doTERRA On Guard — BuySkip Verdict: SKIP
Trust Score: 2/10
Smells great, costs $50, cures nothing — and your upline gets a cut every time.
BuySkip's AI flagged doTERRA On Guard on multiple serious grounds — this isn't just overpricing, it's a documented MLM with a federal enforcement record. The FTC and DOJ have both taken action against doTERRA distributors for illegal health claims, and the FDA issued a warning letter in 2014 citing On Guard specifically for claiming to treat flu, MRSA, and pneumonia. The oil itself is a pleasant blend of orange, clove, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary — it smells great and may have mild aromatherapy value — but at $50+ for 15ml, you're largely paying for a multi-level marketing pyramid. Comparable blends from non-MLM brands run $10–$20 for the same volume.
Key Findings
- 🚩 doTERRA is a confirmed MLM — 99%+ of distributors lose money or earn nothing per FTC data on similar structures.
- 🚩 FTC warning letter (2020) and DOJ lawsuits (2023) against distributors for illegal COVID-19 cure claims.
- 🚩 FDA warning letter (2014) cited On Guard specifically for misbranded drug claims (flu, MRSA, pneumonia).
- 🚩 At ~$51 for 15ml, community analysis suggests equivalent quality oils cost half the price elsewhere.
- 🚩 Aromatherapy professionals consistently flag doTERRA's advice to ingest essential oils as dangerous.
- 🚩 Immune support claims ("protects against environmental threats") are not FDA-approved and lack clinical backing.
- ✅ The essential oils themselves (clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus) have real aromatherapy uses and smell genuinely good.
Sources
Check another product on BuySkip