I couldn’t help but notice the claims from the blog of the owner of an essential oil company I won’t name, but suffice to say it’s a gigantic multi-level marketing company, headed by a man who is a bit controversial but who undeniably has a gift for marketing. He says (repeatedly) in his blog that his company is the only one making frankincense essential oil in Salalah. What balderdash! He has recently (this year, 2010) set up two distilleries in Salalah, and is now writing (repeatedly) that he has supposedly asked this official body and that important person about his position as the only American company making frankincense oil in Oman and that these official bodies have confirmed it. He should also know that publishing information about meetings with important Omanis, whether real or not, is a mistake.
I don’t think that this American essential oil executive is so utterly naïve that he would not understand how information is (not) shared in The Sultanate of Oman, particularly “After 15 years of traveling to and from Oman, building relationships with the people there, and acquiring their trust”. I don’t expect that anyone, official or not, would have supplied him with concrete information regarding my presence in this country. However, it’s a stretch to think that he wouldn’t have heard anything about me, especially as he spends a little time in Salalah, in the same places that I do.
After all, I know quite a bit about how much time he spends in Oman, and how he spends it, and who he spends it with, of course. Salalah is a small town and I’ve been around for some years now. But unless he has only superficial interactions with locals then it is unlikely that he would not know about me. And he must have more than superficial interactions, since he’s set up his distilleries. Plus, I’ve met people who work for him.
I suspect that he has heard through the grapevine that there is another company, Enfleurage, which offers distilled-in-Oman frankincense oil and he has written about my supposed non-existence to boost the imagined exclusivity of his company’s presence in Oman. His company is somewhat built around the idea of “biblical” essential oils and naturally Frankincense is the main attraction.
Now, I have known he is in Salalah for some time, and I would not have mentioned it, except for these irritating blog posts he has put up. It’s an obvious swipe at me, and so I am responding. To quote him: “With respect and admiration for those who seek the truth….” And “Why must the talk about this sacred oil be marred with the negative side of the essential oil industry that is about money and power? Only those who are a part of that deception can answer that question.”
Do tell us then.
If you are essential oil enthusiast, then you probably know the company I am referring to. Anyway, for sure he is exporting some frankincense oil from Dhofar. That is undeniable. But he is not the only company. Nor was his the first. One more quote taken directly from his posting: “It is sad that there is so much deception in the world of essential oils.” Indeed.
14 comments:
Like you, I'm fed up with all this marketing attitude and its lies.I'll reblog you. J'en profite pour vous dire how much I appreciate your blog.
Like you,I am fed up with the cynical marketing/merchandising attitude and its lies.
I'll reblog you;j'en profite pour vous dire how much i appreciate your blog;
Thank you Chemin!
Over 17 years ago I started Bassett Aromatherapy and began importing essential oils, hydrosols, and diffusers. The claims from companies over the years should have closed their doors long ago..How can these same people still be saying these untruths...It really bogles the mind..Carry on your good work Trygve and it will speak for itself...
More power to you for speaking out!
I can't google up exactly who the person is as I follow (loosely) just a couple of blogs but regardless it's a pathetic way for anyone to conduct themselves for them to post such utter rubbish. Another example of a person doing something they shouldn't simply because they can and they think they can get away with it.
On a much much lighter note I'm looking forward to my tiny bottle of sandalwood oil arriving here, hopefully it'll be here this week. I'll add your Frankincense Omani oil to my essential oils wish list now :)
Thank you for standing up and giving your side . You are strong and brave and I love what you do .
Peace !
Who is he kidding? People know bullshit when they hear it. Keep doing what you've been doing. He'll get what's coming to him.
The essential oil you distill feom Oman is absolutely, utterly divine.
it talks for itself.
Please do not worry too much about what people say or their judgements.
Want to suggest staying connected to what matters to you and what is essential to life forward movement.......... Your oils are soo
lovely and alive. You are at your best when you are writing and talking about
I suppose the name is Gary, the website makes the absurd statement that "Young Living Essential Oils to maintain its position as the world’s leading grower, distiller, and provider of pure, potent essential oils."
The world's leading grower and distiller? Surely not. And stay away from his irresponsible "raindrop" method.
Also, what is worth mentioning is the fraud around Sandalwood Oil. Everyone and his grandmother, i.e. so-called "reputable" companies, sell concoctions of mainly Amyris as Sandalwood. Oshadhi just to name one, and even an Indian company tried to fool me with it.
Anonymous! "Even" Indian companies pass adulterated or completely fabricated Sandalwood oil? I don't know if you've read some of my posts from there over the past few years, and what I see must only be tip of the iceberg. But I can say with all seriousness that one of the most difficult things to do in this industry is to buy real, unadulterated oils from India. And sandalwood is hardest. Nearly every company will rip you off, often in unexpected ways. Buying from the distiller? Well, there will likely be someone else on the periphery, a "scientist" or a "chemical engineer" or a "spokesperson" or some such. Sorry if this offends anyone, I'm sure it will, but it's true. Many credulous westerners are fooled by claims of religious devotion, exclusives on certain oils due to long family histories, or anything to do with monks. Or, using logic, one might be tempted to think that a supplier will fulfill an order correctly so as to ensure a good future business relationship. But I have seen so many people kill the Golden Goose with the first egg, it's utterly amazing.
I've been visiting India for 25 years and have spent thousands and thousands of dollars buying oils there.
ANY company in India that claims to sell authentic Mysore Sandalwood oil is lying. You can buy it from the Karnataka State Distillery or Karnataka Soaps and Detergents in 5 ml sizes only. ONLY.
Any other company claiming to sell Sandalwood oil from India (from Kerala or Tamilnadu or wherever) is probably lying as well but they may actually have something containing sandalwood oil (in addition to DOP, white oil or Amyris as you point out.) The sandalwood oil will likely be African, or, God forbid, Australian. And there won't be much of it in there either. This goes for attars as well.
It's a steady stream of deceit. But there are the occasional terrific suppliers. And I can attest that I have never seen any of them self-promote, or loudly claim patronage from any deity, or call foreigners "Babu" or even have a website, much less troll for business in cyberspace. The really excellent absolute guy I deal with has a very small client list because his oils are snapped up immediately and contracted in advance. I'm not saying he's the only guy, I know a few great suppliers and I'm sure there are many more than I am aware of.
I didn't mean to start a rant here, but I have to say something when buying essential oils from India comes up.
As to the rest of your post....his name could very well be Gary. It's definitely possible.
Hi, thank you for sharing your insights. Been reading your blog and love it, have also ordered from your shop. I visited UAE years ago, love the East.
So I was back in India last fall, after many years, and I just thought that I could walk into any old pharmacy like in the old days and get some oils, especially Sandalwood, as a souvenir. Just to think that 20 years ago, I did not even take the bottle of Sandalwood back with me to the West, because the Indian plastic cap was so flimsy and I did not want the oil to leak out.
So when in India, last year, I somehow heard that there is no Sandalwood, or rather, I did not hear it, it did not really register, because India has always been full of Sandalwood, it was everywhere, wasn't it. So I thought, I just buy some in the US, from Aura Cacia or some such company. So slowly it dawned on me, there really does not seem to be any, or at least not much.
Then I saw the website of an Indian supplier, who ships worldwide, from Kannauj. So I order the Sandalwood and an Attar, out of curiosity. Of course a bad Sandalwood will destroy the most delicious rose. I could not believe how horrible that sweet scent of Amyris is to my nose. The bottle was labeled "Amyris", so I e-mailed that company that I "bought" Sandalwood and got Amyris. The gentleman answered that the bottle is labeled in this way to fool customs, which is BS of course.
The thing is, there are a lot of people who have no idea how Sandalwood is supposed to smell, and they are being sold these inferior concoctions, for almost Sandalwood prices. And I just shudder about synthetics...bought a Khadi brand Sandalwood cream in India, supposedly an "all natural" or even ayurvedic brand, and it's synthetic.
So, if I had known, I would have headed to Karnataka for a 5 ml of oil, I was in Bangalore. But generally, I feel that if there is none these days, then there is none for the wider public, but these companies should not try to fool people.
I don't know this Gary, by the way, I just have a good nose.
Multi-level marketing says it all. It's a parasitic enterprise built on hype and insincerity, propagated by a quack of a man who has spent some significant time in jail, check it out: http://www.quackwatch.com/11Ind/young.html
the last quote makes me smirk as he also claimed to be friends with some renown essential oils experts - but those two guys weren't aware of that friendship ;-))) it was in austria where he and his disciples are conquering the market in an alarmingly fast speed and thus threatening this still delicate field of aromatic medicine. in austria any kind of massage or therapeutic touch is (officially) not permitted, with or without oils.
I think I luv U. Thanks for being so honest and ur integrity.
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