OIL SAFETY

Here at The Simple Oil Co. we love everything about supporting the body and mind naturally. But we are also advocates for using essential oils safely. Over recent years essential oils became "trendy", and with that a whole lot of misinformation about how to use essential oils is shared daily by many consultants.

We aim to share information about using essential oils in a safe way so you can get the best from your oils without reactions, long term damage, or hurting your pets too.

Essential Oils are incredible and there is an oil or blend that could help with anything!
But they are also extremely potent and concentrated  and if not used correctly they can do more harm than good.

We hope that we can help you by sharing simple information that tells you the do’s and don’t’s of essential oils, and help you to reduce the amount of chemicals you and your family are surrounded by daily.

It can be very overwhelming, so we hope to make it SIMPLE for you! 

Skin Patch Test -

Always perform a patch test on your skin before using a new product. If any reaction occurs (redness, swelling, itching, etc) discontinue use immediately. 

Ingesting Oils - 

This is a very big no no! 
Do not ingest essential oils! (unless under the direction of a certified clinical aromatherapist)

A couple of drops of lemon in your water, or some peppermint oil in a slice that you’re baking.. you are better to use an extract  or the real thing and not an essential oil. The immediate damage that can be done is irritation, and ulcers, and in the long term the damage is done to your liver and kidneys. 

• Studies show that orally ingesting oils is the least effective way to get the therapeutic benefits of the oils. 

• Do not put essential oils in your eyes and the area around your eyes, or in your ears. 
  
Using neat on the skin -

Applying essential oils to the skin can be dangerous. It can cause burns, welts, rashes, the list goes on. 

•Always mix with a carrier oil before applying to the skin, or even adding to a bath.

•Oil and water don’t mix, so your neat oils will just rest on the top of the water in your bath. Mix with a carrier oil before adding to a bath to avoid any reactions.

Pregnancy and/or Breastfeeding -

• As a general rule, essential oils should be avoided in the first trimester of pregnancy. 

• Some oils are known to reduce milk production in breastfeeding mothers, Peppermint for example. 

• Essential oils should not be inhaled or applied topically on babies under 6 months old.  


Babies, children, and the elderly - 

• Our kids range is formulated at a safe dilution rate for young children, and also appropriate for the elderly. 

• Some oils can react or interfere with some medications or medical issues - if there is a caution with an oil it will be in the safety section of the product on our website. 

• Oils to avoid =

 - Eucalyptus Globulus under 10 years old.

 - Peppermint under 6 years old 

* If your child has been previously exposed to these oils with no reaction, then use at your own discretion

Pets

Did you know that some oils are toxic to pets? 

Our products have a safety section in their description on our website. In this section it will tell you if the blend of oils is suitable to use around your pets. 
It is important to diffuse intermittently and always in a ventilated space. 
This is a general recommendation and you should always do your own research, and use at your own discretion.

Quoted from the Tisserand Institute
"Cats almost completely lack important liver enzymes that humans do possess, and which are important in the metabolism of many essential oil constituents.
Diffusing essential oils can be toxic to humans if it’s over-done, causing neurological symptoms such as headache or fatigue. In general, making long lists of specific oils that are allegedly “safe” or “toxic” to cats doesn’t make a lot of sense to me – it’s more about overall exposure. You can diffuse essential oils around cats safely, so long as there’s good ventilation, you only diffuse small amounts for limited periods of time, and your cat has the freedom to leave the room if it wants. A few parts per million of aromatic vapor in the air is not likely to be harmful, but be careful to avoid build-up of vapors over many hours."

Photosensitive Oils 

If you have used a blend on the skin that contains photosensitive oils, some citrus oils for example, you should avoid sunlight for 12 hours. 
This will be mentioned in the product description on our website.