I love Essential Oils!  And I am a huge stickler when it comes to using them safely! I see so many people using oils irresponsibly because they are uneducated about how and why we use them certain ways.  This is not entirely their fault, some people get sucked into to buying them from someone who is great at sales and just doesn’t know much about the oils themselves. I decided that to help combat this problem that I am going to write a summer series about essential oil safety to help anyone new to essential oils be sure they they are using them properly!  I am starting with 12 basic rules and each week this summer I will go into more detail about different proponents of Essential Oil Safety!  Please follow along and if you would like more details about any of the information I provide I will be happy to help out!

Essential Oils General Safety

1. Keep out of reach of pets, children, (and anyone else who doesn’t know what they are)
2. Always Dilute All Essential Oils, ESPECIALLY if using oils for Babies or Children or the Elderly. You can find many dilution charts recommended by experts in the field of Essential Oils.  Here is one from  Kurt Schnaubelt PhD, Valerie Worwood, Robert Tisserand and courtesy of Heritage Essential Oils:EO Dilution Chart (www.heritageessentialoils.com)
3. Keep Oils Away from Eyes and Mucus Membranes
4. Keep Oils away from Sun and Heat (Essential Oils are highly flammable substance and should be kept away from direct contact with flames, such as candles, fire, matches, cigarettes and gas cookers *)
5. Avoid Prolonged Use of the same oil.
6. Do not use any type of photosensitive oils 24 hours prior to sun exposure
7. Do not use undiluted oils directly on skin. Use a Carrier Oil for Dilution and perform a skin patch test when using a new oil typically for the first time.
8. If you are pregnant, have sensitive skin, epilepsy, heart or kidney problems or any other serious medical condition consult with the appropriate medical professional before using essential oils
9. Never ingest Essential Oils without consulting with an Aromatherapist or other qualified practitioner
10. Remember Less is More when it comes to essential oils.
11. If swallowed immediately contact poison control and do not try to induce vomiting.
12. If essential oils get in eyes flush immediately with milk and then water.  You can also use milk or a carrier oil to flush essential oils off your hands if you end up with excess essential oil on your hands.

*Battaglia, S. (2002) The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. Australia: International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy

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FTC disclosure: I may receive monetary compensation for my endorsement/recommendation/testimonial and or link to retail products in this article to support my blogging habit. I will never link to a retail provider I have not used. I will only link to providers I would personally recommend.