Our Founder
D. Gary Young formed Young Living Essential Oils after realizing the need to share with the world his amazing discovery of the power of essential oils. As a young man, Gary suffered a crippling injury that nearly cost him his life. This launched him on a personal health odyssey that transformed him both physically and emotionally. Traveling the world to study essential oils and alternative health care, Gary has become a foremost authority in natural health and has become intensely committed to sharing his knowledge and expertise on essential oils with others.
Gary introduced the revered Chinese Ningxia wolfberry to the western world through his friend Doctor Songqiao Chao. The Chinese wolfberry is prized for its health and longevity benefits particularly in China, where it has been valued for millennia. The Ningxia wolfberry is the core ingredient in our antioxidant health drink, NingXia Red.
Today, Gary continues traveling across the continents, investigating both traditional and modern uses of essential oils and gaining insights into every facet of essential oil production—from distillation and harvesting to seed selection and crop management. Gary has studied essential oil chemistry, use, and application with the world's leading essential oil experts. He has explored ancient distillation techniques at archaeological sites in Pakistan, Israel, and Egypt. Gary continues to research and travel the world with relentless vigor to help Young Living bring new and innovative products to the world.
