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Safety tips for using your oils!

  • Always keep the safe amount-per-day guidelines in mind.
  • Avoid applying oils directly to the nose, ears, or around the eyes.
  • For topical application, it is important to consider dilution. Dilution helps you avoid sensitivity with essential oils, and is particularly helpful for young or small children, or those with sensitive skin. It is also important to remember that some essential oils (like Cassia, Cinnamon, Geranium, Lemongrass, Oregano, and Thyme) should always be diluted before topical use.
  • Make sure to store essential oils out of the reach of children. This will help prevent accidental ingestion.
  • When storing essential oils, you’ll also want to keep the oils away from excessive light or heat, because this can alter the chemical properties of the essential oil significantly.
  • Always help younger children apply essential oils to make sure they get the proper amount. It is also a good idea to encourage teenagers to set a good example for younger children by always following guidelines for proper usage.
Use Essential Oils Safely

Important tips for using your aromatherapy diffuse

floraVerve Acorn Aroma Diffuser, 300mL

Your ability to enjoy essential oils aromatically with a diffuser depends greatly on the type and quality of the diffuser you choose. However, with any diffuser, you’ll want to ensure that you take good care of the device by regularly cleaning and maintaining it. Without proper cleaning, your diffuser will develop an oil buildup that can eventually keep the diffuser from working correctly.

A few tips for essential oil diffuser maintenance:

  • Avoid placing your diffuser in direct sunlight or near a fan
  • Clean the diffuser regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions (this includes a deep cleaning at least once a month)
  • Clean the ultrasonic diffuser ceramic disc with a cotton swab regularly. Try to use natural cleaning agents like water and vinegar
  • Make sure to unplug the device before cleaning
  • Do not put the diffuser on a soft surface like a texture as it blocks the diffuser’s suction air inlet and affects its performance.

Make your own blends!

An essential oil blend is a mix of two or more oils, giving you well-rounded benefits and a unique fragrance experience.

By mixing proper oils, they act more powerful in combination than when they act alone. The proper blending increases essential oils’ synergy so they work together in harmony and more effectively.

For some blending ideas, you can find our recipes on our DIY Blends highlight on Instagram

Essential oils can be categorized together based on their primary scent characteristics.

Shown below is a list 9 main essential oils groups and the matching blends:

Scent Group Samples Oils Blends With
Citrus Bergamot, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Tangerine, Lime Floral, Minty, Spicy, Woody
Floral Lavender, Neroli, Chamomile, Geranium, Hyssop Citrus, Spicy, Woody
Herbaceous Clary Sage, Fennel, Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Tea Tree Minty, Woody
Camphoraceous Camphor, Eucalyptus, Cajeput Citrus, Spicy, Woody, Herbaceous
Minty Spearmint, Wintergreen, Peppermint Citrus, Woody, Herbaceous, Earthy
Woody Sandalwood, Pine, Juniper Berry, Cedarwood, Patchouli Floral, Herbaceous, Minty, Spicy, Citrus
Spicy Basil, Black Pepper, Cassia, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg Floral, Woody, Citrus
Resinous Elemi, Frankincense, Myrrh Citrus, Floral
Earthy / Rooty Carrot Seed, Vetiver Woody, Floral

An easy way of blending oils using this model is to pick essential oils within the same scent group. As the oils in each group are similar in properties, they should broadly be compatible with one another. Another method is to pick essential oils from two scent groups that are well-known to blend effectively together. 

Composition of a Scent

You should understand the basic composition of a scent. Perfume oils are made up of 3 different notes; Top, Middle, and Base. 

Top notes are the first notes that you smell and they fade faster. Although there are no hard-set rules, these can be dominant for about 15-20 minutes. 

Middle notes come next and are considered the core of your fragrance. These are most obvious for roughly 15 to 45 minutes. 

Base notes are the most durable of the notes and give your scent longevity. Base notes are what help the Middle notes last longer; they accentuate and extend the longevity of the Middle notes.

10 drops of the essential oil Base notes, followed by 5 drops of the Top note, and 5 drops of Middle notes.

As a general guideline, a fragrance is made up of three types of scents in different proportions: top notes (30%), middle notes (50%), and base notes (20%).

Essential oils Notes

Popular Top notes: basil, bergamot, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, lime, spearmint, rosemary, orange, tangerine, cinnamon bark, and coriander

Popular Middle notes: black pepper, cardamom, chamomile, fennel, geranium, juniper berry, nutmeg, and ylang-ylang

Popular Base notes: cedarwood, cypress, ginger, patchouli, pine, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver, myrrh, frankincense, and clove bud

If you blend according to note, you should select no more than three to seven oils from each of the three note families.

Several recommendations are 1:1:1, 3:2:1, 4:2:1 [Top : Middle : Base]

For example, if you did the 3:2:1, you would select 3 oils for the Top note, 2 oils for the Middle note, and 1 oil for the Base note

Scent Inspirations

If you’re in need of a little inspiration to get started, here are some possible essential-oil scent combinations to try, depending on your mood, personality, and personal preferences.

Fresh & Kicky – grapefruit, ginger, vetiver

Romantic & Wistful – rose, lime, vetiver

Sensuous & Deep – sweet orange, ylang-ylang, sandalwood

Sweet & Summery – lavender, chamomile, cardamom, cedarwood, geranium

Bright & Refreshing – peppermint, rosemary, lemon, sage, juniper

Wild & Woody – spruce, juniper, cedarwood, vetiver, bergamot

Rich & Spicy – lavender, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, ylang-ylang

Dilution rate when you use your oil topically

When it comes to safe topical use of essential oils, dilution is one of the most important principles to understand.

Some worry that diluting an essential oil before applying will take away from its benefits; however, dilution actually makes for better absorption into the skin—extending the benefits for even longer. By diluting your essential oil with a carrier oil, you slow the rate of evaporation. Also, it enhances absorption into the skin and protects sensitive or delicate skin. As you can see, dilution does not take away from the essential oil experience but, allows for a more effective topical application.

You can use the below guideline to dilute your oils:

It is important to note that some essential oils should always be diluted before topical use due to their chemical makeup and strong, potent nature. Be sure to read the instructions for each individual essential oil before applying topically to ensure safe use.

Essential oils that should always be diluted before topical use:

When using an essential oil topically for the first time, always start with the lowest possible dose—one to two drops. Once you see how your skin reacts to the small dose, you can increase the dose as necessary to help achieve the desired benefit. Because essential oils are so potent, it is always a good idea to use a few small doses periodically throughout the day, rather than a single large dose all at once. For topical use, a dose can be repeated every four to six hours as needed.

When applying an essential oil for the first time, it is a good idea to first conduct a sensitivity test. This helps how your body and skin react to the chemical structure of the oil.

You can conduct a sensitivity test by applying a small dab of the essential oil (mixed with a carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil or sweet almond oil) to an inconspicuous area of the skin.

Continue to check the area each hour for a few hours to make sure that no sensitivity or irritation has occurred.

While essential oils vary in chemical components, potency, and aroma, there are some areas of the skin that are extremely sensitive to oils, and should always be avoided—no matter what kind of oil you are using.

It is important to remember that essential oils can linger on the fingers and hands following topical application.

After applying essential oils topically, avoid rubbing or touching your face and eyes since these areas can be sensitive to oils.

It is a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after applying essential oils topically to avoid contact with sensitive areas.

Sensitive Areas to Avoid

  • Eyes and the skin around the eyes
  • The inner ears
  • Genitals
  • Injured, broken, or damaged skin

If you touched sensitive areas by accident and feel stings, flush with clean warm water for a few minutes.