Oil safety is really important. Please keep these tips in mind when using essential oils. This page ONLY applies to Young Living Essential Oils. Please also make sure you always read the label on the bottle of your Young Living Oil. This is not a complete list and you may want to consult a reference guide (SEE the Resource page) for additional information on each of these safety topics.
- Using oils on infant and small children normally need to be diluted. 1-2 drops of oil in about a tsp of carrier oil. I usually test an oil on myself first, especially one that may be hotter like a clove or thieves oil. You can always do a quick test of an oil on the wrist and then watch for any redness after a few minutes.
- Oils should never be dropped directly down into the ear canal. They can be placed on the outside and behind the ear (i.e. to treat an ear infection) and down the side of the neck but not directly in the ear canal. That being said, it is fine to put oils on a cotton ball and then place that in the ear well.
- Oils should also never be dropped in the eye. Essential oils are NOT water-soluble, but oil-soluble, so if you get it in your eye, do not use water to lessen the pain as it will make it worse. Use a drop of V-6 carrier oil to immediately relieve the pain. It will not damage the eye if you get it in there, but it will likely burn and your eye will water. It is fine to use oils around the eye and the brow bone but just be careful to not get it into your eye. This can happen easily with oil residue on your fingers and hands. I usually always wash my hands after applying oils.
- If an oil is causing any discomfort, Stop applying or dilute it. Stop applying the oils or dilute them until the your body can catch up with the release.
- One drop of oil can cover every cell in your body 40,000 times. So you want to start with just a little and dilute. Dilution will conserve your oils. You only need a little for them to be effective. You can also drive the oils deeper, if needed, by applying a hot wash cloth or compress until it cools.
- There are some oils that are photosensitive. Do not use these oils before getting in the direct sunlight. This could lead to a change in skin pigmentation, rash or burning. The citrus oils like orange, lemon, grapefruit and mandarin as well as angelica, etc should be used with care in this regard.
- Please use caution when using oils during pregnancy. Some oils (i.e. fennel, Clary sage and sage) contain constituents with hormone-like activity. There have been no recorded issues with using oils while pregnant, but it is just good to use caution and do a little research.
- Keep your oils in a cool, dark place. Preferably less than 90F. The amber colored bottle helps protect them too, but always store with care. This care will preserve their quality.
- The oils will dissolve plastic and paint. Be careful when setting a bottle or even the lid on furniture or painted surfaces. It will dissolve the surface. It is important to drink from glassware when adding an oil to your water as it can dissolve the cup.
Check out the Resource page for further detailed information on using Essential Oils. Much of the detail on this page was found in these resources.
