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Review
. 2023 Jan;16(1):18-24.

The Role of Essential Oils in Homemade Cosmetics: A Study of 140 Recipes

Céline Couteau  1 , Harona Diarra  1   2 , Manon Lecoq  1 , Aline Ali  1 , Mélanie Bernet  1 , Laurence Coiffard  1
Affiliations
Review

The Role of Essential Oils in Homemade Cosmetics: A Study of 140 Recipes

Céline Couteau et al. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Two recent trends that have developed simultaneously are a mistrust of health products by some of the population and the growing popularity of essential oils. The objective of this study was to analyze recipes with essential oils found on the internet and to assess their level of photoprotective efficacy. Therefore, we conducted a study of 140 recipes for personal care and hygiene products that incorporate one or more essential oils. This analysis revealed that numerous essential oils are called for in these recipes, derived from plants belonging to a wide diversity of botanical families. There was a significant difference (p=0.0026) in the number of essential oils listed in the recipes for facial care and body care recipes. There was also a statistically significant difference (p=2.54E-5) in the amount of essential oil to be added, expressed in drops, according to the type of product being made. A common characteristic of most of the recipes was the absence of any antimicrobial agents or antioxidants, which poses serious issues of preservation for the finished products. Recipes with essential oils pose many issues. The first issue lies in the quantities of the different raw materials to be incorporated; it influences the final essential oil concentration. The second issue concerns the adverse effects (photosensitization, for example) and contraindications (pregnant women, nursing women) of certain essential oils. Finally, it is not possible to carry out physicochemical testing raw materials and finish preparation.

Keywords: DIY; Essential oils; Hygiene; Personal care; Recipes.

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Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURES: The authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Different categories of cosmetic products for which recipes were studied
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
Main essential oils found in the recipes studied
FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 3.
Different botanical families of the essential oils found in the analyzed recipes.
FIGURE 4.
FIGURE 4.
Excipients in the recipes for facial, body, and hair care products.
FIGURE 5.
FIGURE 5.
Essential oils in the recipes of facial, body, and hair care products.
FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 6.
Excipients in the recipes for hygiene products.
FIGURE 7.
FIGURE 7.
Essential oils in the recipes for hygiene products.
FIGURE 8.
FIGURE 8.
Comparison of the quantities (number of drops) of essential oils proposed in the recipes studied.
FIGURE 9.
FIGURE 9.
Comparison of the number of essential oils proposed in recipes for facial care creams and masks.
FIGURE 10.
FIGURE 10.
Comparison of the number of essential oils proposed in recipes according to the type of product.
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