Before you grab that amazing-sounding bottle of Essential Oil off the shelf, read some important information. I certainly learned a few things, and was surprised by others. In this article we talk about what you must know before you use Essential Oil.
Application
Always dilute essential oil with a carrier oil
Dilution is an essential step for safely using and maximizing the benefits of essential oils. So, why is dilution necessary?
Skin sensitivity: Undiluted essential oils are highly concentrated and can be harsh and irritating on the skin. Diluting them with a carrier oil reduces the risk of skin sensitivity and adverse reactions, ensuring safer usage.
Enhanced absorption: Carrier oils act as a vehicle for essential oils, enabling better application and absorption into the skin. Dilution ensures even distribution of essential oils, improving absorption and maximizing their therapeutic properties.
Cost-effectiveness: Essential oils can be pricey, but diluting them helps extend their usage. By adding a carrier oil, you can still experience the benefits of essential oils while using them responsibly and efficiently.
Blending made easy: Dilution allows for effortless blending of different essential oils, allowing you to create customized blends to suit your needs. Carrier oils act as a neutral base, facilitating the mixing and balancing of essential oils, promoting synergy between them.
Diluting essential oils with a carrier oil is a necessary practice to ensure safety, enhance absorption, save costs, and facilitate proper blending. Start with the lowest ratio, remember oils are very concentrated. Always refer to reliable sources and follow recommended dilution guidelines for each specific essential oil.
Always use with caution
Avoid sensitive areas. Essential Oils are highly concentrated plant extracts known for their aromatic properties and potential health advantages. However, it is crucial to understand that not all essential oils are suitable for application on sensitive areas of the body, such as the eyes, nose, inside the ears, on broken skin and any area that has mucous membranes. This is because they have delicate tissues that can easily get irritated or damaged.
Some of the reasons why essential oils may affect sensitive areas include:
High Concentration: Essential oils are highly potent and concentrated, making them potentially irritating or even harmful when applied directly to sensitive skin. These oils can cause burning, itching, or redness, leading to discomfort.
Chemical Composition: Some essential oils contain compounds that can cause adverse reactions when applied to sensitive areas. These compounds may include irritants or allergens that can trigger skin reactions, inflammation, or even allergic reactions.
Skin Sensitivity: Sensitive areas of the body tend to have thinner skin with fewer layers of protection. This makes them more susceptible to adverse reactions to essential oils, even if they are considered safe for general use.
pH Imbalance: Essential oils have different pH levels, and when applied to sensitive areas, they can disrupt the natural pH balance. This can lead to irritation, dryness, or even infections.
To ensure safety, it is recommended to dilute essential oils with carrier oils before applying them to sensitive areas. Moreover, consulting a healthcare professional or aromatherapist can provide personalized guidance based on your specific needs, ensuring a risk-free experience.
Use extreme caution when using oils with the elderly, children or pets. Supervise application with your children and the elderly as they have more delicate skin. Test the oil on the bottom of their feet. Essential Oils and blends are also not always safe to use on our pets, so speak to your vet first.
Test the oil before using it. Perform a test on the inner crease of the elbow and wait 24 hours to make sure there is no allergic skin reaction. Discontinue using immediately if you have any irritation, redness, or other reactions.
Don’t ingest oils. Although some essential oils may have recognizable names in the kitchen, they aren’t for adding to food! One of the primary reasons for not ingesting essential oils is their highly concentrated nature. These oils are extracted from plants and consist of potent aromatic compounds. Ingesting undiluted essential oils can be harmful to the body, leading to various adverse reactions. The digestive system is not equipped to handle such high concentrations of essential oils, which can cause irritation, inflammation, and even damage to the internal organs. Instead, it is recommended to use essential oils for external applications such as aromatherapy, massage, or inhalation. It is crucial to consult a certified aromatherapist or healthcare professional for guidance on safe and appropriate use of essential oils to gain their therapeutic benefits while ensuring our well-being.
Wash your hands after using oils. This is to prevent you from touching sensitive areas that might react to the oil on your hands.
Avoid using old or improperly stored oils. To maintain the effectiveness and maximize your overall experience with essential oils, it is important to store them correctly. Elements such as heat, light, and oxygen can degrade the oils, resulting in a loss of their potency and fragrance. By storing essential oils in dark glass bottles and keeping them away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures, you can shield them from these damaging elements. In addition, tightly sealing the bottles limits oxygen exposure and preserves the integrity of the oils. This careful storage technique allows you to fully enjoy the oils’ healing properties and aromatic benefits for a longer period of time. Thus, by prioritizing the proper storage of essential oils, you can ensure their effectiveness and enhance your overall experience with these powerful natural remedies.
Other, specific health concerns
If you have specific health concerns, talk to a healthcare professional, before using oils.
Some oils should be avoided during pregnancy or lactating women, people with neurologic problems, asthma, epilepsy, or other health conditions. Unless you are under advice from a medical practitioner or an aromatherapist.
Check with your medical practitioner if you are on medication that may react to oils.
Do not use for babies and children under 3 years of age.
General advice when using essential oils
Use only high-quality Essential Oils. Do your research thoroughly. The Latin name of the plant should be seen. Check that you know where the country of origin is. Do you recognize all the ingredients? Is it grown organically, is there some sort of soil association, and is the farming Fair Trade?
Always read the labels carefully as there may be some important information.
Be aware of sun sensitivity with some essential oils (like citrus oils). Read the label.
Using oils in the bath requires special care. Never add essential oils directly to bathwater, they need to be solubilized first.
Essential oils are flammable so keep them out of the way of fire hazards.
Use a diffuser with an auto shut-off to avoid a risk of fire or malfunction.
Now that you know the basics about essential oils, start experimenting with Essential Oils. There is a vast amount out there. Not sure how to use them? Check out our article on Carrier Oils
Need some help on where to get good-quality oils? Check Barefut out.
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