Using Essential Oils Safely

5 min read Jan 2, 2020

A providers guide for choosing and using them wisely

Essential oils (EO) are on an uptick in popularity . Essential oils ARE awesome, but they aren’t a panacea (neither is apple cider vinegar while I’m on the subject). Essential oils have some really impactful and generally safe uses. Being able to treat yourself for common ailments with tiny, easy to store EO’s is a blessing for any health minded human. However, it’s important to know what you are doing, because they can actually be dangerous and cause major side effects. Certain EO’s shouldn’t come near your mouth and you would never know it to read the bottle. Snow Lotus offers this great guide to look up individual oils.

Internal use

I don’t recommend ingestion of most essential oils. Essential oils can be quite caustic and are metabolized by the liver in the same way many pharmaceuticals are. An EO is hundreds of pounds of a plant that has been distilled into a small vial of oil. For perspective, when I prescribe Chinese herbs most are combined into a formula at around 9 to 15 grams per ingredient with an average of 8 ingredients. Only take essential oils internally when monitored by an appropriately trained and licensed medical professional. I highlight how to use oils safely below, this is general information only and should not be construed with medical advice. Check out this article on the dangers of EO’s.

Choosing oils

You can buy organic oils at health food stores or online. While I contend that organic is better than conventional grown herbs due to, in theory, being free from pesticides and being grown in better quality soil, it’s not absolutely necessary to get therapeutic results. The best practice is to look for the Latin name of the oil on the bottle, see that it’s not mixed into a carrier oil for dilution. Certain oils will be mixed with carrier oils due to their extremely high cost, rose tends to be among those. As long as you understand that the product is pre-diluted that will help you to make choices based on cost. Considering that you will need to blend your oil with a carrier oil or lotion to safely use it on your skin blended oils are not necessarily a bad thing.

Pregnancy and chronic health conditions

Be aware that some health conditions can make you more susceptible to side effects of EO’s. Certain medications may be rendered either more or less effective when you combine EO’s with them. Always do your research and check with your pharmacist if you are on medication about possible interactions. Note that certain oils can induce labor and cause other problems so be extra cautious when using them during pregnancy. Check out this pregnancy guide.

Using your oils

1. Don’t let your oils evaporate. Keeps the lid on when not in use

2. Dilution: Most oils cannot be used directly on the skin. You will need to dilute them in a carrier oil. Great carrier oils can include grape seed and coconut oil. Grape seed oil has no scent of its own and is great for massage due to the time it takes to absorb. Choose your oil based on your intended purpose , if it’s making lip balm or lotion it’s going to be different. Check out this handy guide from the trusted company Mountain Rose Herbs.

3. Direct use oils: Lavender and peppermint essential oils are safe for most people to use directly from the bottle. Peppermint is also safe to ingest in one or two drop doses in a small glass of water. Peppermint will make your skin tingle; be careful to keep it away from mucous membranes.

4. Inhaling your oils: This can be done by several ways. You can inhale from the bottle directly. Adding a couple of drops to a cotton ball provides an inexpensive and mobile diffuser that lasts for several hours. Mechanical diffusers abound on the market. They vary in capacity, how long they stay on and whether or not they have fancy lights. Diffusing oils by heating them degrades the oil so avoid diffusers that have a bowl with the flame underneath. If you want to use one of those types of diffusers be sure to put the EO in with another oil and not water. Oil and water: they don’t mix.

Use caution around pets
If you have pets please do your research on which oils can poison or irritate them. You may love the smell of citrus but I guarantee you that your cat does not. Check out this ASPCA article on the topic.

5. Skin burns: Most citrus oils are photosensitive. Do not wear them out into the sun. Many can also burn you if placed directly on the skin without a carrier oil. Be sure to look up all EO’s to check for photo-sensitivity to avoid an intense sunburn. In this case of sunburn use undiluted lavender to soothe a sunburn.

6. Storage and disposal: Many EO’s are flammable so store away from flame and heat sources. They are considered hazardous waste so you must contact your local sanitation department for information on how to dispose of them properly. Do not pour them down the drain.

A short list of essential oils for various conditions

Anxiety/Depression: Rose, Lavender, Bergamot, Clary Sage, Lemon, Roman Chamomile, Orange, and Rose Scented Geranium. Great blends include Touch of Earth Inner Peace & Stress Less

Memory/Mental Clarity: Peppermint, Rosemary

Respiratory Issues: Eucalyptus or the blend from Touch of Earth Respiratory Grande

Tooth Ache: Clove bud can be applied, undiluted, directly to the area of pain if there no open wounds

Bug Bites: Tea tree oil can be used directly on the bite. Be careful and do not get it in your mouth, it is poison.

Resources: I use Touch of Earth, Floracopeia and Snow Lotus oils. I like that Snow Lotus uses sustainable and fair trade sources for their oils. I am not being paid for these recommendations.

Disclaimer: This is a general article and should not be construed with medical advice. Always check with your doctor before utilizing essential oils.