Although essential oils are natural products, it is still necessary to follow certain precautions when using them. Essential oils are very concentrated and volatile, this is why they work so well! There are certain essential oils that should never be used in aromatherapy. They are all either narcotic, toxic, capable of causing miscarriage, likely to provoke epileptic seizures or can seriously damage the skin.
Dangerous Essential Oils
These oils should Never be used
- Aniseed Pimpinella anisum
- Arnica Arnica montana
- Boldo Leaf Peumus boldus
- Calamus Acorus calamus
- Camphor Cinnamomum camphora
- Cassia Cinnamomum cassie
- Cinnamon Bark Cinnamomum zeylanicum
- Costus Saussurea lappa
- Bitter Almond Prunus amygdalis
- Bitter Fennel Foeniculum vulgare
- Elecampane Inula helenium
- Horseradish Cochlearia armorica
- Jaborandi Leaf Pilocarpus jaborandi
- Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris
- Mustard Brassica nigra
- Origanum Origanum vulgare
- Origanum (spanish) Thymus capitatus
- Pennyroyal (European) Mentha pulegium
- Pennyroyal (North American) Hedeoma pulegioides
- Pine (dwarf) Pinus pumilio
- Rue Ruta graveolens
- Sage Salvia officinalis
- Sassafras Sassafras albidum
- Sassafras (brazilian) Ocotea cymbarum
- Savin Juniperus sabina
- Savory (summer) Satureia hortensis
- Savory (Winter) Satureia montana
- Southernwood Artemisia abrotanum
- Tansy Tanacetum vulgare
- Thuja (cedarleaf) Thuja occidentalis
- Thuja Plicata Thuja plicata
- Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens
- Wormseed Chenopodium anthelminticum
- Wormwood Artemisia absinthium
In addition to the above list, there are a number of oils that do have valuable therapueutic properties, but need to be used with caution.
Oils that should not be used by people with Epilepsy
- Fennel (Sweet) Foeniculum vulgare
- Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
- Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
(plus Sage and Wormwood, from the previous list)
Oils That Should Not be Used During Pregnancy
- Basil Ocimum basilicum
- Birch Betula alba, B. lenta, B.alleghaniensis
- Cedarwood Cedrus atlantica
- Clary Sage Salvia sclarea
- Cypress Cupressus sempervirens
- Geranium Pelargonium asperum
- Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
- Jasmine Jasminium officinale
- Juniper Juniperis communis
- Marjoram Origanum majorana
- Myrrh Commiphora myrrha
- Nutmeg Myristica fragrans
- Peppermint Mentha piperata
- Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
- Tarragon Artemisia dranunculus
- Thyme Thymus vulgaris
- Camomile Anthemis nobilis, et al.
- Lavender Lavandula vera
- Rose Rosa centifolia, R.damascena
Essential Oils with a Risk of Chronic Toxicity
Do not use these oils for more than a few days at a time
- Basil Ocimum basilicum
- Cedarwood Cedrus atlantica
- Cinnamon Leaf Cinnamomum zeylanicum
- Eucalyptus Eucalyptus globulus
- Fennel (Sweet) Foeniculum vulgare
- Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis
- Lemon Citrus limonum
- Orange Citrus aurantium
- Nutmeg Myristica fragrans
- Thyme Thymus vulgaris
Skin Irritants
Always dilute these oils to 1% before using
- Angelica Angelica archangelica
- Black Pepper Piper nigrum
- Cinnamon Leaf Cinnamomum zeylanicum
- Citronella Cymbopogon narus
- Clove (all parts) Eugenia caryphyllus
- Ginger Zingiber officinalis
- Lemon Citrus limonum
- Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus
- Lemon Verbena Lippia citriodora
- Orange Citrus aurantium
- Nutmeg Myristica fragrans
- Peppermint Mentha piperata
PhotoSensitising Oils
Do not use on skin before sun exposure
- Angelica Angelica archangelica
- Bergamot Citrus bergamia
- Lemon Citrus limonum
- Orange Citrus aurantium
I certainly don’t mean to scare anyone away from using essential oils, but I think a lot of us (myself included) think we can just go around using essential oils without a care in the world, without realising that they are incredibly strong and can have harmful effects if used improperly. It’s easy to think of the as just fancy scented oils, that you can add to whatever you want. For example, if you add lemon or orange oil to your body lotion recipe and use it every day, you run a risk of toxic levels building up in the body over time. Also be careful about gift giving. I was going to make peppermint shower scrub as a Christmas gift last year, until I researched peppermint oil and found it can cause spontaneous abortion!
Honestly if you are nervous, I would contact a Certified Aromatherapist (which is where I got these lists). I have been using essential oils myself for many years, with no ill effects, but I always research an oil before I use it.
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