TBG Woogle: Essential Oils – helpers or irritants?

All essential oils are listed in the UK as ‘Primary Irritants’ but this is obviously in the undiluted form.  If essentials are used neat, that is, not blended with the correct amount of carrier oil it can be toxic and cause adverse reactions, including Anaphylactic shock (which is a severe, life threatening allergic reaction), migraines and sickness, etc.

v2_i216861_w580_h435_x9FD78D15Many people get allergy and sensitisation mixed up – but an allergy is an immediate reaction to an irritant whereas sensitisation is a build up over the time of continually coming into contact with the irritant until that ‘individual’ has reached their ‘Threshold Limit’ – then they react.

This is the same whether it is essential oils, cosmetics, food stuffs, cleaning chemicals, etc.  Once they react, they will continue to react. There have been many advances in the understanding of how we react to irritants, and research scientists are continually attempting to develop methods of supporting our body’s own natural histamine reaction through exposure; for example, ‘hay fever’ where the sufferer is injected with the ‘pollen’ of the plant or tree that causes the reaction to build up immunity.  Also eating honey from bee hives in the local area of the sufferer where the bees are collecting pollen or nectar from the ‘reactive’ plant life.   

Essential oil must always be used diluted never straight from the bottle, ideally using the appropriate carrier oil or blend of oils for the skin type; Shirley-Louise always selects pre-blended oils in massage treatments to suit your needs. The oils she uses are from ‘Naturally Thinking’ who are based in Croydon.  The selection of essentials oils are blended to produce a synergy of effects such as relaxation, calming, energising or heat producing going deep into the skin and muscles to support the massage, creating the desired effect.