Basic Guidelines for Safe Use !!!
However, no list of do’s and don’ts can ever replace common sense. It is foolish to dive headlong into a pond when you do not know the depth of the water. The same is true when using essential oils.
Start gradually and patiently find what works best for you and your family members.
Storage
1. Always keep a bottle of a pure carrier oil (e.g., V-6 Vegetable Oil Complex, olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, or more fragrant massage oils such as Sensation, Relaxation, Ortho Ease, or Ortho Sport) handy when using essential oils. Carrier oils will dilute essential oils if the essential oils cause discomfort or skin irritation.
2. Keep bottles of essential oils tightly closed and store them in a cool location away from light. If stored properly, essential oils will maintain their potency for many years.
3. Keep essential oils out of reach of children. Treat the oils as you would any product for therapeutic use. Children love the oils and will often go through an entire bottle in a very short time. They want to give massages and do the same things they see you do.
Usage
1. Essential oils rich in menthol (such as Peppermint) should not be used on the throat or neck area of children under 18 months of age.
2. Angelica, Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Ruta, Tangerine, and other citrus oils are photosensitive and may cause a rash or dark pigmentation on skin exposed to direct sunlight or UV rays within 1–2 days after application.
3. Keep essential oils away from the eye area and never put them directly into ears. Do not handle contact lenses or rub eyes with essential oils on your fingers. Even in minute amounts, many essential oils may damage contacts and will irritate eyes.
4. Pregnant women should consult a health care professional when starting any type of health program. Oils are safe to use, but one needs to use common sense. Follow the directions and dilute with V-6 Vegetable Oil Complex until you become familiar with the oils you are using. Many pregnant women have said that they feel a very positive response from the unborn child when the oils are applied on the skin, but that is each woman’s individual experience.
5. Epileptics and those with high blood pressure should consult their health care professional before using essential oils. Use extra caution with high ketone oils such as Basil, Rosemary, Sage, and Idaho Tansy oils.
6. People with allergies should test a small amount of oil on an area of sensitive skin, such as the inside of the upper arm, for 30 minutes before applying the oil on other areas of the body.
7. The bottoms of feet are safe locations to apply essential oils topically.
8. Direct inhalation of essential oils can be a deep and intensive application method, particularly for respiratory congestion and illness. However, this method should not be used more than 10–15 times throughout the day without consulting a health professional.
9. Before taking essential oils internally, test your reactions by diluting 1 drop of essential oil in 1 teaspoon of an oil-soluble liquid like Yacon Syrup, olive oil, coconut oil, or rice or almond milk. If you intend to consume more than a few drops of diluted essential oil per day, we recommend first consulting a health care professional.
10. Be aware that reactions to essential oils, both topically and orally, can be delayed as long as 2–3 days.
11. Add 1–3 drops of undiluted essential oils directly to bath water. If more essential oil is desired, mix the oil first into bath salts or a bath gel base before adding to the bath water. Generally, never use more than 10 drops of essential oils in one bath. When essential oils are put directly into bath water without a dispersing agent, they can cause serious discomfort on sensitive skin because the essential oils tend to float, undiluted, on top of the water.
Chemical Sensitivities and Allergies
Occasionally, individuals beginning to use quality essential oils will suffer rashes or allergic reactions.
This may be due to using an undiluted spice, conifer, or citrus oil; or it may be caused by an interaction of the oil with residues of synthetic, petroleum-based, personal care products that have leached into the skin.
When using essential oils on a daily basis, it is imperative to avoid personal care products containing ammonium or hydrocarbon-based chemicals.
These include quaternary compounds such as quaternariums and polyquaternariums.
These chemicals can be fatal if ingested, especially benzalkonium chloride, which, unfortunately, is used in many personal care products on the market.
Other chemicals such as aluminum compounds, FD&C colors, formaldehyde, all parabens, talc, thimerosal, mercury, and titanium dioxide, just to name a few, are all toxic to the body and should be avoided.
These compounds are commonly found in a variety of hand creams, mouthwashes, shampoos, antiperspirants, aftershave lotions, and hair care products.
Other compounds that present concerns are sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol— extremely common in everything from toothpaste to shampoo—and aluminum salts found in many deodorants.
Of particular concern are the potentially hazardous preservatives and synthetic fragrances that abound in virtually all modern personal care products.
Some of these include methylene chloride, methyl isobutyl ketone, and methyl ethyl ketone. These are not only toxic, but they can also react with some compounds in natural essential oils.
The result can be a severe case of dermatitis or even septicemia (blood poisoning).
A classic case of a synthetic fragrance causing widespread damage occurred in the 1970s.
AETT (acetyl ethyl tetramethyl tetralin) appeared in numerous brands of personal care products throughout the United States.
Even after a series of animal studies revealed that it caused significant brain and spinal cord damage, the FDA refused to ban the chemical.
Finally, the cosmetic industry voluntarily withdrew AETT after allowing it to be distributed for years.
How many other toxins masquerading as preservatives or fragrances are currently being used in personal care products? Many chemicals are easily absorbed through the skin due to its permeability.
One study found that 13 percent of BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and 49 percent of DDT (a carcinogenic pesticide that was banned in 1972 but is still used in disease vector control) can be absorbed into the skin upon topical contact.1 Once absorbed, many chemicals can become
CAUTION :
Essential oils may sting if applied in or around the eyes. Some oils may be painful on mucous membranes unless diluted properly. Immediate dilution is strongly recommended if skin becomes painfully irritated or if oil accidentally gets into eyes. Flushing the area with a carrier oil should minimize discomfort almost immediately.
DO NOT flush with water!
Essential oils are oil-soluble, not water-soluble. Water will only spread the oils over a larger surface, possibly worsening the problem. Use V-6 Vegetable Oil Complex, coconut oil, olive oil, or other carrier oil to flush the essential oils. Keep eyes closed, be patient, and the sting will quickly dissipate.
Source :
Life Science; Publishing, Life Science. Essential Oils Pocket Reference 8th Edition