If you’ve already got a huge collection of essential oils, and want to use up your stash before committing to a guaranteed KidSafe® option, that’s totally ok! You just need to take a few extra steps first:
1. Do dilute your oils before using them for your kids.
Remember kids are not tiny adults! Their smaller bodies mean they need less essential oils to get the same benefit as an adult.
Basically, a little bit goes a very, very long way. That’s great, and diluting also means more bang for your buck, and who doesn’t love that?
Dilution by age*:
- Premature infant: Do not use
- 0-3 months old: 0.1-0.2% dilution
- 3-24 months old: 0.25-0.50% dilution
- 2-6 years old: 1.0-2.0% dilution
- 6-15 years old: 1.5-3% dilution
- 15+ years old: 2.5-5.0% dilution
*These are the approximate percentages of essential oil dilution by age. Always start with the minimum and work your way up.
2. Do use a carrier oil when applying oils on your child’s skin.
A child’s skin is different from adult skin; it’s thinner and more sensitive.
Even though most essential oils won’t irritate your skin, you should still dilute essential oil in a good carrier oil before applying to your child’s skin.
A “carrier oil” is a base oil used to dilute your essential oils and protect skin against direct contact. Mix 1-2 drops of essential oil in 1-3 teaspoons of a carrier oil like Grapeseed Carrier Oil, Coconut Carrier Oil, Almond Carrier Oil, Avocado Carrier Oil, or other mild, gentle, skin-friendly oil.
You get all the same benefits—a carrier oil just adds extra moisture for their delicate skin.
3. Don’t give your child essential oils internally.
Again–remember that one drop of essential oil is equal to 15-40 cups of medicinal tea, or 10 teaspoons of tincture. Diffusing essential oils or applying them to the skin is a very safe and effective, way to use essential oils for your kids.
4. Don’t take essential oils internally while you’re pregnant.
How to use essential oils (topically and diffused while pregnant is a question we see often, and it’s no surprise! As a new mom, you’re 100% correct to ask questions and prioritize your baby’s health.
Do remember that essential oils do cross the placenta, and your fetus is more susceptible to the effects of essential oils than you are. For this reason we don’t suggest taking essential oils internally while you’re pregnant. You can absolutely still diffuse essential oils, or use them on your skin.
You’ve heard us say with essential oils “less is more,” and that’s especially true when using essential oils during pregnancy. The more often you choose to use essential oils the more you will absorb, and the more crosses the placenta.
Like many things during pregnancy, it’s best to limit essential oil usage to relieving symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, or occasional head tension. You still get all the wonderful benefits of essential oils, without overexposing yourself or your growing baby.
Most of the time, though, this ends up being a non-issue. I mean, pregnancy makes women so sensitive to smells that I don’t know any women who would use too much essential oil–our pregnant bodies do a great job of telling us how much is safe!
And remember, when you’re ready to incorporate specific KidSafe® essential oils into your routine, we’ve got you covered!
Love this! Thanks for the info on pregnancy
Such great information! I love that PT is so dedicated to safe EO usage. I love that I can educate myself here and know that I and my family are using our oils beneficially!
Thank you for promoting safe essential oil usage!
Good article! Just the information I was looking for!
Thank you for the dilution ratios! I just bought some kid safe blends and can’t wait to try them with my son.
if the oils are chemicals, how are they safe?
Ashley, this question would best be answered one-on-one, either with our customer service team ([email protected]) or with our aromatherapists ([email protected]). We also have tons of educational materials going over exactly what essential oils are and how they can be very safe and beneficial. If you’d like to read Essential Oils 101 (https://blog.planttherapy.com/blog/2018/08/10/essential-oils-101/) that would be a great place for some helpful information on essential oils 🙂
Thank you for the age:dilution ratios. That takes the question work out the equation.
Thank you for this information! Essential oils ARE chemicals, so I respect the fact that Plant Therapy takes their potency seriously and helps we as parents know how to use them in a healthy way.
Glad you enjoyed this post! We do what we can, that’s for sure!
Thank you for caring so much about children when using oils. I wish MLMs were more cognizant of children. This is why PT is the best in my book!
Thanks so much for the sweet feedback Amanda! We are passionate about safety, especially with little ones, and are thrilled to have the opportunity to educate families.
Happy to see accurate information floating around my newsfeed for once! I ahave always wondered how much to diffuse with a young child around as well–are there a certain number of drops to use or a certain exposure time?
I have wondered about diffuser amounts/times, too, with both KidSafe oils and EOs generally considered safe around littles.
Great question! When diffusing around children we recommend starting with fewer drops and adjusting as needed. If your diffuser calls for 5-8 drops of essential oil start with 5 and see if that is effective. As for diffusing times we recommend intermittent diffusion, 30-60 minutes on 30-60 minutes off is a popular choice. I hope this helps!