Essential Oils and Lip Balm

[Syndiluhu]

I've just been experimenting with making lip balms and have a question about EOs. Can I use regular essential oils that I would use in soap making? The gal at the soap store said they should be organic to use on the lips. Is this a preference or a necessity? What do you do?

Thanks.
Syndi

 

[kellyincville]

Organic would just be a preference of a person for which organic ingredients are important.

Regular non-organic essential oils are fine to use in lip balms as long as the amount is less than 2.5% of the total (for all except lavender and tea tree).

 

[carebear]

You need to use FCC grade EOs (you can get them at Scent Works, and other). http://store.scent-works.com/essentialoils.html

there is no way to tell you the level across the board, or really to even generalize as EOs vary greatly in their intensity and in the irritancy. 2.5% of cinnamon or peppermint would be a nightmare, for example.

 

[Sunny]

should you list on your ingredients label that it is fcc grade?

 

[Catmehndi]

Also keep in mind that some EOs are phototoxic (you may get a sunburn)
Research each oil and their properties as lots of them have contraindications.

 

[alwayssomething]

Some of my essential oils are organic and some aren't, and there doesn't seem to be much difference in terms of sensitivity. There are some essential oils that I don't like to use at all, like cinnamon and peppermint, because they are very irritating even in small quantities. Even when I have used peppermint in body scrubs, I have only used about 1 drop for each 4 ounce container and it's plenty. I have found orange and anise to be the most gentle on lips. I have also put in an order for natural cosmetic flavours, which are made specifically for lip balm and formulated with totally natural and organic ingredients. You can get them in oil-soluble flavours that you can't usually get from essential oils (like strawberry) and they seem very gentle and safe. I think these are a good way to go and I'm looking forward to using them. I have actually found some synthetic flavour oils in the past to be somewhat irritating, so I think I will have more luck with these. Of course, customers are also more trusting of "natural flavours" than "flavours", which is a very good thing.

 

[Syndiluhu]

Thanks!

That's exactly what I needed to know. Thank you all for your help!
Syndi

 

[Sunny]

Also keep in mind that some EOs are phototoxic (you may get a sunburn)
Research each oil and their properties as lots of them have contraindications.

I'm still learning about essential oils, but I think lemon is one of those ones - or any citrus? But is the photo sensitivity still true if you are using it in very small amounts - say .5% or 1%? (such as in a lip balm)

 

[Catmehndi]

It would probably depend on each individual but the short answer is yes.
Most citrus oils are phototoxic - make sure you read up on them as some may have had the culprit chemotype removed.