Essential Oil Gift Safety for Kids
While many DIY products and gifts that include essential oils are advertised to adults, don’t forget about kids and teens! There are actually many amazing gifts you can make using essential oils and other natural ingredients that are perfect for the kids during the holidays and other times of the year. Here are a few different options.
Bath Bombs for Kids
The first type of gift you can make for kids that use essential oils is your bath bombs. These are a great alternative to making bubble bath and other fun bath products. The bombs are placed into a tub of warm water, where the kids can have fun watching the water change colors. You are able to make it more of a seasonal gift appropriate for kids by using silicone molds of fun shapes, from Christmas trees to train and cars. Bath bombs typically use a combination of water, baking soda, and citric acid to make them.
Essential Oils to Avoid Using
Before you get into making the DIY gifts for your kids, make sure you only use certain oil scents. There are some that are not good for children, especially toddler-age and younger children. It is important that you not use these scents or blends that contain them. For holiday blends, some might include the scents, so be really careful when making your choices. The essential oils not generally safe for young children are:
Eucalyptus
Peppermint
Wintergreen
Sage
Hyssop
Clary Sage
Make Sure the Oils are Diluted
Naturally, you want to make sure your essential oils are diluted properly when using them with kids. Nobody should have essential oils directly on their skin without diluting with carrier oils, since they are too strong to come in contact with the skin. However, while adults sometimes experience mild skin irritation, it is always too strong for sensitive baby skin. For your kids, dilute it even more and always use high-quality carrier oils. There is no reason you need an extra-strong DIY product using essential oil, so dilute them more than you normally would.
Test Their Skin
If you are making soap, lotion, or other baby products, test the diluted oil on a small area of your child’s skin before using them. That way, if there is irritation or allergic reactions, it is only one small area and not all over their skin before getting it treated.