Before Kids…

I would walk home from my hour-and-a-half-long yoga class, relaxed and filled with an after-class cup of relaxing tea and go into the local essential oil store and bathe in the calming scents. I purchased quite the collection over those visits.

Thing is…the lavender gave me a headache and I just didn’t understand why it was “the BEST oil for EVERYTHING”.

The Hawaiian Sandalwood?? Smelled amazing but…after too many days in a row of using it, my skin would be irritated.

The Orange Oil - smelled like tin…

Tea tree - smelled a little like sawdust or something…

I believed essential oils weren’t for me, didn’t work and caused headaches and sneezing.

Then I was pregnant…

At this point we were already mostly scent free in our home and chose “natural” products. Bring on the pregnancy and my sensitivity was HUGE to scents and I was on a mission to create the most safe, toxin free home for our baby and for my pregnancy.

My doula offered me a few oils near the end of my pregnancy and I thought “thank you, but essential oils just aren’t for me - they give me headaches”. On the outside, I said thank you and placed them on the bathroom shelf (I was truly grateful for the gift!).

When my daughter was born (over 8 years ago now!!) we used Wild Orange in the bathroom of the hospital and I had Balance Blend on my wrists…because…well, I just did. And…oh my. Something was different.

After her birth I ignored the Serenity and Balance Oils in the bathroom for a few weeks…and then one day I was ready to have a post-cesarian bath…and well - that is when I KNEW something was different about Doterra.

The oils smelled - clean. Pure. Clear.

Best word - CLARITY. They smelled like nature.

Now I had a baby and was curious about Doterra

Long story short, I did it all “wrong”. I purchased the oils one by one and resisted joining Doterra because I was NOT GOING TO JOIN AN MLM. I was willing to pay retail if it meant I wouldn’t be part of a club or be forced into buying monthly (a myth). (I had it all wrong and didn’t do my research about the company - my resistance led to me missing out on SO MUCH savings and setting myself up with a good start - but it’s cool - that is what leads me to now be sure I explain this to anyone curious to purchase Doterra.)

So slow and steady my collection of Doterra Essential Oils built and I was now using them daily…

It took five years before I joined Doterra (this is resistance, friends)

So…let’s make this story a little shorter.

• I realized that these oils were everything that people who LOVED THEM said they were: pure being the most important part for me.

• I felt so good using them. NO MORE FRAGRANCE HEADACHES!!!

• My skin looked pretty amazing when I used them topically.

• Being a super duper researcher, “prove it to me”, “show me the research”, “yes but WHO did the research?”, “Who is invested in this research?” - led me to conclude over and over again that Doterra has something going on that is truly backed by research, third party research etc.

• I was willing to pay more to use pure, tested, high quality essential oils for my family because I understood WHAT I was paying for.

• Doterra supports so many amazing projects around the world. Look up the Healing Hands Foundation to start!

• The Co-Impact Sourcing (more to come on this) was right up my alley when it comes to values around the environmental, community and human impact of this company.

• MLMs are not all the same. This was my final mission - prove that Doterra’s business model was terrible - ends up…it’s pretty great and the opportunities are limitless.

More than five years after experiencing my first drop of Doterra Essential Oils - I signed up for an account and well, here we are.

Here’s what I would tell you if you want the quick version

• Doterra is doing what they say they are doing.

• The oils are pure, tested and they are effective.

• A membership makes sense value-wise if you are going to purchase more than 1-2 oils a year.

• You don’t need to purchase monthly - but you may eventually choose to because there are some amazing perks to doing so.

• You choose to purchase when you want and how much you want - no one is going to MAKE you do anything. :) Promise.

• There are so many opportunities to learn more if you want to - when you work with me - you are connected to community events, online classes, learning zooms, and straight up information.

• Health Canada has approved the oils that are sold in Canada and they follow the labelling laws.

• There is a claims list here. https://www.doterra.com/CA/en/approved-claims-list

• If you decide to bring Doterra into your home - starting with an enrolment kit is a great idea because you will get more for your money. You can also simply start with a membership and choose a la carte. I will help you figure out the BEST way for YOU to begin. Straight up.

• The values behind this company are real - the founding group is an amazing group of real down to earth people and they are truly aligned with their goals and work in integrity.

• Our family feels GOOD using these oils. They smell amazing. They are effective and they are another powerful tool in our families resources to reach to when we need support…for so many things!!

Why we choose Doterra - the details

1. Responsible Sourcing (co-impact sourcing)

Doterra sources oils from a global network that includes farmers and distillers from over 40 countries. They seek out the best seeds, plants, growing conditions and partner with farmers who work in harmony with the land and environment. They don’t cut corners and rely on the knowledge and experience of local farmers and workers. This provides jobs, fair wages, safe working conditions and business support for the families who work with Doterra.

1. Innovative scientific testing (Most tested, Most trusted)

   To guarantee the highest level of quality, Doterra created the CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade testing process - because there was no one else setting standards like this when they began. They set the bar high and have continued to develop better testing methods to ensure the highest quality for everyone. They certify that the oils do not contain fillers or contaminants.

   “Doterra strives to stay on top of the most current and advanced testing methods for essential oils. Partnering with academic, industry, and scientific experts has allowed DoTerra to create an innovative testing process that exceeds the standards of other essential oil companies.”

   Please explore the Source To You website for all the details on what makes Doterra’s testing and quality unique.

2. Groundbreaking medical research and partnerships

   Doterra is partnered with hospitals, research universities and other medical facilities to produce useful research that allows them to keep customers safe and informed about the best uses for essential oils. Doterra has a medical advisory board (and now a veterinary board too!) comprised of medical and veterinary professionals.

   **the last three points are sourced from the “Doterra Essentials” booklet that used to come with enrolments.