Welcome to my review of Young Living MLM. One of the main questions in this article is whether or not Young Living is a pyramid scheme. The last thing you want to do is waste your time and money on a scam…
Before we get into this review and answer those questions from the above, let me introduce myself…
Hi, I’m Ivan and I’m an online marketer who went from losing my time waiting tables to running a thriving online affiliate marketing business.
In the meantime, I have actually tried and reviewed 600+ courses, scams, and even pyramid schemes to find the very best way to generate income online.
Keep reading my Young Living review where I’m going to show you what this company is about. Also, I show you how it works, and I share my opinion about whether Young Living is a scam or a legit pyramid scheme.
Young Living MLM Review – Overview
- Product Type: MLM
- Owner: Gary Young
- Price: $25 to $165
- Money-Back Guarantee: 30 days
- Recommended?: No
Quick Summary: Young Living is a legitimate Multi-Level Marketing company that sells essential oils. You can join the company’s MLM (multi-level-marketing) system to earn money from reselling their products.
By joining this MLM, you also get an opportunity to build a team of salespeople through which you can earn additional compensation from their sales.
Because of this fact, Young Living has been accused to be a pyramid scheme by many. Is it true? Well, technically, Young Living is not a pyramid scheme. It is legit MLM.
But like every other company that uses this model it has problems, and I’ll be revealing them all here. Keep reading my Young Living MLM review to learn more before you make your own decision.
Alternative: If you’re a newbie who is looking to earn passive income online, there are other, more beginner-friendly, and cost-effective alternatives. My top-rated affiliate marketing course has helped me to go from earning $0 to $100’s per day!
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What Is Young Living?
Young Living is a multi-level marketing (MLM) firm that promotes essential oils and other related products. The company promotes itself as the world leader in producing and marketing high-quality essential oils that are good for every ailment.
As seen from various Young Living reviews, clients are pleased with the top quality of their products, which comprise over 500 varieties of vital oils.
On the other hand, there has been some conflict regarding Young Living in the past couple of years. Young Living’s negative reviews make you examine their stability for a moment.
The firm itself claims that its items are 100% pure, nevertheless, there has been evidence, from Indiana University professor Dr. Pappas, indicating the reality that artificial substances were located in the oils.
I’ll be talking about this later in my review as well as discussing the question of whether Young Living is a pyramid scheme scam or a legit MLM company. Let me share a bit of the company’s history first.
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Who Owns Young Living Oils?
Gary Young is the creator and owner of Young Living Oils. Born in Idaho in 1949, Gary Young was a debatable figure even prior to founding the business that now has his name.
Gary Young has been the subject of many public debates over the past decades.
Possibly one of the most stunning uncommon events related to Gary is the fatality of his child during delivery. The child was delivered in a whirlpool bath in 1982.
This includes leaving the newborn in a sterile saline remedy prior to cutting the umbilical cable. The coroner who checked out the child’s body discovered no indicators of poor health and wellness.
He additionally stated that she would certainly have probably lived if provided with regular treatment. Her mommy suffered from hemorrhages and required medical attention after childbirth.
That exact same year he opened up a facility that was quickly shut a year later, after a police examination. Gary ended up begging guilty of practicing medicine without a license.
In 1986, he was pointed at by a couple of newspaper articles subjecting his claims once again. He claimed a 90% treatment rate for lupus, along with being able to cure cancer.
Gary Young also opened a facility in California that was closed down by a judge’s order. This was the result of several major fees, as the services of the center were not up to clinical requirements.
Bear in mind, all of this was prior to starting Young Living, and are not the only strange companies with which Gary was entailed.
By depicting himself as a doctor, and also typically asserting to be one, he attracted determined people into these schemes.
25 years after starting Young Living, Gary passed away in May 2018 after a lengthy life of shady techniques and concerns with the legislation.
However, in spite of his passing, the business he established has actually stayed questionable and is a topic of lots of allegations. So is Young Living an illegal pyramid scheme? Let’s find out in the next section of my Young Living MLM review!
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How Does Young Living MLM Work?
Multi-level marketing is an approach utilized by some businesses that recruit non-salaried individuals to distribute their products. This practice is controversial, as many of the representatives wind up losing money.
Numerous names have actually been utilized for similar methods in order to avoid the negative picture of network marketing. One of the most common names given to this business model is a pyramid scheme.
Participants are recruited with pledges of big earnings if they take part in the distribution of Young Living items. Revenues are often gotten in 2 ways: commissions gained via straight sales, as well as commissions earned by sales of new employees.
This incentivizes members to get new recruits regularly and provides the opportunity for “exponential growth” in theory. New members usually need to pay a certain amount of cash upfront to start their “company”.
The model ends up forming a kind of pyramid, with a large number of suppliers in the reduced levels.
As members move up the pyramid, higher degrees include fewer individuals that receive substantial revenues. Each position is called with luring names going from the supplier.
But the problem with MLMs like Young Living is the low-income rate among participants.
Distributors and also star rank participants, which represent over 96% of all representatives, can expect an average yearly income listed below $248.
Young Living is not the only one in this strategy. Some companies making use of online marketing that you most likely read about are Amway, Avon, and also Herbalife, but there are a lot more out there.
While there is a possibility some MLMs readied to be legitimate businesses, most of them count on pushing this sales version to the limit, which has been verified to be unsustainable and thus, a pyramid scheme.
Can we say that Young Living is a pyramid scheme then? Not yet. Let’s go over their business first before making any conclusions in this Young Living MLM review.
The main point of view should be their products.
Are Young Living Oils Safe?
According to their worker, yes, Young Living oils are safe as long as you treat and use them appropriately as well as according to the aromatherapy standards.
Below are a few safety pointers that come straight from the company…
- Inhalation – Considering that you’re taking a breath of the oils, this is possibly the safest technique. However, particular oils, such as eucalyptus or tea tree, can be extremely potent, so begin slowly. If you’re making use of an ultrasonic diffuser, begin with a few decreases to obtain the appropriate fragrance that’s not also powerful.
- Topical – This is also popular. Nevertheless, owing to phototoxicity, certain oils can cause damage after exposure to the sun. These oils include lemon, lime, and also bergamot, to name a few. Wait for twelve hrs after using the item before sunbathing.
- Combustible – Given that these are pure unpredictable compounds, some of them are combustible too. This isn’t to claim that they’ll automatically ignite in their dark containers.
- Maternity/ Breastfeeding – There are a number of fragrances that are dangerous to pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
Find out which vital oil products are safe to utilize during pregnancy and talk with the doctor before using them. - Children and Youngsters – There are a couple of oils that can be toxic to babies and little ones, just as they can be too expectant as well as nursing mothers.
However, according to a lawsuit against Young Living Oils, their products are not that safe. In fact, there is evidence that there is no medical benefit from using their oils.
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Are Young Living Oils Legit?
The BBB’s National Advertising Department advised that Young Living stop declaring that its oils are “healing grade” in 2020 since it did not have the professional evidence to back up those cases.
The business objected and said it would certainly appeal, however then guaranteed to quit making countless health as well as health insurance claims for its items and also components.
But in the essence, Young Living oils are legit.
Is Young Living MLM A Scam?
Young Living MLM is not a scam. It is a multi-level company, involved in recruiting countless members that can sell straight to customers and earn payments on sales from other employees with an ordered framework.
While straight sales can be a successful road for some participants, commissions on sales made from recruits (teams) are substantially greater.
Young Living classifies its distributors into various categories based on their sales quantity.
The lowest rank with the least sales is simply referred to as “Distributors,” while the highest rank with one the most sales is described as “Royal Crown Diamonds.”
According to a public revenue declaration shown in my Young Living review, 94 percent of the company’s active distributors earned less than a buck ($ 1) in 2018.
While less than one-tenth of one percent (about 1,000 Royal Crown Ruby representatives) earned greater than a million dollars.
According to Service Insider’s review of the multi-level marketing business’s 2018 income disclosure declaration, 89 percent of all Young Living’s participants get on the bottom rate, getting approximately $4 yearly.
Others on the leading three degrees, accounting for 98.7% of active members, gained between $4 as well as $1,551 each year, not consisting of regular monthly expenses to certify as energetic standing in the business.
Although most people lose money in these types of schemes, it’s safe to say that Young Living MLM is not a scam.
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Is Young Living A Pyramid Scheme?
There has been a great debate about whether or not Young Living MLM is a pyramid scheme. Furthermore, I found a handful of lawsuits against the company’s business model.
But before I can actually say whether Young Living is a pyramid scheme or not, it’s critical to understand what a pyramid scheme is.
What Is a Pyramid Scheme?
So is Young Living a Pyramid Scheme?
Although the company’s MLM business model resembles a pyramidal style of recruiting, Young Living is not a pyramid scheme in technical terms because the company’s representatives can earn an income in two ways.
But the truth is, it has components of a pyramid scheme. That’s being said primarily due to the fact that to make lots of money you have to hire others into the system, which is a pyramid scheme in disguise.
The reason is you need to recruit individuals under you if you want to earn a real income with MLM.
That’s because you get payments for every single sale your employees make and you earn a commission for the sales your recruit’s employees make and on and on.
You can sell the products to earn commissions or recruit a team to do the selling for you.
And because Young Living reps “force” people to focus on recruiting new members, rather than selling products, it might be called a pyramid scheme in disguise.
Moreover, there is an active lawsuit against Young Living’s MLM business model (see the screenshot below).
You can see the list of all class actions against Young Living here.
But that still doesn’t mean that we have a pyramid scheme here…
Even though some Young Living reviews might make it look like a pyramid scheme, they are basing their statements on emotion rather than on cold reason.
Over the years, the firm has actually made a reputation in its niche and also gathered thousands of independent agents in the United States and other countries all over the world.
So no, Young Living MLM is not a pyramid scheme in disguise.
How To Make Money Selling Young Living Oils?
Whether you only wish to market products or want to recruit new members to the opportunity, you will have to spend on starter sets which will certainly cost you between $25 as well as $165.
Below are their rates and additions:
Standard Beginner Kit ($25)
Consists of:
- Stress Away 5ml.
- Burglars Mints.
- Discover Your Young Living Way of the living brochure.
- AromaGlide Roller Fitment.
- 2 NingXia Red 2-oz samples.
- 10 Burglars Waterless Hand Purifier Sachets– 0.1 oz each.
- Necessary Oils At A Look.
Starter Kit ($165)
Includes:
- Desert Haze Diffuser.
- Peppermint Oil 5ml.
- Frankincense Oil 5ml.
- DiGize 5ml.
- Valiance 5ml.
- 10 Burglars Waterless Hand Cleanser Sachets– 0.1 oz each.
- Product Guide and also Product Price List.
- Member Resources.
- Costs Crucial Oils Collection.
- Lemon 5ml.
- Burglars 5ml.
- PanAway 5ml.
- Burglars Spray.
- Crucial Oils Publication.
- Lavender 5ml.
- Citrus Fresh 5ml.
- Raven 5ml.
- Stress Away 5ml.
- 2 AromaGlide Roller Fitments.
- 2 NingXia Red 2-oz examples.
- Important Side News.
These Essential Incentives kits contain the real essential oil products you’ll be offering. You purchase them at wholesale costs and after that earn commissions for any item sales you make.
Alternatively, you can start building a downline on multiple levels and earn money from each sale one of your distributors make. this is actually a recommended way to work in MLM.
However, keep in mind that there is still a high threat of failure in either instance.
Once again, this is why some people think that Young Living Essential Oils is a pyramid scheme in disguise of multi-level marketing. Here’s one of those examples…
Can You Really Generate Income With Young Living MLM?
The fact is, you can make money with any MLM out there, which includes Young Living. However, there are absolutely no guarantees that you will become successful and earn a full-time income.
Now, do not get me wrong.
You can definitely generate income with multi-level marketing. If you’re gonna put in a lot of intense work in this business (which, believe me, isn’t simple), you could too generate some REAL cash while you’re discovering the ropes.
But the fact is that most people fail…According to stats, only about 2% make real cash, while others simply waste their time and money.
What I Like About Young Living MLM
Effective company track record
More than a quarter-century ago, Gary Young started Young Living as a true pioneer of the essential oil industry.
From establishing new and one-of-a-kind growing approaches to fine-tuning the EO purification process, this business has actually played a major role in the revival of vital oil use in contemporary society.
And also with over $2 billion in yearly revenues, Young Living remains to be a leading force in the essential oil industry.
A product with an enthusiastic fanbase
As long as we can remember, essential oils have actually been made use of thoroughly by health-conscious peeps. Young Living has proceeded with this trend with millions of going crazy fans around the globe.
In 2019, more than 32,000 individuals from 43 countries went to Young Living’s International Grand Convention in Salt Lake City.
Philanthropic giving
The Young Living Foundation was founded in 2009 and is the company’s charitable wing.
From aiding in the development of new schools and homes in third-world countries to providing catastrophe relief as well as help to targets of storms – they do it all.
Practical start-up cost
You can sign up with Young Living with a Standard Starter Package for just $25.
As an Independent Supplier, you’ll get 24% off retail prices on any type of Young Living products, in addition to the chance to gain commissions.
It’s nice to be able to invest in a home business for less than $50.
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What I Don’t Like About Young Living MLM
A controversial background and creator
A lot of the controversy bordering Young Living can be mapped back to a passionate owner who was, let’s say, irresponsible, negligent, as well as maybe even a little crazy:
Gary Young was also a business owner who had 100% belief in his firm’s essential oils and their capacity to change the world.
Unfortunately, that vision sometimes shadowed his judgment and resulted in an “all-in” technique to his life and company which undoubtedly caused troubles.
Lawsuits as well as FDA warnings
Any online marketing company that’s been around for greater than 25 years is gonna have its share of law issues along the way, including Young Living.
Over the years, the company has actually been under investigation for a few of their items having contained lead and even found guilty of illegally trafficking uncommon oils.
Furthermore, a class-action legal action was filed against Young Living claiming it’s a “cult-like” pyramid scheme.
And similar to their greatest rival doTERRA, Young Living has actually been slapped on the wrist by the FDA for a few of their distributors making unbelievably false insurance claims regarding their products on social media sites.
Pricey products and poor customer service
Most of the complaints I could discover concerning Young Living (you can see them below in the review) relate to the high expense of their oils as well as an absence of solid client assistance.
For instance, a 15 ml bottle of Young Living’s Lavender oil will cost you almost $32.
Bad user reviews
You can head over to SiteJabber.com and read Young Living reviews. As you can see from the screenshot below, most of their user reviews are negative.
As I said above, most people complained about the quality of the service and high-ticket items.
Focus on recruiting
One of the main problems with MLMs like Young Living is the focus on recruiting. And that could be – and really is – a thought cookie to crumble.
If you want to be an effective Young Living supplier and make the big money, you’ll have to gather a group of salespeople around you who will distribute the product for you.
Appears excellent theoretically, however it can often backfire as well as bring about a lot of rejection.
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Do I Recommend Young Living MLM?
The company really has excellent high-quality products. If you are passionate about essential oils and Young Living as a company, you could join and make a decent income.
I personally am not a fan of multi-level marketing (I have discovered a much better way of making money – see below!)
That said, I’m not going to be recommending this business. Remember, Young Living is not a pyramid scheme. It is not a scam either. It’s legit…
But still, some people say otherwise…
Are There Any Lawsuits Against Young Living?
In 2014, two Young Living participants, Julie O’Shaughnessy of Texas as well as Lindsay Penhall of California filed a class-action legal action, affirming that the multilevel marketing company is absolutely nothing greater than a prohibited pyramid scheme.
Julie and Lindsay submitted a class-action suit affirming that the firm misinforms both its customers and the general public.
According to current news reports, the Young Living conflict is coming to be a lot larger than the legal action, with the firm trying to misguide individuals by making false health and wellness claims regarding the nature of the items.
Therefore, there is too much mud in here for me to be recommending this company…
Young Living MLM Review – Conclusion
As concluded in this review, Young Living MLM is not a pyramid scheme. But it does have a shady history and a bunch of active lawsuits that try to make it an illegal scheme.
As for me, I don’t like the idea of MLM no matter what product or service they sell.
In my experience, it takes a lot of time, money, and sadly, unethical selling to make a living from multi-level marketing companies.
Thanks for reading my Young Living review! What do you think? Is Young Living a pyramid scheme? Feel free to share your opinion and reviews in the comments box below!
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If you need any help or you have a question, feel free to contact me.
And feel free to share this Young Living Pyramid Scheme review to help others as well!
All the best, Ivan. Founder, and CEO @freeaffiliatemarketingbusiness.com
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This was a really helpful post about MLM for Young Living. I actually have purchased some of their oils from a coworker and use them a lot, especially the calm and serenity when my kids are being crazy! It was very interesting to read about MLM and how it is different from a pyramid scheme. After the Netflix special on Lularoe, I have been extra skeptical about companies like this!
Thanks for sharing your experience with Young Living.
Young Living doesn’t seem to be scam. It has effective and high quality products, as well as enthusiastic supporters behind it. However, it doesn’t mean that I would recommend this business opportunity either. I don’t like MLMs and I think that only few people benefit from it, whereas those at the top earn almost all the money.
Thanks for your comment on my review of Young Living!
Hi Ivan Thanks for this very comprehensive review of Young Living. As you correctly say it’s not a scam but there are better ways to make money online. I suppose if the product has worked for you and you want to share that story and promote a product that you believe in then that’s also good. But on this one I’m going with your advice. Thanks a lot
You’re welcome!
I have seen so many people join MLM companies and no joke, around 98% of these people regret joining it. I can’t say they were all schemes, but they are hard to keep up with especially since you need to get people into the journey so you can actually start making money and not just be another seller who is barely making money but it’s making money for their upper representatives. I don’t find these types of online marketing business a success and I’m glad I can always find website like yours who are honest about their reviews and have solid opinions.
I agree with you! Thanks for sharing your comment, Stephanie!
Man, what does it say about society that these corrupt pyramid schemes still exist and that people still sign up for them? Why not just spend the energy on a legit business venture? Thank you for pointing out the flaws of the Young Living system and the direct advice to avoid the MLM. You’re saving people a lot of wasted effort!
That person will always look for a quick way to earn a buck. You’re welcome and thanks for your comment!
Young Living does produce some very good essential oils which I have used, but I do question their business practices. The very questionable behaviour of their founder is something that I discovered fairly recently.
Having worked for a multilevel marketing (MLM) company, I know that it is almost impossible to earn money if you are not continuously recruiting new team members and building your downline.
So Young Living might be producing quality products, but I would steer clear of pursuing a business opportunity with them.
Thanks for sharing your review of Young Living, LineCowley!