Be Careful Following Any Essential Oil Recipe

Just because you are able do something, doesn't mean you should. With that said, I want to caution you regarding essential oil recipes you find online. Unless it is coming from an aromatherapist with extensive training and/or an affiliation to NAHA (National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy) or AIA (Association of International Aromatherapists), chances are it is unsafe and should not be followed. These organizations "vet" their members to be who they say they are.

Let's look at some I found after searching for about 5 minutes. I have removed any website names and information as to not embarrass anyone or cause problems.

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This recipe has way too much Begamot (Citrus bergamia) oil in it. At this ratio, you are at risk of phototoxicity (severe sunburn) where the oil is applied. Also, there are different kinds of lavender. Are they talking about Lavendula angustifolia, Lavendula latifolia or others? There are no Latin names signifying exactly which essential oils they are telling you to use. In addition, there are too many ingredients. To treat psoriasis, you don't need this many essential oils, in fact, less is more. You are wasting a beautiful natural resource. Plus, the dilution ratio is quite high for daily use.

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Liquid Xanax. Doesn't the name just say it all?!!! 145 drops of essential oil in 40 drops of carrier oil.... there isn't even enough carrier oil to dilute the essential oils! This recipe has a dilution of almost 363%. That is ridiculously high. For your safety, please do not try this blend. An excellent blend for ADHD is something that will uplift, calm, bring clarity and ground the user. I do not see that with these ingredients. Also, with this recipe you need to use Young Living's essential oils. 2 of the bottles of oils are already blends. Way too many ingredients for one blend, there is no synergy. This is not safe for daily use on children.

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Carrot seed (Daucus carota) essential oil has no SPF value what-so-ever. Carrot seed fatty oil has a small amount of SPF (not enough to protect you). It is NOT the same as the essential oil. By using this recipe, you will most likely get a sunburn, there is no protection from the sun. Instead, use a natural sunscreen and feel confident you are actually protected.

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Essential oils should never just be "added" to a bath. They need to be put in a carrier oil or salt with carrier oil to help make it diluted. By following this recipe, you run the risk of having 6-8 drops of neat essential oil applied to your body as soon as you enter the tub. Add your essential oils to a carrier oil such as jojoba or olive oil first, then add a tablespoon of true castile soap or shampoo to help them disperse in the water. Now add to the bath. The oils will be drawn to the carrier oil instead of you and then dispersed in the water with the castile soap/shampoo.

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Wow!!! All I can say is wow regarding this recipe. This recipe recommends straight usage of essential oils with no dilution, as well as a VERY high dose internally. The daily internal recommendation is more than I would recommend for a bad bronchial infection over 2 days to any of my clients!!!! Essential oils do not work miracles, there is no scientific evidence they help remove cellulite from your body. Actually losing weight and excess fat can help. Citrus fresh and grapefruit can be phototoxic in such large quantities, and grapefruit can affect medication.

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Please do not use essential oils on your pets until you have been trained on safety and working with an animal aromatherapist. Animals react differently to an essential oil, not all are safe for them. It would be horrible to hurt our innocent best friend because we didn't know enough about how oils work on them. Again, just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Even if a company makes an essential oil line for animals, does not mean it is safe. Consult an animal aromatherapist first.

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The dilution in this recipe is much too high. 60 drops of essential oil in a 10ml roller bottle is over 30%. Much too high for a child. Plus, 12 drops of lemon in 1 ounce of carrier oil is phototoxic and can give the user a sunburn. This recipe suggests 20 drops in a container that is 1/3 the size of 1 ounce. This is well beyond the safe dermal limit for lemon.

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This recipe was made by an actual clinic, I removed their information. A clinic. They do not specify exactly which essential oils to use (there is more than 1 rosemary) and juniper what? When researching gout for my husband, these were not the oils that I found and now use to help reduce the uric acid in his body. Just because the recipe comes from a medical professional, does not mean it is correct, or even safe. Not to mention ethical. A doctor would never give you a prescription without seeing you first, essential oil recipes for a specific medical condition should never be loosely give out either.

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I don't know about you, but there is NO WAY any of these essential oils are ever touching my inner thighs! Both peppermint and black pepper can cause a warming or cooling sensation depending on how much is used. Imagine if these oil accidentally migrated to your genitals or that of your partner. It would truly ruin the moment and could send you to the hospital. How fun explaining to the doctor that you were using essential oils to "spice" things up. Just say no.

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Again, this recommendation is an extremely high dilution with way too many different oils. Rosemary is not safe for children under 6. Is the rosemary you are using safe for children under 6? Do you know the difference or which rosemary they are telling you to use? No, it is not stated exactly which rosemary. Please be careful especially with children.

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Essential oils should not be taken internally unless you have been directed to do so by an aromatherapist trained in ingestion. Essential oils are metabolized differently when taken internally, and the risk of a contraindication with a medication is great. It can also hurt your liver and other organs. Please consult with someone qualified before ingesting an essential oil.

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Flu bomb, it's a bomb all right!!!! After adding 15 drops of essential oil to a capsule, how much room is left to add the carrier oil? When working with my clients and recommending ingestion, it is never this high, or to be taken all at once. Not only is this unsafe, how many times are you supposed to repeat this? Never, don't do this. A recipe like this is on the Atlantic Institutes safety reporting website as it caused a heart attack.

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As you can see, there is a lot of misinformation and bad recipes out there. If you see something and the dilution ratio is over 5% to the general public, or they are telling you to ingest, think about it. By following that recipe, are you opening yourself up to other problems? Essential oils are here to make you feel better, not hurt you, or make you worse. Be careful when following someone who doesn't know what they are doing.

Should you have questions, you can always email me at melissa@sweetwillowspirit.com. I will answer general questions, nothing specific or medical related unless you have had a consultation with me. It would be unethical for me to answer specific questions without a proper health history. Also my insurance company will not allow it. If you are looking for pure essential oils to purchase, Barefut is very economical and sells pure oils. You can check them out here.

Have a wonderful day!

Love and light,

Melissa

Caution: The material on this page is not meant to take the place of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. Since the actual use of this product by others is beyond our control, no expressed or implied guarantee as to the effects of their use can be given nor liability taken. Use at your own discretion. Any application of the recommendations is at the user’s risk. Sweet Willow Spirit, LLC disclaims any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of this information and assumes no responsibility for any actions taken. This should not be used in place of traditional therapies but solely as a complementary means for bringing well-being. The FDA has not evaluated the statements on this website. No claims are made as to any medicinal value of any oil or healing modality.

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