Essential Oil Safety 101

If you've been following along with previous blog post or on my Facebook page, you know that I am a doTERRA Wellness Advocate and completely head over heels in love with their products. I seriously cannot get enough of doTERRA. I use their essential oils and other products every single day, and I really love sharing doTERRA with others. I even created a Facebook group for people to join and ask questions, share ideas, and generally discuss essential oils!

In order to better share my passion, I am also going to be posting blogs pertaining to essential oils and their uses. This post is the first one of that nature!

One major concern for people new to essential oils is their safety. Essential oils, though growing in popularity for very good reasons, are not mainstream. People aren't automatically familiar with how to use them, and that makes trying them a bit scary for some. Imagine if you had never heard of over the counter pain medicine, and someone out of the blue told you to swallow a strange pill to alleviate your headache. Having no idea what it was, you'd be a little cautious before taking it! 

Most people are in that position when it comes to essential oils. In fact, it takes on average at least four interactions before a person new to essential oils decides to finally try them. Although EOs are effective and natural wellness aids, they are a little bit foreign to most people. 

If you are in that place where you are new to essential oils and aren't sure how to use them safely, hopefully this blog post will shed some light on how you can incorporate oils into your life and the life of your family safely. 

The good news is this: Essential oils are generally safe. However, like with any health supplement, there are some guidelines to be followed and things to keep in mind when using essential oils.

Here a Few Basic Do's and Don't's of Essential Oils:

Do buy from a reputable company such as doTERRA. DoTERRA has rigid standards of sourcing, collecting, and testing their oils at an independent laboratory to ensure that each oil is 100% pure, free from pesticides or other impurities, and consists of the correct properties. This means that doTERRA essential oils are beyond organic and the safest and most effective EOs on the market. 

Whatever brand you buy, make sure that you can trust their quality. An impure or contaminated essential oil will be less effective at best and may even be harmful at worst.

Do follow the appropriate use guidelines for each specific oil or oil blend. Each oil has specific intended and safe uses. Oils can be used aromatically, topically, or internally, and many can be used in more than one way. However, some oils like wintergreen are toxic when ingested. DoTERRA provides guidelines for each oil and oil blend they sell, and all of their oils which are safe for consumption have nutritional information and internal use instructions on the bottle. Never disregard this safety information! DoTERRA's team of experts have determined the best and safest ways to use their oils; always follow their guidelines and warnings.

If you purchase oils from a different company, be sure to research how each particular oil can be used safely.

Do test new oils on a small patch of skin before using. If you've never used an essential oil, it's a good idea to test it on your forearm for a few hours before applying to larger area of your body. Each body is different, and some people may have sensitivities to certain oils. 

Don't continue use of an oil if you have an allergic reaction. If you test an oil and experience a negative effect, discontinue use. 

If you place an oil on your skin and experience a negative reactions, such as burning, dilute the oil with a fatty carrier oil, not water. Water and essential oils do not mix, and adding water to the oil on your skin may actually make your reaction worsen.

Do dilute oils with a carrier oil. While some oils can be used neat (without a carrier oil), most will need to be diluted with a fatty carrier oil such as olive or coconut oil. When using EOs on sensitive skin or children, they should be diluted even further. As with almost everything, children need a smaller dose than adults. 

Again, doTERRA is super helpful and provides guidelines for whether or not an oil can be used neat or must be diluted before use.

Don't use oils on cats or small pets like hamsters. While essential oils can be used safely on some pets, cats and small animals are a different story. Always research carefully before using an EO on any pet.

Do research each oil or blend carefully before use. This goes back to knowing the appropriate use of each oil before using it. You also need to be sure that the oil you want to use is safe during pregnancy, or if it can cause sun sensitivity, and the general safety protocols for that particular oil.

It's also important to know what an oil supports or promotes before using it. For example, if you were on a long drive and wanted to diffuse an oil to promote alertness, you certainly wouldn't want to reach for a relaxing oil such as lavender! (You might, however, want to diffuse some peppermint in that situation!)

Don't use oils in a way that makes you uncomfortable, even if someone else does so without any problems. If you are not comfortable with a certain usage of an oil, don't let the fact that others use it that way make you go against your own personal feelings. Each body is different, and each person should use their oils not only in the appropriate way for the oil, but also in the appropriate way for the person. 

Do remember that essential oils are health supplements, not medicines. The basic difference between a health supplement and a medicine is this: supplements promote wellness while medicines treat illness or disease. There is a reason that we are called doTERRA Wellness Advocates! Essential oils are not approved to prevent, treat, or cure any illness, ailment, or disease. Essential oils work with your body to promote its proper functions and help it maintain health. 

Don't support Wellness Advocates who do not follow doTERRA's guidelines. This goes along with previous point. DoTERRA (and FDA) guidelines prohibit Wellness Advocates from diagnosing illness or prescribing essential oils to treat, prevent, or cure an ailment. Again, EOs are supplements, not drugs. We are Wellness Advocates, not doctors. If a Wellness Advocate says something to you like, "this oil will cure your asthma!" you should discontinue your support of that person and find a Wellness Advocate who follows doTERRA's rules and speaks about essential oils in an appropriate manner.

Do keep essential oils in a safe place away from children, pets, flames, and sunlight. They should also be stored in dark bottles like the ones they are originally packaged in. Keeping your oils in a safe place keeps your children and pets safe and prevents the EOs (which last a minimum of 5-10 years if stored correctly) safe from damage caused by directly sunlight or extreme heat. 

Don't forget that essential oils are highly concentrated. A drop goes a long way! You literally only need a drop or two at a time for most essential oils. Using them in larger amounts is unnecessary and may increase the chance of a negative reaction.

Do be careful about buying essential oils (particularly online) from anywhere other than the actual source. A legitimate Wellness Advocate's site will contain "mydoterra.com" in the web address (it will look like this: http://www.mydoterra.com/tiramarfarms). Alternatively, you can also purchase through a Wellness Advocate in person or by contacting them directly to place your order.

Sometimes individuals who sell EOs on places like Amazon or Ebay tamper with the EOs and dilute them with fillers before replacing the cap to make it appear that the bottle is unopened. DoTERRA also requires that any Wellness Advocates selling through a site like Amazon must sell their products at a minimum retail price, so if you see someone selling doTERRA oils for an unusually cheap price online, that is a red flag. To be safe, always buy directly from a reputable Wellness Advocate rather than through sites like Amazon.

Don't use essentials oils in your eyes or ear canal. These areas of your body are especially sensitive. EOs can be used around the outside of your ear, however, just not inside your ear.

Do use caution and consult your physician before using essential oil if you are pregnant or otherwise under a doctor's care. Some oils are not safe to use during pregnancy.

And finally....

Do remember that each body is different. I have pointed this out a couple of times already, but it bears repeating. Your body may respond differently to certain essential oils than mine does. Always keep this in mind when someone tells you about how a particular oil works for them, because it may not work in the exact same way for you. 

I hope this helps you better understand how you can incorporate essential oils into your daily life in a way that is safe and comfortable for you. If you have any questions, want to purchase essential oils, or want to join my doTERRA essential oil team, contact me or click the images below! 

          

Cheers!