_ESSENTIAL OILS - SAFE USAGE AND DILUTION

These beautiful.... pure doTERRA Essential Oils.... are powerful and quite frankly life changing. If you have experienced them you will know what I mean.

Honestly...I was the sceptic... I had NO IDEA what a difference they would make to my life...and what a huge affect they would have on things I took for granted like poor sleep and overwhelm... thankfully nowadays I have beautiful oils in my home that I can lean on when I need support.

However.... we do need to be mindful of safe usage ..like anything we put into or onto our bodies we need to make sure it is at safe dilution or quantities.
So I am gathering my thoughts on this into this one post.

As a Wellness Advocate I am not qualified to diagnose or treat any specific conditions.... I can only give my thoughts on what I have found or experienced personally and direct on to reliable resources. I will always recommend seeing a health care professional if needed.

Topical Use -

Its my experience that as you learn more you will become more comfortable with your own dilution rates....but when you are starting out its best to begin with greater dilution ... less is more. You can always increase the essential oil drops if you feel you are comfortable.

The oils are generally safe.... but caution is needed in case of skin sensitivity and especially for children and the elderly. Citrus Oils will increase photo-sensitivity of the skin so care is needed if you are going out into the sun. I prefer to use Citrus oils in areas not receiving sunlight or in the diffuser.

There are some oils that can be used neat with no dilution (Frankincense is one) but generally all oils should be diluted with a carrier oil (Fractionated Coconut Oil is a great choice).

As a general rule when starting out I recommend the following -


To make applying the oils easier I recommend using a 5 or 10 ml rollerball bottle...you can then premix and roll on with ease.

NOTE: This is a general guide for someone starting out with the oils.... personally for myself I use less dilution for a number of my blends and recipes.... but as I mentioned....begin here and adjust your dilution as you learn more. Always use caution and dilution with hot oils like Oregano.

Internal Use- 

If using internally is not your thing then don't .. using topically and aromatically will bring you many of the same benefits ... so make that choice for yourself when you are ready. I am a conservative by nature... and if you had told me I would be ingesting Essential Oils a year ago I would not have believed it. But I do and I've had great benefits. I am not in the practice of ingesting large quantities .... however ... if I'm feeling icky in the tummy...a drop of Digestzen in water offers amazing relief. One drop of Grapefruit in my Sparkling Water in the evening is delicious... and Peppermint in bliss balls takes them to the next level. I choose what and when I ingest internally....and I am very comfortable with that now. 

Aromatic use - 

This is one of my favourite ways to experience the benefits of the oils. Its also a safe effective way to provide relief...assist sleep or even uplift the mood for the day.

There are some safety guidelines though..... always dilute  your oils and use appropriate quantities. In an average living room 4 - 6 drops is all you need.... and even less in a bedroom.
If you are diffusing for a child at night.... 2 hours is sufficient and make sure the diffuser is away from the bed and the door is open. I love a bedtime routine with a drop or two of of Lavender and Easy Air at night ...such a lovely way to relax and settle at night.

Please do not use these precious oils in an oil burner  ... there is a risk of the oils becoming to hot which damages the composition and they may lose their therapeutic benefits.


Other .. 

doTERRA have safety information on their doTERRA science blog ...and please refer to their recommended ideal daily amounts .... 


Please take your advice and recommendations from a reliable source. There is SO much information out there and a lot of it is not safe.... I have seen recipes for topical and diffuser bends with far too many drops.. which is totally unnecessary. Use the ideas.... but please adjust the quantities for safety.

When it comes to pregnancy...babies ...small children and elderly... please do your research and get your dilutions from a place you trust.

Be mindful of drug interactions ...there are some essential oils that are contraindicated with certain medications. Please if you are on medications I ask you to empower yourself with reliable information.

Some references I trust are....

Aromatic Science Blog 
doTERRA Science Blog
The Modern Essentials resource book 
The Essential Life book
Robert Tisserand from the Tisserand Institute (loads of essential oils safety data and recommendations)

This is another popular Dilution Chart.... if you are new to the oils.... choose the highest dilution per age.



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