Lavender essential oil is skin-safe
While most essential oils are safe, not all of them are considered safe for application on the skin. Aromatherapy practitioners advise using them with intelligence and discretion to avoid unwanted side-effects.
Skin-Safe Essential Oils
Regarded as the most skin-safe essential oils, lavender and tea tree oils are the only ones that can be applied undiluted to small areas of skin.
Phototoxic Oils
Essential oils in the citrus family such as bergamot, lemon, lime, bitter orange, tangerine, and grapefruit are considered phototoxic oils. A chemical present in these oils increases the amount of radiation absorbed, when skin is exposed to the sun. Skin should not be exposed to sunlight for at least 24 hours after using these oils.
Skin-Irritant Oils
Some essential oils such as clove, cinnamon bark, thyme, peppermint, and oregano are skin irritants. Irritating the skin in the smallest of concentrations, topical use of these oils should be avoided.
Considerations
Proper dosage is an imperative concept in the safety of essential oils. Some essential oils can cause skin irritation, liver disease, and even tumors when administered in larger than recommended doses.
Safety
Practitioners recommend caution when using essential oils on the skin in people with allergies, children, and during pregnancy. They recommend doing patch test on a small area of the skin before applying them to larger areas.
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