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Thread: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

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    Member bunnylake's Avatar
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    Default Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    I am reading a lot of conflicting information about the toxicity of thyme and sage essential oils. They are included in a lot of recipes for combating hair loss, but then I hear that they should never be used for the skin or hair at all because they are toxic. Very confusing! Can anyone shed some light on this?


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    Member cmg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    Essential oils are toxic for use on skin. The plants benefit from them different ways, as fungicides, anti bacterials, defence from being eaten by caterpillars or even bigger animals, insect repellants, war against other plants growing to close to them etc. In my thinking people dont take these warnings seriously enough.

    Of course there will always be the odd ones trying everything out and stating "it didn't hurt me at all". I would stay away from putting essential oils directly on your skin and dilute them carefully with carrier oils if putting them in fragrances or other products. Never use essential oils another way than recommended. Some oils are directly contradicted by default, and only used in home-fragrances (never on skin), but even then they can have effects on the nervous system etc.

    Thyme and sage can be used for human consumption in small concentrations, but we are not talking about the concentrated essential oils here, and putting those on the skin is not safe. Take care!

    / CMG


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    Member cmg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    Thyme and sage (plant extracts) both have been used for making hair darker in the old days, perhaps this is the reason for some modern manufacturers putting the essential oils in hair-loss products. And for the nice (slightly medicinal) smell of course. I dont really think it is doing anything against the hair loss though.

    / CMG


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    Member bunnylake's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    Well, I know to always use EO's with a carrier oil. I just found it so odd that sage and thyme are in SO MANY scalp oil recipes. I should probably stay away from these just in case! Thanks for the info.


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    Member cmg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    I love the smell of sage myself. I sometimes make an evening tea of the leaves and add honey from bees out here

    If you are interested, you may look up the contents of sage oil. Sage contains 0,5 - 2,5 % essential oils, consisting out of the following components:

    30-50% thujon,
    15% cineol,
    8-14% borneol and kamphor.
    Also there are amongst others 2-8% katekin-tannines, saponin, flavonoglycosides, 0,35% bitter substances, picrosalvin (carnosol), tri-terpene-acids and other various organic acids, niacin and also a oestrogenic-mimicing compound.

    Usually, the good stuff comes with some bad stuff too. Some of the negative effects after over consumtion were dry throat (and various effects depending on that like karies, inflammations and sores on the skin, as well as allergic reactions in the throat) and bad epileptic-like seasures. There are also effects on the blood-sugar as well as the musculature. Anything from this plant has to be used cautiously and very diluted.

    Got this from various medical pharmacopoecias. Not sure this comes out correctly in english, but you may look it up for better understanding anyways. I have found sage very interesting myself to learn more about.

    / CMG
    Last edited by cmg; December 2nd, 2012 at 12:54 PM.


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    AT LAST! Sillage's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    Quote Originally Posted by bunnylake View Post
    I just found it so odd that sage and thyme are in SO MANY scalp oil recipes.
    Lavender oil is cytotoxic but appears in skin care recipes/products all the time. (Breaks my heart because I love the smell ;_; I guess people haven't caught up to the science yet.
    Routine for my dyed mid back length hair: shampoo and condition twice a week, with Alterna Kendi Dry Oil Spray all over and shea butter on ends and lightly on length as leave-ins on wet hair, and blow dried with a Sedu on low heat

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    Member cmg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    I'am probably going to do something stupid this christmas: There is a cookie-reciepe with lavender that I absolutely MUST try

    / CMG


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    AT LAST! Sillage's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    Haha, I still use perfume with lavender in it (Caron's Pour Une Homme-- the most elegant and comforting combination of lavender and tonka/vanilla you've ever smelled) directly on my skin. And I love lavender flavored pastilles. Lavender cookies sound delightful... if you make them can you let me know how they turn out? Now I'm curious.
    Routine for my dyed mid back length hair: shampoo and condition twice a week, with Alterna Kendi Dry Oil Spray all over and shea butter on ends and lightly on length as leave-ins on wet hair, and blow dried with a Sedu on low heat

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    Member cmg's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    Quote Originally Posted by Sillage View Post
    (Caron's Pour Une Homme--.
    Ahh - a classic!

    Sure thing, I will write down the reciepes if they turn out good. I have one very promising cake reciepe also.

    / CMG


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    Member Happytresses's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thyme and sage essential oils... toxic???

    A friend of mine made lavendar ice cream with honey and it was divine.

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