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When in doubt, consult your physician and/or a qualified and trained aromatherapy practitioner.
- Essential oils should never be used undiluted on the skin. There are instances when experienced aromatherapy users and practitioners make exceptions to this precaution, but only once significant essential oil knowledge is gained should you ever attempt to apply an undiluted oil on the skin. Lavender and tea tree are listed by a large number of aromatherapy sources as being oils that can be used undiluted. Undiluted use of lavender and tea tree, however, should be avoided as severe sensitivity still could occur in some individuals. Again, the safest rule of thumb is to never use any essential oil undiluted.
- Some oils can cause sensitization or allergic reactions in some individuals. When using new oil for the first time, do a skin patch on a small area of skin. Place a small amount of the diluted essential oil (never use essential oils undiluted on the skin) on the inside of your elbow and apply a bandage. Wait 24 hours to see if there is any form of reaction. Even if a particular essential oil is not known to cause irritation, this step should not be ignored. Even if oil does not irritate you, it still can irritate someone else. It is important that you always keep that in mind.
- Essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy and by those with asthma, epilepsy, or with other health conditions.
- Less IS More. When using essential oils, use the smallest amount of essential oils that will get the job done. If one drop will get the job done, for example, don't use two drops.
- Not all essential oils are suitable for use in aromatherapy. Wormwood, pennyroyal, onion, camphor, horseradish, wintergreen, rue, bitter almond and sassafras are some of the essential oils that should only be used by qualified aromatherapy practitioners, if ever at all.
- Never let children use essential oils without the presence of an adult knowledgeable about their use. Most essential oils smell wonderful and many essential oils such as citrus oils can smell like they are safe to drink. Keep your essential oils away from children. Treat the oils like medicines that are poison in unknowing hands.
- Essential oils should not be taken internally. Essential oils should only be taken internally after receiving a detailed consultation and prescription from a trained and qualified aromatherapy practitioner.
- Essential oils are flammable. Please keep them out of the way of fire hazards.
· Photosensitizing Essential Oils |
angelica |
lime |
bergamot |
opoponax |
bitter orange |
rue |
cumin |
verbena |
lemon |
Mucous-Membrane Irritants |
allspice |
savory |
cinnamon |
spearmint |
clove |
thyme (except linalol) |
oregano |
|
Skin Irritants |
cinnamon |
pimento |
clove |
savory |
dwarf pine |
thyme (except linalol) |
oregano |
wintergreen |
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Potentially Toxic Oils
Some of the oils in the following list have limited use externally; others are used for perfumery. We have included Latin names to avoid any confusion.
almond, bitter (Prunus amygdalus var. amara)
inula (Inula graveolens)
khella (Ammi visnaga)
mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris)
pennyroyal (Mentha pelugium)
sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
thuja (Thuja occidentalis)
wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) |
Methods of Application
Dilutions
The most effective way to dilute essential oils is in a carrier oil. A carrier can be any high-quality vegetable oil, such as almond, apricot, hazelnut, olive, grapeseed or sesame.
A safe and effective dilution for most aromatherapy applications is 2 percent, which translates to 2 drops of essential oil per 100 drops of carrier oil. There is no need to go beyond a 3-percent dilution for any purpose. In aromatherapy, more is not better; in fact, "more" may cause adverse reactions. Some oils, such as lavender, are sedating in low dilutions and stimulating in high dilutions. A 1-percent dilution should be used on children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with health concerns.
You can create a safe and effective remedy with just one, two or three oils. When combining essential oils in a therapeutic blend, it is best for beginners to keep it simple, using no more than five oils at a time. Using more than five may lead to unpredictable results because of the complex chemistry created by the combination of all the oils.
1% dilution: |
5-6 drops essential oil per ounce of carrier oil |
2% dilution: |
10-12 drops essential oil per ounce of carrier oil |
3% dilution: |
15-18 drops essential oil per ounce of carrier oil |
Storage and Shelf Life
Store essential oils away from heat and light to preserve their freshness and potency. When stored properly, they have a shelf life of several years. The citrus oils have the shortest shelf life of all essential oils and are best used within one year. The longest-lasting oils, which improve as they age, tend to be the thick resins such as frankincense and myrrh, woods such as sandalwood, roots like vetiver, as well as other oils, including spikenard and patchouli.
Measurement Conversion Chart |
10 drops |
1/10 tsp. |
1/96 oz. |
1/8 dram |
about 1 ml. |
12.5 drops |
1/8 tsp. |
1/48 oz. |
1/6 dram |
about 5/8 ml. |
25 drops |
1/4 tsp. |
1/24 oz. |
1/3 dram |
about 1 1/4 ml. |
50 drops |
1/2 tsp. |
1/12 oz. |
2/3 dram |
about 2 1/2 ml. |
100 drops |
1 tsp. |
1/6 oz. |
1 1/3 drams |
about 5 ml. |
150 drops |
1 1/2 tsp. |
1/4 oz. |
2 drams |
about 13.5 ml |
300 drops |
3 tsp. |
1/2 oz. |
4 drams |
about 15 ml. |
600 drops |
6 tsp. |
1 oz. |
8 drams |
about 30 ml. |
24 teaspoons |
(8 tablespoons) |
4 oz. |
1/2 cup |
48 teaspoons |
(16 tablespoons) |
8 oz. |
1 cup |
1/2 pint |
96 teaspoons |
(32 tablespoons) |
16 oz. |
2 cups |
1 pint |
Suggested Dilutions for Various Methods of Application
Massage/Body Oil
2 - 3% dilution (10 - 12 drops per ounce of vegetable oil)
1% for pregnant women, people with health concerns
and children (5 drops per ounce of vegetable oil)
Bath
3 - 15 drops per tub, depending on the oil
Compress
5 drops per cup of water
Inhalant
3 - 5 drops in a bowel of hot water
Caution: never do an inhalation during an asthma attack
Douche
3 - 5 drops per quart of warm water
Caution: Choose nonirritant oils only (e.g., lavender or tea tree).
Foot or Hand Bath
5 - 10 drops per quart of water
Sitz Bath
5 - 10 drops per sitz bath
Fragrant Body Water
5 - 10 drops per 4 ounces of water
Room Spray
20 drops per 4 ounces of water
Gargle or Mouthwash
1 - 2 drops per 1/4 cup of water
Liniment
3% dilution
Carrier oils should be stored away from heat and light to ensure their freshness. The addition of jojoba oil as 10 percent of your carrier oil will help extend the shelf life of your blend by slowing down oxidation that leads to rancidity. Vitamin E oil is an excellent antioxidant; adding it to any aromatherapy blend will help extend the life of most vegetable oils. One or two capsules (200-400 IU) per two-ounce bottle of carrier oil is enough. It is recommended that you make only enough of a blend to last a few months. A refrigerated blend may keep six months or more. Refrigeration of all vegetable oils is highly recommended.
Methods of Application at a Glance
Essential oils are versatile and effective in treating many common problems. The following guidelines are suitable for a single essential oil or a combination of oils. Many problems are best treated by a combination of methods. For example, a cold may be treated with an inhalant, a bath, a chest rub and a compress. Details on specific applications are presented throughout this book in the chapters on Facial Care, Massage and Therapeutics.
Carrier Oils
Vegetable oils high in vitamins A, E and F-soothing, skin-softening, nourishing and rich in nutrients that enrich the skin-are among the best carriers of essential oils. They are called fixed oils because their large molecules stay in the plant instead of being easily released, as are the essential oils. Whenever possible, choose vegetable oils that are expeller-pressed or cold-pressed, which means they have not been exposed to temperatures over 110 degrees.
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