We live in Florida, so sunshine is just part of our daily lives, which makes it super important that we are aware of the safety info about essential oils and the sun.
Certain oils are called "photosensitive," which means that when they are applied topically, they will increase our skin's reactivity to the sun's UV rays. The oils themselves do not burn, but we are more likely to get a sunburn because the oils make our skin more reactive to the light of the sun.
Most of the photosensitive oils are from the citrus family and the blends that contain citrus, but there are a few others as well. Thankfully, Young Living places a caution on the label of every oil that has a chance of increasing photosensitivity.
Now, this doesn't mean that we need to stop using our beloved citrus oils in the summer or if we live in a sunny place. We just need to exercise caution. If you know you're going to be spending the day outside in the sun, just apply your oils to a location that won't be exposed or wait and apply them at night. You could also drop them on diffuser jewelry if you like to wear your citrus scents during the day.
If you do end up applying a photosensitive oil, just be sure to dilute and wait the recommended time before sun exposure.
I've made a list of the essential oils and blends from Young Living that are photosensitive, but when in doubt, just refer to the caution label on your oil bottle.
No comments