Safety and Good Practices
Essential oils are invaluable allies in the creation of soaps and other homemade cosmetics.
At Planète Savons, we carefully select our essential oils for their ability to preserve the scent of your creations over the long term.
However, their potency means they must be used with great care.
This guide will explain how to handle essential oils safely, whether you’re a novice or an experienced user.
1. Moderation and Precaution: Master Words
Essential oils are highly concentrated in active ingredients, making them extremely powerful.
They should therefore be used with moderation and caution.
Here are a few basic rules to ensure safe use:
- Never apply pure essential oils to the eyes, around the eyes or in the ears.
In case of contact, immediately apply a neutral vegetable oil, then rinse with water and consult a physician. - Always dilute essential oils before applying them to mucous membranes.
Their high concentration can cause irritation or burns if used pure. - Keep essential oils out of the reach of children.
For their safety, never remove the caps from the bottles.
2. Tolerance Tests and Irritation Risks
Some essential oils may be irritating or sensitizing to the skin.
Before use, we recommend that you always perform a skin tolerance test in the crease of the elbow:
- Apply one drop of diluted essential oil to the skin and wait 48 hours.
If you notice any reaction (redness, irritation, tingling, etc.), do not use the mixture. - Essential oils such as Angelica, Bergamot, Lemon and many others can be photosensitizing.
Avoid exposure to sunlight or UV rays for 8 to 10 hours after applying these oils.
3. Precautions for Certain Categories of People
The use of essential oils is not recommended in certain cases:
- Pregnant or breast-feeding women: Due to their potency, essential oils may present risks for the fetus or baby.
- People with epilepsy, hypersensitivity or hormone-dependent cancer: Essential oils may interact with medical conditions or treatments.
- Children under 3: The use of essential oils is strongly discouraged.
For children over 3, use only under medical supervision.
4. Handling and storage of essential oils
At Planète Savons, all our essential oil bottles are fitted with tamper-evident caps to guarantee their safety.
To avoid accidents:
- Store your essential oils in a safe place, out of sight and reach of children and pets.
- Avoid storing them in plastic or aluminum containers, as essential oils can react with these materials.
- Never inject them in any form.
5. Consequences of misuse: what to do in the event of an accident?
Despite all precautions, accidents can happen.
Here’s how to react:
- Skin contact: Wipe off the essential oil with absorbent cotton soaked in vegetable oil, then rinse with water.
If irritation persists, consult a physician. - Eye contact: Immediately rinse with clear water or saline solution and consult an ophthalmologist.
- Accidental ingestion: Rinse mouth with edible vegetable oil, then consult a poison control center and doctor immediately.
Do not induce vomiting.
Swallow 1 or 2 spoonfuls of edible vegetable oil to dilute the essential oil.
6. European emergency numbers
Here are the poison control numbers for several European countries in case of emergency involving essential oils:
- Belgium: 070 245 245
- France: 01 40 05 48 48 (Paris poison control center)
- Germany: 030 19240 (Berlin poison control center)
- Netherlands: 030 274 88 88
- Luxembourg: +352 8002 5500
- Spain: +34 91 562 04 20 (National Institute of Toxicology)
- Switzerland: 145 (Swiss Toxicological Information Center)
- Italy: 06 305 4343 (Rome Poison Control Center)
- United Kingdom: 0845 4647 (NHS Direct)
7. Additional resources and advice
If you have any further questions about the use of essential oils, please do not hesitate to contact the Planète Savons team.
We’ll be happy to help and advise you on the use of our products.
You can also consult the detailed information sheets on our website for specific information on each essential oil.
Conclusion
Essential oils offer a multitude of benefits, but they must be used with care.
By following these safety tips and referring to specific recommendations, you can take full advantage of their properties while minimizing risks.
At Planète Savons, we’re here to help you make the most of your use of essential oils.