Safety
Essential oils are concentrates. The seven sections below are about avoiding harm — how much to dilute, which oils react with sunlight, who needs extra care, and what to do if something goes wrong.
What this page covers
We sell raw materials and publish what is in them. We do not diagnose, prescribe, or give medical advice. For any question about your own health, please ask a doctor.
- Four things never to do Read these four lines before anything else. They account for most accidents with essential oils.
- Dilution: the numbers and how to calculate Recommended dilutions by person and by area of the body, and how to convert them into drops.
- Phototoxicity: citrus oils and sunlight Some essential oils make the skin react strongly to ultraviolet light for hours after they are applied.
- Children, pregnancy, and underlying conditions Three groups who need particular care, and one general principle: ask a doctor first.
- Household pets Cats and birds are far more sensitive than people, and cats lack an important enzyme for breaking substances down.
- Storage and oxidised oils An old essential oil does not just lose its scent. It is also more likely to sensitise the skin.
- Handling incidents Four common situations and what to do straight away, before you reach a medical facility.