Essential oils are very safe. They have virtually no side-effects, and are safe to use on children and pets, BUT you do need to know some general guidelines on essential oil safety! Tip 1 – Dilute . Anytime I talk about using essential oils topically, I greatly stress the importance of diluting. Most oils you can use “neat,” which means you can apply them directly to your skin. But some people have sensitive skin, and there are some oils that are considered warm or even hot (