General rules for safety

Essential oils are very concentrated. Please use them with care and respect. Just because they’re natural doesn’t mean they are harmless. Before you experiment with these oils, get some education. Contact www.cfacanada.com to find a school you can learn from.

1. Keep out of the reach of children under the age of 5. If using essential oils for 6-10 age group, please dilute at 1% and diffuse oils intermittently.
2. Keep away from the eyes. If oils accidentally touch the eyes add a couple of drops of vegetable oil to tissue and swipe over the eye. The essential oil will grab onto the vegetable oil.
3. Do not use essential oils undiluted on the skin (exceptions may be lavender and tea tree and even those should be diluted to avoid becoming sensitized to the oil). For example: Never use oils high in aldehydes, like Lemongrass, on the skin without a carrier.  Learn your essential oil chemistry or ask your certified Aromatherapist.
4. When an allergic reaction is a possibility, do a patch test 24 hours before use.
5. Extra precautions should be taken during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, I would prefer you do not use essential oils in first trimester. If you wish to use aromatherapy during your pregnancy, please contact a qualified Aromatherapist. Oils to avoid during entire pregnancy are: Aniseed, Basil, Clary Sage, both Cedarwoods, Cypress, Sweet and Bitter Fennel, Jasmine, Juniper, Sweet Marjoram, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary. Contact me for a beautiful blend to use to prepare for birth.
6. Please Do not take essential oils internally without the guidance of a physician or trained aromatherapist.
7. Certain essential oils such as camphor, high in thujone, ketones should be avoided if you have a seizure disorder. Some ketones can be stimulating to the central nervous system and have historically been associated with seizure risk at inappropriate doses or exposures.

Key ketones to be cautious with:

• α-Thujone

• β-Thujone

• Camphor

• Pulegone

• Pinocamphone / Isopinocamphone

Essential oils often cited because of ketone content:

• Sage (Salvia officinalis – high thujone)

• Wormwood

• Thuja

• Tansy

• Hyssop (especially ct. pinocamphone)

• Pennyroyal

• Spanish sage

• Camphor (brown/white)

⚠️ Note: Not all ketones are equal, but high-ketone oils are the main caution group in epilepsy education. Epilepsy cautions are based on constituent chemistry, dose, route of exposure and individual sensitivity. Not every person with epilepsy reacts the same way. Not every oil containing a ketone is automatically dangerous, but professional aromatherapy education errs on the side of caution. When Hyssop is used, using varieties such as, Hyssopus officinalis ct. linalool or Hyssop decumbens are selected and used only at VERY low small, professionally considered dilution.

8. When using essential oils in the bath, swirl the water well to help disperse the oils. It is best to disperse your essential oils in a tablespoon full of vegetable oil (which will make your bathtub slippery, so careful with that) or 1/2 C of full-fat milk.
9. Do not use essential oils before going out in the sun as many, especially most citrus oils, are phototoxic.
10. You can become sensitized to an oil that you use over and over. Change the oils you use, and try new ones.