Throughout my journey of learning about holistic health, I’ve educated myself a lot about the use of essential oils. I was skeptical about their healing effects at first, so I made sure to do my research. I’ve now amassed a foundation of knowledge that I really want to share with anyone else who may be interested in getting into essential oils.
Essential oils are natural substances derived from plant materials like leaves, roots, barks, seeds, peels, and flowers. HOWEVER, just because they are natural doesn’t mean they are automatically safe. Now, before you freak out, I’m not saying essential oils are inherently dangerous. But if used incorrectly, they can be (see my list of “don’ts” below).
*Disclaimer: I am not a certified aromatherapist, just an avid essential oil user 🙂
Essential Oil Do’s & Don’ts
Do:
1. Diffuse
Diffusing essential oils (aromatherapy) is the best way to use oils for emotional support and illness. Basically when you diffuse the oils into the air, you breathe them in and and the beneficial compounds of the oils travel to your brain (which is how they help with emotional support) and your lungs, then your bloodstream (which is how they help with illness).
When it comes to emotional support, lavender is calming & relaxing, while peppermint is invigorating & energizing. When it comes to illness, eucalyptus is amazing for respiratory health/congestion, while ginger can help with nausea. Diffusing these oils is an easy way to reap those benefits!
There are a few types of diffusers:
- Ultrasonic – these diffusers have reservoirs that you fill up with water, then put a few drops of essential oils in the water. The diffuser then exudes a mist into the air. Check out Plant Therapy’s AromaFuse diffuser here.
- Evaporative – these diffusers contain pads that you put a few drops of essential oils on, then a small fan will blow on it and cause the oils to evaporate into the air. My first diffuser was this one!
- Heat – these diffusers have a holding plate on which you place a few drops of essential oils and the device heats up, causing the oils to evaporate into the air.
- One disclaimer with heat diffusers is that the heat can potentially change the chemical compound of the oils, therefore possibly reducing their benefits.
- Nebulizer – these diffusers don’t use water or heat – you just place the essential oil bottle directly into the machine and it atomizes the oil and sends it out into the air. Check out Plant Therapy’s Advanced Aromatherapy Diffuser here.
You can even buy car diffusers and diffuser necklaces to make receiving the beneficial properties of your essential oils easier on the go!
A general rule of thumb when diffusing is 30 minutes on, 30 minutes off.
2. Apply
Application of essential oils is the best way to use them for physical issues involving the skin, muscles, etc. Skin is fairly permeable to fat-soluble substances (like essential oils), so when essential oils are applied to the skin, they pass through into the bloodstream.
Some examples of essential oils that can help with physical issues are: tea tree for acne, peppermint for headaches, clary sage or marjoram for period cramps, and black pepper for sore muscles or arthritis.
The easiest way to apply oils to the skin is via roller bottles. You put the desired amount of essential oils into the bottle and top it off with a carrier oil (see more in #3 “dilute”). Then you place a roller ball on top, which provides an easy way to spread the mixture onto your skin. It can then be massaged further into the skin or let sit to absorb.
Here is a handy chart to help you decide how best to use your oils to fit your needs:
However, application of oils can also be used for emotional support or illness – you will still receive the benefits (just not as strongly) because you will still be inhaling the oils, just not in such a direct fashion. On the other hand, diffusion of oils is unlikely to help with physical issues involving the skin or muscles.
3. Dilute
When applying essential oils to the skin, you must ALWAYS DILUTE. (Actually there are very very rare situations in which it is ok not to, but the rule of thumb is to always dilute). Applying essential oils straight onto the skin is known as applying them “neat.” Essential oils are extremely concentrated and potent, and when applied neat, can wreak havoc on the skin.
For use on skin, you should dilute essential oils in “carrier oils“ such as coconut oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or sweet almond oil, or another substance such as aloe vera gel or castile soap. In general, you will dilute between 1-5% for adults. Since essential oils are so potent, these small percentages are really all you need!
- 1-2% dilution – good for long-term/daily use – like in a daily skincare routine or for a long-term condition
- 1% dilution should be used for children (see “Use on children under 2” below), the elderly or immunocompromised, and pregnant women (see “Use while pregnant or breastfeeding” below)
- 2% dilution is considered the standard for normal adults
- 3-5% dilution – good for short-term use/use on an acute issue – like a headache, muscle pain, injury, or illness
Here is a great chart to follow when diluting oils. It gives you the number of drops you should put into your carrier oil (measured in teaspoons, milliliters, or ounces) to reach the desired dilution percentage:
4. Store your oils and oily concoctions in glass
We’ve established that essential oils are potent and powerful, but did you know that also means they can eat away at and break down plastic? For this reason, essential oils should always be stored in glass containers. Dark glass containers (like amber or cobalt) are even more ideal, as they let in the least amount of sunlight. UV rays will speed up the oxidation of your oils and deteriorate their beneficial qualities.
Oily creations that contain diluted amounts of essential oils can be stored in containers made out of substances other than glass (but I choose to go all glass all the time to be safe). For example, aluminum, stainless steel, or PET plastic can be used to hold a carrier oil with essential oils diluted in it, but should never be used to hold undiluted oils.
DON’T*:
*Unless you are under the care of a certified aromatherapist and they know how to safely carry out any of these practices
1. Apply neat
Obviously I just spoke about the importance of diluting. There are differing opinions on whether or not it is ok to apply essential oils neat, but to be safe, I do not recommend it. It can be very harmful to the skin and even cause permanent sensitization to the oil, so much so that you can never use it again without a negative reaction.
2. Ingest
I cringe when I see people on Instagram promoting putting drops of lemon essential oil into their water bottle (oil and water don’t mix so the water will not dilute the essential oil and it will end up in your esophagus “neat”) or using oregano essential oil in their spaghetti sauce (just use the regular oregano spice! You don’t need something as concentrated and potent as the essential oil in cooking).
Extremely small amounts of essential oils are naturally present in fruits, nuts, herbs, etc. so you’re better off squeezing some fresh lemon into your water or sprinkling some fresh or dried oregano into your sauce – the trace amounts of essential oils they contain are all your body needs!
Again, there are many differing opinions on the ingestion of essential oils. But just as with neat application, I do not recommend ingestion to be on the safe side.
3. Use while pregnant/breastfeeding
If you are an oil lover and are or plan to be pregnant – don’t fear! You can still use your essential oils…you just may have to make some adjustments.
Essential oils can and will be passed on to an unborn baby through the placenta, just as the nutrients from food or the toxins from smoking or drinking will. Similarly, while breastfeeding, the essential oils that have been absorbed into the mother’s bloodstream can be passed on to the baby through the breastmilk.
Ground rules for using oils while pregnant:
- Do not use during first trimester (or use in a very limited capacity) – there is so much rapid change happening in a woman’s body during this time, and the baby is still in the very early developmental stages, so it is best to avoid any foreign substances.
- Use 1% dilution – during second and third trimesters, some essential oils can be used at a low dilution of 1%.
- Use oils that are safe for use during pregnancy – (duh), see chart below
Ground rules for using oils while breastfeeding:
- Use 1% dilution – again, a low dilution should be used to limit the amount of oils passed on to the baby
- Use oils that are safe for children – see “Use on children under 2” below to learn about KidSafe oils
This chart shows essential oils and Plant Therapy synergies that are safe to use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding:
4. Use on children (under 2)
Essential oils should not be used on children under 2 years of age. Their bodily systems are not well developed yet and they cannot process essential oils like adults can.
Between ages 2-10, only certain essential oils should be used (both topically and through diffusion). Plant Therapy’s line of KidSafe oils makes it easy to know which oils are safe to use with children! If you are using oils from another company that doesn’t label whether oils are safe for children, use this chart to check which ones are:
And, of course, the KidSafe oils should be diluted properly. As mentioned above, a 1-2% dilution rate is generally safe for kids between ages 2-10.
Read more about Plant Therapy’s KidSafe line here.
5. Use on or around pets
I have had many different furry friends throughout my life and I know I would never want to risk doing anything that could hurt them. So when I started using essential oils, I had to research how to use them safely with a cat and two guinea pigs currently in my home.
Animals (especially smaller ones) are far more sensitive to essential oils than humans are, and great care should be taken when using essential oils around them. I personally would never apply essential oils topically to an animal. I also don’t diffuse around my animals because they are small and extremely sensitive.
Cats, specifically, lack a specific enzyme in their liver, called glucuronyl transferase, that many other mammals (like humans, dogs, and horses) have, and it is what helps us break down essential oils. Since cats don’t have it, essential oils can build up in their systems and be deadly.
It is somewhat safer to diffuse essential oils around dogs, but do so at your own discretion. As you’re learning, there are many conflicting opinions in the essential oil world, but to be on the safe side, I would definitely follow some general guidelines when diffusing essential oils around pets:
- Never diffuse tea tree (melaleuca) oil around pets – tea tree can be toxic to dogs and cats
- Never diffuse citrus oils around pets (esp. cats) – citrus oils include lemon, lime, orange, mandarin, tangerine, grapefruit, bergamot, etc.
- Never diffuse “hot” oils around pets (esp. cats) – hot oils include oregano, cinnamon, clove, thyme, lemongrass, etc.
- Never diffuse conifer essential oils around pets (esp. cats) – conifer essential oils include pine, spruce, fir, birch, etc.
- Avoid handling pets after applying essential oils to skin – as mentioned above, when you apply oils topically, you receive the added benefit of breathing it in…but if your animal is on your body, he/she is breathing it in too.
If you have small pets but still want to diffuse oils, there are many ways you can adjust. You can diffuse them in a closed room that your pet is not in. For example, you could diffuse them in your bathroom while you take a shower/bath, or in your office while you work with the door closed. Other options are diffusing them in your car or in diffuser jewelry.
Again, I like to stay on the SUPER safe side, so if you’ve diffused around your pets before and they’ve been fine, then don’t sweat it! You can do your own research and make your own decisions about what is best.
6. Use if you are on blood thinners (certain oils)
Essential oils can be used medicinally because they wind up in a person’s bloodstream, just like traditional medication does. If you are on blood thinners (coumadin, warfarin), or have hemophilia or another blood disorder avoid oils like: sweet birch, wintergreen, clove, cinnamon, oregano, thyme (as these oils can potentially inhibit blood clotting).
If you are unsure if your medications are safe to take while using essential oils, definitely talk to your doctor, a holistic doctor, or an aromatherapist (or ideally a combination of those people).
7. Use before surgery
Essential oils should not be used for at least one week before undergoing surgery, as some can have potential interactions with anesthesia or could inhibit blood clotting (as stated above).
8. If spending time in sunlight (certain oils)
Certain essential oils can cause increased photosensitivity when applied to the skin (and to all my Sjogren’s sisters who already have increased photosensitivity – be careful!!!). These oils can obviously still be diffused around you before you go in the sunlight, but you should avoid applying them to the skin.
These oils include:
- Grapefruit
- Bergamot
- Lemon (cold pressed)
- Lime (cold pressed)
- Bitter orange
- Tangerine
- Angelica
- Cumin
This also goes for tanning beds – check out this recent article about a woman who used essential oils neat, then went into a tanning bed (two things that someone who cares about their skin should NEVER do). I don’t even want to post the pictures here as they are gruesome enough that you’d probably click away and never come back to this blog, but if you’re curious, check it out!
Of course, how you use your essential oils is up to you. I am simply sharing the information I have learned and the guidelines that I follow in order to use my essential oils safely. You should absolutely do your own research if you are curious about any aspects of the use of essential oils I talked about above.
Some great resources you can use to further educate yourself (and the ones where I learned a lot of this stuff) are:
I also recommend joining these Facebook groups if you’re interested in learning more, or need a place to direct additional questions:
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- Safe Essential Oil Recipes (SEOR) – run by Plant Therapy’s certified aromatherapists. People share recipes they’ve made or ask questions about the safe usage of essential oils.
- Animal Aromatherapy (Safe Use) – provides information on how to safely use essential oils around pets
ALL OF THIS BEING SAID, I believe that essential oils are generally safe, and most times they are probably “safer” than traditional medications would be for whatever issue you’re using them for. However, I do not believe that essential oils are a replacement for traditional medication.
In some cases they certainly can be (for example a roller bottle of lavender and peppermint could be a good replacement for advil when it comes to headaches), but all serious health conditions should always be brought up to a doctor.
Essential oils are an awesome first line of defense or supplemental line of defense (for example, I take anxiety medications but I also use essential oils to calm my anxiety) but in some cases traditional Western medication is the more appropriate way to go.
I hope you enjoyed this post and learned a lot! Try not to be overwhelmed by all of these “rules,” they are just to give you an idea of how to use essential oils safely and avoid any bad reactions that may make you turn away from essential oils or holistic healing techniques altogether.
