Why Shakti & Me Uses Only doTERRA Essential Oils?

When I first began incorporating essential oils into my work, particularly within the field of integrative veterinary nursing, I quickly realised that not all essential oils are created equal. In aromatherapy, purity is not simply a desirable feature; it is essential for safety, effectiveness and responsible practice.

That is precisely why I chose to work exclusively with doTERRA essential oils.

At Shakti & Me, every product I create is guided by the same principles: uncompromising safety, respect for nature and genuine care for animals. To achieve this, I need essential oils that are as pure as they are effective, as thoroughly tested as they are trustworthy. That is exactly what I find with doTERRA.

 

1. Purity above all: what truly sets doTERRA apart

In a market where almost every company claims to sell "pure" essential oils, the real question is:

How can you be sure that what is inside the bottle is exactly what it claims to be, without adulteration, solvents, pesticides or synthetic ingredients?

doTERRA was the first company to establish a truly rigorous quality standard, known as CPTG™ – Certified Pure Tested Grade™, because no such standard previously existed within the essential oil industry.

Every batch of essential oil undergoes:

• Rigorous in-house testing
• Independent third-party testing
• Comprehensive chemical analysis
• Verification of authenticity and adulteration
• Complete transparency, with test results available to consumers

The company answers important questions such as:

• Where was this plant grown?
• Was it cultivated under the ideal conditions?
• Has the oil been tested for contaminants?
• Has this batch been adulterated?
• Are the test results openly available?

The answer is yes, with complete transparency and documented evidence.

 

2. The scientific rigour of the CPTG™ process

The CPTG™ quality protocol is one of the main reasons why I choose doTERRA essential oils for use with dogs and cats.

Each batch undergoes eight stages of testing, including:

• Organoleptic evaluation (aroma, colour and consistency)
• Microbial testing
• Gas chromatography
• Mass spectrometry
• Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
• Chirality testing
• Isotopic analysis
• Heavy metal testing

This level of quality control is uncommon within the essential oil industry.

It gives me confidence to use these oils, even with sensitive, elderly or medically compromised animals, knowing that every batch has been rigorously tested for contaminants, adulteration and synthetic compounds.

 

3. Safety in animal aromatherapy

Whenever we work with animals, safety must always come first.

Dogs and cats have olfactory and metabolic systems that differ significantly from our own, which means selecting high-quality essential oils is particularly important.

The Essential Oils and Pets guide, written by doTERRA's integrative veterinarians, highlights several key principles:

• Animals have far more sensitive olfactory systems than humans. Dogs and cats possess between 200 and 300 million olfactory receptors, compared with approximately 5 to 6 million in humans.

• Certain essential oils should be avoided, including Wintergreen, Birch and Tea Tree.

• Essential oils should always be diluted before topical application (typically between 1% and 5%).

• New oils should be introduced gradually using the SLOWLY method.

• Only pure, unadulterated essential oils should be used.

This leads to one essential point:

If an essential oil has been adulterated, contaminated or diluted with synthetic substances, the risk to the animal increases considerably.

Safe use therefore depends on:

• Pure essential oils
• Appropriate dilution
• Professional knowledge
• Trusted, quality-assured brands

This is why I simply cannot risk working with oils of uncertain origin.

 

4. Every essential oil begins in the field

The quality of an essential oil starts long before distillation.

It begins with the soil, the climate, the altitude, the harvesting season and the care given to every plant.

doTERRA's sourcing programme is based on:

• Sustainable agriculture
• Harvesting plants at their optimal stage
• Fair working conditions
• Fair and timely payment for growers
• Long-term partnerships
• Investment in local communities

Through its Co-Impact Sourcing™ initiative, doTERRA ensures that essential oils are produced with respect for both the environment and the people involved in every stage of production.

To me, this matters, because choosing an essential oil is also choosing the impact we leave on the world.

 

5. Complete transparency and traceability

Every bottle of doTERRA essential oil includes a batch number that allows the results of the quality testing to be accessed.

This means I can verify:

• Where the plant was sourced
• How it was distilled
• Which chemical analyses were carried out
• Which contaminants were excluded
• The specific chemical profile of that batch

This level of traceability is invaluable when working with animals.

It allows me to trust that what I use in my formulations is exactly what the label says it is.

 

6. Why does this matter so much in integrative veterinary nursing?

Animals cannot tell us when something causes discomfort.

They metabolise compounds differently from humans.

And unfortunately, there is considerable variation in the quality of essential oils available on the market.

Veterinary professionals working with doTERRA consistently emphasise one key recommendation:

Only pure, quality-tested essential oils should be used, under the guidance of a knowledgeable professional.

When working with dogs and cats, whose olfactory and metabolic systems are particularly sensitive, there is very little room for error.

That is why I choose essential oils that have undergone some of the most rigorous quality and safety testing available.

 

7. My philosophy: trust, intention and responsibility

Shakti & Me was created from the union of science, nature and intention.

Every roll-on, every spray and every product I formulate has one clear purpose: to care for animals with the highest possible standards of safety and quality.

Choosing doTERRA was never simply a commercial decision.

It is an ethical, professional and deeply personal one.

It means choosing:

• Certified purity
• Scientific rigour
• Safety for dogs and cats
• Transparency
• Responsible sourcing
• Positive impact on local communities
• Essential oils that are genuinely natural

This is why, in my veterinary nursing practice and in every Shakti & Me formulation, I choose to use only doTERRA essential oils.

 

Conclusion

Essential oils can be powerful allies in supporting the physical, emotional and overall wellbeing of our animals.

However, their use requires knowledge, responsibility and uncompromising quality.

Choosing doTERRA allows me to ensure that every drop used in my veterinary nursing consultations and in Shakti & Me products is pure, safe and effective.

It is a decision guided by science, ethics and the deep respect I have for the animals and families who place their trust in me.

 

References

• doTERRA International. (n.d.). Why doTERRA?
• doTERRA International. (n.d.). CPTG Certified Pure Tested Grade™: Quality Testing Process.
• Riggs, B., Fisher, J., Frezzo, M., McCaskill, L., Yamamoto, J., & Roark, J. (n.d.). Essential Oils and Pets. doTERRA.
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (n.d.). ISO 9235: Aromatic Natural Raw Materials – Vocabulary.