On Monday, Oct. 3, dōTERRA will launch 23 new or updated products to the public. I and 30,000 of my friends who attended dōTERRA's convention have been enjoying (loving!) these items for a couple of weeks, and I thought I'd offer an overview and my personal review of the products, along with some usage tips you can refer to when you get these bottles and tubes of wonderfulness in your hands.
- First up is our new Petitgrain essential oil from Paraguay. This calming oil can be used topically, aromatically, and internally. Petitgrain is a great digestive aid, supports cardiovascular health, helps alleviate sad and anxious feelings, enhances the ability to fall and stay asleep, is an antioxidant, and supports the immune system. It is derived from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree (whereas neroli oil comes from the flowers and bitter orange oil from the rind).
- Dr. David Hill, dōTERRA's chief medical officer, called Petitgrain the new "Lavender for men" (although I know a few women who already prefer Petitgrain to lavender, too). Petitgrain has similar constituents to lavender but has 4 times less going on chemically, which means you get a more intense outcome and enhanced response. (Lavender has 64 total compounds to Petitgrain's 17, but these two oils' prominent constituents are the same or similar.) Petitgrain's main chemical components are linalyl acetate, linalool, and alpha-terpineol.
- I loved learning how dōTERRA is helping growers in Paraguay get their Petitgrain oil industry back. When the perfume industry turned primarily synthetic, farmers replaced their Petitgrain crops with soy or allowed Petitgrain to overgrow. Most did not have enough land to make a viable income from soy and were reduced to poverty or forced to other areas for work. Due to the high amounts of pesticides used in conventional soy production, many people in the area were growing ill and experienced painful skin eruptions. Now that dōTERRA is revitalizing Petitgrain in Paraguay, farmers and their families are resuming a livelihood passed down for generations, and dōTERRA's goal is to help them also regain their health.
- I personally think Petitgrain smells earthy and green, even slightly bitter, with a hint of orange. I'm enjoying it for relaxation, and I have a team member who already swears by diffusing it for sleep, inhaling it from a drop in the hand, and applying topically for achy muscles and for support in dealing with symptoms of adrenal fatigue. She recommends using it aromatically with Patchouli and/or Serenity.
Spikenard
- Our newest oil from Nepal is Spikenard, which is best used topically and aromatically, and has purifying, grounding, and uplifting properties. Spikenard has been known for its varied uses since ancient times, and today we know that it supports the immune system, is cognitively invigorating, provides respiratory support, reduces discomfort, promotes relaxation, encourages cell renewal, balances the endocrine system, alleviates temporary digestive gas, and provides great support for women during menstrual cycles for both physical and emotional balance.
- Spikenard has 170 different compounds, including 10 monoterpenes and 34 sesquiterpenes. One of its main chemical components is jatamansone, which is known for its tranquilizing effect and benefits to the brain and nervous system.
- Some oils are more complex, some are more diverse, and some, like Spikenard and Frankincense, are both complex and diverse. Dr. Hill said, "When in doubt, use frankincense or spikenard," adding to essential oil enthusiasts' common phrase, "When in doubt, get frankincense out."
- dōTERRA is making a huge social impact in Nepal, where company representatives were on the ground doing relief work quickly following the devastating earthquakes of April 2015. dōTERRA built the first two permanent, earthquake-resistant schools with government approval following these earthquakes. Many people don't realize how crucial schools are to the rural areas of Nepal, where the incidence of children being sold into human trafficking is devastatingly common. (Most parents believe their children are being taken to cities to receive an education or to learn a trade and then never hear from them again.) dōTERRA is not only sourcing Wintergreen and Spikenard oils from the area to support the agricultural communities economically but has also provided much support in the way of meeting basic needs and giving local children the opportunity to receive a free education. That's what dōTERRA does: We offer hope, health, and a better future to people all over the world.
- Spikenard is native to the Himalayas and grows best above the tree line, but only dōTERRA is sourcing it from this region. Because of that, our Spikenard is a unique green color.
- Spikenard supports dry, irritated skin along with wood or floral oils such as Cedarwood and Geranium. It combines well with Peppermint or citrus oils for relaxation and mood elevation. You can mix Spikenard with Lime and/or Eucalyptus oils for respiratory support. Spikenard is also known to help those who deal with occasional, involuntary muscle contractions, which many people experience in the night, so if that applies to you, I would recommend keeping this oil by the bed.
Children's products
- dōTERRA's a2z Chewable for kids has been updated with a delicious watermelon and strawberry flavor. These tablets also now include vitamin K, chromium, lemon peel folate, and a cognitive blend consisting of choline, phosphatidylserine, and inositol.
- Children in the U.S. are sadly nutrient deficient, and a vitamin that tastes good, is highly bioavailable (i.e., primarily from whole food sources that the body can assimilate quickly and use efficiently), and is convenient to take is crucial for our kids' health. This vitamin is a bit chalky, so some kids may complain about the texture, but I'm hearing that most children can be convinced to take it with a reward (or bribe) of a PB Assist Jr. sachet.
- What is PB Assist Jr.? Our new children's probiotic and quite possibly my favorite of the 23 new/updated products. This fine powder that goes down like a Pixie Stick tastes too sweet to be good for you, but it's sweetened with xylitol (which also happens to be great for the teeth). It has 5 billion live cells of a unique blend of six different probiotic strains, which are important for digestive health. Each probiotic strain is microencapsulated to protect the beneficial bacteria so they don't get destroyed by stomach acid and can make it to the intestinal tract, where good bacteria needs to populate. Most probiotics on the market fail miserably in this regard, and I'm thrilled that dōTERRA found a way to protect the sensitive cultures with a natural glycerin fatty acid ester so that these probiotics reach the intestines like our double-encapsulated PB Assist does.
- Both products have been approved by dōTERRA Director of Research and Development's five little boys who came on stage with their mom to give their endorsement (so cute!). I'm happy to say that my three little boys agree.
dōTERRA Spa
- I wanted to jump up and down and shout for joy when the new dōTERRA Spa line came up on the screens. I'll give a quick run-down of each product since their primary uses are self-explanatory.
- Moisturizing Bath Bar - Features Bergamot and Grapefruit essential oils, jojoba seed oil, vegetable-derived glycerin, and aloe leaf juice. This bath bar doesn't leave the skin feeling dry or like its coated with soap scum, and it smells amazing. You'll save by purchasing three at a time.
- Refreshing Body Wash - Features Bergamot, Grapefruit, and Cedarwood essential oils; a coconut oil surfactant; and an omega-9 cleanser. I've used many natural body washes, but not one has lathered as well as this one does. Not only does it smell great, but it also goes a long way. Take my word for it and only use a little bit on your bath puff or you'll be telling the whole family they need to wash up (even if they don't) so you don't waste all of the extra suds.
- Detoxifying Mud Mask - Features Myrrh, Juniper Berry, and Grapefruit essential oils; mineral-rich Amazonian clay; a malachite detoxifying extract; shea butter moisturizer; and lentil seed extract. I have also used various mud masks and really liked the purifying effects, but this is the first one I've used that smells delicious, definitely detoxifies the skin, and even leaves the skin feeling smooth and moisturized after it's rinsed off my face. I mean, mud masks are supposed to make your skin feel dry, right? And you have to moisturize afterward, right? Not anymore. Thank you very much, dōTERRA!
- Exfoliating Body Scrub - Features Wild Orange, Ginger, and Grapefruit essential oils; sunflower seed; kukui nut oil; sweet almond oil; and a gentle cane sugar exfoliator. The fine grain in this sugar scrub gently exofoliates the skin while the oils moisturize and replenish. Use it as a hand, foot, or full body scrub. You can even shave your legs right over top of the scrub or rinse off the sugar and shave over the oils left on your skin. Pat skin dry so you don't rub off the remaining beneficial oils.
- Replenishing Body Butter - Features Wild Orange, Douglas Fir, and Frankincense essential oils; shea and cocoa seed butters; and jojoba seed and avocado oils. It happens to be quite dry in Utah, so my thirsty skin was happy to soak up this thick, luxurious body butter as soon as I purchased it, and I was pleasantly surprised at how little I needed to use. Confession: Sometimes I just open up the container to smell. Yes, it smells that good.
- Moisturizing Lip Balms - Features moringa oil emollient, avocado oil, and kukui nut oil. Our old lip balm got quite an upgrade with these hydrating oils, and it now comes in the original Wild Orange and Peppermint as well as tropical with Ylang Ylang, Clementine, and Lime essential oils and herbal with Lemon Verbena, Marjoram, and Spearmint essential oils. You'll get a discount when you purchase all three.
- Hand & Body Lotion - Features sunflower, kukui, and macadamia nut oils; and argan and jojoba leaf extracts. This unscented, lightweight lotion moisturizes without leaving the skin feeling the least bit greasy and acts as a great carrier for use with your favorite essential oils. As always, the Hand & Body Lotion will be available as a pack of three.
- Citrus Bliss Hand Lotion and Rose Hand Lotion were also reformulated and now feature a similar base to the unscented hand & body lotion.
Emotional Aromatherapy Touch
- At last year's convention, dōTERRA released its top nine essential oils in easy-to-use, pre-diluted rollerball bottles called the dōTERRA Touch line. I love using rollers on myself and my kids for easy and effective application, and this year dōTERRA revealed a patented steel rollerball to address the issue of plastic rollerballs disintegrating or not distributing the oils evenly. The steel rollers feel super smooth and don't allow oil to leak out or break down the ball itself. In addition, we now have our Emotional Aromatherapy line available in these new rollerballs so we can enjoy Cheer, Motivate, Passion, Peace, Console, and Forgive essential oil blends even more in the dōTERRA Emotional Aromatherapy Touch line.
Serenity Products
- Our beloved Serenity oil blend has also been reformulated to the Serenity Restful Blend, but I promise it's for the better! Don't panic. It doesn't smell much different (if anything, more well rounded and less sweet). The addition of Cedarwood, Ho Wood, and Vetiver essential oils have been heavily researched for their beneficial properties, especially as related to relaxation and sleep. Serenity also still consists of Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Marjoram, Roman Chamomile, and Hawaiian Sandalwood essential oils and vanilla bean absolute. Diffuse, apply to the bottoms of your feet, put a drop or two on your pillowcase, drop into a warm bath or shower, or apply a drop to palms and inhale deeply.
- New this year is the Serenity Restful Complex with Lavender essential oil, L-theanine, and extracts of lemon balm, passionflower, and German chamomile combined in a convenient soft gel. This supplement utilizes both historically proven ingredients and the best of modern science, and I'm hearing rave reviews from my sleep-impaired friends! dōTERRA conducted a six-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in which subjects reported highly significant improvements in their ability to fall asleep as well as waking more easily and feeling more alert and refreshed in the morning. Take 2 soft gels 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Bonus: You'll get a discount on these two products when you order them together (wholesale $45, retail $60)! And with that, if you've managed to stick with me, you deserve a nap or a good night's rest. May you sleep sweetly and dream of dōTERRA's new products!