Uses for essential oils?

[Deleted User]

Lavender in the bath

Lavender in the rinse drawer of washing machine. I put it in with the usual brown vinegar and yet the washing still smells beautifully of lavender

Lavender in with the steam iron water

Diluted lavender sprayed into manky smelling dog baskets in the shedding season

Lavender on my pillow (bit strong sometimes, I must admit)

Lavender as a shoe refresher

Lavender as a moth repellent in my knitting wool basket and jumper drawer

As you might have guessed, I rather like the Lavender:p

Ellie2758

Grapefruit in oil burner and also kitchen bin. Lovely

patchwork_cat

My favourite are Lavender and Bergamot. Bergamot in an oil burner, Lavender oil sprinkled on sheets or feet for a good night's sleep.

Justamum

Gigervamp wrote: »

The use of tea tree oil is restricted to only 1% in cosmetics, so it shouldn't be used neat.

It can be used neat unless your skin is particularly sensitive to it. It's one of the only ones which can be used neat.

zippychick

I'll merge this with an older thread asking the same question, once you have more input

thanks
Zip

kerleytops

A few drops added to the steam cleaner when cleaning carpets helped to remove pet odours!
A sprinkling on the ironing board
A few drops in the seashells in a basket in the loo.

Gigervamp

Justamum wrote: »

It can be used neat unless your skin is particularly sensitive to it. It's one of the only ones which can be used neat.

Well, I'm going by the EU Cosmetics Directive which all cosmetics have to conform to. The directive is there to protect the consumer and if I make say, soaps or bathbombs, I wouldn't be allowed to use more than 1% of tea tree essential oil.

Tracey04

lauren_1 wrote: »

Lavender is good at reducing scarring from spots and good for burns, blisters and insomnia and operation scars from 3-7 days after (its worth googling it to read up on it)

It's wise to note that tea tree and lavender can be used neat on the skin up to 2 drops and chamomile can be used with caution* its good for calming the skin but only up to one drop. NO OTHERS CAN BE USED IN THIS WAY

1 drop may sound small but it goes a long way

Tea tree can be used for spots, fungal nail infections, verucaa's, blisters, scrapes, operation scars from 3-7 days after to ward off infection on the scar, 2 drops to the hair rubbed in and left overnight will kill off any headlice.[/QUOed on TE]

when yousay a couple of drops rubbed on the hair do you mean from like those 10ml little bootles. Is that enough.
do you put it on neat onto a verucca- never heard of that one before

ab7

Gigervamp wrote: »

Well, I'm going by the EU Cosmetics Directive which all cosmetics have to conform to. The directive is there to protect the consumer and if I make say, soaps or bathbombs, I wouldn't be allowed to use more than 1% of tea tree essential oil.

That rule is there to protect children etc who may possibly swallow anything and as essential oil has a totally different toxicity when swallowed then the rules change . Skin application/inhalation has a much higher dilution ratio before becoming an issue unless there is sensitivity.
I also noted that someone mentioned it for pets? Never, ever use undiluted tea tree oil on pets, especially dogs. There is something in their neural system that reacts violently to the chemical composition of tea tree.
I keep lavender for many uses but especially for burns, and lemon tea tree for the sick room. The lemon acts as a double safeguard against germs. I also use many different oils for different reasons like others.

Gigervamp

ab7 wrote: »

That rule is there to protect children etc who may possibly swallow anything and as essential oil has a totally different toxicity when swallowed then the rules change . Skin application/inhalation has a much higher dilution ratio before becoming an issue unless there is sensitivity.

I have to disagree. According to the SCCP Opinion on Tea tree oil

The European Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (COLIPA) in 2002 published the
following recommendation:
“COLIPA recommends that Tea Tree Oil should not be used in cosmetic products in a way that
results in a concentration greater than 1 % oil being applied to the body. When formulating Tea
Tree Oil in a cosmetic product, companies should consider that the sensitisation potential
increases if certain constituents of the oil become oxidised. To reduce the formation of these
oxidation products, manufacturers should consider the use of antioxidants and/or specific
packaging to minimise exposure to light.”

That is specifically talking about use on the skin and the possibility of sensitisation that occurs when some of the chemical componants oxidise.