Carrier Oils and Aromatherapy

 

Essential oils are much too powerful to be used neat or straight from the bottle.  They must first be diluted in a “carrier” medium which is usually a vegetable oil.  A carrier oil dilutes an essential oil in massage oil blends as well as blends for skin and hair care. Carrier oils are also referred to as base oils.  They are a type of fixed oil made up of fatty acids and feel thick and greasy. They are literally the vehicle that transports the essential oil into the body while protecting the skin from possible irritation from the concentrated essential oil.

As their name suggests, carrier oils are used in Aromatherapy as a medium to carry or transport highly concentrated essential oils into the body via dermal application. All carrier oils should be kept cool and even refrigerated to preserve them. Here is a list of common carrier oils: 

Almond oil, sweet

Hazelnut oil

Aloe vera gel

Jojoba oil

Apricot kernel oil

Kukui nut oil

Avocado oil

Lecithin

Borage seed oil

Macadamia nut oil

Calendula oil

Olive oil

Canola oil

Peanut oil

Carrot seed oil

Rapeseed oil

Castor oil

Rosehip seed oil

Cocoa bitter oil

Safflower oil

Coconut oil

Sesame seed oil

Evening primrose oil

Soybean oil

Flaxseed oil

Sunflower oil

Glycerin

Walnut oil

Grapeseed oil

Wheatgerm oil

 

As well as making the essential oil safe to use on the skin, the carrier oil also acts as a lubricant which makes it ideal for massage. Essential oils can irritate skin if applied straight from the bottle. As a rule of thumb, a ratio of 6 drops of essential oil is added to 10 ml of carrier oil. You can see that 6 drops in a bottle will go a long way. Carrier Oils are an excellent source of minerals, essential fatty acids and vitamin A, D and E. 

CARRIER OIL

USE ON TYPE OF SKIN

USEFUL FOR THESE CONDITIONS

Sweet Almond Oil

All Skin Types

Relief of itching, dryness and inflammation

Apricot Kernel Oil

All Skin Types

Premature aged skin, dry, inflamed skin

Avocado Oil

Dry Skin

Good for dehydrated skin, eczema

Jojoba Oil

All Skin Types

Eczema, acne, inflamed skin, hair care, penetrating

Evening Primrose Oil

All Skin Types

Eczema, psoriasis, premature aged skin, PMS

Olive Oil

Sensitive Skin

Hair care, rheumatism, many cosmetic applications

Wheatgerm Oil

All Skin Types

Eczema, psoriasis, premature aged skin, PMS

Carrot Oil

All Skin Types

Rejuvenating, itching, dryness, reduces scarring

Oils for general use

GRAPESEED, SAFFLOWER, SOYA BEAN, SUNFLOWER OILS

 

You can also use an unscented body lotion as a carrier for your essential oils. Note: Lavender and Tea Tree Oil are the only essential oils which can be applied directly on the skin undiluted and therefore don't require a carrier oil.