This is a post in progress. As I learn so I will add to it. For now this is what I know about and have used essential oils for….
What Are Essential Oils?
They are not actually oils because they do not contain fatty acids.
They are in fact terpenes
Terpenes organic compounds produced by plants.
They are often strong-smelling.
So essential oils are the strong smelling terepenes found in plants.
You can read more about this,here
Do I Need Essential Oils
Essential oils are resource hungry, have a large environmental footprint.
For example 5,000 to 10,000 pounds of rose blossoms to produce one pound of essential oil. You can read more about this,here
All of which makes me wary of using essentail oils. I do love the smell but I don’t like the idea that so many resources go into making one tiny bottle of luxury scent.
So I use them sparingly and only when they are needed.
Buy Ethically
Ideally you should buy local oils and never oils from endangered plants.
buy from a company that is clear about how they grow and harvest their oils. You can read more about this,here
Take a look at Pravera or Yorkshire Lavender
Using Essential OIls
Essential oils are concentrated and so should be used with some care.
Do not apply neat to the skin.
It is good practice to do an allergy test before you slather on any product containing them.
Do some further research into the oil you plan to use. Some are very strong and need to be used with caution.
Disclaimer
Be aware of the risks of listening to someone who
a) doesn’t have any training in this field,
b) most of what they know comes from Google,
That’s me I mean.
I am telling you of my own experiences for your information only. You should do a lot more research before proceeding. None of the following have been tested on anyone other than me. All I can say Is that I have used essential oils for a long time with, as yet, no ill effects…..
Scented Oils & Creams
Most essential oil/ aromatherapy sites say that mixes of essential oil to base oil should not exceed 5%.
A good rule of thumb when seeking to make a 2% dilution is to add 12 drops of essential oil to each fl. ounce (30 ml) of cold pressed carrier oil, lotion, vegetable butter or other natural lipid/moisturizer.
There is a useful dilutions chart here
And then there is this:
For adults:
Sensitive skin: .5 to 1 percent dilution = 3 to 6 drops per ounce
Normal, healthy skin: 1 to 2.5 percent dilution = 6 to 15 drops per ounce
There is lots of useful information here
We Made
We use Citronella to make mosquito repellent. Read how HERE
We use in Eucalyptus Oil in these refillable inhalers. Find out more HERE
More
See a full range of homemade #plasticfree personal care products here
And find out how to make lots more stuff HERE
Find all plastic free personal care products here…
Ingredients
An introduction to some of the stuff you need to make the above