“Using them on your skin almost insures that some of it will get into your bloodstream,” Dr. When it comes to the skin, some experts say that in small concentrations they offer antibacterial benefits, but many believe that beyond giving a product a nice scent, they do more harm than good. While inhaling certain essential oils has been shown to affect the central nervous system and stimulate the brain to release neurotransmitters like serotonin that help with mood regulation, they’ve also been shown to disrupt the normal functioning of hormones. They are much more concentrated than popular oils like coconut and argan, for instance, which are considered “carrier” oils that are milder and are often used to dilute stronger essential oils. “They require a high amount of plant material for processing, so they usually have much higher active ingredient concentrations than we’re used to,” said David Petrillo, a cosmetic chemist in Los Angeles. Extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots and select fruits via either distillation or cold-pressing, essential oils are highly concentrated chemical components that contain a plant’s essence or smell. To understand why essential oils can be risky for skin, it helps to understand what they are and are not. While the brand attributed the reactions to a product batch being compromised by a third-party manufacturer, it noted that it would be working to remove essential oils from its products “to mitigate any future potential for irritation.” In January, Summer Fridays posted an apology to customers after receiving a slew of negative reviews that mentioned rashes and hives as side effects. After reviewing the ingredient list, she became convinced that the peppermint and citrus oils were the culprits. “I immediately took it off, and my skin was more red and irritated than ever before,” Ms. Minutes after application, her face started stinging and tingling in a way that seemed counterproductive. Last February, Gabrielle Puig, a 21-year-old student at George Washington University, decided to test out the Jet Lag mask from Summer Fridays, a much-hyped skin-care brand from the influencer Marianna Hewitt, to soothe her dry skin. Lab-prepared products, however, can be just as problematic. “It’s becoming more problematic because people are using undiluted forms of these oils to make their own product,” Dr.
The situation has worsened during the pandemic, she said, because people are experimenting with essential oil remedies while stuck at home. Annie Gonzalez, a dermatologist in Miami, has seen an uptick in essential oil reactions, calling them one of the leading causes of allergic contact dermatitis. Last March, an article on the satirical website Reductress, titled “Essential Oils to Cure Your Rash From That Other Essential Oil,” offered a succinct summary of the backlash.ĭr. Essential oils, often added to products for fragrance or for their antibacterial properties, have become particularly controversial as they’ve grown in popularity, with companies like doTerra and Young Living raking in billions of dollars on sales of the oils.ĭermatologists have long argued that essential oils are risky for skin, but customers are starting to catch on in the wake of unexpected and sometimes painful skin reactions. That sentiment is growing amid an unregulated “clean” beauty boom in which many new brands position themselves as better for skin simply on the basis of their natural, nontoxic ingredients.
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