It’s a big deal. And it’s personal. The essential oils company people choose is just about as touch-y an issue as whether to vaccinate or not, it seems. I get it. Finding the right products that work for our families is kind of a big deal. When we find something we like, driven extroverts like yours truly want to blast our findings all over the world in an effort to win over educate everyone we know.

As soon as you start telling folks what essential oils you use, they immediately respond with why XYZ (read: their) brand is better or purer or more effective or safer and why yours isn’t pure or acceptable or safe or third party-tested.

Until several months ago, I really thought there were only two essential oils companies out there: Young Living and Doterra. The other brands I found in the store (NOW, Aura Cacia) seemed too cheap or not pure enough or something, so I really didn’t jump in with both feet on the essential oils bandwagon.

Since I know you’re going to ask …

What do I have against YL and doTERRA?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

It’s not that I don’t think YL and DT oils are fantastic, because I do. Their oils, I’m sure, are effective, safe, and pure, and are helping a lot of people. But I don’t think that the world of essential oils begins and ends with those two companies.

We just don’t support the concept of multi-level or network marketing companies here in Dietzville. This is not meant to offend anyone or to say that I am above anyone, because this is solely our belief. I have friends who make a boo-coo of moolah selling DT, YL, Advocare, Plexus, Pampered Chef, and more. These are moms who have been able to quit jobs to stay home with children or help their families become debt-free by adding to their home’s income. They also truly believe in the products they sell, and the companies they work for encourage an entrepreneurial spirit and personal growth. All of this is great!

It’s just not for me.

You see, it has always been important to me to be able to find products or foods that my family loves and to be able to suggest or recommend them to friends and family. I have never felt like I could give an honest recommendation for something if I had significant financial ties to it. Blurring the lines between wholeheartedly believing in a product and also making an income off that product was just not something I was ever willing to do.

In an effort to find a source for quality EOs that did not come from a MLM, I started researching. I spent hours upon hours reading about different brands and companies. I read reports and called companies. My goal was to find an EO company that met these criteria:

• Not an MLM or company that required any type of membership, yearly fee, minimum order, or points system.
• A company that would give me access to its GC/MS test results.
• A company that sourced the plants for the oils from their natural and sustainable geographic locations (lavender from France or frankincense from the Middle East, for example).
• A company that labeled the bottles with the Latin name for each oil it contains.
• A realistic and affordable price point — EOs that were neither too cheap nor too expensive.

The company we chose was …

Spark Naturals! 

I was so excited when I stumbled across Spark Naturals‘ web page. After investigating the company and reading reviews, Spark met all of my criteria and passed the test. I didn’t tell anyone about them though. I had to experience them for myself before I felt comfortable recommending them to anyone I care about.

We ordered the Health & Wellness Kit. (I also completed the Essential Oils & Natural Health short course from Vintage Remedies.) This kit was the most economical option to try out several oils and blends. It includes seven individual oils (lemon, rosemary, lavender, peppermint, oregano, frankincense, & melaleuca) and three oil blends (Respire, Amend, & Shield).

About a week after the kit arrived in the mail, The Hubs came down with a bad sore throat and fever. We treated with Shield topically and in the diffuser and oregano in gelatin capsules, as well as raw minced garlic. I can’t say for sure that the EOs “cured” him, but I do believe they helped to give him a significantly shorter recovery time than in the past.

We’ve gone on to use more of Spark’s products on our family. Their L.L.P allergy blend has worked on contact for our son who struggles with allergies caused by a low sodium:potassium ratio. The Hubs and I diffuse rosemary, patchouli, and peppermint in our bedroom before bed, and that has been very relaxing for both of us. I have started using frankincense on my face, and my skin is glowing like never before. During the holidays, we diffused white fir and peppermint and skipped out on the scented holiday candles. I’ve made a homemade hand sanitizing spray with the Shield blend, and it has been a lifesaver to have on hand after our weekly nursing home visits.

Now that our family has used and enjoyed Spark Naturals‘ EOs for several months, I feel I can wholeheartedly recommend them to you!

As if these oils weren’t affordable enough already, I’m going to offer you an extra 10% off ANY order by using the coupon code DIETZVILLE when you check out! Plus, Spark has free shipping for orders over $55 everyday!

MLM vs. Affiliate Marketing

Multi-level Marketing = building a team of people to sell or endorse a product; when the people below you sell products, you get a portion of their sales and on and on up the tiers, as high as they go; you can only sell the products the company offers; relationships can become awkward because you’re trying to build your “team” and friends/family may feel pressured to get into something because of their relationship with you; income depends on how many people sign up “under” you not on the volume of your sales; MLMs require upfront costs such as kits or products that must be purchased and start-up fees.

Affiliate Marketing = the affiliate + the store/merchant + the customer. The affiliate sends the customer to the merchant/store and receives a small commission if any purchases are made; there is no team-building; each affiliate decides which products he/she wants to promote; income is based upon volume of sales; there are no kits or start-up products to buy and no start-up fees.

I am an affiliate with Spark Naturals (and Amazon). This means that I earn a small commission when you click on their links from my website and buy a product, but the price you pay is exactly the same as it would be if you did not click on my links. The commission I earn is extremely small — much less than you’d pay in sales tax on a product.

I was recommending Spark EOs to people before I became an affiliate. The purpose of becoming an affiliate with this company was mainly so I could offer you, dear readers, a discount on these already affordable EOs. Any commission I earn is minuscule, however, every little bit helps, right?  Most of the links I provide in my content will not earn me a dime.

I want to be 100% transparent with you. I promise to only recommend products or services that I use on my own family and to NEVER, ever put earning money above providing all the free content that I have on my blog in the form of articles and recipes. My family and I appreciate when people purchase through our links, however the best support you can show us is by commenting, following us on Facebook and Instagram, and sharing our site with your loved ones. 🙂

Now that I’ve got that off my chest …

Don’t forget to check out Spark Naturals EOs, and if you order, use the discount code DIETZVILLE to get 10% off any order at checkout!

What EOs do you use? What is your favorite essential oil? Have you tried Spark Naturals?

(Please be nice in the comments. 😉 )