Most people tend to be introduced to essential oils in a casually promoted in-home presentation, with a “wellness advocate” who claims that oils are harmless natural products that can treat everything from minor skin irritations to autism. They claim to be “therapeutic grade” so they can safely ingested and liberally applied directly to the skin or taken with a glass of water.
Because of this, a growing number of people are turning up with chemical burns, allergic reactions, respiratory issues, and other side effects from the popular fragrant plant extracts. In the past year alone, U.S. retail sales of essential oils soared 14% to $133 million -- up from $55 million in 2015 -- according to market research firm SPINS. That’s not including tens of millions in sales from multilevel marketers who bypass retail shelves and sell directly to people via independent distributors.
Essential oils are concentrated hydrophobic liquids with chemical compounds from plants that are easily evaporated at normal temperatures Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetherolea, or simply as the oil of the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. They are extremely concentrated chemical compounds, from nature, yes, but chemical compounds nonetheless, that need to be used with caution.
Many essential oils companies are nothing more than multi-level marketing agencies whose primary sales come from their “associates” rather than customers. These associates are not trained sufficiently or fed the wrong information which they take at face value. This means most do not understand the properties of the essential oils or products they are recommending to their customers.
This leads to reckless recommendations like swallowing essential oils. This increases the chance that they will interact with medications, cause an allergic or toxic reaction. Even diluted as a few drops a day in a water bottle can lead to fatigue and headaches. Taking in large amounts of tea tree oil, wintergreen, and camphor oils, for instance, can cause throat swelling, a racing heart, vomiting, and even seizures, according to the Tennessee Poison Center, which saw the number of toxic essential oil exposures double from 2011 to 2015.
So, yes essential oils can make you sick.
No! Essential oils can be very effective and beneficial when used correctly. Increasing research on particular essential oils shows they can be used to treat or alleviate many symptoms, or even side effects of medication.
Essential oils have been around for thousands of years with practitioners using oil-infused lotions on the skin, where the compounds are absorbed into the bloodstream. There is a growing number of studies that determine how they work with hospitals and clinics starting to use the oils more and more for stress relief, pain and nausea relief, even to prevent bedsores. Or they are diffused into the air where once inhaled, they bind to smell receptors and stimulate the central nervous system.
Further studies show of 300 patients found that those who breathed a mixture of ginger, spearmint, peppermint, and cardamom had much less nausea after surgery. While other research shows that lavender oil can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and inhaling lemongrass before a stressful event can prevent anxiety. Studies also show that tea tree and oregano oils can fight microbes, making them popular treatments for dandruff and toe fungus. Others can be used as an anti-inflammatory.
So, essential oils, used properly are safe can be effective for many routine issues but due to inappropriate advice, people are making themselves sick using essential oils. If you are using essential oils you need to understand the risks and potential benefits of the oils you’re using.
When in doubt go to a licensed aromatherapist, not just a distributor for a company.
]]>The research on essential oils that that is available shows positive effects for infections, pain, anxiety, depression, tumours, premenstrual syndrome, nausea, and others.
We have created a list of all the essential oil research we know about and will update it when we find new studies.
Alexandrovich, I., Rakovitskaya, O., Kolmo, E., Sidorova, T., Shushunov, S. (2003). The effect of fennel (Foeniculum Volgare) seed oil emulsion in infantile colic: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 9(4), 58-61.
Al-Hader, A.A., Hasan, Z.A., Aqel, M.B. (1994). Hyperglycemic and insulin release inhibitory effects of rosmarinus officinalis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 43, 217,2.
Al-Shuneigat, J., Cox, S. D., & Markham, J. L. (2005). Effects of a topical essential oil-containing formulation on biofilm-forming coagulase-negative staphylococci. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 41(1), 52-55.
Barker, S & Altman P. (2010). A randomized, assessor blind, parallel group comparative efficacy trial of three products for the treatment of head lice in children - melaleuca oil and lavender oil, pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide, and a "suffocation" product. BMC Dermatology, 10, 6.
Bassett, I. B., Pannowitz, D. L., & Barnetson, R. S. (1990). A comparative study of tea-tree oil versus benzoylperoxide in the treatment of acne. Med J Aust, 153(8), 455-458.
Bernardes W, Lucarini R, Tozatti M, Flauzino L, Souza M, Turatti I, Andrade e Silva M, martins C, da Silva Filho A & Cunha W. (2010). Antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Rosmarinus officinalis and its major components against oral pathogens. Journal of Biosciences; 65(9-10):588-93.
Bouhdid, S, Abrini, J, Zhiri, A, Espuny, M & Manresa, A. (2009). Investigation of functional and morphological changes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus cells induced by Origanum compactum essential oil. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 106(5), 1558-1568.
Brady, A., Loughlin, R., Gilpin, D., Kearney, P., & Tunney, M. (2006). In vitro activity of tea-tree oil against clinical skin isolates of meticillin-resistant and -sensitive staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci growing planktonically and as biofilms. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 55(Pt 10), 1375-1380.
Brandao, F. M. (1986). Occupational allergy to lavender oil. Contact Dermatitis, 249-50.
Buckle, J. (2007). Literature review: should nursing take aromatherapy more seriously? British Journal of Nursing, 16(2), 116-120.
Burns, E., Blamey, C., Ersser, S. J., Barnetson, L., & Lloyd, A. (2000). An investigation into the use of aromatherapy in intrapartum midwifery Practice. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 6(2), 141-7.
Burns, E., Zobbi, V., Panzeri, D., Oskrochi, R., Regalia, A. (2007). Aromatherapy in childbirth: a pilot randomized controlled trial. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 114(7), 838-44.
Burt, S. A. (2003). Antibacterial activity of selected plant essential oils against Escherichia coli O157:H7. Letters in Applied Microbiology 36, 162-7.
Caelli, M., Porteous, J., Carlson, C. F., Heller, R., & Riley, T. V. (2001). Tea tree oil as an alternative topical decolonization agent for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. The International Journal of Aromatherapy, 11(2). [Originally published in The Journal of Hospital Infection (2000), 46, 236-237.]
Canyon, D & Speare, R. (2007). A comparison of botanical and synthetic substances commonly used to prevent health lice (Pediculus humanus var. capitis) infestation. International Journal of Dermatology, 46(4), 422-426.
Cappello, G, Spezzaferro, M, Grossi, L, et al. (2007). Peppermint oil (Mintoil) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: A prospective double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial. Digestive & Liver Disease, 39(6), 530-536.
Carson, C. F., Hammer, K. A., & Riley, T. V. (2006). Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil: A review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 19(1), 50-62.
Chang, SY. (2008). Effects of aroma hand massage on pain, state anxiety and depression in hospice patients with terminal cancer. Daehan Ganho Haghoeji, 38(4), 493-502.
Chung, M, Cho, S, Bhuiyan, M, Kim, K & Lee, S. (2010). Anti-diabetic effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) essential oil on glucose- and lipid-regulating enzymes in type 2 diabetic mice. British J of Nutrition, 104(2), 180-188.
Cooke, B., Ernst, E. (2000). Review: aromatherapy massage is associated with small, transient reductions in anxiety. British Journal of General Practice, 50, 493-6.
Davies, SJ, Harding, LM & Baranowski, AP. (2002). A novel treatment of postherpetic neuralgia using peppermint oil. Clinical Journal of Pain, 18(3), 200-2.
De Groot, A.C., & Weyland, W. (1992). Systemic contact dermatitis from tea tree oil. Contact Dermatitis, 27, 279-80.
Dryden, M., Dailly, S., Crouch, M. (2004). A randomized, controlled trial of tea tree topical preparations versus a standard topical regimen for the clearance of MRSA colonization. Journal of Hospital Infec, 56(4), 283-6.
Dwivedi, C. & Zhang, Y. (1999). Sandalwood oil prevents skin tumour development in CD1 mice. European Journal of Cancer Prevention, 8, 449-55.
Edris, A. (2007). Pharmaceutical and therapeutic potentials of essential oils and their individual volatile constituents: A review. Phytotherapy Research, 21, 308-323.
Enshaieh, S., Jooya, A., Siadat, A. H., & Iraji, F. (2007). The efficacy of 5% topical tea tree oil gel in mild to moderate acne vulgaris: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology, 73(1), 22-25.
Furneri, P. M., Paolino, D., Saija, A., Marino, A., & Bisignano, G. (2006). In vitro antimycoplasmal activity of melaleuca alternifolia essential oil. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 58(3), 706-707.
Gao, Y. Y., Di Pascuale, M. A., Li, W., Baradaran-Rafii, A., Elizondo, A., Kuo, C. L., et al. (2005). In vitro and in vivo killing of ocular demodex by tea tree oil. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 89(11), 1468-1473.
Garozzo A, Timpanarao R, Stivala A, Bisignano G & Castro A. (2010) Activity of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil on influenza virus A/PR/8: Study on the mechanism of action. Antiviral Research, 89(1), 83-8.
Gedney, J., Glover, T., Fillingim, R. (2004). Sensory and affective pain discrimination after inhalation of essential oils. Psychosomatic Medicine, 66(4), 599-606.
Greenway, f, Frome & Engels, T. (2003). Temporary relief of postherpetic neuralgia pain with topical geranium oil. American J of Medicine, 115, 586-587.
Gustafson, J. E., Chew, S., Markham, J., Bell, H.C., Wyllie, S. G., & Warmington, J. R. (1988). Effects of tea tree oil on Escherichia coli. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 26, 194-8.
Hadfield, N. (2001). The role of aromatherapy massage in reducing anxiety in patients with malignant brain tumors. International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 7(6), 279-285.
Hajhashemi, V., Ghannadi, A., & Sharif, B. (2003). Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the leaf extracts and essential oil of lavandula angustifolia mill. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 89(1), 67-71.
Halm, M. (2008). Essential oils for management of symptoms in critically ill patients. American Journal of Critical Care, 17(2), 160-163.
Hammer, K. A., & Riley, T. V. (1998). In-vitro activity of essential oils, in particular Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil and tea tree oil products, against Candida spp. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 42, 591-5.
Hammer, K. A., Carson, C. F., & Riley, T. V. (2004). Antifungal effects of melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil and its components on candida albicans, candida glabrata and saccharomyces cerevisiae. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 53(6), 1081-1085.
Hammer, K. A., Carson, C. F., Riley, T. V., & Nielsen, J. B. (2006). A review of the toxicity of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil. Food & Chemical Toxicology, 44(5), 616-625.
Han, S., Hur M., Buckle, J., Choi, J., Lee, M. (2006). Effect of aromatherapy on symptoms of dysmenorrheal in college students: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complentary Medicine, 12(6), 535-41.
Hansen, T., Hansen, B., Ringdal, G. (2006). Does aromatherapy massage reduce job-related stress? Results from a randomized, controlled trial. International Journal of Aromatherapy, 16(2), 89-94.
Hayashi, K., & Hayashi, T. (1994). Virucidal effects of the steam distilate from Houttuynia cordata and its components on HSV-1, influenza virus, and HIV. Planta Medica, 61, 237-41.
Haze, S, Sakai, K & Gozu, Y. (2002). Effects of fragrance inhalation on sympathetic activity in normal adults. Japanese Journal of Pharmacology, 90, 247-253.
Henley, D., Lipson, N., Korach, K., Bloch, C. (2007). Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils. The New England Journal of Medicine, 356(5), 479-485.
Inouye, S., Yamaguchi, H. (2001). Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 47, 565-73.
Itai, T., Amayasu, H., Kuribayashi, M., Kawamura, N., Okada, M., Momose, A., Tateyama, T., Narumi, K., Waka, Kaneko, U.S. (2000). Psychological effects of aromatherapy on chronic hemodialysis patients. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 54, 393-7.
Jandourek, A. & Vazquez, J. (1998). Efficacy of melaleuca oral solution for the treatment of fluconazole refractory oral candidiasis in AIDS patients. AIDS, 12, 1033-7.
Kane, FM, Brodie, EE, Couli, A, et al. (2004). The analgesic effect of odour and music upon dressing change. British Journal of Nursing, 13(19), S4-12.
Kejova K, Jorova D, Bendova H, Gajdos P & Kolarova H. (2010). Phototoxicity of essential oils intended for cosmetic use. Toxicology in Vitro, 24(8), 2084-9.
Khan, M, Zahin & Hassan, S. (2009). Inhibition of quorum sensing regulated bacterial functions by plant essential oils with special reference to clove oil. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 49, 354-360.
Kim, J. et al. (2006). Evaluation of aromatherapy in treating post-operative pain: pilot study. Pain Practice, 6(4), 273-277.
Lehrner, J., Marwinski, G., Lehr, S., Johren, P., & Deecke, L. (2005). Ambient odors of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental office. Physiology & Behavior, 86(1-2), 92-95.
Lemon, K. (2004). An assessment of treating depression and anxiety with aromatherapy. The International Journal of Aromatherapy, 14, 63-69.
Lucks, B.C., Sorensen, J., Veal, L. (2002). Vitex agnus-castus essential oil and menopausal balance: a self-care survey. Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery, 8, 148-54.
Messager, S., Hammer, K. A., Carson, C. F., & Riley, T. V. (2005). Assessment of the antibacterial activity of tea tree oil using the european EN 1276 and EN 12054 standard suspension tests. Journal of Hospital Infection, 59(2), 113-125.
Millar, B & Moore, J. (2008). Successful topical treatment of hand warts in a paediatric patient with tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 14(4), 225-27.
Nguyen, Q., Paton C. (2008). The use of aromatherapy to treat behavioral problems in dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 23, 337-346.
Oyedele, A. O., Gbolade, A. A., Sosan, M.B., Adewoyin, F. B., Soyelu, O.L., & Orafidiya, O. O. (2002). Formulation of an effective mosquito-repellent topical product from Lemongrass oil. Phytomedicine, 9, 259-62.
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Rose, J. E. & Behm, F. M. (1994). Inhalation of vapor from black pepper extract reduced smoking withdrawal symptoms. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 34, 225-9.
Saeki, Y. (2000). The effect of foot bath with or without the essential oil of lavender on the autonomic nervous system: A randomized trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 8, 2-7.
Sharma S, Araujo M, Wu M, Qaqush J & Charles C. (2010). Superiority of an essential oil mouthrinse when compared with a 0.05% cetylpyridinium chloride containing mouthrinse: A six-month study. International Dental Journal, 60(3), 175-80.
Sherry, E., Warnke, P. H. (2001). Percutaneous treatment of chronic MRSA osteomyelitis with a novel plant-derived antiseptic. BMC Surgery, 1(1).
Snow L, Hovanec L & Brandt J. (2004). A controlled trial of aromatherapy for agitation in nursing home patients with dementia. J Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 10(3), 431-437.
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In case you are unfamiliar with Aromatherapy, we've written a brief introduction to Aromatherapy.
The Mayo Clinic describes Aromatherapy in their top 10 list as the "use of fragrant oils to provide a calming sensation. Oils, infused with scents such as lavender, can be applied to your skin during a massage, or the oils can be added to bath water. Fragrant oils can also be heated to release their scents into the air. Aromatherapy may be helpful in relieving nausea, pain and stress."
No agency or recognised organisation "certifies" or "grades" essential oils as "medicinal grade," "therapeutic grade," or "aromatherapy grade".
The term is used in marketing by companies like doTERRA. In the absence of an accepted standard, they created their own testing process, calling it CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade®. At best it is a quality assurance test, at worst it is a meaningless marketing slogan.
It is difficult to fund conventional drug studies as these are generally performed by the pharmaceutical industry.
Because essential oils are natural plant-based substances they are hard to patent. This limits the interest by pharmaceuticals which in turn limits the research.
As essential oils are made up of hundreds of constituents it makes it hard to determine which part is responsible for a particular outcome.
The research on essential oils that is available does show positive effects for infections, pain, anxiety, depression, tumours, premenstrual syndrome, nausea, and others.
We have created a list of all the essential oil research we know about and will update it when new studies become available.
Talk to a licensed Aromatherapy practitioner before starting any treatment. Especially, if under the supervision of a medical professional.
This is because essential oils can cause allergic reactions if not applied correctly. They can also interact with medications so it is important to get qualified advice.
]]>Absolutely! That is the very short answer. There are some essential oils that help you fall into a nice relaxing sleep and improve the quality of sleep through the night.
]]>Roman Chamomile is considered to be a natural sedative. It has an instant calming effect on the nervous system which makes it perfect for winding down at night (and also beneficial for anxiety and depression).
Lavender is the most well known of the relaxing oils. It is an amazing oil with so many therapeutic properties. It contains both Linalool and Linalyl Acetate, and when an oil has both of these it makes it a wonderful regulator, helping with stress, insomnia and fatigue.
Neroli is another beautifully calming oil and well known for its effect on anxiety. It is another natural sedative and it is claimed to be ‘nature's Xanax’.
Spikenard is a lesser known oil but very powerful in calming the nervous system. It comes from the same plant family as Valerian and is sometimes called ‘false valerian’. It’s not the most pleasant smelling oil so would usually be blended with Roman Chamomile and Lavender.
Any combination of these oils, or on their own, will help to achieve a good night's sleep. They can be used diluted in a bath (don’t have a hot bath right before bed as hot water can increase circulation making it difficult to fall asleep), diffused in a bedroom, in a spray on a pillow or bedclothes, or a few drops on a tissue under a pillow.
Make sure you like the oils you will use as there’s no point trying to sleep with a smell you’re not enjoying!
Diffusing the oils in the room is my personal favourite. We have a diffuser with Roman Chamomile and Lavender in our kids room at bedtime and it has changed their bedtime routine for the better! I recently met a friend who got a diffuser with a timer as a gift. She says she always woke around 3am so she sets it to start at 2.30am and she no longer wakes needlessly. I’m dying to try this one!
Of course chronic insomnia should be checked out by a doctor before getting started with Aromatherapy but these oils can have an amazing effect on minor sleeping problems.
]]>Essential oils used in Aromatherapy should not be used undiluted directly on skin without a carrier oil. Many essential oils are too volatile to be applied to your skin without being diluted first as they can cause severe allergic reactions or worse.
]]>Essential oils used in Aromatherapy should not be used undiluted directly on skin without a carrier oil. Many essential oils are too volatile to be applied to your skin without being diluted first as they can cause severe allergic reactions or worse.
It may be tempting to add a few drops of Lavender Oil to a relaxing bath before bedtime, especially with children. But, beware that the Lavender oil will float on top of the water and can come in direct contact with the skin as water doesn’t dilute oil. Essential oils in a bath or any other application need to be diluted by a carrier oil to make them safe.
A carrier oil is just a vegetable extracted oil that is used to “carry” essential oils in a lower concentration as part of a lotion or massage oil. Think of carrier oils as the transport system for essential oils.
Examples of carriers oils include Almond Oil, Grapeseed Oil, JoJoba Oil. Even less exotic oils that you may use on a daily basis such as Coconut Oil or Olive Oil can be used. The most popular oils used to dilute Essential Oils are Coconut Oil and Sweet Almond Oil. There are many more types out there, each with a specific benefit. It is a good idea to match an oil’s benefits to be complimentary with the essential oils used to achieve the desired result.
Be careful when using certain essential oils or products containing essential oils when going out into direct sunlight.
Phototoxicity of some essential oils may cause what looks like a sunburn when exposed to direct sunlight. Applying them as part of a balm or a lotion before going into the sun is not recommended because the essential oils stay on your skin. In soaps and hand washes they are safe(er) as they will be washed away.
Essential Oils To Avoid In Direct Sunlight:
This is not an exhaustive list and there are many essential oils that may be hazardous when used in sunlight. Citrus based oils need special attention. Be sure you fully understand which essential oils you are using and how they might react in direct sunlight. Be safe!
Another thing to be aware of, especially with children is how the skin will react to an essential oil product. We would always recommend you patch test an essential oil product before regular use. Even products containing essential oils in a carrier oil or lotion may produce an allergic reaction depending on the concentration used.
Simply applying a very small amount of the product to the skin will be sufficient to assess an irritation or allergic reaction. Children’s skin especially is sensitive and we would recommend a go-slow approach.
In summary, essential oils deliver many amazing benefits that will get you results. Never apply essential oils directly to skin and always use them in a diluted form at the right concentration.
Every winter, chest infections are prominent here and it triggers my sons asthma. At the first sign of a cough in November, I brought out the tea tree/eucalyptus/lavender/black pepper/cedar wood, and it stopped it in its tracks. It’s happened a few times since and only one has developed into an infection with my daughter.
One evening Mr. Calm Families burned himself on the oven, it was a nasty steam burn and we had run out of burn spray. I looked up home remedies and found I had all the oils recommended. I made a blend of Spikenard, Lavender, Geranium, Frankincense and Eucalyptus and he woke the next morning pain free and the burn had gone down a lot.
Just this week my son had a bad fall at school. He had split his chin and had a lot of cuts and bruises. Obviously we went straight to the doctor who put strips on his chin but when we got home, he actually asked me did I have a blend that would help. I made up a blend to help with pain relief (Eucalyptus, Lavender), to speed up wound healing (Frankincense) and stop bleeding (Geranium). Luckily it smelled divine so he happily let me apply it a few times a day and swears it’s taking the pain away. We won’t know about the healing until the strips come off but hopefully it will have done some good.
I would never substitute using oils for medical treatment/advice if I felt it was needed but I find it an excellent compliment and now the whole family will ask if any oils can help something before looking for medicine.
]]>Dryness of the skin during the winter is a very common problem. This is because the cold and dry air strips the skin of its protective oils and moisture. Many people who have dry hands may have an underlying problem with eczema, which is an inflammation of the skin that can lead to redness, itching, and cracking. The most important treatment for this condition is moisturising the skin. You will need to apply a moisturising cream throughout the day, especially after each time you wash your hands. Also, when you wash your hands be sure to avoid hot water and pat your hands dry, rather than rub with a towel.
Finding a solution that works dry hands seemed like a good idea as too often we find hand lotions oily and heavy. This then makes us use it less, que perennial dry and itchy hands, especially during winter. So, we set out to create a beautifully nourishing lotion that repairs dry hands and brittle nails yet is not oily and smells amazing.
This hand cream like all everything we made has to be natural free from nasties and kind to animals. The ingredients used are natural and nourishing. High quality essential oils create a calming effect than can help reduce anxiety when inhaled.
Stay tuned for updates.
]]>Once we had healed his skin after his worst breakout (see photo), we realised prevention was going to be key. It was around this time I had started studying Aromatherapy. I was learning the antiseptic power of Tea Tree Oil and Lavender Oil and started thinking that there must be a way to get this onto my son's hands that would be more gentle than the commercial hand sanitisers. Between my course and some research, I learned how to make a hand gel that wasn’t too oily, dried in quickly and that the kids liked the smell of.
Over time, using this hand sanitiser I created, we had a gel that the kids reached for themselves and had all the antiseptic properties needed to kill any bacteria/virus/fungi.
The base in this product is Aloe Vera combined with Almond Oil which is both very gentle and moisturising on the skin. The oils used are Tea Tree, which kills any bacteria/virus/fungus, and Lavender which also has antiseptic properties and increases the effectiveness of Tea Tree Oil.
As an aside .. I would not use essential oils (even in a blend) on broken/inflamed skin. If the skin is damaged, I would use a base oil on the area, then a blend elsewhere, so there is no risk of irritation and the oils will still be absorbed into the bloodstream to take effect.
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