Manifesto for the Safe Use of Essential Oils

The manifesto

1. You shall begin by informing and empowering yourself.

Essential oils are a world of their own. A field. A science. To use them in an intelligent and reasoned manner, you must learn to know them. Inform yourself, read books, consult an aromatherapist, ask questions. That is the basis! If you intend to make your own products with essential oils, the responsibility now falls into YOUR hands. YOU are the manufacturer. YOU are responsible for the effects they may have on their users, yourself first. YOU must ensure that everything is done safely. Why? Because regardless of what a recipe may suggest to you, you have the responsibility to ensure that the essential oils proposed are right for YOU. Some are to be avoided during pregnancy, or are forbidden for babies and children, epileptics, people with hormone-dependent cancer, etc. Much like in cooking! If you suffer from allergies or diabetes and you plan to bake a cake, it is up to you to ensure that the ingredients you use will suit you.

Looking for references? Robert Tisserand, Michel Turbide, Danièle Festy, and Dominique Baudoux are examples of authors to read.

2. You shall procure quality essential oils.

There is a plethora of brands and companies offering EOs on the market. Some are diluted, others are pure, others are contaminated. It is really very variable, and one must be careful. How do you ensure the quality of an essential oil? You will often find clues on the bottle, but you can also inquire directly with manufacturers, distributors, or sellers. Companies should be able to provide very precise information and chromatographies upon request; if not, it’s suspicious. Here are the elements that should ALL be found on essential oil bottles, or at least be accessible via the supplier:

– The common name of the plant (e.g., clary sage);

– The full Latin name, including genus and species. "Sage essential oil" doesn't say much, since there are many species. Same thing for lavender; there are several species and many varieties. One must be able to know what one is dealing with, since some varieties or species may have contraindications, while others do not. For example, for lavender, we must be able to read: Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula stoechas. One is harmless, the other is abortifacient. It is VERY important to be able to tell the difference!;

– The part of the plant used (e.g., leaves, flowers, flowering tops, bark);

– The origin (country);

– The chemotype: the same plant can have completely different aromatic molecules. You will find the indication of the chemotype after the Latin name;

– The lot number: lot numbers allow you to trace the contents of the essential oil bottle very far back, to the producer;

– The bottle must be amber, not clear, since EOs are sensitive to light and oxidation.

3. You shall perform proper dilution.

Except for a few exceptions, we never use pure essential oils. They must be diluted in a vegetable oil or in alcohol (ideally, the alcohol concentration should be 70% or higher). Some essential oils have specific dilution rates. In cosmetic products, we usually use 1 or 2% essential oils (of the total volume of the ingredient in which the essential oil can be diluted within the finished product, e.g., vegetable oil). Remember that essential oils do not dilute in water. If you get the urge to put a few drops in your bath water: STOP. You must first dilute it in a vegetable oil or in a soap (e.g., liquid Castile soap or bubble bath).

For example, if you make a 15 ml lip balm, you can calculate your essential oil concentration based on the total quantity of the finished product. If, however, you are making a liter of bath salt in which you put only 40 ml of oil, you cannot calculate the essential oil concentration based on the full liter of finished product, but only on the quantity of oil it contains. The essential oil does not dilute in salt, and even less so in your bath water! The concentration of essential oils can be calculated on the total volume/weight of creams, because these are emulsions that allow EOs to dilute throughout the product.

Consult a dilution chart and inform yourself about the dosages specific to each EO. The dilution percentage for children and babies will also be very different. The younger the child, the greater the dilution. You can find a chart for children here.

4. You shall avoid internal use.

In the rare cases where internal use could be beneficial, we recommend doing so under the supervision of a competent healthcare professional. Note that some network marketing companies promote this type of ingestion, but that no training is required to become a consultant. Caution, caution, caution.

Topical use (i.e., on the skin), with cosmetic dosages (around 2% dilution) is VERY safe. It is when you get into therapeutic dosages and internal uses that it becomes much more delicate and requires a great deal of knowledge.

5. You shall inform yourself about the photosensitization and dermocausticity of EOs.

Certain essential oils can cause irritation or discoloration of the skin.

As for dermocaustic EOs, they can cause strong irritation, or even burns to the skin and mucous membranes when used pure on the epidermis.

Dermocaustic and/or irritating EOs (non-exhaustive list)

– Mustard (Brassica nigra)

– Tropical Basil (Ocimum basilicum var. basilicum)

– Ceylon cinnamon and Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum or Cinnamomum vera and Cinnamomum cassia): the worst of all!

– Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus and Cymbopogon winterianus)

– Croton (Croton tiglium)

– Tarragon (Artemisia draconculus)

– Lemon-scented Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora)

– Globulus Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)

– Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens and Gaultheria fragrantissima)

– Clove (Eugenia caryophyllus)

– Katafray (Cedrelopsis grevei)

– Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia)

– Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)

– Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

– Compact Oregano (Origanum compactum)

– Spanish Oregano (Corydothymus capitatus)

– Camphor, Cineole, and Verbenone Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L camphoriferum, Rosmarinus officinalis L. cineoliferum, Rosmarinus officinalis L. verbenoniferum)

– Savin (Juniperus sabina)

– Thymol and Carvacrol Thyme (Thymus vulgaris ct thymol and Thymus vulgaris ct carvacrol)

– Lemongrass or citronella (Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon flexuosus)

For photosensitizing essential oils, they can cause a skin reaction following their application and exposure to the sun. It is their coumarin molecules that are responsible for this reaction.

Photosensitizing EOs (non-exhaustive list)

– Angelica (Angelica archangelica)

– Bergamot (Citrus aurantium ssp. bergamia)

– Lemon (Citrus limonum)

– Celery (Apium graveolens)

– Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)

– Khella (Ammi visnaga)

– Lime (Citrus aurantifolia limetta)

– Lovage (Levisticum officinalis)

– Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)

– St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

– Bitter Orange (Citrus aurantia ssp. amara)

– Opopanax (Opoponax chironium)

– Grapefruit (Citrus paradisii)

– Rue (Ruta graveolens)

– Tagetes (Tagetes minuta)

Note that it is now possible to obtain rectified essential oils, i.e., redistilled to purify them of undesirable components, such as furocoumarins, which are photosensitizing molecules. Their aromatherapy quality is lower, but for cosmetic products, it can be interesting!

6. You shall be aware that essential oils are precious.

Essential oils must absolutely be perceived as a precious ingredient with therapeutic virtues. The manufacture of essential oils requires an enormous amount of plants. To give you an idea, we must take all the petals from 30 to 50 roses to make A SINGLE DROP of rose essential oil (Rosa x damascena). Just one single drop. Yes. Obviously, the yield will vary from one plant to another. The rose is undoubtedly one of the plants with the lowest yield, but in general, one rarely exceeds a 1% yield, as we can see in the table here.

Let’s say that gives a whole new meaning to the expression "eh, a drop more or less..."

7. You shall avoid using essential oils simply for the scent.

If you want to use an essential oil strictly to scent your cleaning products, I would tend to say don't do it, or restrict this use as much as possible. ESPECIALLY if the cleaning product in question does not contain any ingredients that will allow the essential oils to dilute (e.g., a vinegar-based glass or counter cleaner). We recommend doing so only in recipes containing soap, such as a Castile soap, for example, or alcohol.

In addition to being highly volatile (meaning the scent will not last long), this essential oil will ultimately end up in the sewage system. In large quantities, this can have an impact on the aquatic ecosystem. It is therefore important to use these concentrated active ingredients in a conscientious and reasoned manner. In our opinion, the use of essential oils in laundry detergent should be avoided, since essential oils are not soluble in water, they will be mostly eliminated during the rinse cycle, and the small amount of essential oil remaining (the scent) will evaporate quickly.

The same advice applies to cosmetics. Without going crazy, obviously. But it is good to keep in mind that if you add essential oils to a cosmetic product, it should be done based on their properties and not for their scent alone.

8. You will provide advice with great caution.

Does your aunt have a cold sore? Does your friend have a sore throat? We know you want to do the right thing by suggesting essential oils to treat them... but do you know their medical history? The list of medications they are taking? Their allergies? Are you an aromatherapist? If you answered no to one or more of these questions, you may not be in a position to suggest treatments using essential oils. You can share your experience with these people, invite them to consult an aromatherapist, or invite them to learn about the subject of essential oils, but it is best to stick to that and always exercise caution.

9. You will have respect for others.

Diffusing pure patchouli (a very bad idea for your diffuser, by the way!) all day in anticipation of guests coming for dinner might seem like a good idea, but in reality, it may not be. Some people have a sensitive sense of smell, sensitivities, a medical history, or different tastes. Before scenting your home with your favorite essential oil, remember to ask your guests if they have any restrictions. When in doubt, a batch of cookies in the oven is hard to beat as a scent for welcoming your guests!

This recommendation also applies if you work in close physical proximity to others (massage therapist, hairdresser, etc.). Avoid slathering yourself in essential oils! And the same should go for perfumes, but that's another story, haha!

10. You will diffuse sparingly.

Diffusing all day? Bad idea. Ideally, you should do it intermittently: diffuse for 30 minutes, then stop for 30 to 60 minutes. It is best to diffuse EOs in a room with good air circulation. Especially if you have pets, they must be able to leave the room if they are bothered.

Are there babies or young children around? You must be extra careful. Under three months, avoid the use of essential oils completely, both topically AND via diffusion. Their lungs and nervous system are still very young and not fully developed. It is best to abstain. After three months, you can diffuse certain essential oils, but not when the baby is in the room. We will talk about this in more detail soon.

11. You will take extra precautions for children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women.

As with medications and toxic products, keep essential oils out of the reach of children.

Consult our complete guide on the use of essential oils during pregnancy and breastfeeding right here, as well as our guide on their use for babies and children here.

12. You will keep them away from flames.

Avoid contact between essential oils and open flames. Careful, we aren't saying they are explosive, not at all. They are flammable and have flash points that vary from one plant to another. Note that the essential oils present in scented candles are safe because they are selected based on their flash point and are highly diluted.

What about using EOs in the dryer, on dryer balls, for example? We avoid it, as a precaution. It is better to opt for scented sachets for drawers or a linen water to spray after drying. Otherwise, nothing beats the smell of clothes dried in the fresh air!