a lot of money I might add!
Aromatherapy as well as direct use of some essential oils on the skin or internally really does work. A simple one to use is Lavender essential oil – it’s safe enough to use on everyone and is very effective in treating burns and sores. Do be careful with the companies you use though since some of them use chemicals in their products that can irritate your skin.
Thanks, Tanya – you are right on all counts!
I’m visiting from the Homestead Barn Hop. Amen to the power of Essential Oils! Have you ever heard of Heritage Essentail Oils? I understand they are comparable to Young Living and more reasonably priced.
I hadn’t heard of them, but I did take a look. Your comment also started me on a little “hunt” around the internet to check out a few other companies. I’m not sure what to say. One problem w/ Heritage is that there is no way to call anyone. I had to send a comment on a form to get a hold of anyone. I’ve had 2 allergic reactions to YL oils and the company worked w/ me on the phone right then and there. Also, I’ve had 2 bottles arrive damaged. Same thing. Their service has been excellent. So I am willing to pay for that. As far as quality, I can’t say. I am going to keep digging into this as I have time and I appreciate your sharing. I do think there’s a lot of negative press on YL that is unfounded. Yes, their stuff is pricey. But I found another MLM oils co with even higher prices. I will still look at them – but just saying that YL isn’t the “worst”. Take care!
I can get wicked bad cold sores from stress, sun and not drinking enough water. Thanks for the info on!
You’re welcome, Jill! Take care of yourself :-).
I don’t have a lot of experience with essential oils. I’ve only used them a couple of times. Thanks for sharing your experience.
You’re welcome, Alea!
I started using Young Living oils two and a half years ago when my very young children came down with H1N1. I too had been a skeptic, even though my parents had been telling me about the oils for several months. Desperate for my babies’ health to return, I used the oils and was floored by the results! My children (both under age 5) were flu-free after only three days! Needless to say, I was sold.. especially when a co-worker of mine had a daughter who came down with H1N1 at the same time, battled it for six weeks, and then got pneumonia because of her shot immune system. We have used them faithfully since as I learn more and more about them. I don’t even remember the last time we visited the doctor for an illness, and I also used them throughout my pregnancy with no worries. I clean almost exclusively with Young Living’s Thieves cleaner and love it. I have never regretted our investment in Young Living’s oils. When you break down the price-per-drop, you realize just how affordable they really are. And I truly do see them as an investment in my family’s health.
Thanks for sharing, Amanda. Amazing. My 1/2 brother was in the hospital w/ H1N1 and almost died. I did read that those who got very ill had underlying conditions, but I am not sure of the accuracy of this. My brother’s issue, as well as I know, was only obesity. Anyhow, I am so glad that your children made it through!
I would love to know your thoughts on the cleaners. Do you consider them to be worth it as well? We are on a tight budget and I pretty much only use baking soda and vinegar.
Thanks and hope to see you around again!
Hi Adrienne. I definitely consider the Thieves cleaner to be worth it! I use it to clean mirrors, bathrooms, table and counter tops, and even spray it on carpet stains. I love it! My children are now 6, 4 and a newborn, so we have lots of spills. I have used the spray on anything from spilled milk to baby diaper blowouts (on the carpet), and it has worked every time! I purchased two bottles of the cleaner a year ago and still am using the first, so a little goes a long way. We are also on a budget, living in a one-income household, and I consider the cleaner well worth the cost. Plus, its so nice to have items in my cleaning cabinet that are not harmful to my children. My goal this year is to move to all child-friendly cleaning products (probably by mostly making my own).
I found this post yesterday (by accident, actually!) and am so glad I came across your blog! I am now following you!
Thanks for taking the time to respond, Amanda! I have a bottle but I haven’t opened it yet…so I guess I’ll give it a try! Thanks again and I hope to see you around more!
During a basement remodel last year, we discovered a few areas of black mold after removing old drywall to replace it. I began researching natural ways to clean it up before proceeding, and stumbled upon the YL website and Thieves Oil. They have a lot of great info about using it for mold clean up! Like many others, I decided it would be much cheaper to make my own. There are recipes available online.
I diffused the homemade Thieves Oil in the room for 24 hours straight, and wow, what a difference it made! Even our handyman commented the following Monday. 🙂 I also scrubbed the 2 masonry block walls in question with a homemade cleaner containing the oil. In the time after treatment before the new drywall went up (a few weeks), the mold did not reappear. We did also have the foundation sealed to hopefully prevent future problems.
Since then, I regularly diffuse it in our living room during cold and flu season. It really works great! I haven’t used it for anything topically or internally. I purchased my oils from Mountain Rose Herbs, which are organic and therapeutic grade, according to their Website.
I’ve come to love many essential oils, and keep researching and experimenting myself. Thanks for a great post, and other ideas for the use of Thieves Oil!
I will have to check into making a recipe for making Thieves. But I will for sure only use YL oils since we it internally quite a lot and the other oils are mainly not for internal use. I am very intrigued by your mold story since I am very sensitive to mold. Thanks so much!
I like essential oils but have not tried Thieves. Your post has piqued my interest in it.
It’s pretty interesting, isn’t it? I can’t believe how much it has helped. I am off to take a few drops as I’m fighting a sore throat…..
Adrienne,
I have worked with essential oils for 20 years. I find them to be a wonderful adjunct to other healing modalities and are versatile and effective. The first time I saw Young’s Living Oils I cried. Seriously. I was mortified that pure and lovely essential oils that are our birthright to use were now being sold by Multi Level Marketing. I still feel the same way, but if one wishes to become educated in Aromatherapy the information is out there and one not need support Multi Level Marketers. I make my own “Thieves Blend” as well as nearly 30 other blends and perfumes. My “Thieves” is powerful and I use it for numerous things from air freshener, in dish washing soap, for cuts, and to just breathe in during a cold. Again I find Aromatherapy a powerful healing modality but one does need to study it’s use, dilution and toxicity ratios. Great article Thanks
Thanks, Kathleen. I have the same feelings about MLM’s, but I will say that YL does a very nice job of making their products affordable and their requirements for “staying active” are so reasonable. It really is quite different than other companies whom I tried – oh so long ago :-). Take care and I hope to see you around again.
Kathleen O’Connell-I’d love to know where you get your oils from!
Strong smells are often triggers for migraines for me; this is especially true of scents in candles, fresheners of all types, body/hair products, cleaning supplies, perfumes/colognes, etc. Do you know if these oils are particularly strong in smell? Most ‘God-made’ smells don’t trigger migraines but sometimes Eucalyptus is just too much for me.
Sharon, I can’t stand the strong chemical smells. Couldn’t since I was a young girl. It’s called chemical sensitivity. I’ve learned that those scents are aldehydes and your reaction could indicates the presence of candida. The candida puts off a similar substance and hence the reaction. The oils can be strong smelling. I don’t care for a few, but the ones I have mentioned have been just great. Of course if you have an allergy then that is something else. The company has been really great. I had a reaction to 2 products and they gave me my money back with no trouble at all. Let me know if I can help you further.
I too get sick from scented candles, perfumes, hand lotions etc. Some of the oils are strong if your just taking a whiff from the bottle. If you’re smelling a lot of them at once, the best way to neutralize the effects is to smell dry coffee grounds right from the can. There is only 1 of the oils that is a little to sweet for me, so I put very little on or smell the coffee grounds and it helps me a lot.
LOVE, LOVE my YL essential oils! I used them over 10 years ago and for some reason stopped. I started using/selling them again 6 months ago. When I look at my distributor number compared to my new distributors, I could kick myself for ever stopping spreading the good word about them. They are wonderful and have helped us so much. LOVE thieves! Thanks for a great post!
Thanks, Mary. You really are an encourager- (play on your blog’s name :-)! It is great stuff, I must say, from this Queen of Skeptics!
I’ve heard the same controversy about Young Living, yet, I love their product line. They also have a book that has some interesting info about essential oils and how it works with the body. I work for a couple who use nothing but Thieves Cleaning products. I love the smell and it cleans great.
Hi Laura. I hope to post about the “controversies” surrounding Gary Young. I wouldn’t have become a distributor if I thought it was horrendous. What book are you referring to, may I ask?
Thanks for sharing this and reviving my interest in Young Life as it was introduced to me by our niece and her husband. Now I need to get to the researching of it.