Most essential oils should be avoided in the first three months of pregnancy

You shouldn’t use essential oils in early pregnancy because they might cause uterine contractions or negatively affect the foetus.  Don’t use essential oils if you’ve had a miscarriage, vaginal bleeding while pregnant, heart disease, epilepsy, diabetes, thyroid, liver, kidney, or blood clotting problems. 

Avoid these oils in pregnancy because they might cause uterine contractions or are unsafe

Arnica – Aniseed – Basil – Birch (sweet) – Bitter almond – Black Pepper – Boldo leaf – Broom – Buchu – Calamus – Camphor – Cassia – Cedarwood, Thuja – Chervil – Cinnamon – Clary sage – Clove, the bud, leaf or stem – Coriander – Costus – Elecampane – Fennel – Horseradish – Hyssop – Jaborandi leaf – Jasmine – Juniper berry – Marula – Melilotus – Mugwort – Mustard – Nutmeg – Origanum – Parsley – Pennyroyal – Pine – Pomegranate – Rosehip – Rosemary – Rue – Sage – Sassafras – Savin – Savory – Tansy – Tarragon – Thyme red – Tonka – Wintergreen – Wormwood. 

Avoiding skin sensitization and skin sensitivity

Don’t use essential oils before diluting them in a base oil. This is because they have strong phytochemical substances that might cause a rash or allergy if not properly diluted.

Should you have known allergies or skin sensitivity, use essential oils carefully with greater dilution than the Standard 5% dilution for Topical Use.

Don’t use the same essential oil for longer than you should because it could cause sensitization to that oil. Avoid essential oils with similar chemical constituents.

Alternate your essential oils regularly because prolonged exposure to that oil could cause sensitization.

Only use 100% pure essential oils that aren’t adulterated with chemicals, solvents, or oil fillers. Avoid using oxidised essential oils. 

Ingesting essential oils 

Most essential oils should not be ingested because of their potency and possible toxic chemicals.

When essential oils are safe for ingesting, heed caution.

Alive Oils recommends Diffusion, or direct inhalation in small quantities or massage of diluted essential oils as being the safest option.

People can sometimes develop an allergy to certain oils over time – be aware of small changes such as itching and redness that indicate allergy developing.

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS

 

Phototoxic essential oils 

Cold pressed citrus essential oils have phytochemical furanocoumarins making them phototoxic that could cause sunburn on skin when exposed to ultraviolet light. When using these oils, avoid direct sunlight on that day.

Steam distilled citrus oils are non-phototoxic.
Bergamot – Citronella – Cumin – Grapefruit – Lemon – Lemon Verbena – Lime – Lippia Javanica – Mandarin Leaf or Peel – Naartjie – Orange Bigarade – Sweet Orange – Petitgrain – Rue – Tagetes – Tangerine.

These essential oils and base oils are ingestible

These essential oils and base oils are deemed safe for ingestion if organic food grade oils. Caution should be heeded when ingesting oils.

Generally Regarded As Safe Essential Oils and Base Oils:

Aloe Vera – Avocado – Basil – Bergamot – Black Cumin – Black Pepper – Borage – Caraway – Cardamom – Carrot seed – Castor oil – Blue Chamomile – Roman Chamomile – Cinnamon Bark – Clary Sage – Coconut – Cinnamon Leaf – Citronella – Coriander – Evening Primrose – Fennel -Geranium – Ginger – Grapefruit – Helichrysum – Hempseed – Inca Inchi – Jojoba – Lavender – Lemon – Lemon Balm – Lemongrass – Mandarin – Marjoram -Macadamia – Moringa – Olive oil – Orange – Oregano – Parsley – Peppermint – Pimento – Pomegranate – Sage – Tangerine – White Thyme -Valerian Root – Vetiver – Ylang-Ylang

Oils are known to cause skin sensitivity

Clove – Bay Leaf – Litsea cubeba – Lemon Balm/Melissa – Oregano – Pimento – Tagetes – Tea Tree – Thyme

These oils are known to cause skin sensitization 

Cassia – Cinnamon Bark – Lemon Balm/Melissa – Opoponax – Peru Balsam – Lemon Verbena – Lippia citriodora – Bay Laurel

These oils are carcinogenic because of methyl eugenol 

Basil – Bay Leaf – Pimenta racemosa – Rose – Melaleuca bracteata – Nutmeg – Pimento.

Calamus Acorus is a carcinogenic oil that does not have methyl eugenol.

Ingestion Toxity Chart

Alive Oils does not advocate ingesting Essential Oils since:

1. A minute or two after putting a few drops of a 5% Blend of Peppermint Oil under your feet you will taste the Peppermint in your mouth – proving that ingestion does not increase or improve the speed of absorption.
2. Stomach acids break Essential Oils down – reducing their effects.

Some of the literature states that these essential oils and base oils are deemed safe for ingestion – if organic food grade oils.

EXTREME CAUTION should be heeded when ingesting oils and Alive Oils cannot be held responsible for the incorrect use of its Oils since we recommend to NEVER INGEST ESSENTIAL OILS – EVEN WHEN DILUTED!

*Non-toxic – Although non-toxic, these oils are cautioned not to be ingested:
Sweet Almond* Apricot Kernel* Argan* Bay Leaf* Black Pepper* Bergamot* – Cajeput* Camphor* Cassia* Calendula* Cape Chestnut* Cedarwood Atlas* Cinnamosma fragrans* Citronella* Clove Leaf* Eucalyptus smithii* Tamanu* Grapeseed* Hypericum* Hyssop* Jasmine* Juniper Berry* Kalahari Melon Seed* Kapok Seed* Lantana camara* Lavandin grosso* Litsea cubeba* Manketti * Marjoram* Myrrh* Myrtle* Neem* Nutmeg* Oregano* Blood Orange* Parsley* Passionfruit Seed Oil* Pennyroyal* Scotch Pine sylvestris* Ravensara anisata* Rosemary* Rosewood* Sage* Tea Tree* Tea Tree Lemon* Verbena* Yarrow*

**Cautioned – Although not highly toxic, these oils are cautioned not to be ingested.
Arnica** Artemisia afra** Baobab** Basil** Buchu betulina** Buchu crenulata** Cinnamon Leaf** Eucalyptus dives** Eucalyptus globulus** Eucalyptus radiata** Niaouli** Ravintsara** Spikenard**

***WARNING NEVER INGEST
Bitter Almond*** Aloe Ferox*** Amyris*** Aniseed*** Benzoin*** Calamus*** Neroli*** Opoponax*** Thyme Red*** Wintergreen***

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER 

The information on this website is for informational and educational purposes only.  information or products discussed are not meant to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease or illness.  Approach a health practitioner before making changes to your diet, taking supplements, or using essential oils that might interfere with medications.