Hi everyone! I recently got into using essential oils from Young Living after going to a “make & take” where I got to see the oils & make a roller bottle. In January I decided to purchase Young Living’s premium starter kit. I had done some research ahead of time, but have really been researching a ton the past week. Like, it feels like my job now haha.
Now before I say any more, I want to say I was very hesitant about oils, if they would work, and the claims behind them. I had an oil diffuser & would diffuse some oils during college just for the smell & knew lavender made me drowsy, and peppermint made me feel more alert. I was very skeptical to try them anymore than that. Because of this, I wanted to share research articles I have found regarding essential oils & the proven benefits of them. I encourage you all to search on PubMed for articles about essential oils! Even though essential oils have been around for a long time, the business side of them & topical use is still very new. Young Living is the oldest essential oil company and they have only been around for 20 years. Because it’s such a new topic, research is limited. Here are some research articles I have found regarding essential oils. None of these are intended to treat or cure any disease, so apply them to your view on oils as you wish 🙂
Research Articles I’ve Found: You can see the full articles by clicking on the titles
- Essential Oils of Oregano: Biological Activity beyond Their Antimicrobial Properties: looked at the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, & cancer suppressor agents of oregano essential oil.
- Frankincense essential oil prepared from hydrodistillation of Boswellia sacra gum resins induces human pancreatic cancer cell death in cultures and in a xenograft murine model: “Based on the safety and tolerability of different frankincense extracts in animal models and human subjects, extracts from hydrodistillation of Boswellia sacra gum resins might represent a new therapeutic option on pancreatic cancer treatment in human patients after efficacy can be further confirmed. In addition, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic studies are required to optimize the administration frankincense essential oil for anti-cancer therapy.”
- Antimicrobial Activity of Six Essential Oils Against a Group of Human Pathogens: A Comparative Study: Looks at the antimicrobial factors of oregano, thyme, and lemon essential oils.
- Chemical Constituents of Essential Oils Possessing Anti-Influenza A/WS/33 Virus Activity: Looks at anti-influenaz A virus activity of certain essential oils.
- The Effect of Ten Essential Oils on Several Cutaneous Drug-Resistant Microorganisms and Their Cyto/Genotoxic and Antioxidant Properties: Another one that looks at antioxidant & antimicrobial properties of essential oils.
“Is Young Living a scam? And about their founder, Gary Young:
When searching online about Young Living, I came across some information about their founder, Gary Young that was very unsettling. It made me think, “Oh no, what have I gotten myself into?” I want to address this now in case someone is thinking of trying Young Living. It’s better to know sooner rather than later, and I feel like it is not addressed.
I’m not going to talk about all Gary Young has been accused of, you can research that yourself. I do want to say that just because he made mistakes, does not mean other members of the company were supporting him. I am simply looking at this and advocating for the products themselves, my personal experience, other’s testimonials, and the research I have done. Young Living is known for their high quality oils, and has been around for 20 years. Because Young Living has a reputable reputation, this surely would have affected the company more than it has. We also do not look at the founder of each company we support, like Walmart, Target, Old Navy, etc. In the end, you have to look at the product, how it is helping you and the testimonials you’ve heard from others you know.
Why I Purchased Young Living’s Premium Starter Kit:
The oil that sold me was DiGize, a Young Living essential oil blend made to support digestion. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’ve had digestive issues most of my life. I still suffer with severe (and I mean severe) bloating & acid reflux. I decided to apply DiGize after feeling bloated- not 100% sure it would help, but not 100% doubting it either. I have tried to have a neutral mindset about oils when first using them- not putting all my hope in them: awesome if they work, ok if they don’t.
DiGize has truly helped my bloating, acid reflux, and when I eat too much dairy (hello cheese).
I also was able to try a blend called “chill out” containing lavender, stress away & peace & calming. I apply this before I go to bed every night, and I do believe it has helped me sleep better. Frankincense has also done wonders for my complexion & skin tone & I apply it every day!
Oils that Work for Me:
- DiGize: As described above 🙂 I put 10 drops of it with 10 drops of peppermint oil in a roller bottle and fill the rest with a carrier oil (like almond oil, olive oil, fractionated coconut oil, etc). Peppermint also helps aid digestion, but helps make the scent more pleasant (DiGize is actually my least favorite smelling oil). I apply it on my abdomen when my stomach is acting up.
- Frankincense: I put a roller top on the bottle and apply it all over my face. I noticed a difference within 2 weeks. You may have to dilute this depending on your skin type. Everyone reacts differently!
- Lavender + Stress Away + Peace & Calming: great blend for relaxation & sleep!
- Thieves: Great for immune support. I like to diffuse this because it smells amazing. I also have it in a roller bottle & apply it on my neck, wrist, chest & spine. Young Living also has a Thieves Household line which includes an all purpose cleaner, fruit & veggie soak (which is amazing), hand sanitizer, mouth wash, and more!
- Purification: Helps take bad smells away & is good to clean with. I’m going to start putting it in our trash can to help masks smells.
- Bergamot: I like to diffuse this in the bathroom & use it to clean with as well because of its antimicrobial properties. I also enjoy the smell of it. Fun fact: it’s the oil in Earl Grey tea that gives it the citrus taste!
- Endoflex: I have been applying this oil on my thyroid to aid in thyroid support. Although I have not noticed a difference in how I feel (yet), I am curious to see if an ultra sound shows otherwise in 6 months. Again, I’m not putting all my hope in it, but am open to if it works or not.
- Valor: This has a nice flower scent to it and is known as “liquid courage.” I’ve been using this as a perfume lately and like to apply it in the morning to get me ready for the day.
- Peppermint: I haven’t used peppermint a ton yet, but I have heard a lot about it being great for headaches and tension. I have used it to prevent mosquitoes & notice it helping me feel more alert. I will be experiencing with peppermint (and more oils) and will keep you all updated.
Here is my insight on essential oils: there is research on them (fist pump!), but more needs to be done. They are also very individualized. Just because DiGize works for me, does not mean it is going to work for you. Everyone’s experience with essential oils is different, not every oil is going to work for everyone and will not work for everyone the same. In the end, take everything with a grain of salt, try them out and don’t give up just because one oil didn’t work for you.
*I am not a doctor, and these statements are not to treat or cure any diseases. I just wanted to share my insight.
Ciara
SincerelyC 