Essential Oils Safety Information

In Australia, safety and safe practices refer to information on injury, harm, danger or death risks. Risk Management measures are put in place to manage any hazards. The information provided in this resource is education and does not replace professional advice. The reader should conduct their research before using Essential Oils. 

Factors that influence the safety of essential oils include:

• Quality of essential oil used. 
• Blending and Carrier oils may increase the risk of adverse responses. 
• Chemical composition of the essential oil. 
• Essential oils rich in aldehydes such as Citronella or phenols may cause skin reactions. Before applying to the skin, they must always be diluted.  
• The method of application, ie. Dermal application, inhalation, diffused or orally ingested. Essential oils should not be orally consumed - except when prescribed by a qualified and reputed Aromatherapist. 
• Dosage/dilution of the application - most blends are between 1 and 5 per cent dilution. 
• Excess usage of a topical application over the long term, may cause skin irritation and undesirable effects. 
• Skin Integrity- damaged, diseased and inflamed skin may be more sensitive to essential oils. Skin conditions may become worse, and sensitivities may increase. 
• Client age – infants, toddlers and young children are more susceptible to essential oils, and the dilution rate should be increased to about 0.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent of the essential oil when mixed with a carrier oil. 
• When working with children or older people, some oils should never be applied topically because of their heightened skin sensitivity. 
• Caution should be used with some oils inhaled for people with lung conditions and children. 
• Some essential oils should never be used when working with children. Some older people may have heightened dermal sensitivity, and skin reactiveness and further dilution may be required. 

Dermal sensitisation is the early stages of an allergic reaction. It may not appear on the first exposure to a substance, however, ongoing usage may show a skin reaction. It might be that one day you use it and it shows a blotchy or redness, and may be painful, however ongoing use (as the skin becomes more sensitised) will increase the voracity of the skin reaction. Known dermal sensitisers are listed below. This does not mean to not use them – but to use them with caution and to not overuse them.

Dermal Sensitisers

Dermal Irritants

The safety of essential oil application to the skin is of primary importance to aromatherapists. Dermal or skin reactions that may occur with Essential Oils include irritation, sensitisation and phototoxicity/photosensitisation.

About Dermal Irritant Reactions

If the oil is a dermal irritant, there will be an immediate reaction of irritation to the skin. It may start to go blotchy or red and can be painful. The severity of the reaction depends on the person and their allergenic responses, and the concentration of the oil (or how much it has/hasn’t been diluted) and even the carrier oil. 

General “rules of thumb” include:

• Patch test – test the blend on a small patch of skin (usually the inside of the elbow), about one inch in circumference. 

• Avoid undiluted applications, and people with sensitivities and allergies should avoid using known dermal irritants.

• Avoid application on broken or damaged skin, or where there are open wounds. Acne can be very sensitive to some oils. The following oils are known to be dermal irritants for some people – and oils obtained from bark tend create greater sensitivity.