Essential Oil Information
Our Essential Oils are specially chosen for their quality and are bottled by us in house. We have a wide range of oils and we try to be as competitive with our prices as we can. We are always on the lookout for the more unusual oils and we are always happy to source oils on request from our customers. We sell our oils in 10ml bottles and for therapists there is also a 50ml bottle option.
Essential oils are a very popular product and with good reason. They are a great natural remedy when used responsibly and carefully. We have a few pointers here, but please research each oil you wish to use. If you have any questions then please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to help.
Essential Oils have many uses from natural beauty to natural cleaning recipes, insect repellent to aromatherapy, but because of the strength of essential oils, you need to be cautious when using them and need to make sure that you are using them safely.
Essential Oils are Highly Concentrated
Did you know that it takes:
- 256 pounds of peppermint leaf to make one pound of peppermint essential oil
- 150 pounds or more of lavender flowers to make one pound of lavender essential oil
- Thousands of pounds of roses to make 1 pound of rose essential oil
Essential Oils contain very concentrated properties of the herb or plant they are derived from. A very small amount of Essential Oil often has the qualities of many cups of herbal tea from the same plant. For instance, one drop of peppermint essential oil is equivalent to 26-28 cups of peppermint tea.
Essential Oils on the Skin
Most Essential Oils should not be used on the skin undiluted so please research which oils you should use and the ratio to which they should be used with base creams or carrier oils.
As a general rule, essential oils should be diluted in a carrier oil like coconut oil or almond oil in a 3-5% solution. On practical level this is 3-5 drops of essential oils per teaspoon of carrier oil (and much less if using on a baby or child).
Undiluted Essential Oils used on the skin may cause irritation or an allergic reaction in some people and a permanent sensitivity to certain oils can follow if used on broken skin undiluted. Some oils, like lavender, rose and chamomile are typically considered safe for undiluted skin use, but it would still be advisable to dilute them. We cannot state enough how important it is to research your oils and it is advisable to do a skin test with diluted oil on your arm before using it on larger parts of your body. Some essential oils are considered ok to use undiluted on the skin if an individual isn’t sensitive to them, but again, always check with a qualified practitioner first.
Again.....we cannot stress enough.....Exercise caution and do your research before using essential oils on the skin, especially undiluted.
Photosensitivity of Certain Oils
Citrus oils may make the skin more sensitive to the sun. These oils have certain constituents that may make the skin more sensitive to UV light and can lead to blistering, discoloration of the skin or burning more easily from minor sun exposure.
Though the risk of photosensitivity or phototoxicity varies based on the way the oil was distilled, oils generally considered photosensitive are: orange, lime, lemon, grapefruit, and bergamot.
Essential Oils During Pregnancy or Nursing
Extreme care should be used when using Essential Oils while pregnant or nursing. We would recommend checking with a doctor or midwife before using essential oils during pregnancy.
Use on Babies and Children
Since the effects of essential oils are more concentrated on children, it is prudent to exercise extra caution when using essential oils with them. If you wish to use essential oils for children it is best to stick to using safe essential oils in a diffuser.
Essential Oils in Plastics
Essential oils should never be stored in plastic containers, especially in concentrated forms. Many essential oils can eat through plastics when undiluted, and even when diluted, they can degrade plastics over time.
Homemade cleaning products and beauty products should be stored in glass bottles even when diluted. Please also exercise caution to surfaces in your home, Essential Oils can cause damage to surfaces especially citrus oils on wood and stained surfaces.
Safe use of Essential Oils
Essential Oils are great! But please use them carefully and do your research. There are many different opinions to be found on many oils but we can only advise you to use caution and if in doubt speak to somebody who is qualified in the safe use of oils.