How not to use essential oils: 8 prohibitions to respect

Essential oils are used in medicines, cosmetics, beverages, and even in livestock feed as an alternative to antibiotics. And of course, you can always find ways to benefit from essential oils at home, such as adding them to your beauty routine or adding them to your cleaning collection.

This is where things get tricky: essential oils are indeed very powerful. Therefore, it is important to know what you can and cannot do with them, and today we will look at the list of taboos. So here is what to avoid.

Essential oils are, by definition, ultra-concentrated. This means that for any purpose, you need a very small amount of product, so be sure to dilute it, no matter what you’re doing – a hair mask or a general-purpose spray to eliminate citrus scents.

This prohibition is part of the previous one, but it is very important, that is why we decided to make it a separate paragraph. If you neglect this rule, you may encounter serious problems, for example, a chemical burn.

“Always dilute essential oils, but never use water—they won’t dissolve in it. You need a 1 to 2 percent solution by adding one drop of essential oil to one teaspoon of a carrier oil, such as peach, coconut, shea, jojoba, or grapeseed,” says Caleb Back, a trainer and health and wellness expert.

Natural essential oils are produced by pressing, steam distilling, or macerating plants, while synthetic oils are created in a lab. The latter, Beck explains, are essentially just one flavor—you won’t get any other benefits from them. So if you’re going to make a hand cream or air freshener, look for a natural product.

According to esthetician Melissa Piccoli Phillips, citrus oils are some of the worst when it comes to using on your skin. “They dramatically increase your skin’s photosensitivity—your skin becomes very vulnerable to the effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This can lead to burns and hyperpigmentation, and in the long run, even cancer,” Melissa says.

She also advises to be careful with tea tree oil, which is often touted as an excellent remedy for acne. “Everyone ignores the fact that it is very strong. Yes, you will get rid of breakouts, but at the same time, tea tree oil can deeply harm the skin biome, destroying not only harmful but also beneficial bacteria,” the cosmetologist explains.

Essential oils are powerful fragrances that help combat unpleasant odors in the home. But there is one very important nuance: it is one thing when the source of the stench is a trash can, another when it comes from a drain in a sink or bathroom.

“If you notice problems with your drain or refrigerator and they don’t go away even after using a drain cleaner or cleaning all the shelves, call a professional. Don’t hide something that needs to be fixed,” says plumber Doyle James.

Read also: For the soul and body: top 10 best essential oils

A few drops of lemon essential oil added to the dishwasher or fabric softener compartment can leave your appliances looking squeaky clean. But don’t let the fresh smell fool you: Doyle reminds us to run a special cleaning cycle on your washing machine or dishwasher every three to six months with products designed for that purpose.

It is quite difficult to break this rule: the shelf life of essential oils is usually about five years. But nevertheless, there are nuances – oils can deteriorate due to improper temperature or light. Therefore, take into account both the production date and the condition of the product itself – get rid of those whose appearance and smell have changed.

Imagine that your recipe says that you should add a tablespoon of smoked paprika to the stew. If it were missing, would it occur to you to replace it, for example, with cayenne pepper, since both are spices and are also made from capsicum peppers? We are sure that few people have made such a mistake.

The same rule applies to essential oils. If a body cream recipe calls for a cream based on sweet almonds, you should not replace it with an ingredient based on apricot kernels, this could completely ruin the final result.

Even more interesting materials can be found in our Telegram channel.