Essential oils aren’t harmless. They’re highly concentrated chemical extracts. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just reality. And when something is powerful, it deserves boundaries. One single drop can equal the volatile content of dozens of cups of herbal tea, far beyond what digestion is designed to handle.
Because of this extreme concentration, essential oils can irritate the mouth, throat, stomach lining, and mucous membranes, sometimes immediately. More concerning, they can cause organ toxicity at surprisingly small doses, including liver injury and central nervous system effects.
I also have a hepatologist in my clinical herbalism class who sees patients with liver damage linked to essential oil ingestion. These are not abstract risks. This is real-world clinical toxicology.
And what’s so problematic is that some wellness influencers and companies are promoting the internal use of essential oils. This is a frustrating field to be apoart of because of all of the dangerous or problematic misinformation that you find online.
Essential oils are so amazing and can absolutely be used in a more safer way. Aromatic use through diffusion or inhalation in well-ventilated spaces and for short intervals is generally the safest and most traditional method.
One time I had to disinfect some very large rooms and it worked beautifully! Essential oils have antibacterial properties.
I also like to make my own hand sanitizers and cleaning products with essential oils!
I once drew a warm bath with essential oils for a family member who was severely constipated and in pain from traveling, and shortly after they were able to have a bowel movement and felt immediate relief.
This worked because travel often creates a cold, damp, and tense terrain, slowing gut movement and tightening the nervous system, and the warmth, steam, and aromatics relaxed the body, restored circulation, and allowed elimination to happen naturally rather than forcing it.
It worked beautifully! I always carry some essential oils when I’m traveling.Topical use can also be helpful when oils are properly diluted in a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba.
Essential oils are lipophilic, meaning they dissolve in fats, which allows them to pass through the outer layers of the skin and interact locally with tissues, nerves, and circulation rather than hitting the liver all at once.
When applied to the skin in diluted form, essential oils primarily work through local and neurological pathways, not systemic overload. Some compounds interact with sensory nerve endings in the skin, sending signals to the brain that influence the nervous system, muscle tone, or perception of discomfort.
Others may exert mild antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory effects right where they’re applied, which is very different from flooding the bloodstream through ingestion.
Dilution matters because carrier oils slows absorption since they’re so strong and fast acting. This will reduce irritation. Instead of a sharp chemical spike, the oil is released gradually, giving the body time to process it safely.
This is why areas like the feet, pulse points, or muscles are commonly used, absorption is automatically slower in those places and more regulated compared to mucous membranes or the gut.
Another important distinction is dose control. With topical use, the amount that actually enters circulation is significantly lower than ingestion, and much of the effect remains localized.
The skin acts as a buffer, whereas swallowing essential oils bypasses many of the body’s natural protective barriers and sends concentrated compounds straight to the liver for detoxification.
In short, topical use respects how the body is designed to interact with potent plant chemicals. It allows essential oils to influence sensation, circulation, and the nervous system without forcing the liver and gut to metabolize doses they were never meant to handle.What’s best avoided is treating essential oils like supplements.
Essential oils are powerful. That’s exactly why they deserve respect, not casual ingestion.
Honestly, Vanessa 