When the weather starts to become warmer and we see the sun for a longer time each day, it’s time for the reminder that there are essential oils to avoid in summer. Some essential oils are phototoxic. This means that when the oil is use and the body comes into contact with UV rays, you could harm your skin. Lets go over a list of oils to be cautious of during this season, and why this is important information to have in your depth of knowledge. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and let’s dive in to the intriguing world of essential oil safety while you’re enjoying your time in the sun.
Essential oils are fun, effective, and provide us with an extra ambiance of scent when diffused in rooms and used in products. Yet, a number of oils come with safety cautions. One thing that concerns me is oils that are sold off the shelf in many stores that have safety cautions you may not be aware of.
What is phototoxicity?
Phototoxicity happens when certain chemicals in your skin react to sunlight, making them harmful to your skin cells. It can cause various symptoms like skin irritation, redness, itching, and swelling, similar to a bad sunburn.
In other words, specifically with respect to essential oils, using certain oils before skin exposure to UV light will create a chemical reaction that will harm the skin. This includes exposure to both sunshine and tanning beds, for example. I can’t stress enough how serious the effect on the skin can be. These effects can be more severe than a regular sunburn and it can take a very long time to heal from this kind of skin damage.
What makes an essential oil phototoxic?
The chemical components that we want to watch out for are furanocoumarins (FCs). Examples of FCs include psoralen, methoxsalen, bergapten, oxypeucedanin and angelicin. These components are activated in the presence of UV light. The risk of phototoxicity will depend on the presence and amount of the chemical component. Speak to a certified aromatherapist for guidance or ask your essential oil distributor for batch specific chemical reports that illustrate the percentage of each chemical component that was found in the oil when tested.
A couple of other factors to consider are:
Dilution rate: Get to know safe dilution rates of essential oils and why that safety rating exists. In the case of phototoxicity, the effect can be cumulative. In other words, if you use a phototoxic oil at a safe dilution of 0.02% and a second phototoxic oil with the same safe dilution rate, you have now doubled the amount of phototoxic oils in your recipe.
Plan ahead: Plan your time in the sun. It is always a good idea to exercise caution to sun exposure, however, the longer you are in the sun, the worse the effect on your skin will be. Find shade, or cover up your skin from the UV rays. Know where you are going and plan ahead. Keep light clothing or a towel with you if possible. Clothing has a UPF rating (Ultraviolet Protection Factor). UPF is the level of UV radiation capable of passing through fabric and reaching your skin. While SPF is the amount of time it takes for your skin to become red. For example, if your skin usually burns in 15 minutes, then applying a lotion with an SPF rating of 15 will may allow you to be in the sun 15 times longer before your skin burns. Note that not all clothing has the same protection level. Remember to plan accordingly.
Can I still use phototoxic oils in the summer time?
According to Essential Oil Safety, by Tisserand and Young, while furanocoumarins can be found in cold-pressed citrus oils, they are generally not found if that citrus oil has been steam distilled. Regardless, please ensure that you are double checking.
Bergamot is a phototoxic essential oil that is very popular. Through an essential oil extraction method called fractional distillation, distillers are able to remove furanocoumarins, making the oil safer. This type of Bergamot is labelled as FCF, or “furanocoumarin free”. Other regularly cold pressed essential oils that can be steam distilled are bitter orange, lemon and lime. I recommend caution around this point. While I hope that you are reading labels to determine which brands provide quality essential oils to purchase, in the case that you are not familiar with the method of extracting the oil, it’s best to avoid these oils before skin exposure. Knowing your essential oil supplier and being able to trust their labelling is an important aspect of buying quality oils.
Wash off products
Caution is advised when using wash off products with phototoxic components, especially where the component is present in the oil at higher levels.
Cover Up
If you will be covering up with clothing and not exposing your skin to the sun’s UV light, or a tanning bed, using phototoxic essential oils can be safer with the right clothing.
Substitutions
If you love the citrus oils, there are many substitutions that can be made for the same effect or similar scent profile. Check the list of non-phototoxic oils provided at the end of this blog. You may find a new favourite!
Personal inhalers
A great way to continue to enjoy these oils in the summer time is to use a personal inhaler or aromatic jewelry. You can also use a diffuser such as our terra cotta clay diffusers. These diffusers can be placed in your car, closet or in your home office to deliver the delightful scents you create. The more you use it, the more effective the clay becomes as a diffuser.
Terra Cotta Clay Essential Oil Diffuser Buy Now!
Phototoxic Essential Oil Caution List
This list is not exhaustive, but contains oils that can be commonly found on store shelves. Use them with caution.
- Angelica, Angelica archangelica
- Bergamot, Citrus bergamia
- Bitter Orange, Citrus aurantium (cold pressed)
- Grapefruit, Citrus paradisi
- Lemon, Citrus limon (cold pressed)
- Lime, Citrus aurantifolia (cold pressed)
- Mandarin, Citrus reticulata
- Tagetes, Tagetes minuta
Dilution rates of Phototoxic Oils
The following chart provides IFRA guidelines regarding the maximum dermal use of phototoxic essential oils to minimize adverse reactions.
Do not use the oils listed on this chart in larger dilutions applied to the skin at least 12-18 hours before UV ray exposure (sun or tanning beds).
Which citrus oils are not phototoxic?
Not all citrus oils are phototoxic. The following list are essential oils that will be safe for use in the proper dilution. Remember to look for the extraction method (in parentheses below) before purchasing.
Lemon, Citrus limon (steam distilled)
Lime, Citrus aurantifolia (steam distilled)
Mandarin, Citrus reticulata (cold pressed or steam distilled)
Sweet Orange, Citrus sinensis (cold pressed or steam distilled)
Tangerine, Citrus reticulata (cold pressed or steam distilled)
Yuzu, Citrus Junos (cold pressed or steam distilled)
If you have further questions do not hesitate to contact a certified aromatherapist. That’s me! Use my Contact Us form on the website.
