OK, the first essential oil we're going to look at to see if a company is including all the safety information is...Anise. For this one, if it's for sale, it shouldn't be! So let's start there! If it is for sale, they should at least warn people this is potentially carcinogenic. This one is on my "do not use" list, but for sure should be avoided around children, dogs, and if pregnant. Just because the herb version is safe and beneficial for digestive issues, doesn't make the essential oil safe to use. Avoid this one.

The second essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if it includes all the proper safety information is...Bergamot. This should be flagged as phototoxic if cold pressed. Including the extraction method should be a standard part of an essential oil's profile, and this is why. if it says "steam distilled" then you know it's not phototoxic. Other clues to it being safe to use diluted on the skin is if it's called "furanocoumarin-free" or "FCF" or "bergapten free." But knowing the extraction method will solve that question right away. If phototoxic, you'll want to see them advise against using at more than a 0.4% dilution to prevent those burns.

The third essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if it includes all the proper safety information is...Cinnamon Bark (and Cinnamon Leaf - we're lumping these together in conversation, although they do have some small differences). Both Cinnamon Bark and Cinnamon Leaf are blood-thinning and should be flagged as such. Bonus points if they specify to avoid if taking aspirin or other blood thinners, and to avoid before and after surgery. Most companies don't disclose this! Additionally, Cinnamon Bark has a 0.01% topical max, and Cinnamon Leaf has a 0.6% topical max. This should be disclosed on the website. Annnnd Cinnamon Bark is not safe for use during pregnancy.

The fourth essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if they've included all the proper safety information is...Clove. Like the cinnamons I just talked about, Clove should be flagged for thinning the blood. The company should warn you that it has interactions if using aspirin and other blood thinners, and should be avoided before and after surgery. The page should also mention the topical max for Clove: it's 0.5% and that it's not to be used on children under the age of 2.

The fifth essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if it includes all the proper safety information is...Eucalyptus. On this page you should see them warning you not to use with children under the age of 10 years old. This is because of the 1,8-cineole Eucalyptus contains that can cause breathing issues with children.

The sixth essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if it includes all the proper safety information is...Fennel. Like Anise, if you see this for sale, that's a red flag. Fennel is carcinogenic, and is often found in digestive blends, or blends to boost milk production for breastfeeding women. While the herb is safe, the essential oil is not. At the very least the company should let you know the risks before you purchase.

The seventh essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if it includes all the proper safety information is...Lemon. The cold pressed version is phototoxic and has a 2% topical max. If the website lists the extraction method for this essential oil, you can know if it's cold pressed and phototoxic, or if it's steam distilled and not phototoxic. Even so, the steam distilled version has a 20% topical max.

The eighth essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if it includes all the proper safety information is...Oregano. Ooh, this one is a big one. Commonly recommended to ingest even for the common cold, this one is blood thinning, not safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and has a topical max of 1%. Those are the warnings you should see on the page.

And it goes without saying all of these things I've been talking about should be on the bottle itself also. And before you think "Lea, there's no way they'd all fit!" well not to be rude, but you'd be wrong cuz I've been designing safety stickers for my Recipes Lab™ members for years - and it does all fit! (see video for example!)

The ninth essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if it includes all the proper safety information is...Peppermint. On this profile page you should see a warning not to use with children under the age of six years old. The menthol in Peppermint, like the cineole in Eucalyptus, can cause breathing issues for young children. It should also be avoided if you're breastfeeding, as some woman have reported a dip in milk supply even from inhalation. Finally, a topical max of 5.4% should be noted.

The final, tenth, essential oil to look up on a company's website to see if it includes all the proper safety information is...Wintergreen. This one is toxic and you won't miss it if you never use it. Should be avoided with children, it's blood thinning, so avoid if using with aspirin or other blood thinners, as well as before and after surgery. For full transparency, they should warn you Wintergreen has contraindications with epilepsy, salicylate sensitivity, and ADHD. You should see warnings not to use if pregnant, and the topical max is 2.4%.

Sooo...if you were checking out your company's website as you were following along with me, how did your company do? After looking at brands for years, myself, I can guess they probably came up short. Inside BRAND REVIEWS Portal I give each company an opportunity to earn 108 points, and let me tell you, most have a loooong way to go.

So what happens if you're relying on a company to provide the information and they either don't know the right stuff to add, or don't care? You can arm yourself with the knowledge anyways by cross-referencing your essential oils with Essential Oil Safety Made Simple™ - the newest resource I created for you. The app version makes searching for "all essential oils safe for kids" or "kids and dogs" a breeze - but I have online, ebook, and print versions also. Having this reference on hand will give you the knowledge you need, and that's lacking from the place you buy essential oils from. Grab the bundle of all formats for the best savings, or shoot me an email if you grab the print off amazon and I'll send you the ebook at no cost to you. Just forward the receipt to the email mentioned in the video or on the audio (if I type it here, bots will spam me).
 

When it comes to providing the information we've been talking about in this series - spoiler! - both Young Living and doTERRA are at the bottom of the companies I've scored thus far. They don't flag for some of the safety issues that need flagging: blood-thinning essential oils, EOs unsafe for kids or for use during pregnancy, and no mention of drug interactions anywhere. They do have general disclaimers such as "consult your doctor if pregnant or nursing" - but that's on every page. Not all essential oils are unsafe to use during pregnancy. In fact, out of the 273 essential oils I've included in my new book, Essential Oil Safety Made Simple™, 206 of them are safe to use during pregnancy!

In my next episode, I'm going to go over a few common questions such as, "why does it matter if a company provides the proper safety information?" Plus, I'm going to touch on GCMS and third-party testing, the myth that "you get what you pay for," and we'll talk about what the term therapeutic grade really means. 

If you found this helpful, share with a friend so we can use essential oils safely together.