[Chocobo]

Just wondering what the general understanding is...

I did some research on essential oils and most of the benefits com from smelling it (there are ERP studies, etc which show benefits)

However oils like lavender are cytotoxic (it kills skin cells) and increase your risk of sun burns. even at concentrations as low as 0.2%

also citrus oils increase the risk of sunburn as well.

It doesn't make sense to me that companeis would still choose to put these essential oils in their products when it is well researched that they are not good for your topically. My favorite Burt's Bees lip balm has orange oil in it...and I have noticed dark marks and pigmentation on my lips since using it for the past year...how unfortunate





Cytotoxicity of lavender oil and its major components to human skin cells

Prashar A, Locke IC, Evans CS

Abstract: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) oil, chiefly composed of linalyl acetate (51%) and linalool (35%), is considered to be one of the mildest of known plant essential oils and has a history in wound healing. Concerns are building about the potential for irritant or allergenic skin reactions with the use of lavender oil. This study has demonstrated that lavender oil is cytotoxic to human skin cells in vitro (endothelial cells and fibroblasts) at a concentration of 0.25% (v/v) in all cell types tested (HMEC-1, HNDF and 153BR). The major components of the oil, linalyl acetate and linalool, were also assayed under similar conditions for their cytotoxicity. The activity of linalool reflected that of the whole oil, indicating that linalool may be the active component of lavender oil. Linalyl acetate cytotoxicity was higher than that of the oil itself, suggesting suppression of its activity by an unknown factor in the oil. Membrane damage is proposed as the possible mechanism of action.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of Lavandula stoechas aqueous extracts

Celik TA (Celik, Tulay Askin), Aslanturk OS (Aslanturk, Ozlem Sultan)

Abstract: Lavandula genus is an important member of Labiatae (Lamiaceae) family. People use commonly Lavandula stoechas as a medicinal plant for various diseases around the world and also in Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of aqueous extracts (40, 80 and 120 g/L) from L. stoechas flowers on Allium cepa root tip meristem cells. For this purpose, A. cepa onion bulbs were treated with the above-mentioned L. stoechas flower extracts for 72 h. Spring water (pH 7.3) was used as a control. The result of this study sowed that aqueous extracts reduced mitotic index, but induced chromosome aberrations and mitotic aberrations in comparison with control, significantly (p < 0.05). Aqueous extracts induced breaks, stickiness, pole deviations and micronuclei. Furthermore, these effects were related to extract concentrations. These results showed that L. stoechas aqueous extracts have cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.

[HeartOfRose]

Thanks for the info! It's not surprising to me how companies love to jip their consumers..

[Chocobo]

no problem! people need to be aware of what they're putting on their skin!

[im` l0vEd]

omg! r u serious?

im glad i stopped using burts bees wax lip balm now. but that chapstick works wonders!

[chibishrink101]

how about olive oil? i heard good stuff about olive oill!

[CtlunatC]

... my friend gave me a pack of lavender body washes and soaps and lotions.....

[rinnie_chan]

^ oh, so i think u should stop using it oO

[Chocobo]

how about olive oil? i heard good stuff about olive oill!

there are good oils, like olive, pomegranate, cranberry, etc

irritating ingredients...

Alcohol or SD alcohol followed by a number (Exceptions: Ingredients like cetyl alcohol or stearyl alcohol are standard, benign, waxlike cosmetic thickening agents and are completely nonirritating and safe to use; SD alcohols are not considered a problem when they are used in minute amounts, as is the case with some ingredient mixtures.)
Ammonia
Arnica
Balm mint
Balsam
Bentonite
Benzalkonium chloride (if it is one of the main ingredients)
Benzyl Alcohol (if it is one of the main ingredients)
Bergamot
Camphor
Cinnamon
Citrus juices and oils
Clove
Clover blossom
Coriander
Cornstarch
Essential Oils
Eucalyptus
Eugenol
Fennel
Fennel oil
Fir needle
Fragrance (may be listed as “Parfum”)
Geranium
Grapefruit
Horsetail
Lavender
Lemon
Lemongrass
Lime
Linalool
Marjoram
Melissa (lemon balm)
Menthol, Menthyl Acetate, and Menthyl PCA
Mint
Oak bark
Orange
Papaya
Peppermint
Phenol
Sandalwood oil
Sodium C14-16 olefin sulfate
Sodium lauryl sulfate
TEA-lauryl sulfate
Thyme
Wintergreen
Witch hazel
Ylang-ylang

bad:

Almond extract
Allspice
Angelica
Arnica
Balm mint oil
Balsam, basil
Bergamot
Cinnamon
Citrus
Clove
Clover blossom
Cornstarch
Coriander oil
Cottonseed oil
Fennel
Fir needle
Geranium oil
Grapefruit
Horsetail
Lavender oil
Lemon
Lemon balm
Lemongrass
Lime
Marjoram
Oak bark
Papaya
Peppermint
Rose
Sage
Thyme
Witch hazel
Wintergreen

good:

Alfalfa
Algae
Aloe
Andiroba oil
Apricot kernel oil
Artichoke extract
Avocado oil
Babassu oil
Bearberry extract
Beeswax
Black currant oil
Black elderberry
Black tea
Bladderwrack
Borage seed extract
Borage seed oil
Burdock root
Candelilla wax
Canola oil
Carnauba wax
Carrot extract and oil
Castor oil (all forms)
Ceramides
Chamomile extracts
Cocoa butter
Coconut oil
Cornflower extract
Corn oil
Cranberry seed oil
Curcumin (tumeric)
Elderberry
Evening primrose oil
Flax extract and oil
Ginkgo biloba
Grape seed extract
Grape seed oil
Green tea
Hazelnut oil
Hemp seed oil
Honey
Horse chestnut extract
Hydrocotyl extract
Irish moss
Japan wax
Jojoba oil
Kaolin
Kelp
Kudzu root
Kukui nut oil
Lanolin (all forms)
Licorice extract and root
Linseed oil
Lotus seed extract
Macadamia nut oil
Magnesium
Mallow
Matricaria
Nettle
Oat extracts
Olive oil
Oryzanol
Ozokerite
Palm oil
Peanut oil
Pecan oil
Pine cone extract
Propolis
Pycnogenol
Rapeseed oil
Raspberry seed oil
Rice bran oil
Rose hip oil
Safflower oil
Sea whip extract
Seaweed
Sesame oil
Shea butter
Slippery elm bark
Soybean extract
Soybean oil
Sunflower oil
Sweet almond oil
Tea tree oil
Vanilla Planifolia
Walnut oil
Wheat germ glycerides and oil
Wheat Protein
Whey Protein
White tea
Willow bark
Willowherb (fireweed) extract
Yeast
Yucca extract

[Rainie]

I never knew that some of these natural oils would be bad for your skin....all the advertise is how "natural" it is...

Thanks for posting this.

[HeartOfRose]

Wait so papaya is bad? o___o

[c i e l`]

Aw, this is very helpful >< thank you so much...
Didn't know that T T haha fortunately I didn't really use some.

[rufflezz]

Wow o_o Thank you for the heads up. I didn't even know about the bad ones until today XD;

[woei]

are you serious?...
wow....it seems really dangerous...thanks for the information

[je_amourx]

Well its obviously that some does increase the risk of sunburn such as lemon, cucumbers and etc thus they all warn about sun exposure.
I'm concern about Lavender oil since it's in Bio-Oil and I'm currently using it - guess most avoid all sunlight!
Thank for sharing!

[seaweed333]

haha lavender oil makes u grow boobs
there was a scientific finding that said that lavender oil makes guys grow boobs
lemon oil is like the worst
it makes ur skin really prone to sun damage
but with essential oils, it really depends on ur own skin
its just that a lot of ppl can have allergies to some oils which is why some oils that might be really good for skin are on the 'bad' list

[CaramelSweetie]

... my friend gave me a pack of lavender body washes and soaps and lotions.....

give it back to your friend! xD

Woahhh soo many to remember! xP

[addickshun]

too many to remember o__o"

[Chocobo]

Well its obviously that some does increase the risk of sunburn such as lemon, cucumbers and etc thus they all warn about sun exposure.
I'm concern about Lavender oil since it's in Bio-Oil and I'm currently using it - guess most avoid all sunlight!
Thank for sharing!

It's still cytotoxic though Doesn't matter if you're in the sun or not.

[abviolinplayer]

Whaaat?? Lavender is like my favorite scent!! That means I can't use my lavender soaps and lotion???

[Lelaye]

I read that in the book "Perfume" but that list of other bad oils, surprising cause most of that is in moisturizers and all.