GUIDELINES FOR THE SAFE USE OF YOUNG LIVING ESSENTIAL OILS
1. Always keep a bottle of V-6 Vegetable Mixing Oil, or any pure vegetable oil handy when using essential oils. Vegetable oils dilute essential oils if there is any discomfort or skin irritation, or if you accidently get a drop of essential oil in the eye. V-6 is a blend from Young Living, or you can use a food-grade organic oil such as olive oil, apricot, jojoba or avocado. If you accidentally get a drop of essential oil in the eye, simply put some pure vegetable oil on the little finger and touch it to the outer corner of the eyeball. I accidentally got a drop of essential oil in my eye once, and did exactly that. It brought immediate relief. Even I wear contact lenses and had no problem. Washing with water on the skin or eyes will not help, as the essential oils are fat soluble, not water soluble. Water will actually drive the oil in more as the oil will attempt to separate from the water.
2. Keep bottles of essential oils tightly closed and store them in a cool location away from light. If stored properly, essential oils will maintain their potency for many years. Essential oils will evaporate if the top of the bottle is left off!
3. Keep essential oils out of reach of children. Treat them as you would any product for therapeutic use.
4. Do not use essential oils rich in menthol (such as peppermint) on the throat or neck area of children under 18 months of age. Avoid using peppermint too close to the eyes.
5. Direct sunlight and essential oils: Lemon, bergamot, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, White Angelica and other citrus oils may cause a rash or darker pigmentation if applied to skin exposed to direct or intense sunlight or UV rays within 24-48 hours of use.
6. Keep essential oils away from eye area and do not put into ears. NEVER put them directly into the ear canal, as they could permanently damage the delicate hearing apparatus. Avoid handling contact lenses or rubbing eyes with essential oils on fingertipss. Oils with high phenol content – oregano, helichrysum, cinnamon, thyme, clove, Lemongrass, bergamot, Thieves and ImmuPower – may damage contacts and irritate eyes.
7. Pregnant women should consult their health care professional before using essential oils containing constituents with hormone-like activity, such as clary sage, sage, Idaho tansy, juniper and fennel. Please consult Essential Oils Desk Reference (see Resources).
8. Epileptics and those with high blood pressure should consult their health care professional before using essential oils. Avoid using hyssop, fennel and Idaho tansy oils and possibly Rosemary.
9. People with allergies should test a small amount of oil on a small area of sensitive skin, such as the inside of the arm, before applying the oil on other areas. The bottom of the feet is one of the safest, most effective places to use essential oils. Remember that essential oils can always be used diluted with vegetable oil for those with sensitive skin, or for use on babies and children.
10. Before taking GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) essential oils internally, always dilute with an oil-soluble liquid like honey, olive oil or rice/soy milk. Essential oils can also be put into vegi capsules for internal use.
11. Use Bath Gel Base as a dispersing agent for oils in the bath. This will allow the essential oils to disperse in the water and will avoid any irritation from un-dispersed oils sitting on top of the water, as essential oils and water do not readily mix. If the essential oil is not dispersed in the bath water, the droplets could irritate sensitive areas of the body.