New to Essential oils and blends

[Mika80]

Hello,
I just started using essential oils and recently bought a few blends from Plant Therapy (which seemed to have decent reviews and were a cheaper investment than Do Terra or Young Living). Anyway, I bought the blend that is comparable to the Young Living Thieves and I have a few questions:

-The blend seem to me pretty strong, I haven't used it undiluted yet but I was wondering if I could.
-If I have to dilute it, what's the right ratio?

Thanks so much for any help!

 

[Hazel]

I'm not an expert on EOs but I would never use them on children and I especially wouldn't let children ingest them. EOs are concentrated and some are fine to apply to the skin but can be toxic if ingested. I looked at the blend on Plant Therapy and it doesn't say anything about taking it internally. The site states the blend should be added to a carrier oil and massaged onto the skin or used in a spray. So, I don't believe it would be a good idea to take it internally.

I've used Thieves oil in the past and I used it at 2% per pound of oil. So, this means I would add .3 oz (8 to 9 grams) to 16 oz of oil or spray. It's not recommended to go over 3% ppo which would make the amount .48 oz (13 to 14 grams) for 16 oz. You can also contact the supplier and ask what they recommend for dilution rates since I'm not familiar with this company and I don't know the strength or quality of the EOs.

I suggest you also ask the supplier if it would be safe to add one drop to a tissue or cotton ball and set near the crib.

 

[ohliver]

The blend seem to me pretty strong, I haven't used it undiluted yet but I was wondering if I could.
-It is recommended to dilute your oil blends before application. Most cannot be used neat (undiluted) on the skin since they are of such high concentration.

If I have to dilute it, what's the right ratio?
-It depends on how you're applying, ie massage, spray, inhalation, etc. A low dilution is recommended if using the oils for therapeutic purposes. 1-3% seems to be the recommended ratio.

If I want to ingest it (lets say a drop under my tongue) do I still have to dilute it?
-There is much debate about the ingestibility of essential oils. Many professional practitioners within North America will most likely avoid taking essential oils internally. However in Europe, particularly in France where aromatherapy is abundant, professionals may advise taking them internally but under medical supervision. I highly suggest consulting a professional before taking any essential oil internally.

If I wanted to use it on my 7 months old, what is the proper dilution ratio?
-I also highly recommend consulting a professional before using essential oil blends on an infant. These oils can be unsafe depending on the usage and the plant. There are many contraindications for essential oils which one may not be aware of if you're just starting out.

I highly recommend visiting http://www.aromaweb.com/ to read up on some essential oil profiles. It's not a complete resource, but it'll help you get started.

 

[Lindy]

DO NOT INGEST ESSENTIAL OILS unless you are a certified aromatherapist who has been trained specifically in internal applications.

Okay so I yelled that but OMG do you know how many people die from ingesting essential oils? Seriously. Essential oils were developed to be use as medication not just to smell pretty. Would you put poison ivy in your mouth? So why would you put something in your mouth that is generally toxic?

Okay - deep breath - you must always dilute essential oils for external use. You should never use them on children under the age of 12 unless you have been taught how to use them on children. A good book on how to use essential oils with children is Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child by Valerie Worwood. She gives formulas with specific amounts to be used and how.

Please, if you love your children lock all essential oils into a cabinet, and I do mean lock, because curious hands get into them and a lot smell yummy. I had a cousin die from just this type of thing. It was put up very, very high, but children in ingenious, and she died from ingesting Wintergreen. But all essential oils are toxic if not used correctly.

Okay rant over, this time.... :lolno:

 

[paillo]

I'm with Lindy. As far as I know the only EO that can safely be applied neat to the skin is Lavender - and many people will have reactions even to that. Occasionally to stave off a bad headache I put a tiny drop of Peppermint EO on my temples. That's enough to feel like I've eaten a big portion of wasabi - enough for even my eyelashes to sweat and my head feel like it might explode. EOs are really, really potent and should always be diluted - I would never, ever even think about applying to a child without consulting an expert - a real expert.

Ingesting EOs can be EXTREMELY dangerous, even fatal. Wintergreen, as Lindy points out, is one example. And please think not only of your children, but also of your pets. Many EOs are extremely toxic to pets, especially to cats.

I'm certainly no expert in EOs or aromatherapy, but have great respect for EOs.

 

[Lindy]

This is from Aromatherapy for Health Professionals:

An 18 year old American girl took about 30 ml (that is less than an ounce! - Lindy) of Pennyroyal, thinking she was pregnant. After severe vomiting and vaginal bleeding, she suffered a cardioplumonary arrest 4 days after ingestion. She died 2 later following a second cardiopulmonary arrest (Sullivan & Peterson 1979

.

Please think about what you are doing. I am not trying to scare you into not using them, but rather to respect what you are doing and what it is you are handling...

 

[walkinwounded]

Yes, yes, and yes. I have read all kinds of things about children dying. One case involved a mother putting diluted peppermint oil on a young child/infants chest for a cold, and the child had some kind of respitory failure. How would that mother feel.The list goes on and on, I love essentail oils, but caution is needed in any application.................period. The one thing I learned first, is that no 2 people are the same, like with peanut allergies, 9 people may enjoy peanuts, but for the 1 its deadly, the same applies with EO's.