I want to start by acknowledging that I realize this post may will upset some people. To be honest, up until a few months ago…I would have rolled my eyes at this blog post title and thought to myself, “what a mistake.” doTERRA is one the fastest growing essential oil companies in the world, and certainly one of the most popular…why would I ever decide to leave?
My decision to leave doTERRA wasn’t one that I came to easily. It is something that I debated heavily, weighing out the pros and cons.
I am an extremely loyal person, and when I find a brand I love…I stick with it! I’ve used the same organic make-up brand for 15 years, I buy most of my clothing from the same 3 stores, I recently had 20 boxes of pancake mix shipped to my house because it is my favorite brand and our local store kept running out…you get the picture.
Why I Chose doTERRA
I was a loyal customer of doTERRA’s for 5 years (56 months to be exact), during which time I placed monthly orders as part of their loyalty rewards program of between $150-$200. doTERRA was the first brand of essential oils that I ever used, and I instantly fell in love with their quality, consistency, and therapeutic value. The promise of “CPTG” oils (certified pure therapeutic grade) meant a lot to me, and I truly believed that these oils were the highest quality oils available on the market at the time.
doTERRA has grown very quickly since they started in 2008, and has been very innovative in their product development. They now consider themselves more of a wellness company than an essential oil company, and I would have to agree.
doTERRA has moved beyond just selling essential oils and now has a wide variety of wellness and lifestyle products, including an amazing supplement line for both adults and children.
In fact, I love their supplements so much that I will continue to use their lifelong vitality pack and children’s vitamins while I research other possible supplements that have similar quality and bioavailability.
The Downside of MLM’s
I jumped headfirst into being a “builder” with doTERRA, which means I began doing the business of selling essential oils as part of their MLM structure. I had never been part of an MLM before, and had nothing to compare my experience to. I took my business very seriously and began moving up through the ranks very quickly in the beginning.
Talking to people I knew was very easy for me, but when it came time to move past my contact list and to make friends with the sole purpose of selling them essential oils…I struggled. I felt like I was using people, and I was being taught to try to sell oils to people even if they couldn’t afford it by showing them how valuable essential oils are.
Don’t get me wrong, I 100% believe that essential oils are incredibly valuable and can replace the need to buy things like over the counter medications and cleaning products…however, I don’t believe in pushing people into buying products that they cannot afford.
I also didn’t like doTERRA’s approach of putting down every other essential oil company and claiming to be the best and only option when it comes to quality and purity.
Over time, I realized how much I disliked being part of an MLM structure. There were experiences with those above me in ranks that made me feel pressured and left a sour taste in my mouth. I also didn’t like feeling like I was using people.
Why I Chose to Leave doTERRA
My ultimate decision to leave doTERRA came down to my values. When we started hol FAMILY, we wanted to have a blog that inspired families to find health and happiness using natural solutions.
Part of our mission involves showing others how to do this affordably. Unfortunately, doTERRA’s oils are quite pricey and the only reason our family could afford to use them was because I was doing doTERRA as a business.
Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to be part of a company that had high quality oils, sourced indigenously, rigorously tested for purity, had safe oils for children, and was affordable for everyone.
I am happy to say that I found all of this and so much more in Plant Therapy!
All About Plant Therapy
Plant Therapy is a company that came on the market in 2011, and was started by Chris Jones, a Father of four children from Idaho who started the company with the mission to provide high quality, affordable essential oils to everyone.
They have an extensive product line that includes a wide variety of single essential oils, oil blends, roll-ons, a kid-safe children’s line, organic oils, products for men, carrier oils, body care, diffusers, accessories, and even a pup & pony line for furry friends.
Similar to doTERRA, the essential oils at Plant Therapy are carefully sourced, undergo rigorous testing internally and from a third party tester, and come with a satisfaction guarantee.
Three ways that doTERRA differs from Plant Therapy are in their FREE shipping, the ability to buy without a membership, and their affordable pricing.
Here is a cost comparison of the difference between doTERRA’s retail prices and Plant Therapy (listed in USD):
| Plant Therapy | doTERRA | |
| Lavender | $7.49 (10 mL) | $30.67 (15 mL) |
| Peppermint | $7.95 (10 mL) | $29.33 (15 mL) |
| Tea Tree | $7.95 (10 mL) | $28 (15 mL) |
| Frankincense | $14.95 (10 mL) | $90.67 (15 mL) |
| Diffusers | $29.95-$89.95 | $62-$120 |
Plant Therapy has also created this handy blend comparison chart which allows you to find your favorite Young Living or doTERRA blend and see which Plant Therapy blend would be comparable.
The Plant Therapy Difference
Unlike doTERRA, with Plant Therapy, I no longer have to be part of an MLM structure to be able to share these high quality essential oils with you as part of my business model. Instead, I am an affiliate with Plant Therapy. This means that if you click on a link or banner I have for Plant Therapy on this site, I will make a small commission on anything you purchase from them. If you go to Plant Therapy’s site and order on your own, I won’t. Either way, you pay the exact same low price! Plant Therapy has no minimum purchase, and no ongoing commitment to buy.
When I was a business builder with doTERRA, I had to spend a minimum amount every month just to qualify for commission. Now that I am with Plant Therapy, I just get to buy what my family needs…and I can do so affordably thanks to their amazing prices.
I LOVE essential oils and use them every day. They go in my diffuser, we use roll-ons throughout the day, I make DIY beauty and cleaning products using essential oils, and so much more. Essential oils have made a huge impact on our family in our health, emotional well-being, and in removing toxins from our home.
Our goal is to share our knowledge and experience with essential oils so others can benefit from their amazing therapeutic value too.
My decision to leave doTERRA was based on many factors, including my own personal values and experiences. I chose to share my journey to help others understand my decision, not to sway anyone one way or the other.
The Choice is Yours
If you are reading this post and wondering which essential oil company to choose between, doTERRA and Plant Therapy are both great options and you will be using top quality oils from an amazing company either way. If you are with either doTERRA or Plant Therapy and are happy with your choice, stay!
If you DO decide to purchase from Plant Therapy by clicking on one of my links, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I have a private essential oil group on Facebook called Everything Essential where I will mentor you, share specials and coupon codes with you, post essential oil recipes and how to use oils safely, and more. This is my way of saying thank you for your purchase and to give back to you.
If I have learned anything from my essential oil journey over the last 5 years it is this…keep your heart and your mind open to new possibilities, never lose hope, never compromise your values, and never stop oiling!
