Three myths about essential oils that need to be busted
By Yvette Tan
Essential oils are all the rage, with people using them for different things, from making a room smell fresh to mild pain relief. Unfortunately, the world of essential oils also contains a lot of misconceptions that need to be addressed. Jirbie Go and Lourdes Caballero are certified aromatherapists who are putting three of the most common myths to rest.
Here they are:
Essential oils are totally safe. “One of the biggest myths using essential oils is that essential oils are totally safe. That’s not true. They have to be properly diluted, especially for kids, and that’s why we advocate using hydrosols versus oils because oils can be very potent to the point that they can give you allergies,” Go says.
“So many people don’t look into it because they think it’s “natural,” (so it’s safe. We try to educate people to be very, very careful when using essential oils. Don’t use essential oils neat. You have to dilute it in carrier oil—that’s VCO or any vegetable oil so the skin absorbs it better.”
One size fits all. “Each essential oil will have its own potency. Some are better used in a blend, some have to be used sparingly or else it will cause a reaction,” Caballero says. “Age is also a factor. What’s used on a baby can’t be used on someone in acute pain.”
Essential oils can replace your doctor. “We are not doctors. This is not a replacement for anything. It’s against our ethics to claim that,” Caballero says. “It’s irresponsible. We’re always complementary to promote wellness. Some people think there’s an oil for everything and we tell them that that’s not the way to think about it.”