Products with essential oils

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Hi everyone, I've seen from this site that you have to be careful with using essential oils as some are bad for you when you're pregnant. However I'm unsure as to whether this only refers to pure oils and directly massaged into tummy or whether it refers to any product containing essential oils (put anywhere). I use skincare ranges like Ren, Nuxe and Dermalogica which don't have lots of chemicals in (I have sensitive skin) but they all proudly state that they include essential oils (even the more mainstream brands like Clarins etc have them). Does anyone know about this? Thank you!

I think you should avoid any products containing the oils to avoid. I know Clary Sage is one to avoid until after a certain no of weeks (possibly 37 but not positive) as they think it can get things moving.

Thanks Jumpyjan, that's most of my products down the drain! Everything nice seems to contain oils (had also thought that 'natural' ingredients would be better than chemicals when pregnant). Have heard about clary sage but luckily don't think anything I have contains that (sounds scary!). More lavender, lupin, rose etc. Does anyone else know of what oils to avoid?

Just googled and seen lists of the oils to avoid - it's basically every oil. Including rose and lavender. So does anyone really know if it's even normal products with very small amounts or just the pure stuff otherwise it seems very hard to find products which don't use oils at all (my normal Palmolive shower gel I've been using has rose oil in so I'm now quite worried.) Thank you!

its ok to use manufactured products because they contain so little of the oils but avoid the more concentrated stuff. or use something like the simple baby range. i think superdrug do a mum to be range as well

Oh thank you lissie, that's calmed me down a little, was hoping that brands like Palmolive would use so little and just put it on the packaging to seem nice! Will bin that though just in case. Living abroad so alas far from friendly Superdrug and Simple but thanks so much for the tips, will stock up when I'm home.

read this

Thank you Lissie, seems my shower gel was ok as is rosewood and neroli. Phew. Some stuff I have contains the banned things so will throw them, hopefully it's been ok up to now though as only used a little and just on face so can't have taken in so much. Bit confused about the lavender though as some sites make it a no-no while this site recommends it. Thanks very much again.

lavender is very mild and can be used directly onto the skin when NOT pg, however all straight essential oils should be avoided. my aromatherapy teacher told me not to use essential oils in massage during pg (esp the first 12w) you might benefit from speaking to a qualified aromatherapist tho, just to be sure. however, in the tiny amounts that they use in manufactured products you should be fine using the ones on the list

if that makes sense

That absolutely makes sense, thank you very much for helping.

no probs, im on half term this week but if you can wait i can ask my tutor more q's when i go back if you like

Oh wow, you're actually doing a course, that's wonderful. I'd really appreciate you asking anyway, thank you. And enjoy your half term!

Bugger! Used an alias to ask a really embarassing question elsewhere and forgot to change my nickname back. Damn the speed of the internet

Hi,
same problem here.....I'm mortified that I can't slap on my clarins scrub and body oils. I'm an addict!
I diluted them in lots of carrier oil and still cheat occasioanlly.

An aromatherapist friend explained that the forbidden oils are what's called emmenagogue (or smthg like that wich is basically as lissie explained traditional abortive plants.
As said in the doc attached, better safe than sorry but Very diluted seems OK if used sparingly and occasionally.

Thus, II still use my face products (origins).

some oils also encourage milk flow, some are uterine stimulants. but any q's that you have just tell me. i go back next monday so i can ask her then!

Slim - all Clarins products are safe during pregnancy. Anything in the toning/tonic range is fine from day one though.

Slap away!

Lauren that's what I was told but I did check ingredients and those forbiden oils are there!
It's very confusing as clarins does recommend the range during pregnancy and considering their ethos of knowing well and working mainly with plant extracts, I find it odd.
I don't know really

My Mum owns a few Clarins Salons and I've always been told by the reps and therapists that everything is safe. With the body oils stick to the Tonic Oil - why would you use anything but the stretch mark relieving one anyway!!

Maybe better safe that sorry in the first 12 weeks though.

thanks Lauren!
Yipeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! I'm gonna scrub and I'm gonna rub then!

I would contact each manufacturer and ask. I love Lush and ws concerned as they have lots of products with oils in them. However, they said that as they are so diluted by water, all their bath products are safe for pregnancy. So - I am happy bombing away!