ESSENTIAL OILS SAFETY

General Information

Essential oils are not intended for oral, vaginal or rectal consumption unless such methods of administration are recommended by a qualified medical professional. Keep them out of reach of children. Essential oils should be stored in dark cool or cold places in clearly labeled and tightly closed containers. Before using an essential oil for the first time, carry out a skin test first. Apply a small amount of diluted oil on the inside of your elbow and cover with a bandage. If you see some reaction within 24 hours, do not use the oil any more or contact a qualified medical professional for advice.

Carcinogenic Oils

Some oils have carcinogenic effect, which means they may cause malignant tumor production. The following essential oils are prohibited from use in aromatherapy:

Birch tar oil crude
Cade oil crude
Calamus oil
Cinnamomum porrectum
Sassafras oil
Some Croton oils
Ocotea cymbarum

Toxic Oils

These essential oils are not recommended for use in aromatherapy because of toxicity concerns:

Almond oil bitter
Boldo leaf
Calamus oil
Some croton oils
Horseradish oil
Lanyana oil
Mustard oil
Parsley herb oil
Pennyroyal oil
Perilla oil
Savin oil
Sassafras oil
Savoury oil
Tansy oil
Wintergreen oil
Wormseed oil
Wormwood oil

Photo-toxic Oils

If photo-toxic oils are applied to the skin, and it gets exposed to sunlight within 24 hours, the symptoms of dermatitis may later occur. Below is a list of some photo-toxic essential oils:

Angelica root oil
Bergamot oil
Bitter orange oil
Cumin oil
Fig leaf oil
Grapefruit oil
Lemon oil
Lime oil
Mandarin oil
Parsley leaf oil
Rue oil
Tagetes oil
Tangerine oil
Verbena oil

Oils that cause sensitization

A few essential oils have been identified as sensitisers. After their application to the skin, they may cause an allergic reaction of the skin or respiratory system.The list below includes some of these oils:

Backhousia citriodora oil
Cassia oil
Cedarmoss
Cinnamon bark oil
Costus oil
Elecampne oil
Fig leaf absolute
Inula graveolens
Massoia bark oil
Melissa oil
Oakmoss
Opoponax
Oxidized oils
Peru balsam and oil
Styrax oil
Tea absolute
Treemoss
Turpentine oil
Verbena absolute and oil

Oils that may cause irritation

Clove oil
May chang oil
Melissa oil
Origanum oil
Pimento leaf and berry oils
Summer savoury oil
Tagetes oil
Tea tree oil
Thyme oil
Turpentine oil
West Indian Bay oil
Winter savoury oil

Allergens

Recent research has determined the presence of certain allergens in a number of oils. Some of them are listed below:

Benzyl benzoate (to 78% in peru oil; also in ylang ylang & cinnamon leaf oils)
Cinnamic aldehyde (to 88% in cassia oil)
Cinnamyl alcohol (54% in styrax oil)
Eugenol ( more than 90% in clove & pimento oils; to 85% in cinnamon leaf oil)
Geraniol (to 90% in palmarosa oil; also in geranium oil)
Limonene (to 96% in sweet orange oil; also in citrus, mint & pine oils)

Oils that contain methyl eugenol

Methyl eugenol is considered to be a potent carcinogen and can be found in several essential oils. Some of them are mentioned below:

Basil oil
Pimento oil
Some Melaleuca oils
West Indian bay oil

Aspiration hazards

These are examples of such oils:

Bergamont oil
Cedarwood oil
Copaiba oil
Ginger oil
Manuka oil

See also List of Oils that you should avoid if you are pregnant.

Disclaimer:

The author does not claim the information above is complete and does not give any warranty regarding the correctness and accuracy of the data. The users are responsible for determining safe conditions when they use the oils mentioned above and for assuming liability for loss, damage, injury or expense caused by the improper use of these products.