doTERRA: Buying Oils as a Customer, Reading the Labels, and Safe Everyday Use

doTERRA sells essential oils, oil blends, diffusers, carrier oils and personal-care products, mainly through a network of independent sellers and its own website. You can buy doTERRA simply as a customer, and this guide covers only that: choosing products, paying a fair price and using them sensibly.

Two things decide a good doTERRA order. The first is understanding how the pricing works, because the same bottle can show more than one price. The second is knowing how to use a concentrated oil safely at home.

Retail and wholesale pricing

doTERRA lists a retail price and a lower wholesale price. The wholesale price has been available to customers who open a wholesale account, which has typically involved an annual fee. Check the current terms on the doTERRA site before deciding.

A wholesale account is a customer account; you do not need to sell anything. If you buy doTERRA only occasionally, retail with a code may cost less than paying a yearly fee. If you order regularly, the maths can favour the account. Work it out from your own likely spend.

Ignore any pitch to become a seller. You can buy the oils without joining a business, and this guide makes no claims about earnings.

The Loyalty Rewards Program

doTERRA has run a Loyalty Rewards Program for account holders: a recurring order, which you can edit, that earns points toward future products. It rewards people who would reorder anyway.

A recurring order is easy to forget. If you join, put the ship date in your calendar and cancel or change it when you do not need more. Read the current terms, since the rules on points and minimum orders have changed over time.

Reading a doTERRA label

Each doTERRA bottle lists the plant name, including its Latin name, the part of the plant used and the volume. Check the Latin name when comparing with another brand; lavender, for example, covers several species.

The label and product page carry directions and cautions for that oil. Read them before use. Some doTERRA oils carry warnings about sunlight after skin application, and others are not suitable for some groups at all.

doTERRA sells single oils, named blends and pre-diluted roll-ons. Pre-diluted roll-ons cost more per drop but take the guesswork out of skin use.

Using oils with care

Essential oils are highly concentrated. Dilute doTERRA oils in a carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil, before applying them to skin, following the dilution guidance on the product page.

Patch-test first: apply a small diluted amount to the inner arm and wait a day for any reaction. Stop using an oil that causes redness or irritation.

Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using any doTERRA oil if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition or take medication, and before using oils on or around children. Ask a vet before diffusing around pets, since some oils can harm cats and dogs. Keep bottles out of reach of children.

Essential oils are not a substitute for medical treatment. Buy doTERRA for scent and personal use, not to treat an illness.

Diffusers and kits

doTERRA sells its own diffusers, and many kits bundle a diffuser with a set of oils. A kit can be good value if you would use most of the oils in it; check the individual prices of the items you actually want.

Diffuse in a ventilated room for limited periods rather than all day, and follow the diffuser's instructions on water and drop counts.

Store doTERRA bottles upright, capped tightly, and away from heat and sunlight, which degrade the oil. Citrus oils in particular lose their scent faster once opened, so buy them in amounts you will finish. A doTERRA diffuser also needs regular cleaning; old residue changes the scent and can clog the unit.

Where the doTERRA savings are

The $60 doTERRA code is the biggest saving, and a fixed amount like that almost certainly carries a minimum spend or applies to a kit. It beats 10% on any order below $600.

The 10% code suits a small, ordinary retail order of a few oils where the $60 threshold is out of reach.

The free-gift code adds an item to a qualifying order. Check the gift appears in the basket before paying.

Codes may be tied to a particular seller or campaign and usually do not combine. Try each and keep the lowest total.

Common questions

Do I have to join doTERRA to buy?

No. You can buy doTERRA at retail as a customer, with no sales involvement.

Can I put doTERRA oils straight on skin?

Dilute in a carrier oil and patch-test first, following the label guidance.

Are doTERRA oils safe in pregnancy or for children?

Ask a doctor or pharmacist first. Some oils are not suitable, and the doTERRA label cautions apply.

Can I diffuse doTERRA oils around pets?

Ask a vet first. Some oils can harm pets, especially cats.