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 in heavy dilution.

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 chemicals.

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 shouldn’t be ingested because of toxic chemicals.  When essential oils are safe for ingesting, heed caution. Diffusion, inhalation, or massage of essential oils is better.

Toxic and non-toxic essential oils that should not be ingested

*Non-toxic – Although non-toxic, these oils are cautioned not to be ingested.

**Toxic

***WARNING NEVER INGEST

Sweet Almond* – Bitter Almond*** – Aloe Ferox Oil – Amyris – Aniseed*** – Apricot Kernel * – Argan* – Arnica** – Artemisia afra**- Bay Leaf* – Black Pepper* – Baobab – Basil** – Benzoin*** – Bergamot* – Buchu betulina** – Buchu crenulata**- Cajeput* – Calamus*** – Camphor* – Cassia* – Calendula* – Cape Chestnut* – Cedarwood Atlas* – Cinnamosma fragrans* – Cinnamon Leaf** – Citronella* – Clove Leaf* – Eucalyptus dives** – Eucalyptus globulus** – Eucalyptus radiata** – 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* – Neroli – Niaouli** – Nutmeg* – Opoponax* – mild doses or toxic – Oregano* – Blood Orange* – Parsley* – Passionfruit Seed Oil* – Pennyroyal* – Scotch Pine sylvestris* – Ravensara anisata* – Ravintsara** – Rosemary* – Rosewood* – Sage* – Spikenard** – Tea Tree* – Tea Tree Lemon* – Thyme Red*** – Verbena* – Wintergreen*** – Yarrow*

Phototoxic essential oils 

Cold pressed phototoxic citrus essential oils have phytochemical furanocoumarins that could cause sunburn on skin when exposed to ultraviolet light. Because of this, avoid direct sunlight on that day. Steam distilled citrus oils are non-phototoxic and cold pressed oils are 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.

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

These 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.

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.