13 Tips to Use Essential Oils Safely

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This post was written by: Susan Blue

1) Use a pure vegetable oil to dilute the strength of the essential oil. Sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil or jojoba are excellent choices and are known as carrier oils. In other words, these oils will not interfere with the properties of the essential oil that is added. This is where you can experiment. An example of how to start: One drop of essential oil to 5 drops of a carrier oil.

• Grapeseed oil is very light and readily absorbed into the skin.
• Almond oil is a medium weight oil, absorbs well and has a protective coating.
• Jojoba is a heavier denser oil, famous for nurturing the skin and hair.

2) Always do a skin test before applying the oils. The soft underarm is a very good place to test. Apply the essential oil and wait for 5 minutes for the body to respond.
Keep essential oils away from the eyes, mucous membranes of the mouth, and out of the ear drum.

3) Pregnant women should consult a health care professional who uses essential oils before using essential oils for her self-care or care for family members.

4) Keep essential oils away from open flames, sparks, or electricity.

5) Store bottles in a cool location away from light and make sure the lids are tightly closed. Essential oils can last a lifetime if properly stored. Several hundred liters of essential oils were found to be in perfect condition from King Tut’s Tomb.

6) Keep all essential oils out of reach of children.

7) Drink at least 8 glasses of purified water a day. A hydrated body is most important when using essential oils!

About mixing essential oils:

• You can mix single oils.
• You can mix a single oil and a blend.
• Do not mix blends.

9) Layering: This is applying multiple oils one at a time. Let each individual oil be completely absorbed into the skin before applying the next oil. A timely procedure, but well worth it.

10) Compresses:

• Hot Compress: Rub 1 -3 drops of essential oil on location. Cover with a hot damp towel. Cover the moist towel with a plastic bag or Saran Wrap, then apply a thick dry towel to hold the heat in for 15 to 30 minutes. The moist heat will force the oils deeper into the tissues of the body.
• Cold Compress: Useful for treating inflammation, swollen tissues, or congestion that has heat. Apply essential oils on location, followed by a cold wet towel, covered with plastic, then a dry towel. Let the body warm the cold towel up. This may take about 15 to 30 minutes. You can also use ice packs. Frozen peas or corn make excellent ice packs as they form to the body.
• Compresses for children or infants: Place 5 to 15 drops of essential oil into a basin or warm water (100 degrees F or 38 degrees C). Stir the water and let it stand for a minute. Put a dry face cloth on top of the water to soak up oils that have floated to the top. Wring the cloth dry and apply to location. To seal in warmth, cover with plastic bag then a thick dry towel for 10 to 20 minutes.

11) Inhalations:

• Direct application: Place 2 -3 drops of essential oil into the palm of the left hand and rub clockwise with the right hand. Cup hands together over the nose and mouth and inhale deeply.
• Add several drops of an essential oil to a bowl of hot (not boiling water) Inhale the vapors from the bowl. You can place a towel over your head and bowl to make an mini steam tent.
• Apply essential oils to a cotton ball, tissue, or handkerchief (do not use synthetic fabric) and inhale directly.
• Indirect application: Rub 2-3 drops of oil on chest, neck, wrists, or under nose and ears to breathe in the fragrance throughout the day.

12) Diffuser: The easiest and simplest way for putting essential oils into the air for inhalation is to use an aromatic diffuser.

• Diffusers that use a heat source will alter the chemical make up of the oil and its therapeutic qualities. Not recommended.
• A cold-air diffuser uses room temperature air to blow the oil up against some kind of nebulizer. This breaks the oils up into a micro-fine mist that is then dispersed into the air, covering thousands of square feet in seconds. The oils, with their oxygenating molecules, will remain suspended for several hours to freshen and improve the quality of the air.
• Essential oils, when diffused, have been found to reduce the amount of airborne chemicals and metallics. The anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and antiseptic properties of essential oil kill bacteria and help to reduce fungus and mold. Essential oils also help to create greater spiritual, physical and emotional harmony. Diffuse the oils 15 to 30 minutes at a time.
• Fans or Vents. Put oil on a cotton ball and attach to ceiling fans, air vents, and car vents.

13) Baths: Add 3 -6 drops of essential oils to the bath water while the tub is filling. For a more even disbursement through the water, add 2-3 drops of essential oils to a cup of Epsom salts or bath gel base and place under faucet as tub is filling.