The Truth About Essential Oils in Skincare

There is a lot of misleading information out there regarding the safety and usage on Essential Oils in skin care, and we'd like to clear up some confusion. Please note that the information listed below is our opinion, and it is by no means intended for the purpose of providing medical advice.

Essential Oils are natural oil compounds extracted from plants, typically obtained by distillation, via steam, or cold-pressed, which result in having the characteristic fragrance of the plant or other source from which it is extracted. In recent years, the demand for essential oils have increased due to huge claims of fixing, repairing, or helping certain ailments, and when demand for something so valuable increases, there will oftentimes be a version becomes adulterated in order to profit from or provide for in large quantities. This seems to be true in anything that is pure, rare, or of value. Be it agave nectar, seed oils, or honey (have you seen the Netflix docu-series Rotten?).

Essential Oils, when distilled purely and unadulterated, have amazing and wonderful benefits, when used properly, in the right proportions. However, it is true that they can be so potent that skin can burn, or become damaged. There are also specific essential oils to avoid during pregnancy, when lactating, or for children under the age of 6 months old. 

Many skincare brands may cut corners and use a cheaper essential oil, which imply that their sources either have adulterated the raw material, or have diluted it with an additive. They may have also been extracted with pesticides or other impurities. Some skincare brands may be using these cheaper solutions at such high concentrations because the aroma is not apparent in the end product at lower volumes. This is where the danger can occur. If an essential oil is used at the wrong concentration levels, or the source is adulterated, impure, or fake, this can become potentially dangerous and damaging to your health and or skin.

If you have naturally sensitive skin, it's crucially important to understand where or how your skincare brand sources their essential oils. Even in it's purest form, sensitive-skinned people can still have adverse reactions due to potential allergens. For most people though, the results of using pure, unadulterated, especially 100% Therapeutic grade essential oils can be very beneficial. One study shows potential antimicrobials to treat skin conditions. In this study, they list almost 100 different essential oils that are used in dermatology to help with various skin issues. There have also been studies on the anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal effects that Lemongrass Essential Oils have. This is why many of our products use Lemongrass Essential Oils, like our Lemongrass Body Butter and our Lemongrass Detox Bath Salts. Not only does it smell wonderful, it could also help with inflammation. 

We have spent many years studying essential oils, we've consulted with experts in the field, and we scrutinize every raw material that is used in our products. Every single essential oil that is used in any of our products are 100% therapeutic grade. This means distilling and sourcing oils from the best source of the plant without the addition of any harmful chemicals or pesticides. Each drop of essential oil is so pure and potent, only a small amount is needed in order to receive the aromatic and therapeutic benefits. 

If and when essential oils are used in a Fyve product, that fifth ingredient will typically be a blend of essential oils, which are always shown in the ingredient list. And that total blend is always less than 1% in the formula. Our 100% therapeutic grade essential oils are so potent that a single drop of oil contains enough molecules to cover every single cell in your body (and more). This is why one should never apply essential oils "neat", or without an addition of an oil, like coconut oil or almond oil, also know as a "carrier oil". 

We hope this provides some clarity on the use of essential oils in skincare. As always, doing a patch test on yourself is a good idea before slathering on something you're not sure about.