# PDF Download - EO Safety - Quick Reference



## Zany_in_CO (Mar 20, 2018)

Essential Oil Safety - Quick Reference Download

http://www.frannsalthealth.com/blog/essential-oils-safety-quick-reference/


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Mar 24, 2018)




----------



## Saffron (Mar 24, 2018)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Essential Oil Safety - Quick Reference Download
> 
> http://www.frannsalthealth.com/blog/essential-oils-safety-quick-reference/



Thank you! Somehow I missed this post. Thanks for the 'bump'.


----------



## scard (Mar 24, 2018)

Thanks for the link, I'm trying to save for an order of essential oils, this is a great reference.


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Apr 5, 2018)

Again. This is an excellent reference guide for EO Safety. In addition to the info on the chart you can tick on some EOs for more info. 

*@Andie* -- Have a look. Maybe make this a sticky?


----------



## Zany_in_CO (May 21, 2018)




----------



## Zany_in_CO (Dec 3, 2019)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Essential Oil Safety - Quick Reference Download http://www.frannsalthealth.com/blog/essential-oils-safety-quick-reference/


Sadly, the site is no longer active. Try this link below or I have the PDF if anyone wants a copy, PM me.

EO-safetyref.pdf


----------



## Aromasuzie (Dec 7, 2019)

As an Aromatherapy Tutor, I would not take any notice of these contraindications apart from skin sensitivity and the phototoxicity of the citrus oils and possibly use with homeopathy.  The dilution you are using in soap will not affect any of these conditions, the amount being absorbed by the skin is negligent.  Most of these contraindications relate to the HERB, not the essential oil.  While someone has put a lot of effort into this, these myths keep going around.  A good example of this is Pennyroyal eo.  I have quite happily used Pennyroyal eo in my soaps.  This oil is toxic to the liver when taken ORALLY.  It has a huge reputation for being an abortifacient but this is actually a side effect of liver toxicity and in the old days was used for this, but it was more than likely to kill both mother and babe. Topical use of this essential oils in fine.  If anyone has any queries about the safety of essential oils, I am happy for you to contact me


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Dec 7, 2019)

Good to know! @Aromasuzie


----------



## earlene (Dec 9, 2019)

Aromasuzie said:


> As an Aromatherapy Tutor, I would not take any notice of these contraindications apart from skin sensitivity and the phototoxicity of the citrus oils and possibly use with homeopathy.  The dilution you are using in soap will not affect any of these conditions, the amount being absorbed by the skin is negligent.  Most of these contraindications relate to the HERB, not the essential oil.  While someone has put a lot of effort into this, these myths keep going around.  A good example of this is Pennyroyal eo.  I have quite happily used Pennyroyal eo in my soaps.  This oil is toxic to the liver when taken ORALLY.  It has a huge reputation for being an abortifacient but this is actually a side effect of liver toxicity and in the old days was used for this, but it was more than likely to kill both mother and babe. Topical use of this essential oils in fine.  If anyone has any queries about the safety of essential oils, I am happy for you to contact me



And yet, this is listed in the *Aromatherapy, Herbs & Essential Oils* sub-forum, which is separate from the 3 main soap sub-forums here at SMF.  So not all who would find & use this chart would be referencing it for soap making purposes. Many people here make leave-on products such as lotions, deodorants, and so forth.  So I think your recommendation to not take any notice of the other contraindications should include the caveat that you mean it  only in relation to wash-off products and not for leave-on products.


----------



## Aromasuzie (Dec 9, 2019)

earlene said:


> And yet, this is listed in the *Aromatherapy, Herbs & Essential Oils* sub-forum, which is separate from the 3 main soap sub-forums here at SMF.  So not all who would find & use this chart would be referencing it for soap making purposes. Many people here make leave-on products such as lotions, deodorants, and so forth.  So I think your recommendation to not take any notice of the other contraindications should include the caveat that you mean it  only in relation to wash-off products and not for leave-on products.



A lot of the essential oils listed in the chart are not used in aromatherapy and would not be used for fragrance.

Even with leave on products, these contraindications don't fit, assuming the essential oil dosage is between 2-5%.  If topical use could affect these health conditions, there would be warning labels all over perfumes as the essential oil percentage is way higher than leave on any leave-on product.  The amount of essential oil being absorbed by the body is minimal.  I have always questioned why the oils are contra-indicated and when you start looking for research, those contra-indications are not relatable to essential oils but are herb based and in relation to oral use.  I stand by what I say, the biggest danger in using essential oils for fragrancing is skin irritation and sensitivity. 

Check out Robert Tisserand's book on Essential Oil safety and this quote from the book "Aromatherapy for Health Professional" by Len and Shirley Price sum my thoughts up beautifully.

"Because of the complexity of essential oil chemistry, a number of essential oils are labelled as toxic without any evidence of their causing harm to human beings, except by gross misuse.  Toxicity of the main component of an essential oils does not always constitute proof that the whole essential oil is toxic to humans, whatever the results of research on rats and mice (which are injected with or made to ingest essential oils).

The book "Aromatherapy for Health Professionals"  is used in the UK, where essential oils are used in hospital settings, on people with the listed conditions as well as during pregnancy, childbirth and on babies.  They actually recommend using Cedarwood (Cedrus Atlantica) for cradle cap, yet the reference chart from FrannsAltHealth contraindicates it.  If you could explain to me why this contra-indication is valid, I'm more than happy to hear you out.


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Dec 10, 2019)

earlene said:


> So not all who would find & use this chart would be referencing it for soap making purposes.


Well said, _*@Earlene*_ That is SO me... I make more non-soap stuff  that uses essential oils than soap for sure and this chart has been a handy-dandy reference for me. Still, I appreciate @Aromasuzie's comments.


----------



## earlene (Dec 10, 2019)

Aromasuzie said:


> A lot of the essential oils listed in the chart are not used in aromatherapy and would not be used for fragrance.
> 
> Even with leave on products, these contraindications don't fit, assuming the essential oil dosage is between 2-5%.  If topical use could affect these health conditions, there would be warning labels all over perfumes as the essential oil percentage is way higher than leave on any leave-on product.  The amount of essential oil being absorbed by the body is minimal.  I have always questioned why the oils are contra-indicated and when you start looking for research, those contra-indications are not relatable to essential oils but are herb based and in relation to oral use.  I stand by what I say, the biggest danger in using essential oils for fragrancing is skin irritation and sensitivity.
> 
> ...



I can't explain it as I am not trained nor have studied the chemical make-up of those particular EOs so would not even venture an explanation.  However as an RN (retired, true, but with a fairly long career behind that, but in the US and not the UK - rules are not necessarily the same in the two countries), I can say that what is allowed in hospital is under physician supervision, so I would not be as worried as if a layperson made a decision based on insufficient information and NO discernible (to me as a consumer) training on the subject.  Still, as to what is allowed in the different areas around the world, I would err on the side of caution, given the option.  It is my own personal preference.

BTW, although I have been wanting the Tisserand book, it is far too costly to consider purchasing new and even used, still quite costly.  Considering how infrequently I use EOs, the cost is not something I have found justifiable.  I choose to rely on the IFRA standards and accept those without fear of harming anyone as a result.


----------



## Aromasuzie (Dec 10, 2019)

earlene said:


> I can't explain it as I am not trained nor have studied the chemical make-up of those particular EOs so would not even venture an explanation.  However as an RN (retired, true, but with a fairly long career behind that, but in the US and not the UK - rules are not necessarily the same in the two countries), I can say that what is allowed in hospital is under physician supervision, so I would not be as worried as if a layperson made a decision based on insufficient information and NO discernible (to me as a consumer) training on the subject.  Still, as to what is allowed in the different areas around the world, I would err on the side of caution, given the option.  It is my own personal preference.
> 
> BTW, although I have been wanting the Tisserand book, it is far too costly to consider purchasing new and even used, still quite costly.  Considering how infrequently I use EOs, the cost is not something I have found justifiable.  I choose to rely on the IFRA standards and accept those without fear of harming anyone as a result.




Hi Earlene

Was this contraindication list compiled from the IFRA standards?  

Perusing the IFRA standards, I have no issue with the recommendations given for fragrance dilutions for products and I can understand that they give recommendations for INDIVIDUAL CHEMICAL COMPONENTS, but just because an essential oil may have this component (usually in very low dilutions) does not mean it should be given a blanket contraindication that it is toxic.

I am simply pointing out that you need to check sources when looking at contraindications for essential oils.  If someone has given a contraindication, they should be able to explain why it's been given that.  
If someone can't explain it to me, should I blindly follow?
Toxicity is ALWAYS dose-dependant. As we are discussing application to the skin, the amount of essential oil being absorbed is miniscule.  

I would rather people become educated about essential oils and if there are contraindications, ask why they have them. 

Quoting from Robert Tisserand, in "Essential Oil Safety" 

"In general, we have taken the approach that essential oils are safe unless proven hazardous.  It seems unnecessary to treat essential oils as pharmaceuticals, especially if they are only used externally."


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Dec 10, 2019)

*@Aromasuzie *I'm curious about bitter almond EO. Some suppliers won't sell it without diluting 50/50 with sweet almond. Care to comment?


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Dec 10, 2019)

earlene said:


> I have been wanting the Tisserand book, it is far too costly to consider purchasing new and even used, still quite costly.


I almost forgot about this because emails from them are few and far between. You can subscribe to the newsletter and get gobs of free info here:
*https://tisserandinstitute.org/*


----------



## Carla Burke (Dec 11, 2019)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Sadly, the site is no longer active. Try this link below or I have the PDF if anyone wants a copy, PM me.
> 
> EO-safetyref.pdf



Thank you, for sharing yours! (Edited to add: I have allergies to a ridiculously high number of fragrance oils, so must rely on essential oils. This is very helpful, for me to have!)


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Dec 12, 2019)

Carla Burke said:


> I have allergies to a ridiculously high number of fragrance oils,


Me too.


----------



## earlene (Dec 12, 2019)

Aromasuzie said:


> Hi Earlene
> 
> Was this contraindication list compiled from the IFRA standards?



I don't know.  Maybe the OP knows the answer to that question.  As I said I prefer to reference IFRA.



Aromasuzie said:


> Perusing the IFRA standards, I have no issue with the recommendations given for fragrance dilutions for products and I can understand that they give recommendations for INDIVIDUAL CHEMICAL COMPONENTS, but just because an essential oil may have this component (usually in very low dilutions) does not mean it should be given a blanket contraindication that it is toxic.
> 
> I am simply pointing out that you need to check sources when looking at contraindications for essential oils.


I agree and never suggested otherwise.



Aromasuzie said:


> If someone has given a contraindication, they should be able to explain why it's been given that.
> If someone can't explain it to me, should I blindly follow?


Of course not, and to my recollection I have not suggested that you do.  What I said was that for me, I choose to avoid EOs that are contraindicated for certain groups (pregnant women, children) in products for those groups because for me I feel that is best practice.  I am speaking for myself.  Personally, I'd rather err on the side of being over cautious than to err on the side of causing damage when it comes to certain groups of people and personal care products.  



Aromasuzie said:


> Toxicity is ALWAYS dose-dependant. As we are discussing application to the skin, the amount of essential oil being absorbed is miniscule.



Perhaps miniscule if used properly and applied to intact skin.  Perhaps not if used improperly or applied to damaged skin or mucous membranes.  Remember my background is nursing and I have seen lots of non-intact skin and mucous membranes in my career, so I know for a fact that lots of people apply personal care products to less than healthy skin.  It happens all the time.



Aromasuzie said:


> I would rather people become educated about essential oils and if there are contraindications, ask why they have them.
> 
> Quoting from Robert Tisserand, in "Essential Oil Safety"
> 
> "In general, we have taken the approach that essential oils are safe unless proven hazardous.  It seems unnecessary to treat essential oils as pharmaceuticals, especially if they are only used externally."


Where 'we' is referencing the authors, correct?  Or does he/ or do they refer to the the industry as a whole?  Not that it matters, I get the point.  

But I would like to point out that EOs are sometime or even frequently used as pharmaceuticals.  In our discussion, no they are not, but in some cases they are and in fact in some cosmetics they are, which makes those cosmetics drugs (i.e.; pharmaceuticals), per FDA standards in the US and I believe in some other countries as well.


----------



## Carla Burke (Dec 12, 2019)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Me too.


Dangit...


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Dec 12, 2019)

Aromasuzie said:


> Was this contraindication list compiled from the IFRA standards?





earlene said:


> I don't know.  Maybe the OP knows the answer to that question.


The OP (me) is sorry the link to the website is no longer available. Frann, the creator of the PDF file, was essentially an herbalist and, judging from her picture, older than dirt... and probably practicing herbalism longer than that. On that basis, I presume her information pre-dates IFRA.


----------



## Aromasuzie (Dec 15, 2019)

earlene said:


> I don't know.  Maybe the OP knows the answer to that question.  As I said I prefer to reference IFRA.
> 
> 
> I agree and never suggested otherwise.
> ...





Zany_in_CO said:


> *@Aromasuzie *I'm curious about bitter almond EO. Some suppliers won't sell it without diluting 50/50 with sweet almond. Care to comment?



 Hi Zany,

From my understanding, Unrectified Bitter Almond Oil is not commercially available due to the "Hydrocyanic acid " content (=prussic acid,=hydrogen cyanide) as it's highly toxic.  

What you can purchase is a rectified bitter almond oil FFPA (free from prussic acid) and this is considered non toxic.  One of the issues with bitter almond is that it can tend to oxidise to form benzoic acid, which can be skin irritating.  Does your supplier mention that its unrectified?  I understand that rectified bitter almond oil can be used in the flavouring industry.

As bitter almond has no value to the aromatherapy industry, I've not come across it so The information I've given you comes from the book "Essential Oil Safety, A guide for health care professionals" by Robert Tisserand and Tony Balacs.  

From an interest point of view, have you used this oil, and if so, what do you use it for?


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Dec 16, 2019)

Aromasuzie said:


> From an interest point of view, have you used this oil, and if so, what do you use it for?


Yes, I have some that I purchased many moons ago before the rectified was available. I cut it with 50% sweet almond oil and use it in a blend for cuticle balm. Also did 20% in ethanol as almond extract used as food flavoring i.e. coconut macaroons.

I only recently became aware of its toxic nature, i.e., as little as 9 ml is lethal if ingested... if I remember correctly. I can't find the source of that information. I found prussic acid free here:

*Eden Botanicals*
_"Our Bitter Almond essential oil is steam distilled from the crushed and pressed kernels of the *apricot* fruit1 (it can also be extracted from the kernels of *cherries*, *plums* and *peaches2*), then rectified to remove the toxic prussic acid."
_
Interesting -- no almonds, haha.

My concern: I'm lactose intolerant so I drink almond milk which is essentially  almonds + distilled water. I'm wondering if the almonds in almond milk can have adverse effect over time. ???

Another interest: I make mostly liquid soap and rarely make hard bars these days. In a discussion on another thread, it was brought to my attention that some natural brands of shampoo are using bitter almond essential oil as a preservative but passing it as "fragrance" on the ingredient list. That's the main thing I'm interested in. I've been unable to find any information about bitter almond essential oil used as a preservative.


----------



## Jackie Tobey (Jan 22, 2020)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Sadly, the site is no longer active. Try this link below or I have the PDF if anyone wants a copy, PM me.
> 
> EO-safetyref.pdf


Thank you!


----------

