Safe Use of Aromatherapy Products

If used responsibly aromatherapy products and essential oils are safe natural products, which should be both beneficial and enjoyable to use. The following list will help to ensure that.

• Keep aromatherapy products and essential oils out of reach of children, pets, or other vulnerable persons. In the case of essential oils, always ensure the dropper is in place as this helps prevent abuse should the oil fall into the wrong hands.
• All our skin care and bath and shower base products have passed product safety assessment, so you can feel reassured that they are both safe to use and meet EU regulations.
• However, it is always wise to do a skin test before using any new product, to ensure there is no allergic response or skin irritation specific to you. Just dab a small amount (diluted if an essential oil) on the inside of your wrist and wait 24 hours. Adverse reactions are very rare, however HolisticLiving.co.uk cannot be held responsible for them.
• Do not take any essential oils internally. If accidentally swallowed do not induce vomiting and drink at least 1 pint of water gradually to dilute. Seek medical advice immediately and tell the GP what and how much you have consumed.
• Avoid contact with the eyes and if this does happen wash your eyes thoroughly, making sure you irrigate underneath the eyelids. Seek medical advice if irritation persists.
• The only concentrated essential oils that can be used neat on the skin are Lavender and Tea tree, and even then in small amounts.
• When adding essential oils to bathwater make sure you agitate the water thoroughly to ensure the oil(s) don’t sit on the surface and cause irritation.
• Try not to overuse individual essential oils, as in rare cases this can cause sensitisation, nausea, or headaches.
• There are certain essential oils that should not be used on people with the following medical conditions or circumstances: high blood pressure, during pregnancy, hormone-related cancer, epilepsy, dermatitis, kidney disease, asthma, during lactation, young children. We recommend that you seek advice from a qualified aromatherapist or your GP in these circumstances.
• There are certain essential oils that are phototoxic, i.e. should not be used before exposure to sunlight/sunbeds: bergamot (unless FCF), ginger (slightly), grapefruit, lemon, lime, sweet orange.
• Do not use the following essential oils on children under 3: fennel, peppermint, eucalyptus.
• Keep concentrated essential oils away from plastics, polished surfaces, and naked flames or sparks.
• If in doubt get professional advice!