Written with the guidance from our in house Aromatherapist Adele, from Honestly Store

It is so important to use the correct essential oils for children. There can be a lot of misinformation out there which can be so confusing for parents.We all want to make sure what we use on or around our kids are safe don’t we?
So I asked Adele for a list of oils which are safe for babies and children.

Firstly there are a couple of  commonly thought to be safe oils used quite often for babies and young children.  Adele has suggested some safer alternatives that have similar properties for you.

Commonly used oil	Replace with
Eucalyptus	Peppermint Gum (E. dives pipertone chemotype)
Oregano	Tea Tree
Peppermint	Peppermint Gum (E. dives pipertone chemotype)

Below is a list of some of the most popular EOs which you can be sure are safe for babies, children and pregnant women:

Common Name	Latin Name
Cedarwood, Atlas	Cedrus atlantica
Chamomile, German	Matricaria recutica
Chamomille, Roman	Chamaemelum nobile
Eucalyptus, Broad-leaved peppermint/Peppermint Gum	Eucalyptus dives var Pipertone
Frankincense	Boswellia carteri
Geranium	Pelargonium graveolans
Lavender, True	Lavandula angustifolia
Lemon	Citrus limon
Mandarin	Citrus reticulata
Marjoram, sweet	Origanum majorana
Neroli	Citrus aurantium var. amara
Niaouli	Melaleuca viridiflora/quinquenervia
Orange, Sweet	Citrus sinensis
Palmarosa	Cymbopogon martinii var. martinii
Patchouli	Pogostemon cablin
Rose, Damask	Rosa damascena
Sandalwood	Santalum album
Tea Tree	Melaleuca alternifolia
Thyme, Common	Thymus vulgaris (ct Linalool)

How to use Essential Oils safely

Whenever you use EOs and they come into contact with the skin they need to be diluted in a carrier. Most often vegetable oils or butters are used as a carrier.

Putting EOs into water is not diluting them as the oil will not mix with water, unless they have been previously mixed with a solubiliser.

Some suggestions for carriers

You can use any type of carrier that you prefer, although be aware some have strong smells that might affect how your EO blend smells in the end. You can even use unfragranced shampoo and conditioner.
The best carriers are:
Sunflower Oil
Sweet Almond Oil*
Olive Oil
Shea Butter
Mango Butter
Coconut Oil – refined and fractionated will be liquid and have no smell, unrefined
will be solid at room temp and may have a coconut smell.
*Do not use on anyone with a nut allergy

I hope that was helpful for you and you can now feel confident in using oils on or near your little ones or during pregnancy.

Here are some baby and pregnancy safe products you might love xx