FAQ

 

Why dōTERRA products?
When you choose dōTERRA, you are choosing essential oils gently and carefully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. Each dōTERRA essential oil is also carefully and thoroughly tested using the strict CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade®quality protocol. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize the superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade dōTERRA essential oils.

 

Extraction Methods?
While there is a science to the distillation of essential oils, it is also an art. Distillers not only rely on years of experience, they also employ modern technologies and techniques.

The most common method of extracting essential oils is a low-heat steam distillation process. In this process, pressurized steam is circulated through plant material. The essential oils are liberated from the plant and carried away by the steam. When the steam cools, the water and oils naturally separate and the oil is collected. To ensure the highest quality oil extract with the correct chemical composition, the temperature and pressure must be closely monitored. Too little heat or pressure and the oil will not release; too much, and the oil’s composition and potency will be affected.

Compression, in which plant parts are pressed to squeeze out the essential oil, is another common method of distillation. Many citrus oils are expressed in this manner.

*Fact: It takes as much as 12,000 rose blossoms to distill 5 ml of therapeutic- grade essential rose oil!

 

GMOs?
dōTERRA products are free from genetically modified material.

 

Animal testing?
dōTERRA does not initiate or support animal testing on any of our products.

 

Organic?
dōTERRA’s CPTG essential oils exceed industry standards. Because organic certification varies from country to country, province to province, and in the US, from state to state, it is not currently possible to acquire all oils under certified organic status. However, through the GC/MS analysis process, we are able to determine if any chemical residue exists in the essential oil, such as pesticides, herbicides, extenders, and solvents. With this rigorous analysis process, we are able to ensure that all Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils offered by dōTERRA are absolutely pure as nature intended, truly a step above organic.

 

Kosher?
Almost all of dōTERRA’s products come from kosher origins.  The only product that is not considered kosher is the GX Assist because it is encapsulated in porcine and bovine gelatin.  Many of our ingredients are kosher certified, but we do not currently do kosher certification on our products.

 

What differentiates dōTERRA oils from competitive oils?
Because there are no accepted regulatory standards for governing quality of essential oils, it’s surprising how many oils labeled ‘therapeutic grade’ are devoid of therapeutic value due to impurities. Not all essential oils are alike. To be safe and effective, essential oils must be completely pure and free from any alterations that would reduce their therapeutic benefits. It is dōTERRA’s stringent Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® (CPTG) standard which sets them apart from the competition and gives their oils superior quality and value.

Why is it so difficult to find Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils?
In one word: cost. Producing the purest of oils can be very costly because it may require several hundred pounds, or even several thousand pounds of plant material to extract 1 pound of pure essential oil. For example: 1 pound of pure Melissa Oil sells for $9,000 – $15,000. Although this sounds very expensive, one must realize that 3 tons of plant material are required to produce that single pound of oil.

Because the vast majority of all the oils produced in the world today are used by the perfume industry, the oils are being purchased for their aromatic qualities only. High pressure, high temperatures, rapid processing, and the use of chemical solvents are often employed during the distillation process so that a greater quantity of oil can be produced at a faster rate. These oils may smell just as good and cost much less, but they will lack most, if not all, of the chemical constituents necessary to produce the expected therapeutic results.

 

How do essential oils affect the brain?
The blood-brain barrier is the barrier membrane between the circulating blood and the brain that prevents certain damaging substances from reaching brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid. The American Medical Association (AMA) determined that if they could find an agent that would pass the blood-brain barrier, they would be able to attack diseases like Alzheimer’s, CTE, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease. Chemical constituents known as sesquiterpenes – commonly found in essential oils such as Frankincense and Sandalwood – are known to be able to go beyond the blood-brain barrier. High levels of these sesquiterpenes help increase the amount of oxygen in the limbic system of the brain, particularly around the pineal and pituitary glands. This leads to an increase in secretions of antibodies, endorphins, and neurotransmitters.

Also present in the limbic system of the brain is a gland called the amygdala. In 1989, it was discovered that the amygdala plays a major role in the sorting and releasing of emotional trauma. The only way to stimulate this gland is with fragrance or the sense of smell. Therefore, essential oils can be a powerful key to help unlock and release emotional trauma.

 

Are dōTERRA essential Oils safe for pregnancy & nursing?
There are no specific reasons or contraindications that would prevent pregnant or breastfeeding women from using our essential oils and we have not found any issues in this regard. We always recommend that pregnant and nursing women consult a health care professional before beginning use of any of our products.

 

Fractionated Coconut Oil Vs. Whole Coconut Oil?
Fractionated coconut oil is used as a carrier oil. This means it is used in combination with other essential oil that are too potent to be applied directly onto the skin. Whole coconut oil has long unsaturated fatty acid triglycerides (which is why it is a solid at room temperature). Fractionated coconut oil has high amounts of shorter length, completely saturated triglycerides. These smaller fatty acid triglycerides are separated from the whole coconut oil to give us what is known as “Fractionated Coconut Oil.” The separation process is non-chemical and involves a simple physical separation process. Fractionated coconut oil has an indefinite shelf life, is a light, non-greasy, non-staining, and is liquid at room temperature.