Safety & Essential Oils

Aromatherapeutic raw materials are powerful substances that can positively influence the health of humans and animals. Acknowledged essential oil brands always recommend: apply drop by drop. And of course, always keep out of reach of children. By exercising this caution, there can be wonderful results for the health and well-being of humans and animals.

Why hazard symbols?

Legislators and governments must of course set a lot of rules, make laws and also monitor them. This leads to a lot of work and sometimes it is decided to adopt harsh, drastic and coercive measures and laws that do not always seem logical or even lead to confusion and misunderstandings. An example of this could be the hazard symbols that must be stated on aromatherapy raw materials. Sometimes this contains substances that are created by nature and encapsulated by other substances in this natural product that also occur in synthetic products or other man-made mixes. The government and therefore the law makes NO difference in the assessment of this. This ensures that you see the same symbols on a bottle and/or box with 100% lavender oil or tea tree oil as on a tanker truck that you see driving on the road with that one isolated substance. Source

The pictograms explained:

Official code: GHS02 – Flammable – All essential oils are more or less flammable, also diluted essential oils. Keep away from heat, sparks, open flames, and hot surfaces. Do not smoke when handling.

 Environmentally hazardous – Official code: GHS09 – All pure, also diluted essential oils, are environmentally hazardous and rests of essential oils have to be collected as chemical waste, and may not be deleted in the sink, or the toilet. Essential oils kill all life in soils, rivers, streams, lakes, etc.

Long-term health-hazard – Official code: GHS08 – Lavender should not be used excessively or over longer periods of time. If Lavender essential oil is used continuously, it could have a negative health effect in the long term by inhaling. According to the EU list of acquirements however, problems can occur also naturally in minute quantities. Therefore the recommended dosage for the several different applications is crucial.

Acute health effects – Official code: GHS07 – Immediate health risks arise if swallowed or inhaled deeply. Of course, you always must pay close attention to what you are doing with essential oils and a sip of this oil can certainly be dangerous. Therefore the oil must be generally used moderately and appropriately diluted: see dosage.

Corrosive – Official code: GHS05 – These substances can burn and corrode the skin and even attack textiles and wood.

Toxic – Official code: GHS06 – You will also find this symbol on the Cretan-Garden oregano essential oil. Long before the discovery of the antibiotic, oregano oil was recommended by many experts for the same indications, and used by many top chefs in 2019 in their excellent 100% natural soups. The dose determines whether something becomes toxic. It is important to follow up the dosage, because if ignored, essential oils with this warning sign are fatal.

Before using essential oils on the skin….

Do a patch test

A patch test allows you to see how your skin reacts to a substance before using it more widely. Here are the steps for performing a patch test:

1. Wash your forearm with mild, unscented soap, and pat the area dry.
2. Dab a few drops of diluted essential oil onto a patch of skin on your forearm.
3. Place a bandage over the patch, and keep the area dry for 24 hours.

If you notice any rash, irritation, or discomfort during the 24 hours, remove the bandage and wash your skin thoroughly with gentle soap and water. Don’t use the essential oil if any reaction develops during the patch test.

If no irritation develops during the 24 hours, it’s likely safe for you to use the diluted essential oil. However, a successful patch test doesn’t mean that you won’t develop an allergy or experience a reaction after future use.

Source: Healthline – What You Need to Know About Allergic Reaction to Essential Oils

1. For external use only:
   • Examples of external applications are
     • spreading the aromatic aerosols of essential oils via a diffuser, or a home made room spray, according to a recipe that offers the correct dosage[2]
     • the use of essential oils in home made soaps, after-shaves, scrubs, macerates, massage oils, body oils, hair conditioners, perfumes, deodorants, body sprays and room sprays, according to recipes, that offer the correct dosage[2]
     • essential oils can be used in bath water, when mixed with glycerine, according to a recipe with a correct dosage[2]
2. Dosage[2]:
   • The recommended dosage for the several different applications is crucial
3. Dilution[2]:
   • Always dilute with glycerine or a vegetable oil before applying to skin, in the bath, etc. according to the correct dosage
   • Read the Cretan-Garden pages
     • Bay Laurel Essential Oil[1]
     • Dosage[2]
     • Dilution[2]
     • Recipes[3]
4. Children:
   • keep out of the reach of children
5. Storage:
   • store on a dark, cool place, in a locked cabinet, or room
6. Skin:
   • can cause skin irritation and can cause an allergic skin reaction
   • do a patch test[4] first
   • always dilute with a carrier oil before applying to skin and scalp
   • rinse with much water as a first aid, and contact a doctor if this is not helpful
7. Eyes:
   • causes eye irritation
   • do not bring in contact with eyes
   • rinse with much water as a first aid, and contact a doctor if this is not helpful
8. Inflammable:
   • keep away from heat, sparks, open flames, and hot surfaces.
   • do not smoke when handling
   • do not use in tumble dryers
9. Ingestion:
   • do not ingest the oil; it is harmful
   • may be fatal if it enters the airways
   • call the emergency number, or (let yourself) drive immediately to your doctor, or the first aid in a hospital
10. Environment:
    • dispose of waste properly (category: chemicals) to avoid environmental contamination, and may not be deleted in the sink, or the toilet
11. An overdose:
    • in a diffuser, evaporator, spray, massage oil, macerate, body oil, etc., can cause breathing problems.
    • always care for ventilation
12. Read:
    • Bay Laurel Essential Oil
    • Sage Essential Oil
    • Lavender Essential Oil
    • Oregano Essential Oil
    • Patchouli Essential Oil
    • Rosemary Essential Oil
    • YlangYlang Essential Oil

References:

[1]. Webpage: https://cretan-garden.shop/ylang-ylang-essential-oil/
[2]. Dosage of essential oils – https://cretan-garden.shop/dosage-of-essential-oils/
[3]. Recipes – https://cretan-garden.shop/recipes/
[4]. Do the patch test – https://cretan-garden.shop/do-the-patch-test/

The recommended dosage for the several different applications is crucial. The list with tables with the recommended dosage is related with age, carrier oils, drops, millilitres, and also on the page with recipes you can find ideas for applications, and dosages.

When stored on a dark, cool place, 100% pure, organic essential oils do not expire within at least 5 years. Experience shows that this category essential oils keeps its quality even after 15 years, even when opened, but well closed after use