Today I’m sharing my company of choice for non-MLM essential oils (MLM=multi-level marketing). I know MLMs are a touchy subject and I really do understand that for many people MLM companies have been what helped them build a business and get out of debt, be able to stay home with the kids, travel, etc.
I in no way want to criticize the wonderful hard working women that promote MLMs. If being a sales rep for an MLM is working for you, awesome. You do you.
Unfortunately a few bad egg MLM reps have given the awesome reps out there a bad name. For many, MLM has become a nasty four-letter word that has led to debt, empty promises, ruined friendships, and generally an uneasy feeling about the products they sell.
If you aren’t interested in building an oils business or you’ve given up on essential oils because you got fed up with the companies not with the products, then I have good news for you. MLM essential oil companies are not the only options out there.
My non-MLM Essential Oils Journey
I was introduced to essential oils through one of the big MLMs. I’m super grateful for how the MLM companies do a great job of spreading awareness about essential oils as a health option.
Love them or hate them, the big MLMs have made essential oils mainstream instead of just a weird alternative therapy.
While I loved the products, I wasn’t really interested in building an essential oils business and even with the wholesale discount I struggled with how high the prices were.
I wanted high quality essential oils, free shipping, and prices I could actually afford.
So I went on a search for the best non-MLM essential oil company. I found a lot of great companies during my search (Mountain Rose Herbs and Plant Therapy especially if you want certified organic essential oils) but ultimately the company I fell in love with is Edens Garden.
Here’s why they captured my oil loving heart:
7 Reasons I love Edens Garden
1.) Met all my concerns for quality (native sourcing, organic/non-gmo, 3rd party testing, therapeutic grade)
2.) Free shipping on all orders (real free shipping, not we’ll reimburse you with store credit free shipping)
3.) All their oils are available in 5, 10, 30, 100, 250ml bottles so I can get as much or as little as I need
4.) Synergy blends that replace the MLM ones I was using
5.) Awesome customer service
6.) 10% of their profits are donated to organizations like YWAM and Teen Challenge
7.) Prices that are half what I was paying wholesale through an MLM
Bonus new reason! They now have an Aroma Notes rewards program where your earn points on your purchases to get discounts! (My decision to use Edens Garden was made over a year before their rewards program was introduced.)
How are they so much cheaper?
Since switching to Eden’s Garden I have only fallen more in love with essential oils (it’s one of the ways I know I’m a crunchy Christian).
As I have shared with friends about my new found love, one of the questions I’ve gotten is how non-MLM essential oils can be cheaper without losing quality.
This graphic shows how an mlm makes money vs how a regular company makes money and why MLM company structure is different than a company with affiliates.
You can see pretty quickly that the MLM model has a lot more dollar signs. This means that a lot more people have to get paid for each sale made.
This is why MLMs can be great options for people wanting to be a small business, but also why the products cost more.
With the non-MLM model the company has to pay their suppliers, but there is no one else getting a cut of the sale.
Less dollar signs in the business model means less dollar signs in the price you pay.
Companies that have affiliates may seem like an MLM, but the affiliates aren’t getting paid out of a price markup. The company uses part of their marketing budget to pay their affiliates meaning there is no additional markup for the customer.
If you’ve been looking for ways to make side income without committing to an MLM, affiliate programs can be a great way to earn money. Most major brands have some type of affiliate program but you will need a platform like a blog or influencer social media account to qualify.
Synergy Blends
As I mentioned above, one of the reasons I fell in love with Edens Garden is their synergy blends. I had some favorite MLM blends I wasn’t too excited to give up, but I’ve found the equivalent blends from Edens Garden to be just as awesome.
Edens Garden has even more blends than some of the MLMs and a whole line of blends that are specially formulated to be safe to use with kids.
The chart below shows the oil blend equivalents for switching from doTerra or Young Living to Edens Garden. I hope this post has encouraged you if you’ve been looking for a new way to buy essential oils.
The MLMs aren’t evil, they just may not be for everyone.
This post was in no way sponsored or endorsed by Edens Garden. I do not receive any kind of compensation for sharing about Edens Garden other than the joy of helping others find a non-mlm essential oils option and Aroma Note points for friends I refer to them.
My Aroma Notes link is used throughout this post and while different than an affiliate program, I believe in full disclosure so you never feel like I’m trying to trick you. My choice to use Edens Garden was made over a year before they launched their Aroma Notes rewards program.