Memorial Day 2015

4 Tips for Essential Oils Safety

When reading about essential oils, we come across a lot of varying opinions about the safety of them. Through my research, I have decided that it really comes down to following the tips listed in the getting started with essential oils. Because that is a great basis for safety, I haven’t taken the time to write a post specifically on safety.

However, I realized that maybe it is time to explain my personal safety viewpoints. My kids and I have been using essential oils on a regular basis for almost two years. I kicked it up a notch about a year ago and from that point on we use them enough for other people to notice. I can’t tell you how many times random people have told me that one of us smells great or ask us what it is that they smell. I’m pretty sure that not all of them LOVED the scent, but we are definitely noticeable. People that are aware of the oils, even some that don’t use them regularly, have told me that they can always tell when I show up to a place with my kids because they smell us first. This always makes me laugh.  Yes, we are walking diffusers. I definitely put my money where my mouth is. Oils aren’t something that I use every once in a while.

To understand safety, learning about the grades of essential oils is key.  The grades truly determine what the oils should be used for. I made this chart to help clarify this topic.  

Essential oils can be categorized into four different grades. The first two categories are the ones everyone has used probably unknowingly. The lowest grade is for oils that are mostly synthetic. Like the chart indicates, these are used in cleaning products, shampoos, lotions, perfumes, candles, air fresheners and other similar items. Synthetic lavender, lemon and orange are a common scents that come to mind in these products although many others are too. The food grade is next.  It is the only one regulated by the FDA. Examples of these include peppermint candy, vanilla extract, wintergreen gum, spices, drink flavoring, etc.    

The last 2 categories are the ones that people who are interested in essential oils need a basic understanding of.  Like the chart indicates, these are what we think of when we talk about essential oils.  They come in a bottle labeled essential oil. Almost all of them claim to be 100% pure, but Dr. Pappas (a well-recognized chemist specializing in essential oils) has stated that 75% of essential oils on the market are adulterated (impure). The oils that are categorized as therapeutic usually have a label that indicates that they are for aromatherapy use and definitely “not for internal use.” On the other hand, the medicinal grade oils are for aromatic, topical or dietary use.  Here is the FDA’s list of essential oils on their approved list for internal use: FDA List.  

To make safety the least confusing as possible, I recommend mainly focusing on the label. According to Poison Control, their guide to essential oils includes: 

• Use products containing essential oils ONLY for their intended purpose (all about what the label says)
• For medicinal products, use ONLY the amount stated on the label
• For household products, store where children (and pets) cannot see or reach them

Safety with essential oils, for me, comes down to:

1. Read the label 

2. Less more often

3. Use carrier oils

4. Avoid plastics

You can read about the last 3 here: 5 Tips to Getting Started With Essential Oils

For more information on the topic, check out:

Toxicity Myths

How Big is a Drop?

Dilution & Safety

Are Essential Oils Safe?
Bandaids and Essential Oils

The Best Containers For Your Essential Oils

Essential oils are a natural way to infuse your homemade products with aromatic and medicinal uniqueness.  Essential oils are concentrated compounds extracted from plants and can pack a punch not only in aromatic intensity, but in your container.  To prevent deterioration and permeation, it is imperative that the products containing essential oils are packaged in the right kind of container.  Pure essential oils are very potent.  Care should be taken to ensure they are stored in an airtight container.  All oils have different properties and caution and experimentation should be used in determining what kind of container will work best.  Glass bottles with airtight lids are recommended.  Rubber and plastic containers and cap components can be damaged and deteriorated by pure essential oils.  Prolong the life of your pure essential oils by storing in a cool, dark, dry place.  Citrus essential oils are the most prone to oxidation, so to avoid the damage caused by temperature variation you could store them in your refrigerator if you have the space.  Carrier oils and massage oils will also benefit by being stored in this way.  Both essential oils and vegetable oils do not like extreme or repeated changes in temperature.  Essential oils are moderately volatile and will evaporate fairly quickly so be sure to replace the cap tightly when you have finished using them.  They are also flammable, so keep them away from sources of ignition such as fires, candles, and flames.

Glass is impervious to essential oils and essential oils are not damaged by the glass, so it is the number one choice for storage of your essential oils and the recipes you blend yourself.  It is recommended that you use dark amber or cobalt blue colored glass bottles since this filters out the sun’s ultra-violet light.  Dark amber was always the color of choice, but today dark shades of blue, green, and violet have become popular and they all offer some protection to your oils.  Using clear glass does not harm the essential oils, but it does not offer any protection from the deteriorating effect of any direct sunlight.  Glass mixing bowls, stirring rods and beakers are perfect for stirring and blending oils when you are making lotions and creams.

Some metals can react with various essential oils.  Never store undiluted essential oils in Aluminum as some of them have chemical constituents that can cause the aluminum to be damaged and leach into the oils themselves, particularly strong oils like Cinnamon or Thyme.  Aluminum can be used for products containing “diluted” essential oils.  If you need to use a metal bowl or container, it is best to use a high grade stainless steel.  Stainless steel whisks, spatulas and steel spoons are great for stirring and mixing.  Do not use plastic or wooden spoons.  Stainless steel spray bottles are hard to find and expensive, but there are some available.

Some types of plastic bowls can be used for blending and mixing, but most plastics have a tendency to absorb the essential oils, making it near impossible to clean afterwards.  Undiluted essential oils should not be stored in plastic containers, as some properties in many essential oils will break down the plastic, which can destroy the oil and often cause leakage.  If the oils are diluted with carrier oil, they may be stored in high quality plastic bottles and containers for several months. 

PET or HDPE Plastics can be used to store blended products such as lotion and massage oils.  PET or PETE is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is commonly used for beverage, food and other liquid containers.  PET does not contain BPA or any estrogen-like chemicals.  It is not known to leak any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones.  However, as with many plastic products, if reused multiple times, the chemicals can start to break down over time.  PET has the number ‘’1” as its recycling symbol.  PET has a high permeability resistance rating is an alternative to glass for some products as it is less expensive, weighs less, and recycles well.

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) has a high density and high chemical resistance  As with PTE HDPE is not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones, but reuse may cause plastic to begin to break down over time.  HDPE has the number “2” as its recycling symbol.  Once they are used with the essential oils the plastic container may not be able to be used for other scented products because of the absorption of the scent.  Essential oils can ruin rubber, so it is best to use silicone or nylon scrapers to scoop out all of your mixtures. 

If you want to reuse your essential oil bottles be sure to clean them thoroughly.  Be sure to use the hottest water available and some soap or detergent.  Let them soak for a few minutes and then use a cleaning brush to clean the insides to remove any stubborn remnants.  On tiny bottles you can use a Q-tip or a tooth pick.  Rinse with hot water and turn upside down on clean paper towels to drain.

For your bowls and other containers, you can rinse them with hot soapy water and then run them through the dishwasher.  Be certain the majority of the oil has been completely rinsed to avoid damaging the rubber-based parts in the internal workings of your dishwasher.

After cleaning and rinsing, the last thing to do for making sure the residue has been removed from your bottles or equipment is to rinse them with a little alcohol.  Rubbing and denatured alcohol have a lot of water and impurities in them, so you can use a “high proof” alcohol such as a cheap vodka which is odorless and free of impurities.  This high-proof alcohol dissolves and helps remove any residual essential oil or carrier oil that might be left in your bottles or droppers.  It also helps them to dry quickly because of the high alcohol content.  Again let them dry upside down on paper toweling.

Here are some links to sites where these can be purchased:
AromaTools
My Oil Business
Amazon
Specialty Bottle
My Oil Gear

Happy Mother's Day!