I recently learned some interesting information about certain essential oils I was using to make homemade aftershave. I happened upon this information by accident as well.
Apparently certain essential oils are phototoxic. Bergamot and other citrus essential oils to be exact in my case. This means that these oils, when used topically and exposed to sunlight or UV, can cause severe damage/irritation and even skin cancer in some cases.
This doesn't exactly mean that these oils are completely unsafe to use. Depending on whether they are produced through a cold press or steam distilled method, greatly determines the the amount of toxicity. Steam distilled being the safest.
In my case, I was using way to much bergamot essential oil. My only real saving grace is that I hadn't used it more than a couple times and only at night.
It's always amazing when you discover that something you thought was harmless could indeed cause a great deal of harm. In this instance there is definitely such a thing as too much of a good thing.
By the way, the aftershave I made smelled fantastic. 2oz 190 proof grain alcohol, 1/8 oz glycerin, 100 drops bergamot essential oil, 10 drops anise essential oil, 5 drops lavender essential oil, and 1/8 teaspoon menthol crystals. Way too much bergamot as you can see.
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Learned some DIY Aftershave cautions
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