Extracts from plants are used as ingredients in many manufactured products (including perfumes, fragrances, flavouring agents, solvents, medicines, foods, adhesives, plastics, resins, paper and fabric finishes). It is predominantly chemicals with complex structures from the oleo-resin fraction of plant chemicals that cause sensitivity – including essential oils, phenols, terpenes, resins and camphors.
Sensitivity to these is highly personal – many people tolerate natural chemicals well; some people tolerate one natural chemical and not another; other people do not tolerate any very well. It is important, however, if you are prone to chemical sensitivity to treat natural chemicals as you would any other, and not to assume that they are safer or better tolerated than synthetic chemicals.
They are used in aromatherapy and as massage oils. They include oil from lavender, eucalyptus, citrus fruits, rosemary, mint (menthol), bergamot, lemon grass, cinnamon, sandalwood and vanilla. Reactions to these are known.
If you want to work out if a plant upsets you, you can take a fresh piece of the plant or its foliage to your inner arm, and follow the Patch Test procedure.
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