Essential Oils

Essential Oil Safety: What You Need to Know Before Using Them

13
Nov

A Practical Guide to Handling, Dilution, and Risks

Most plants are capable of producing oils in some shape or form and man has learned about them over thousands of years. Advanced civilisations gradually mastered the knowledge of how to extract them from the plants and use them for medicines, fragrance properties, culinary uses and even to preserve the spent bodies of both people and their beloved animals.

tea tree essential oilIt is only in recent hundreds of years that extraction processes have been perfected, and with the advent of modern pressing and steam distillation plus a handful of specialised processes, have purity and concentration been possible. This has led to the realisation that these organic compounds may not be as friendly as first thought. ALL pure essential oils need to be handled carefully when in their native concentrated form. Many possess varying degrees of toxicity. Some are quite caustic to the skin while others may be photosynthesizing and enhance UV damage by sunlight. Most essential oils are flammable and some are very, very flammable, and can be ignited by even a static electricity discharge.

The bottom line is: Take care, read the data where it is available, ALWAYS read the instructions provided, and if in doubt, seek advice from a competent herbalist, aromatherapist, or industrial professional.

 

Essential Oil Safety Do’s and Don’ts

  • Never directly heat essential oils. Many essential oils are extremely flammable and some oils form vapours that have a very low flash point and are nothing short of explosive.
  • Never ingest an essential oil without consultation with a physician or pharmacist. The benefits of ingestion are mostly unproven and in many cases severe internal damage may be the result of swallowing even diluted oils.
  • Never inhale pure essential oils. Severe damage is almost certain if concentrated, atomised oils get into your lungs, with many instances resulting in potential fatal damage.
  • Dilute, essential oils in a suitable carrier oil if application to one’s skin is intended, i.e. in aromatherapy. Your aromatherapist needs to be qualified and will have pre-prepared a safe mix of oils.
  • Add one or two drops of pure essential oil into your bathtub to create a soothing fragrance and calming atmosphere.
  • Vaporise essential oils added into water, heated by an approved burner or electrically heated crucible. Just two or three drops is usually quite sufficient. Do not initialise heat until the oils are mixed. The fragrance will fill the room area slowly but safely.
  • Steam inhalation is not a recommended practice, but can be helpful where respiratory congestion is troublesome. Two or three drops of a suitable essential oil is added to two or three litres of very hot, steaming water and a clean towel draped over the subject’s head facing over and close to the mixture. It is mandatory to protect the eyes from the vapours. Breath slowly and deeply for a few minutes only and do not repeat for at least a few hours. Dispose of the mixture safely into a foul water system. Always keep oils away from aquatic life and systems.
  • Remember all oils will stain items of clothing and are difficult to remove. One drop on a discreet, unseen area will give up it’s fragrance slowly, but please respect that when in close company, some folk may not like, or even be intolerant to strong oil fragrances.

 

Best Carrier Oils for Diluting Essential Oils

When using essential oils for use on your skin, you MUST dilute the oil into a carrier oil. Carrier oils are usually free from their own strong fragrance and also proven as being reasonably non-sensitising.

For all skin types

  • Jojoba oil: Closely mimics the skin’s natural sebum, making it a great all-around choice that is non-comedogenic and has a long shelf life.
  • Sweet almond oil: A good all-purpose option that is lightweight and can soothe dry skin. 

For dry or ageing skin

  • Argan oil: Highly beneficial for dry and inflamed skin, rich in antioxidants and nutrients.
  • Rosehip oil: Contains vitamin C and antioxidants, which can help with ageing and hyperpigmentation.
  • Avocado oil: A heavier, more moisturising oil that is excellent for very dry skin. 

For oily or acne-prone skin

  • Grapeseed oil: A light, easily absorbed, and non-greasy option.
  • Castor oil: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, making it suitable for oily skin types. 
  • Fractionated coconut oil: A lightweight and versatile choice for oily and acne-prone skin. 

For sensitive skin

  • Sweet almond oil: Has a gentle, soothing quality that makes it suitable for sensitive skin.
  • Jojoba oil: Its similarity to natural sebum makes it a mild and hypoallergenic option for sensitive skin.

 

How to Dilute Essential Oils Safely

Always a subject of variation, and very dependent on the oil that is to be diluted. The accepted guidance is between 0.5% and 2% as an absolute maximum. A good rule of thumb is “The stronger the fragrance of the oil to be diluted, the less percentage should be used”. Safety is the prime rule here, and variations should only be used with advice and  guidance from a professional aromatherapist, herbalist, medical practitioner, or essential oil expert. Choose your carrier oil from the list above as these oils are well proven to be reasonably safe for skin in healthy condition. This list above is not an exhaustive list, but the above oils are fairly easy to purchase from the high street.

Essential oils by average need about 30 drops to achieve a volume of 1 ml, so at a percentage of 0.5%, 10ml of carrier oil would need around 1.5 drops of essential oil. Likewise, 1% would need 3 drops, 1.5% would need 4.5 drops and 2% would need 6 drops. Being mindful of the fact that half a drop possibly could not exist, then it is left to an individual to decide plus or minus! This is only a guide, but think safety!!!

We at Dawn to Dusk Alchemy use essential oils at full, undiluted strength when manufacturing our products but the final inclusive ratios arrive at below what are considered the maximum.

 

Essential Oils We Steer Clear Of

This list has been compiled by a collection of essential oil experts, toxicologists, industrial chemists and medical practitioners, and is by no means exhaustive. Never use an oil that has not got a label on its container, or does not carry clear instructions in YOUR language.

Aniseed # Birch # Bitter Almond # Boldo Leaf # Musical # Camphor # Horseradish # Hyssop # Jaborandi Leaf # Mugwort # Mustard # Parsley # Pennyroyal Rue # Sage # Sassafras # Sarin # Southernwood # Tansy # Tarragon # Thuja # Wintergreen # Worm Seed # Wormwood

All of these exceed what is agreed a safe toxicity level for any form of use, even if diluted to some extent.

Essential Oils considered to be Photosynthesizing

i.e. Capable of enhancing the action of UV light (sunlight)

Bergamot # Grapefruit # Lemon # Lime # Orange

Do not use within 4 hours of UV exposure (sunlight or tanning booth)

Note. Some of these photosynthesizing oils used by Dawn to Dusk Alchemy are combined with many other oils and ingredients that help nullify the UV enhancement, and effectively utilize other beneficial properties of these oils.

 

Essential Oil Safety: Key Takeaways for Safe Use

Safety data on essential oils is a vast, complex series of documents that are subject to update at all times and uses information from testing on human and animal subjects (not recently) through centuries. It can be traced back before ancient Greek and Egyptian times when distillation processes were first utilised, although crude. There are many hundreds of documented reports of injury and even fatality as a result of mis-handling of volatile essential oils.

However, don’t let that put you off! Essential oils are a wonder of nature and in reality their benefits outweigh many minor negative traits.

We at Dawn to Dusk Alchemy do offer for sale, a limited selection of essential oils on our craft outlets only, and they come with a detailed data sheet on safety and handling. We must restrict our sales to adults only as a responsible retailer.

– Dawn & The Team

Bibliography:
Essential Oil Safety – A guide for healthcare professionals by  Robert Tisserand & Tony Balacs  2020 ISBN 0-443-05260-3
Modern Essentials 9, The complete guide to the therapeutic use of essential oils by  Aroma Tools  ISBN 978-1-937702-62-5
The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies by Nicole Apelian PhD & Claude Davis – ISBN978-1-7354815-0-0
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