38 Essentials Oils That Are Phototoxic And Alternatives You Can Use
Photo by Chelsea Gates on Unsplash
Essential oils and extract oils are known to be healthier than fragrances and artificial fruit aromas, but did you know that, in addition to causing allergic reactions or interactions with medical conditions or medications, they are also phototoxic?
Phototoxicity occurs when substances, such as medications, essential oils, or chemicals, react with sunlight and cause skin injury. When these substances are exposed to UV radiation from the sun, a chemical reaction is triggered that damages the skin cells, resulting in a variety of symptoms like redness, swelling, blistering, and burning. Because sensitivity can vary from person to person, not everyone will experience phototoxic reactions, but it is a serious issue because it increases exposure to cancer-causing UV rays.
List of Phototoxic Essential Oils
The majority of the phototoxic essential oils scents are citrus-based such as lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit, but there are many others, so pay attention this list below to avoid purchasing one.
Bergamot oil
Cinnamon oil
Clove oil
Lemongrass oil
Lemon oil
Orange oil
Peppermint oil
Rosemary oil
Thyme oil
Wintergreen oil
Dill seed oil
Douglas fir oil
Ginger root oil
Jasmine Absolute
Juniper berry oil
Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) leaf extract
Neroli Bigarde (neroli) flower oil
Petitgrain Sur Fleurs (petitgrain) leaf/flower/twigoil Petitgrain Sur Fleurs leaf/flower/twig
Cedarwood essential oil
Tea tree essential oil
Basil oil
Chamomile oil
Cypress oil
Eucalyptus oil
Geranium oil
Helichrysum italicum flower oil
Litsea cubeba fruit oil (lemon verbena)
Myrrh gum resin extract
Patchouli leaf Rossallini hippocampi subspicatus hair extract
Ravensara aromatica leaf/twigtop note
Clary Sage Oil
Frankincense Oil
Grapefruit Oil
Lime cold pressed
Angelica Root
Tagete
Rye
Cumin
How To Identify Phototoxic Essential Oils
While this list will help you stay informed so you can make healthier and safer purchasing decisions for your family, there are definitely more phototoxic oils available than we are aware of. As a result, we believe that reaching you on how to search for phototoxic essential oils is the best thing we can do.
A quick Google search for the essential oil term you want to research; in this case, basil can be used like “basil oil cancer,” “list of phototoxic essential oils,” basil phototoxic,” or “basil essential oil toxic.”
Produces the following link results below:
Other Topics
Essential Oil Phototoxic Alternatives
Through considerable research, we learned that these essential oils are the safest for both kids and adults. There might be others, but as you conduct your own research you’ll find that some essential oils are only safe for certain age groups and individuals without certain health conditions.
Essential oils that are not phototoxic:
Lime Distilled
Sweet Orange
Ylang Ylang
Spearmint
Lavender
Mandarin
Nutmeg
Sandalwood
Roman Chamomile
Black Pepper
Tangerine
Blood orange
Bergamot FCF
Minimize Phototoxicity
If you find that you really need to use a phototoxicity essential oil, here are some safety precautions you can use.
1. Dilute: Always dilute phototoxic essential oils with a carrier oil before applying to your skin. This reduces the concentration of furanocoumarins, an organic compound found in plants that trigger phototoxic reactions when exposed to light and UV radiation. These reactions can cause DNA damage and the death of skin cells.
2. Stay out of the sun: After using a phototoxic essential oil on your skin, avoid direct sunlight or UV rays for at least 12–24 hours. That means, no tanning beds and sunlamps.
3. Patch test: Before using a new essential oil, mix it with carrier oil and perform a patch test on a small area of the skin. This helps determine individual sensitivity and potential reactions.
Hope you enjoyed this article, and stay safe.
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