I had to agree with her that there are a lot of people, including vets, recommending various essential oils, without full knowledge of the effects it can cause for pets, the elderly, and pregnant women.

One popular essential oil that I personally have in my arsenal of skin blemishes is tea tree.  BUT, tea tree should NEVER, LET ME REPEAT NEVER be used on our precious kitties.  It is toxic and will in time kill them!

I am a trained and certified aromatherapist.  I was first trained in 1998 by Jade Shutes who headed the Institute of Dynamic Aromatherapy and again in 2011 as a refresher course through The East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies.  Again, headed by Jade Shutes.

OK, where am I going with this?  Back in November 2010, I posted a blog on one of my selling venues.  But I think it bears repeating here – again!

Before we get into the use of essential oils in our soaps, let’s have a little chit-chat about some of their uses and cautions.

There is a difference between essential oils and fragrance oils.

Essential oils are generally made from the distillation of the actual plant itself and are highly concentrated.  Some of these essential oils can be quite pricey due to the quantity of the plant and/or its parts needed to make the essential oil.  As an example, it takes approximately 60,000 rose petals to produce 1 ounce of pure rose essential oil.

The molecules of essential oils are so tiny that they have the ability to penetrate the surface of the skin and enter the bloodstream.

If you have allergies to certain plants, using the essential oil of the plant will produce the same allergic affects.

Fragrance oils on the other hand are copied and synthetically produced.  Some fragrance oils may or may not have any of the plant material as part of the process.  Fragrance oils are a good substitute for obtaining the aromatic results you may be looking to achieve without the high cost.  And when you consider that for the most part, the soap containing the fragrance oils sits on the skin for a short period of time, any of the benefits of the true essential oil goes down the drain with the beautiful bubbles.

The molecules of fragrance oils are not small enough to penetrate the surface of the skin and therefore they are unable to enter the bloodstream, with the exception of cuts or abrasions.

In regards to essential oils, there are certain precautions I do like to take.  And here is one of them.

Pregnancy: Although some aroma-therapists argue that a more diluted mixture of EO (essential oil) and carrier oil is safe; I tend to error on the side of caution, and advise against a few EOs if you are pregnant.  Especially in the first and second trimester.

The following list, includes, but is not limited to all of the herbs and essential oils that are classified as “EMMENAGOGUES” which are herbs that promote menstruation, usually causing it to occur either earlier or with increased menstrual flow when it is scanty.  This means it can cause the fetus to abort in the early stages of pregnancy.  You should also avoid the following herbs if you are considering pregnancy.  This caution should also apply to large quantities of the herbs itself.  When in doubt, consult your physician.

I have listed both the common name as well as the Latin name, as all herbs are not created equal.  When working with these herbs and essential oils, look for the Latin name.

Please don’t panic when you read some of these herbs.  The caution is intended for large quantities.  The amounts used in cooking is small in comparison.  But again, consult your physician with any questions or concerns.

*These herbs are also classified as abortifacients: They may cause a pregnancy to end prematurely or causes a non-surgical abortion.  During the first five weeks of pregnancy they act to block the action of progesterone so that the uterus sloughs off the embryo.

Abortifacients are strong, powerful herbs and should only be used for short periods of time. They are hard on certain body organs such as the liver and kidneys if used for prolonged periods of time.

Essential oils should never been taken internally.  You know the drill!  Consult your physician for advise.

Please feel free to copy this information.  Although it took quite some time to accumulate it, I wish to educate people, especially women, on the uses of essential oils and herbs.