If you’ve been shopping with us for a while, you already know just how important safety and education is to us. To those people who are new to Plant Therapy or looking to learn more about us, you’ll quickly learn that safety and education are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why Plant Therapy created our KidSafe line.
Our KidSafe line of products is our way of empowering families to choose which essential oil blends and single essential oils they could safely use with their children. We want you to be able to easily find essential oils that are not only effective but are truly safe to use on or around your children with both topical application and diffusion.
What Makes An Oil KidSafe?
In order for an essential oil to be classified as KidSafe, each chemical constituent found in the oil must be at a safe level that isn’t likely to cause any negative effects or harm on the child. In addition, the essential oil had to be safe enough to use topically without any major concerns of irritation or sensitization and safe enough to inhale through diffusion.
The Sweet Dreams Team
Over the years, we’ve continually added to our collection and gained new information about different oils. Which meant it was time to revisit these oils to make sure our KidSafe information is still current. For this reason, we created a new group of Plant Therapy aromatherapists, The Sweet Dreams Team! This team will bring new changes and additions to our KidSafe brand of essential oils and products through our exceptional and highly experienced aromatherapists.
The Review Process
This deep-dive review of current essential oils and blends involved studying each GC/MS report for every batch of essential oil we have sold and comparing them to each of those oils’ most recent batches. As we’ve discussed in our GC/MS testing blog post, no batch of essential oil is the same, and the constituents can vary, so it was no surprise to us that each batch of essential oil fluctuated slightly.
After comparing the results and researching the oil, we determined that many of the oils that were not initially classifying as KidSafe could, in fact, be used with kids when done so appropriately. Now, let’s take a look at each of these oils. Pay close attention to our reasons why these oils weren’t initially classified as KidSafe, and why we are now comfortable listing them as KidSafe with proper usage guidelines.
Please note, we are in the process of updating our labels an it may take more time for all changes to reflect on the labels.
The Single Essential Oils
Blue Yarrow
- In the past we have seen trace amounts of a, b-thujone and methyl chavicol. While there is always a potential for the constituents to show up again, based on their history, they have always been trace amounts. When following our usage instructions, we feel that this oil is safe to use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 1-2 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-2% in a carrier of your choice.
Buddha Wood
- There are no known cautions associated with this oil. We did not give it our KidSafe stamp in the past due to the lack of research available. We now have more information and anecdotal evidence and feel it is safe to use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-4% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Carrot Seed
- Fetotoxicity is the only concern with this oil. When following our usage instructions, we feel it is safe for use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 1-2 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-2% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Coffee
- This oil contains low levels of caffeine which is safe to use with children ages 2 and up when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-2% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Damiana
- This oil contains trace amounts of a & b thujone which can be neurotoxic, and some lots may contain very low levels of estragole. All of these constituent levels meet our new safety guidelines and are typically found in trace amounts. When used as directed, we feel it is safe to use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 1-2 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical use, dilute to 0.25-1% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Davana
- There are no known cautions associated with this oil. We did not give it our KidSafe stamp in the past due to the lack of research. Now that we have more information and anecdotal evidence, we feel it is safe to use with children ages 2 and up when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-2% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Elemi
- Elemi contains very low amounts of methyleugenol. The constituent level meets our new safety guidelines, and when used as directed with our usage instructions, we feel it is safe for use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-2% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Frankincense Serrata
- This oil contains low amounts of a, b-thujone and methyl chavicol. Thujone may be neurotoxic, however, the levels of these constituents are low and within a level we feel is safe when used as directed for children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-2% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Ginger Root CO2
- Ginger Root CO2 has the potential to be a skin irritant but only slightly higher than Steam Distilled Ginger, which Plant Therapy sold as KidSafe. When used as directed, we feel it is safe to use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 1-2 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.25-0.5% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Thyme Linalool
- Thyme Linalool has no known cautions associated with it. The thymol content is low and it is very high in linalool. When used as directed, we feel this is safe to use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical use, dilute to 0.5-2% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Ylang Ylang Complete
- This oil contains low amounts of methyl chavicol and eugenol. Both of these constituents meet our new safety guidelines. When used as directed, we feel it is safe for use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.25-0.5% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Ylang Ylang Extra
- This oil contains low amounts of methyl chavicol and eugenol. Both of these constituents meet our new safety guidelines. When used as directed, we feel it is safe for use with children ages 2 and up.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.25-0.5% in a carrier oil of your choice.
The Essential Oil Blends
Chill Out
- Chill Out contains Ylang Ylang Complete, which we have determined to be safe when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical use, dilute to 0.5-1.5%. in a carrier oil of your choice.
Chocolate Truffle
- We originally did not consider this KidSafe due to the ethanol content and caffeine found in this blend of essential oils. These constituents are safe to use with children ages 2 when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5% in a carrier oil of your choice.
Love Vanilla
- Love Vanilla contains Ylang Ylang Complete, which we have determined to be safe when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-1.5%. in a carrier oil of your choice.
Sleep Tight
- Sleep Tight contains Ylang Ylang which we have determined to be safe when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-1.5%. in a carrier oil of your choice.
Soft Skin
- Soft Skin contains Frankincense Serrata which we have determined to be safe when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-1.5%. in a carrier oil of your choice.
Tranquil
- Tranquil contains Ylang Ylang which we have determined to be safe when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-1.5%. in a carrier oil of your choice.
Self Manifestation
- Self Manifestation contains Davana which we have determined to be safe when used as directed.
- Directions: For aromatic use, diffuse using 2-3 drops per 100 mL of water. For topical application, dilute to 0.5-1.5%. in a carrier oil of your choice.
Important Considerations
While we have determined these oils to be KidSafe when used as directed, this does not change our current recommendations and guidelines at this time for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. While we are working hard to review and update these guidelines and suggestions as well, it is important to understand that it is still undergoing review and we have not made a determination at this time. With this in mind, if you are currently pregnant or breastfeeding, we strongly recommend you stick to our current guidelines found here.
Also, keep in mind that the new additions to our KidSafe classifications are merely our recommendations and you do not have to use the oils if you do not want to. If you are not comfortable using any oil after reviewing the information provided, that’s completely okay. We always encourage our customers to research further for themselves to determine whether or not these essential oils are right for their families.
These additions to our KidSafe list also are only for children ages 2 and up. We do not recommend that these essential oils be used on or around children under the age of two. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about these updates, please do not hesitate to email our team of experts in our customer satisfaction department.
With the new additions to our KidSafe list, which are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments below!
