Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) Organic Essential Oil 

A bright, clean, refreshing essence from the fresh organic rind of lime. We use only organic citrus oils because pesticides and herbicides are concentrated in the rind. Almost all cold-pressed citrus oils (with the exception of Sweet Orange) carry phototoxic concerns. This means that these oils should not be used topically, first of all undiluted, and secondly not immediately prior to going out into the sunlight or any ultra violet rays - including sunbeds. 

We love to use it in a citrus blend and add it to any of our household cleansers. I make a nice all purpose degreaser using an equal blend of lime, pink grapefruit, lemon and orange (you can also purchase our already blended Citrus Fresh oil). My recipe uses regular liquid glycerin soap (about 1 Tbsp), 2 cups of water, and really as much of the essential oil blend you want to add since this is for cleaning. Citrus oils cut grease and gummy stuff better than anything else and you are at the same time breathing in these wonderful health-giving scents and your house will smell amazing - clean and fresh. We usually add about 20 drops depending on the type of cleaning project.

Another thing to consider with citrus oils - they oxidize and this can alter fairly quickly the important chemistry of the particular essential oil. Which is why we buy only fresh citrus oils from our supplier. We keep all of our citrus oils refrigerated and suggest you do the same. All essential oils should be stored tightly closed, leave the top off only long enough to drop the oils into whatever you are diluting it with, and keep in dark glass containers. We ask that you not remove the safety dropper cap supplied and keep them out of reach of children. It's alway a good idea to write the date on the bottle that you have received and opened the essential oil in order to keep track of the age of the oil.

Organic Fresh Lemon Zest Soap - Handcrafted

Our generous sized bars will last a long time and give you much luxury. They will last longer, however, if you place them in a drainage dish that allows for them to dry out between use.

Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii) Essential oil.  

We recommend that all essential oils be used diluted and with the proper education provided to you by your health care provider or certified aromatherapist. There are many places you can purchase essential oils, but we recommend that you consult with an educated provider or purchase blends from educated providers. Essential oils are powerful medicines and when used incorrectly can cause harm. Please read our Disclaimer before using our products.

Although some websites will say that this oil is a skin irritant and to avoid use in pregnancy. Our research did not find this to be an issue, in fact, one of our favorite aromatherapy textbooks, Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, by Shirley and Len price refers to Palmarosa as being a "uterotonic oil which facilitates delivery" and they provide what they call the "Boudoir" blend as follows:

Thyme essential oil - Thymus vulgaris ct (chemotype) geraniol - 3 ml (there are 5 ml's to a teaspoon)

Palmarosa essential oil - Cymbopogon martini - 3 ml

Clove (it doesn't say leaf or bud, but they are much the same) - Syzygium aromaticum: 0.5 ml

Vegetable carrier oil: 13.5 ml

Instructions: "6 to 8 drops massaged over the belly several times a day to stimulate labour if the mother is post-term. Or the same quantity over the lower back every half hour during labour itself."

Our favorite book on essential oil safety is well...Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Tony Balacs. They have comments concerning the constituent geraniol and refers to oral dosing, which we do not recommend regardless of the oil unless under the advice and guidance from an aromatherapy professional who has demonstrated hours of education and expertise. They also state that geraniol may have the potential to lower blood pressure. They consider Cymbopogon martinii to not be a skin irritant nor sensitizer, not phototoxic with no cautions or warnings noted.

Once I finalize the blend for the Candida that we used for the yeast overgrowth, I'll put it up on the website for sale with all of the ingredients declared. Plus, we will be adding Palmarosa to our Bugz Off essential oil blend so it can be used for dust mites and most likely for bed bugs - but I'm still finishing up the research and testing on that one.

Keep ALL essential oils out of reach of children or pets, dilute prior to use. Use and store in the amber dropper safety caps provided. Keep out of sunlight or high temperatures. Do not take orally without proper supervision by a healthcare provider and/or certified aromatherapist.

Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) essential oil 

Due to its high level of cinnamic aldehyde please use caution when using this oil. It has historically been used in the flavoring industry and studies that have shown its very beneficial properties, as detailed above, have been with oral use. This oil makes a very good antiseptic mixed with water or in a diffuser. It is, however, one of the strongest skin irritants and skin sensitizers in the field of aromatherapy. Previously most aromatherapists, including myself, would tell you to never, ever use this oil topically. However, after listening to a webinar by Robert Tisserand, who wrote the classic textbook on aromatherapy safety, said that it could possibly be used because of how highly antibacterial it was but at no greater than 0.5% usage. His book has stated that it is "not useful for aromatherapy", but he did change his view point during this webinar. I would say do not use it without the guidance of a qualified, trained clinical aromatherapist. Having seen so many horrible wounds and so many cases of MRSA during my nursing career, I have to be excited about the possibilities of this particular essential oil and hope to do some studies in the near future. For what it's worth - and I think it's worth a lot - China has been using this essential oil medicinally for several thousands of years. They are so far ahead of us where healthcare is concerned.

Also please note: If used concurrently with any other anti-platelet and/or anti-coagulant medications this essential may increase the risk of bleeding. 

Oregano essential oil (Origanum vulgare)

Undiluted, pure aromatherapy grade. Do not use internally without first consulting with a qualified healthcare professional and this oil should be diluted with carrier oil prior to use. This particular essential oil is often sold in health food stores diluted with other ingredients. The oil we offer here is not diluted and is not adulterated with other ingredients. Due to its high content of the chemical constitutent Carvacrol, this oil will inhibit platelet aggregation, which means it decreases the bloods natural ability to clot. So do not use prior to surgery and or immediately following surgery. And do not use if you are currently on any other blood thinners such as aspirin, Plavix or Coumadin. 

HIGHLY IRRITATING TO THE SKIN AND MUCOUS MEMBRANES. I have on occasion, accidentally, touched the side of the bottle when putting it away and there may have been a drop on the outside of the bottle. I then put my hand to my mouth and it hurt - a lot! I had to immediately wash my entire face and hands. I should and usually do remember to whip the outside of the bottles and wash my hands thoroughly after pouring any oils - but especially this oil. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN - PLEASE!!

Please see our disclaimer. You will find additional in-depth information in our Essential Oil Database along with research information (under construction)

The perfect synergy - a thick, emollient cream to soothe sun-parched skin that includes our powerful blend of herbal insect repellent essential oils proven effective literally all over the world. Simply smooth this cream over your entire body and enjoy the double benefits of an insect repellent and top notch cream. Always do a patch test on the inside of your elbow prior to first time using a new product.

Aniseed Essential Oil

Aromatherapeutic uses for Aniseed Essential oil include:

To be perfectly honest, this essential oil was not in any of my classes and not on my list of oils that I regularly use or recommend. That was until a friend asked me to make a soap that he knew about that "attracted" fish and also masked human scent while hunting. This intrigued me, so I began to frequent some of the forums and blogs such as Bass Pro and learned that in fact Aniseed is a common and frequent use for these applications. So I formulated a soap and a body spray. We haven't used them ourselves - yet, but will be interested in any testimonials or experiences by those who do.

The scent of Aniseed is strongly familiar as licorice and some love it and some don't. It has many beneficial properties far and beyond those mentioned above and we've assembled that information in our ever-expanding Essential Oil Database. For those who want more detailed information please take a look there. This oil has an amazing array of benefits that I wasn't aware of myself until I began to do the research.

An important consideration for anyone using Aniseed oil. It is quite high in the chemical constituent, (E)-Anethole, also referred to as trans-anethole, thus giving this particular oil the properties of being anti-platelet and vaso-relaxant. This can be a good thing for some vascular issues, but must be avoided if taking other blood thinners or prior to or post-surgical procedures.

IMPORTANT: All of our products are for external use only.

We also suggest you have a good working knowledge of the use of essential oils or consult with an aromatherapy professional prior to use. In addition, Essential Oils must be properly diluted before use in order to avoid any damages to property or adverse physical effects (including injury or bodily harm). Please read our Disclaimer before using our products.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) essential oil - safety and usage information coming soon.

Peppermint essential oil is widely used and because of this, often misrepresented as being completely safe. It is safe when used diluted and with knowledge of cautions that apply to this oil. I was happy to see that the National Association of International Aromatherapists (NAHA) has felt it necessary to post a position statement on their website due to adverse events caused by perhaps well-meaning sellers of essential oils who know little to nothing about safely using essential oils. Here is NAHA's statement:

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita): relieves nausea, analgesic for muscular aches and pains, relieves/reduces migraines, energizing, antispasmodic, do not use on children under 30 months of age

NAHA Safety Note for Peppermint Essential Oil:

- Avoid use on children under 30 months of age. The nasal mucosa is an autonomic reflexogen organ, which has a distance action to the heart, lungs and circulation and may lead to sudden apnoea and glottal constriction.

- Direct application of peppermint oil to the nasal area or chest to infants should be avoided because of the risk of apnea, laryngeal and bronchial spasms, acute respiratory distress with cyanosis and respiratory arrest. (The Longwood Herbal Task Force)

- Do not apply undiluted peppermint essential oils to the feet, particularly on infants and children under the age of 12.

- Inhalation of larges doses of menthol may lead to dizziness, confusion, muscle weakness, nausea and double vision. (Natural Standard Research Collaboration, Peppermint oil. Evidence based monograph 2005; Medlineplus)

The information below has been taken from the European Medicines Agency: ASSESSMENT REPORT ON MENTHA X PIPERITA L., AETHEROLEUM

- When used orally, it may cause heartburn, perianal burning, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting. Heartburn is related with the release of the oil in the upper GI tract, which relaxes the lower oesophageal sphincter, facilitating the reflux. The same occurs in the cases of hiatal hernia. This particular undesirable effect is minimized by an appropriate pharmaceutical formulation.  **Peppermint essential oil should always be in an enteric-coated tablet or capsule for internal use.

- People with gallbladder disease, severe liver damage, gallstones and chronic heartburn should avoid the intake of peppermint oil.

- Menthol and peppermint oil caused burning mouth syndrome, recurrent oral ulceration or a lichenoid reaction, by contact sensitivity in the intra-oral mucosa, in sensitive patients.

- When applied on the skin, it may cause allergic reactions, as skin rashes, contact dermatitis and eye irritation.

- Use in infants or children is not recommended, when inhaled, taken by mouth or if applied on open skin areas, on the face or chest, due to the potential toxicity of the product.

- Peppermint oil should be used with caution. Doses of menthol over 1 g/Kg b.w. may be deadly.

For further research articles see:

A near fatal case of high dose peppermint oil ingestion- Lessons learnt

Acute allergic contact dermatitis of the lips from peppermint oil in a lip balm.

This is such a wonderful, fresh, clean essential oil, but did you know it is also a SOLVENT - as are other citrus essential oils. I use it to dissolve grease, dirt and grime - as well as cleaning the label glue off of recycled bottles. So - what I'm saying here is this is not something you want to put in your water every day as some companies recommend. Your liver will thank you if you don't. It makes a very good - and very healthy - addition to any of your cleaning products, use in a diffuser, and even add it to your massage oil or cream. It has so many benefits, BUT it is also a phototoxic oil, meaning that if you use this topically, don't go out into direct sunlight or a sunbed for 12 to 24 hours because it can cause a slight reaction to a severe burn. Dilutions are important. Essential oils are concentrated extracts from plant material - many times concentrated from that slice of lemon you put in your glass of ice tea. We only purchase and sell certified organic citrus oils. Why? Because citrus oils (most anyway) are not steam distilled as are other essential oils, but are cold-pressed from the RIND. Yes - and that is where the pesticides and herbicides are most concentrated.

Another thing to consider with citrus oils - they oxidize and this can alter fairly quickly the important chemistry of the particular essential oil. Which is why we buy only fresh citrus oils from our supplier. We keep all of our citrus oils refrigerated and suggest you do the same. All essential oils should be stored tightly closed, leave the top off only long enough to drop the oils into whatever you are diluting it with, and keep in dark glass containers. We ask that you not remove the safety dropper cap supplied and keep them out of reach of children. It's alway a good idea to write the date on the bottle that you have received and opened the essential oil in order to keep track of the age of the oil.