“Anything that goes ON your body should be safe enough to go IN your body.” – D. Gary Young
I’ve been using essential oils for over 20 years. But when I first started, I didn’t understand the difference in quality.
Like many people, I was using fragrance-style oils that smelled nice but didn’t deliver the results I was hoping for. I simply wanted a more natural way to clean my home and make it smell beautiful. I had no idea there was such a dramatic difference between lower-grade oils and a truly pure, expertly distilled essential oil.
And once I discovered the difference, there was no going back.
The oils we talk about in the Common Scents community are not just about aroma — they’re about performance!
And THIS is the level of oils we talk about in our Common Scents Community! The good stuff!
So, what is an essential oil exactly? You may have heard essential oils referred to as “nature’s living energy—or the “life-blood” of the plant.” That’s because an oil is “essential” in the sense that it carries the distinctive essence of the plant from which it came.
When you tear or crush a leaf from an aromatic plant (basil, mint, rosemary, etc.), the AMAZING aroma that is released into the air is the essential oil!
But I want to stress something really important about our oils—that amazing scent we just mentioned is the only thing in a bottle of Young Living essential oils! No synthetic fragrances, no chemical extenders, and no pesticides! I don’t know any other company that can confidently say that!
SOURCING
Not all essential oils are created equal. So it’s important to choose oils from a company you fully trust for purity, expertise, and ethical sourcing — one committed to avoiding synthetics, contaminants, cheap fillers, and harmful production practices.
Unfortunately, many companies claim purity, but cut corners. Oils may be adulterated with synthetic ingredients, compromised during growing or distillation, or distilled by using chemical solvents that can leave behind unwanted residues. When oils become more about profit than people, quality suffers.
Contamination can even begin in the field, where plants may be exposed to pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers — long before distillation ever happens. Some use chemical solvents to extract a higher yield of oil from the plant, adulterating the final product.
That’s why sourcing, farming practices, and distillation standards matter so much.
Young Living sources from our own farms, stringently vetted partner farms, and certified suppliers, working to keep our oils and products pure from the time the seed is planted in the ground until the oil is sealed in your bottle!
Personally, Young Living is the only essential oil I would use internally or on my kids and grandkids.
Distillation is the most important step in the essential oil process — anyone can plant a plant, grow a plant, or harvest a plant, but distillation [expertise] determines quality. ” – Dr. Gary Young
SCIENCE
Why Expertise Matters. Essential oils should do more than “smell nice.” They are made up of dozens — sometimes hundreds — of delicate plant compounds that must be preserved during growing and distillation.
Every oil is different. Different plants require different:
- Harvest timing
- Drying methods
- Distillation Temperatures
If those variables aren’t handled correctly, the oil may still smell pleasant — but it won’t perform the way it should. And we want oils that work!
For example, cypress oil contains hundreds of naturally occurring plant constituents. To capture the full profile, it must be distilled for the correct length of time. If distilled too briefly, important compounds may never make it into the bottle. If distilled too long, delicate constituents can be damaged or lost, and the oil is ruined, regardless of how good it smells.
That’s why experience, precision, and expertise matter.
Founder of Young Living, Dr. Gary Young, often emphasized how critical temperature, pressure, timing, and even the materials used in distillation equipment are to preserving an oil’s integrity.
Producing high-quality essential oils isn’t simple farming — it requires expertise, care, and a commitment to doing things the right way rather than the fastest or cheapest way.
STANDARDS
That’s why I trust Young Living. I believe God gave us the earth and all that is in it to steward with care. That means we have a responsibility to nurture and protect our natural resources — not exploit them.
Standards matter. For an essential oil company to avoid polluting the planet or overharvesting precious plant species, it requires adherence to a higher level of ethical practice and environmental responsibility.
That commitment to care, integrity, and stewardship is one of the many reasons I feel confident using and sharing Young Living.
