Natural = Safe?
I don’t like to rant on this blog.
It’s unprofessional.
So I won’t do that here.
But….
I need to get something off my chest.
There are a lot of products on Etsy that contain essential oils. Many different products by many different sellers -- balms, salves, lotions, sprays, soap, etc… People are leaning towards more natural ways of doing things these days. Our skin is our largest organ, and anything we put on our skin is absorbed directly into the blood stream. So the less synthetic and dangerous chemicals we put on our skin, the better.
Most of the shops selling these products really know their stuff. They’ve read books, or conducting research. They’ve questioned experts. They have a background in herbalism or aromatherapy. The products are labelled properly and carry instructions for proper use, as well as possible dangers and whom should or should not use the product.
But.
Lately I’ve noticed some shops that don’t look like they’ve done their research. In these shops, essential oils are used freely and without warnings/guidelines about use on babies or young children. There are also no warnings about pregnancy, hypertension, sun sensitivity, epilepsy and medication interactions, just to name a few. The people making the products have no reference anywhere in their shop regarding their experience or qualifications in Aromatherapy.
Some of these products contain essential oils that are contraindicated if a person has any of the above-mentioned health issues. Some of these products contain essential oils that are on the Do Not Use list compiled by the International Federation of Aromatherapists. Some of these products can be downright dangerous if used by the wrong person.
Just because essential oils are “natural”, that does not mean that they are all safe and can be used without thought of the consequences.
Many of the body or room sprays are created by simply adding some essential oil to plain (or distilled) water. There are a few problems with that. For one, essential oils are not soluble in water. They will never properly mix. When the product is sprayed (even if it is shaken first), there may be a few miniscule droplets of EO here and there, or a large drop here and a small drop there, or there may be none at all.
Furthermore, water (even if it is distilled) is a breeding ground for bacteria. Unless the sprays are stored in the fridge, these products will be teeming with nasties and start to smell “off” in a few months. Essential oil sprays that are made with water require a solubilsor and a full-spectrum preservative.
Repeat after me: Any hydrous (aka – contains water) bath & beauty product must have a preservative! And Grapefruit seed, rosemary extract and vitamin E are NOT preservatives. Yes, adding a synthetic preservative such as Germall Plus will make the product ‘unnatural’, but it will also keep it safe. E.Coli is also natural, but I don’t think any of us want to spray that around our bathrooms, or onto our children’s pillow cases.
Please, Buyers: Beware! If you have any questions about the safety of a product that contains essential oils, ask the shop owner. If he or she does not seem knowledgeable about the oils or the ingredients they use in their products, move on to another shop. I am always only an e-mail or Etsy convo away, so please do not hesitate to ask me any questions you have about any essential oil.
My offer to provide information about essential oils extends to sellers as well. My main priority as a professional Aromatherapist is promoting the healthy and safe use of essential oils, even if it means helping out my so-called “competition”.
Smell safely, everyone!
~H
5 comments:
wow! thanks so much for the info! i had never really thought much about it because it always seems like natural things should be harmless because they're natural.
i don't know anything about essential oils and aromatherapy, so i just have to trust that the people selling it do. thanks for making me more aware on an important issue!
The thing to keep in mind is that (at least as of a few years ago) only Canada and France certified aromatherapists. I've noticed a lot of people, in the US in particular, just think they smell pretty and don't realize that essential oils have many chemicals, some even yet unidentified. But, as there is no governing body to regulate their use, unsafe use is everywhere. I once saw someone post a recipe with instructions to "add the oils until they smell nice" and yelled at me for warning people that was a very bad idea.
It definitely pays to be an informed consumer when it comes to these substances, since so many people who walk into the local Whole Foods to buy them are not.
Great point, Fyrecreek!
I was shocked to see that Wintergreen oil (which is quite toxic) is available to purchase at the grocery store, right alongside the Lavender, Tea Tree and Rosemary.
Unfortunately, the flip side of the coin is that the Canadian gov't answer to regulating natural health remedies is Bill C-6 (formerly called Bill C-52), which would severely restrict a consumers rights', and essentially make it a crime to give your children a multi-vitamin!
Why can't the government find a (sensible) middle ground?
I found Wintergreen too! That person who wanted to add things until it smelled nice used it a lot.
I guess the middle ground is hard to find because so many people need to be told that hot coffee is hot. I don’t get it!
I have a whole bunch of room and body sprays. So far so good. I am going to hurry up and use up my room spray though.
PussDaddy
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