My favorite cosmetic critic responds;
Q. I am a massage therapist and I regularly use essential oils in my treatments. In fact, certain specialty treatments call for copious amounts of pure essential oils to be put on the back and limbs, along with other vegetable oils. Is this safe? After reading your book, and treating my own facial skin, I know that essential oils aren't good for the face (because of irritation or a sensitizing skin reaction), but are they a problem on the rest of the body? How can I incorporate aromatherapy into my massages without compromising the health of the skin?
Anything that irritates the skin is a problem. In terms of essential oils (meaning aromatic oils such as eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, etc.), their possible benefit for providing antioxidant protection is easily replaced with other oils that have no risk of causing irritation, such as olive, evening primrose, canola, and sunflower oils, which you are already using (at least that's what I assume you mean by other vegetable oils). If aromatic oils have other benefits when applied directly to the skin, I have seen no research indicating what they may be, but their potential for problems is well-established.
In terms of massage, a favorite indulgence of mine, I always ask the massage therapist to spray essential oils in the air or to use a heat diffuser so my senses get the benefit and my skin doesn't have to risk the irritation. However, because people get massages periodically and not daily, the occasional use of essential oils during a massage is not going to be a big problem. It is the repeated use of irritating substances, particularly on the face, that is cause for the greatest concern when the goal is to keep your skin healthy.
