Today, essential oils are being used in many ways, and not just for skin care. They can be used for cleaning, applied topically and can be diffused for inhalation. Carrier oils are known to amplify the healing powers of essential oils. You can use carrier oils like grapeseed oil, coconut oil, almond oil, evening primrose oil and olive oil, to name a few, to dilute essential oils used in aromatherapy. Why is it important that you use essential oil blends?
Why Blending Carrier Oils With Essential Oils Is Important
As mentioned earlier, carrier oils are perfect for diluting concentrated essential oils so that these oils do not sensitize or irritate the skin. Carrier oils have healing properties and they carry unique nutritive and therapeutic properties. Using essential oils without diluting with carrier oils is referred to as “neat application”. However, when you use essential oils blended with carrier oils, the mixture is more powerful.
Why You Need To Avoid Neat Essential Oils
- Ingesting neat essential oils may cause irritation to your mouth and esophagus
- It is hard to massage and spread undiluted essential oils into the skin without mixing with carrier oil
- Essential oils are made up of volatile organic compounds. This means that when exposed to the air, these oils are easily emitted as gas. When you apply fully concentrated essential oils on your skin, they evaporate almost immediately and you do not get the full benefit from using them
- Neat applications can sensitize your skin which is a permanent allergic-type response. Once the skin is sensitized, you may not be able to use those oils again
With every use, it is important to dilute all essential oils with carrier oils for optimal performance.
What Are The Properties Of The Best Carrier Oils?
In order for a carrier oil to be considered effective, it must exhibit the following properties:
- The oil should be stable. As we saw earlier, essential oils are volatile and carrier oils are used to reduce the evaporation rate and increase the stability of essential oils.
- A carrier oil should be neutral. Essential oils contain chemical compounds and that is why a carrier oil needs to be neutral so that it does not change the chemical structure of the essential oil. To achieve the best results, choose cold-pressed or macerated oil to help ensure purity and neutrality.
- Carrier oils should have little to no scent. This ensures that the integrity of the essential oils remains true and you get their maximum aromatic benefits.
How To Safely Use Carrier Oils With Your Essential Oils
If it is your first time to use essential oils with carrier oils, it is best to start small. You should have a sanitary way of storing your blends meant for later use. Here is a simple dilution guide:
- 25% for one time wound application (1 ounce of carrier oil per 150 drops of essential oil)
- 5-10% for infections (1 ounce of carrier oil per 30-60 drops of essential oil)
- 2-3% for massage oils and creams (1 ounce of carrier oil per 12-18 drops of essential oil)
- 1% for sensitive skin (1 ounce of carrier oil per 6 drops of essential oil)