Simply bringing up the topic of alternative Young Living essential oils can become controversial. Some people are so loyal to the brand that they get upset if other people want to explore other options. But this isn’t the blog for that kind of bickering. I merely want to share Young Living alternatives for those looking for something different.
Different brands work well for different people. Life would be boring if we could only make purchases from one or two companies. If Young Living is no longer the best option for you, there’s no reason to feel conflicted about considering other companies. There are many essential oil companies on the market that make high quality oils you might enjoy using.
Keep reading for alternative company suggestions and my reasons for choosing them.
How I Evaluated Alternatives to Young Living Essential Oils
This list is in no particular order in terms of product quality. Oil types were selected according to Young Living’s ten most popular singles and oil blends and are listed in that order. From there, the company that seemed to have a comparative alternative was chosen.
Here are the criteria used for each company:
- Oils have to be 100% pure
- Plant matter must be grown in an ecologically responsible manner
- They follow strict quality control processing guidelines
If there are any additional highlights, I’ll point them out with each suggestion.
10 Alternatives to Young Living Essential Oils
Here’s my list of alternatives to Young Living’s top ten essential oils. All prices are approximate and might vary based on where the oils are purchased, the time of year, and if there is a special promotional offer.
1. Plant Guru Alternative Lavender Essential Oil
| Brand | Young Living Lavender Essential Oil | Plant Guru Lavender Essential Oil |
| Size | 15 mL | 30 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★★✩ |
Unlike YL, Plant Guru offers multiple size options. You can learn more about Plant Guru here but if you were to purchase their lavender oil, you’ll receive twice as much oil for half the price of Young Living.
Both companies steam distilled the flowering tops of lavandula angustifolia, a lavender plant with French origins. Young Living has lavender farms in the states of Idaho and Utah, as well as in France.
Plant Guru’s plants were sourced from France and have the same sweet, herbaceous aroma as YL’s lavender oil.
2. Germ Fighter Oil Blend: Closest Alternative to Young Living Thieves Blend
| Brand | Young Living Thieves Blend | Plant Therapy Germ Fighter Blend |
| Size | 15 mL | 10 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★ |
Both YL and Plant Therapy blend different amounts of the same ingredients:
- clove bud,
- lemon peel,
- cinnamon bark,
- eucalyptus leaf, and
- rosemary leaf oils.
A similar blend was used by actual thieves who rubbed oils on themselves as a barrier against bacteria before robbing the dead and dying in Europe during the bubonic plague and other social upheavals that occurred during the 1300s.
It’s a warm cinnamon scent that smells like Fall. Customers who purchase the Germ Fighter blend found it to be comparable to YL’s Thieves and are pleased with its fragrance and feel that it does help to support their immune system.
Plant Therapy released a highly detailed safety data sheet for their blend.
3. Aura Cacia: Budget Peppermint Essential Oil Alternative
| Brand | Young Living Peppermint Essential Oil | Aura Cacia Peppermint Essential Oil |
| Size | 15 mL | 15 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★✰ |
Both are derived from the same plant, mentha piperita, and both company’s peppermint plants are grown in Washington State, United States.
Honestly, I think that the mint used in these oils might come from the same farm. Young Living’s was cultivated at Labbeemint Partner Distillery in White Swan, Washington, while Aura Cacia’s crops are grown in Yakima Valley. According to this map, White Swan is in the same valley region.
I don’t know if there are additional farms in the area, there very well might be because it is an agricultural region. But either way, I think this suggests that oils at very different price points are sourced from the same or very similar harvesting conditions.
4. Gya Labs: Inexpensive Lemon Essential Oil Alternative
| Brand | Young Living Lemon Essential Oil | Gya Labs Lemon Essential Oil |
| Size | 15 mL | 10 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★✰ |
Gya Lab’s cold-pressed lemon peel was sourced from Italy and is produced in one of their global facilities before packaging. Diffusing lemon oil not only uplifts the atmosphere, but it also sharpens concentration and helps to neutralize odors.
5. Purify by Revive: Best Match to Young Living Purification Essential Oil Blend
| Brand | Young Living Purification Blend | Revive Purify Blend |
| Size | 15 mL | 30 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★★★✰ |
Both Purify and Purification are blends of:
- citronella
- rosemary
- lemongrass
- tea tree
- lavindin
- myrtle
Revive was suggested by a customer who has been using Purify as a replacement that’s equivalent to YL Purification blend at less than half the price. Revive chooses to partner with smaller, family-owned farms to help support communities around the world.
Purify is consistently aromatic when diffused, even for long periods of time. It is safe for children over the age of six.
6. NOW Foods: Alternative to Young Living’s R.C. Essential Oil Blend
| Brand | Young Living R. C. Essential Oil | NOW Foods Clear the Air |
| Size | 15 mL | 30 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★✰ |
R.C. stands for respiratory care, and it’s made of three types of eucalyptus leaf, myrtle oil, marjoram, pine leaf, lavender, cypress, black spruce leaf, and peppermint oils. Created to help with deeper breathing, its key scent is menthol.
NOW’s Clear the Air is a combination of peppermint, eucalyptus, hyssop, and rosemary oils. There are fewer oils but the goal is the same; its refreshing scent helps clear your airway passage and purify the air in the room when diffused.
7. Vitruvi: Upgrade Alternative Cedarwood Essential Oil
| Brand | YL Cedarwood Essential Oil | Vitruvi Cedarwood Essential Oil |
| Size | 15 mL | 10 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★★★✰ |
Although the price is roughly the same, the quality of this oil might be an upgrade from Young Living’s cedarwood essential oil.
Customers love that Vitruvi Cedarwood brings warmth and relaxation into the home and makes it smell just like a forest. It’s vegan, non-toxic, cruelty-free, non-GMO, and is sourced from the United States.
Here is their Certificate of Analysis for this oil.
8. Chill Out by Plant Therapy: YL Peace & Calming Blend Alternative
| Brand | YL Peace & Calming Blend | Plant Therapy Chill Out Blend |
| Size | 5 mL | 30 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ |
Both companies combine a tranquil citrusy floral blend of tangerine, sweet orange, ylang ylang, patchouli, and blue tansy oils.
Plant Therapy’s Chill Out generates a peaceful diffusion that truly helps customers push away stress and to relax and calm down before bed. This particular blend is safe for children and expectant mothers.
9. Eden’s Garden Worry Less: Young Living Stress Away Blend Alternative
| Brand | YL Stress Away Blend | Eden’s Garden Worry Less Blend |
| Size | 15 mL | 30 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★★★★✰ |
A lot of Young Living customers have replaced Stress Away with Eden’s Garden Worry Less blend; here’s what’s in each:
Stress Away ingredients
Balsam resin
Lime oil
Cedarwood bark
Vanilla extract
Ocotea leaf
Lavender
Worry Less ingredients:
Cistus
Clary sage
Vetiver
Ylang Ylang
Frankincense
Lavender
Sweet Marjoram
Spearmint
There’s some overlap in their ingredients but Worry Less has more mint and floral scents in its blend.
10. ARTNaturals: Alternative Frankincense Essential Oil
| Brand | YL Frankincense Essential Oil | ARTNaturals Frankincense |
| Size | 15 mL | 118 mL |
| Price | ★★★★★ | ★ |
ARTNaturals frankincense resin was sourced from the Boswellia serrata tree in India while Young Living sources theirs from Boswellia carterii tree resin found in Northern Africa. Both have a relaxing coniferous scent with a hint of lemon citrus.
ARTNaturals customers feel that this scent is less overwhelming than other brands with a more practical asking price.
Bottom Line
It can feel odd purchasing a product that isn’t as popular for fear that you’ll be buying an inferior product. But there are less popular companies that care about their customers and go to great lengths to manufacture exceptional essential oils.
Since the Thieves is Young Living’s most popular oil blend, I think Plant Therapy’s Germ Fighter is the clear winner of this alternative’s list. Plant Therapy is the one brand with multiple blends that are comparable to Young Living.
A good runner up would be Plant Guru’s lavender essential oil because lavender is the most popular oil used across any brand. But Aura Cacia would be my third choice due to their quality and because peppermint is the second most popular essential oil purchased in the United States.
Whether it’s due to cost, marketing approach, or some other reason, you can find alternatives to Young Living without disappointment.