Essential Oils -- General Tips and Safety Precautions

When using EOs, there are some important safety precautions to consider. If you plan to make Aromatherapy and EOs a part of your life, invest in a good book that will expand on the basics I outline here.

• Never, never, ever take essential oils internally, even if the manufacturer claims its oils are "pure" enough to ingest. There are some parts of the world that practice Medical Aromatherapy, but this is done under the guidance of highly trained Aromatherapists who are often pharmacists or MDs as well.

• Most oils are too strong to be used neat (undiluted) on the skin. Be sure to dilute oils properly before applying to the skin. To obtain roughly a 2.5% dilution, simply divide the amount of carrier oil in half to determine how many drops of EO to add. For example, if you have a 60mL bottle of carrier oil, you can add about 30 drops (total) of EO.

• Remember that small bodies = small nervous systems = greater effects of the oils. Use extra caution when using EOs around young children, babies, pregnant women and pets. A general rule of thumb is to cut the dose in half, or double the dilution. For example, instead of 15 drops of EO to 30mL of carrier oil, use 6 or 7 drops. For babies, I cut that in half again – 3-4 drops.

• Citrus oils (with the exception of Grapefruit) are phototoxic. This means that they exasperate the effects of the sun on your body. Remember putting lemon juice in your hair because it would make your hair lighten in the sun? Avoid using skin products containing citrus EOs before going out into the sun.

• Essential oils are flammable. Store away from heat sources or open flame, and follow all manufacturers' directions when using a diffuser or oil burner.

The following is a list of EOs that should NOT be used by ANYONE under ANY circumstances. This list is provided by the International Federation of Aromatherapists.

Bitter Almond

Boldo leaf

Calamus

Yellow Camphor

Horseradish

Jaborandi leaf

Mugwort

Mustard

Pennyroyal

Rue

Sassafras

Savin

Southernwood

Tansy

Thuja

Wintergreen

Wormseed

Wormwood

Stay tuned for an upcoming blog about Aromatherapy & EO safety during pregnancy.