Young Living Thieves Oil — BuySkip Verdict: SKIP
Trust Score: 3/10
Smells like Christmas, costs like a cult, and the FDA agrees the health claims are fiction.
BuySkip's analysis found Young Living is a textbook MLM — and that alone is enough to skip it. But the problems don't stop at the business model: the FDA issued a formal warning letter in June 2022 specifically citing Thieves Essential Oil Blend for being marketed as a drug without FDA approval, and Young Living later settled a $5 million class action over false 'therapeutic-grade' health claims. The individual oils (clove, eucalyptus, rosemary) do have some real antimicrobial properties in lab conditions — but that doesn't translate to the disease-treatment claims Young Living distributors routinely make. If you love the spicy-warm scent and want something for your diffuser or DIY cleaner, identical blends from Plant Therapy (Germ Fighter) or Eden's Garden (Fighting Five) cost a fraction of the price with zero MLM baggage.
Key Findings
- 🚩 Young Living is a confirmed MLM — the business model is built on recruiting downlines, not product value.
- 🚩 FDA issued a formal warning letter (June 2022) citing Young Living for illegal drug claims tied to Thieves blend.
- 🚩 Young Living agreed to pay $5 million to settle a class action over false therapeutic-grade health claims.
- 🚩 BBB National Programs challenged Young Living's Thieves claims for treating strep throat, bronchitis, and fungal infections.
- 🚩 Reddit's r/antiMLM and r/essentialoils consistently describe Young Living as predatory and overpriced.
- 🚩 No credible clinical evidence that Thieves oil blend prevents or treats any disease — claims contradict available science.
- 🚩 Skin reactions reported by users — cinnamon bark and clove in undiluted blends can cause rashes and irritation.
- ✅ The underlying oils (clove, eucalyptus, rosemary) do have some evidence for antimicrobial activity in lab settings.
Sources
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