Today, a client emailed me with this question and it got me ranting about essential oil "clubs" and multi level marketing schemes that claim to offer people "the best" "most therapeutic" essential oils. In case you read no further, my advice is to buy from reputable aromatherapy professionals and educate your nose. But please DO read on…

Q: Hi Tracey,

It was nice seeing you in Toronto and wishing you all the best with your new store. I was wondering if you have heard of the company D_ T____. A friend of mine is starting to invest in oils and she has signed up with them. My gut is that the oils are not as good as they say but I wanted to get your opinion on them before I say anything to her. http://www.d_t____.com/ca/

Regards,
DS, Certified Shiatsu Therapist, Ottawa

A: Hi D,

Any multi level marketing co or club screams scam to me.

Essential oils are distilled all over the world all kinds of ways, by people, families and corporations with slave labour. Best to buy essential oils on an individual basis from trusted practitioners. N__ D_________ has no aromatherapists on staff, so they are buying from suppliers based on price and logistics alone.

As for D_T____, the prices are 6x what I would expect. Aside from being tremendously overpriced, the claims are indeed mere marketing trickery. For instance (my comments are in caps):

Bergamot Essential Oil
Citrus bergamia

A highly favored oil for its lovely fragrance,
Bergamot is unique among citrus oils for its calming properties. NOT A USEFUL COMMENT. BERGAMOT IS HELPFUL FOR DEPRESSION AND RESENTMENT THAT ARISES FROM ANGER.

d_T____®, in keeping with the CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® standard,
ALL ESSENTIAL OILS ARE THERAPEUTIC GRADE UNLESS MARKED COMMERCISL GRADE, WHICH IS NEVER MARKETED TO CONSUMERS. PURE MEANS CONTAINS ONLY THAT SUBSTANCE, NO ADDITIVES. ESSENTIAL OILS ARE NEVER ANYTHING BUT PURE.

cold-presses the oil from the rind of the bergamot fruit.
GRAMMAR ERRORS ASIDE, COLD PRESSED BERGAMOT IS EXTREMELY PHOTOSENSITOZING AND THERE SHOULD BE A CAUTION IN THE DESCRIPTION AND ON THE BOTTLE.

For aromatic, topical, PHOTOTOXIC!!! or dietary use. ILLEGAL TO ADVISE CONSUMPTION IN CANADA!!!

Based on this therapeutically useless description, no professional should ever use D_T____ oils.
Professionals must have access to more info than this! See http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/64
I fill out my Materia Medica descriptions as I gain more info.

I am opinionated, picky and honest about the oils I sell. I sell them only because I use them in my practice! My social enterprise oils are generally overwhelmingly better than those on the market. They come from family and community operation through my broker who has two PHDs in plant medicine & anthropology then directly to me. They are consequently +-1/10 th the market price, fresh, of very high quality, have excellent karma!

I would be happy to speak with your friend or correspond by email. As a practitioner, I would give her a 50% discount off my posted prices. I would also be happy to evaluate for her more local sources.

Thanks for asking. I got very excited looking into this!

Were these wintergreen essential oil producers in Nepal treated fairly? Do they own the farm and distillery or are they hired by a corporation, and were they paid a living wage? I do my best to know.