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| Essentially Yours ... Part Two
Some folks use essential oils for their aromatherapy and their medicinal qualities where as others are simply looking for a ‘natural’ way to impart scent/fragrance to their products. Which ever you are doing, you must take caution with their use because essential oils are highly concentrated liquids that can be harmful if not used carefully. There is a massive amount of information regarding the subject of essential oils and their safety and their uses, unfortunately not all of this information is accurate. Keep this in mind as you are searching for information; make sure you cross reference your resources and get a good feeling for the information you are going to apply. Some of the most conflicting advice is weather or not certain essential oils are considered “safe” for human and/or animal use. And you will find conflicting advice on essential oils and their use during pregnancy and with children. You may very well find that some sites tells you that a particular essential oil is safe but other sites warn you of it’s use…and you may even find a site that tells you that the same essential oil should not be used under any circumstances. Safety Precautions
Adverse Reactions Allergic reactions are possible with essential oils. People with sensitive skin or allergies should perform a simple skin test when using essential oils for the first time. To do a skin test, one drop of essential oil can be added to a teaspoon of base oil, and a small amount of this solution can be rubbed on a sensitive spot on the skin, such as the soft side of the arm or behind the ear. If no irritation occurs after 24 hours, then the essential is non-allergenic.2 (whole paragraph) Essential oils shouldn’t be used directly on the skin without first being diluted in a carrier oil. This undiluted use is called “neat.” There are very few essential oils that can be used this way; lavender and tea tree are the ones most commonly reputed ones to be used in this manner. Even then, they should be used with caution. The safest rule, of course, would simply be to never use an undiluted essential oil. Some other side effects from using essential oils include rashes, itching and irritation on the skin. Allergic reactions include watery eyes, sneezing and inflammation. Some essential oils may cause nausea, dizziness or gastrointestional discomfort when used in excess or by those with allergic reactions.2 If you would like to have a more in depth explanation on the way the body reacts negatively to essential oils it is available at www.naturesgift.com/sensit.htm. Treatment for Allergy Reactions When allergic reactions appear; and the skin feels taught or itchy and becomes inflamed, cleanse the affected area with cool water to reduce the temperature of the skin then remove the reactive allergen. Dabbing the skin with cotton wool dipped in a week chamomile infusion often relives inflamed areas. Take care not to scratch or touch the skin while it is inflamed to avoid infection. If you have had an allergy reaction on the face, avoid wearing make-up for a few days.1 As I was finishing up some internet research for this article I stumbled, quite by accident, on a very interesting site. ;) http://www.soapnuts.com/eosafety.html So…it seems that I’m trying to reinvent the wheel with this installment of the essential oil series. But, since it’s done…I’m sending it on into the editors; just be sure to check out the great Soapnuts Library article. <smile> Next month I’ll expand on the many methods of using essential oils. Articles used for researching this article: 1 www.junethornton.co/nz/skincare/aromatherapy 2 http://articles/findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2603/is_0003/ai_2603000348/print ~ Denise Washburn
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