Essential Oil Safety Tips

“Smell is the essence of imagination”
— Philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau

Essential oils are very concentrated, so it’s important to handle them with care. Please read these cautions carefully.

1. Always read and follow all label warnings and cautions.

2. Keep oils tightly closed and out of the reach of children.

3. Never consume undiluted oils. Cook only with those oils approved for food use.

4. Don’t use undiluted oils on your skin. Dilute with vegetable (“carrier”) oils.

5. Skin test oils before using. Dilute a small amount and apply to the skin on your inner arm. Do not use if redness or irritation occurs.

6. Keep oils away from eyes and mucous membranes.

7. If redness, burning, itching, or irritation occur, stop using oil immediately.

8. Avoid use of these oils during pregnancy: bitter almond, basil, clary sage, clove bud, hyssop, sweet fennel, juniper berry, marjoram, myrrh, peppermint, rose, rosemary, sage, thyme and wintergreen.

9. These oils can be especially irritating to the skin: allspice, bitter almond, basil, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, clove bud, sweet fennel, fir needle, lemon, lemongrass, melissa, peppermint, tea tree, wintergreen.

10. Angelica and all citrus oils make the skin more sensitive to ultraviolet light. Do not go out into the sun with these oils on your skin.

11. Sweet fennel, hyssop, sage, and rosemary should not be used by anyone with epilepsy.

12. People with high blood pressure should avoid hyssop, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

13. Do not use on or around pets without first consulting your veterinarian.