Advice
General
Aromatherapy is classed as a complementary therapy. This means you should continue to take any medication you have been prescribed by your doctor or physician. All the information contained on this website is intended to be used for educational purposes only, whilst we have taken the greatest care in compiling information we cannot be responsible for any errors or omissions.
Essential Oils are highly concentrated substances and should be treated with respect.
- Always dilute in a base oil before being applied to the skin.
- Keep to the recommended dosages and dilutions.
- Do not use on children under 3, without prior consultation from a qualified aromatherapist.
- Dilutions for children and the elderly should be at least half the recommended dose and professional advice should be obtained if you are uncertain.
- Always keep out of reach of children and away from the eyes.
- Always store in a dark cupboard away from direct sunlight.
- Never take internally.
- If you suffer from epilepsy, have high or low blood pressure or any other medical condition, please seek the advice of a professional aromatherapist or medical practitioner before using the essential oil.
If you are treating a medical condition and symptoms persist then we urge you to seek professional medical advice.
Mixing & Measuring
Generally speaking approximately 20 drops of essential oil is equal to one Millilitre (ml). This varies somewhat with temperature and viscosity of the oil, more viscous oils can yield 16 drops per ml. Normal concentrations for aromatherapy we recommend 2 drops of each oil for 5ml of carrier (2%) We suggest a maximum of 5-6% concentration of essential oil to carrier for aromatherapy use although this can be varied depending upon application. Therefore 5ml of carrier should have no more than a total of 6 drops of essential oil.
Mixing is best done in a shallow glass dish or bowl making it easy to apply. If using essential oils in a bath then you should not exceed 10 drops in total.
Our essential oils are 100% pure and undiluted, a little goes a long way !
Shelf Life
To achieve the best shelf life for your essential oil it should be stored in a cool, dark place with it’s cap in place. We recommend a shelf life of 2 years for citrus oils and up to 4 years for others. However, essential oils are a natural product and each will vary.
Contraindications
Pregnancy, Epilepsy and Heart Conditions
Some essential oils should be avoided throughout pregnancy including:-
- Basil Sweet
- Cedarwood
- Cinnamon
- Citronella
- Clary Sage
- Juniper Berry
- Marjoram Sweet
- Myrrh
- Nutmeg
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Yarrow
and these essential oils are best avoided during the first four months of pregnancy:-
- Lavender
- Spike Lavender
- Peppermint
- Rose Otto
Other essential oils should be used in half the quantity or less during pregnancy or as guided by the qualified aromatherapist.
Phototoxins
The following essential oils are phototoxic and you should avoid going into the sun, or on a sunbed, for at least 12 hours after using them:-
- Lemon
- Orange Sweet
- Grapefruit
- Mandarin
- Tangerine
If you need advice about essential ols and their uses please contact us via our email info@calmer-solutions.com
Alternatively we can reccomend "Oils and Plants", an independent web site that has a wealth of excellent information and data about essential oils and their uses. Another excellent source of information is Aromaweb.