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Carrier oils are essential for aromatherapy. They can be used to dilute pure essential oils, or they can be used on their own. They can also be used to dilute the intensity of a scent that is too strong, or they can be used as a moisturizer on skin after showering.
There are many different carrier oils to choose from, but it’s best to start with one or two and then experiment from there! In this blog post, we will discuss carrier oils and how to use them properly with your favorite essential oil.
Table of Contents
What are carrier oils and why do they matter
Carrier oils are important for a number of reasons. Top of the list is the fact the many essential oils don’t work when used purely on their own. Carrier oils are used to dilute the concentrated essential oil in order for it to be more effective. The carrier oil also helps deliver the therapeutic benefits from the pure essential oil.
Help with allergies
The second most important reason is that some people have sensitivities or allergies to certain types of plant extracts, but they can use specific carrier oils without issue. For example, if you add pure peppermint essential oil to your concoction, that might not be the best idea if you have an allergy. But if you mix it with a carrier oil like almond oil, you’re good to go.
Extend the shelf life
The third reason is that carrier oils extend the shelf life of essential or homemade concoctions. To explain this a little further, if you make an herbal remedy with fresh ingredients and store it in your bathroom where there’s no air conditioning… after about six weeks (anywhere from two to twelve)
Many uses
Some people also use carrier oils for reasons other than dilution and delivering therapeutic benefits; these can include moisturizing skin or hair, limiting staining on clothes from using a pure essential oil as perfume, etc. They also boost levels of things like fatty acids or oleic acid when used cleverly.
Carrier oil basics
Finding the best carrier oil can depend on a few things .
The first thing to consider is the base oil. If you have a nut allergy, then obviously keep away from anything that uses nuts. But some of the vegetable oils might be a better option to try.
Some people have allergies but if you mix it with a carrier oil like almond or coconut oil, then they’re good to go. Others with things like oily skin might find that their skin type means carrier oils make things worse not better. Skin conditions that lead to irritated skin are one example. Itchy skin might not like any type of oil!
Next up: how long will you be using your concoction? A short-term use might only need an antioxidant rich vegetable glycerine but a longer use might need a sustainable oil like hemp or avocado.
There’s also the issue of whether you want your carrier to be cold-pressed, but there are plenty of oils that have natural preservatives in them so this doesn’t matter much.
A good place to start is with almond and apricot kernel because they’re both high in antioxidants, which means you get lots of benefits from them in their own right.
Cold-pressed or cold expeller pressed oils are considered preferable because they have not been processed with excessive heat which can compromise the integrity of its essential nutrients. Carrier oils should be kept away from heat and direct sunlight to avoid them going rancid quickly.
What are carrier oils not?
If you’re using a carrier oil, make sure it’s an appropriate one! Margarine and butter are not good for the skin. Vegetable shortening is better but mineral oils should be avoided altogether as they can clog pores or cause acne flare-ups in acne-prone skin.
How to use carrier oils with essential oils
So, if you’re going to use a carrier oil and essential oils then it’s important that the two get along.
If they don’t mix well, this can cause skin irritation even if you don’t have sensitive skin – so be careful!
You might need to do some research on which ones are compatible or have a good old trial and error approach.
Look for recipes where people have combined a certain carrier oil and a certain essential oil to get ideas. Also think about the combination of the therapeutic properties of the carrier and essential oil to get the most from your recipe.
A few examples of popular carrier oils
Some of the most popular carrier oils include:
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Coconut oils (virgin or refined)
- Apricot kernel oil
- Hazelnut oil
- Hemp oil
- Sesame oil
- Sunflower seed oil
Recipes for carrier oils and essential oils
Here are a couple of examples of products that use essential oils blended with carrier oils for different purposes.
In this recipe, the carrier oil is almond oil.
The essential oils are lavender and tea tree for acne prevention or treatment.
This would be a good option if you don’t want to use harsh chemicals on your skin but still need something that can kill bacteria or help fight off future breakouts.
In this recipe, you can add olive oil to essential oils such as basil.
This can be used to keep away mosquitoes or other insects, but is also great for use in the kitchen or on your skin because it has a more delicate scent than some of the other oils that are known for their strong scent.
With apricot oil, it is a good mix with essential oils like cedarwood, ginger or clove.
This is a great way to keep bugs away and ginger or clove oils also have the added benefits of helping with digestion thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects on the digestive system.
The list goes on about what carrier oils are good for which essential oil recipes, but we hope this helps you get started!
Making more of your essential oils
Did you know that carrier oils are essential for using lots of popular essential oils? They can be used in different ways to enhance the benefits of your favorite natural wellness products. Carrier oils come in many forms, and not all are suitable for aromatherapy. It’s always important to test a carrier oil before trying it out on yourself because they may cause an allergic reaction or other adverse reactions.
But once you have tested them, there’s lots of ways to use them! You could try mixing two types together like coconut oil with lavender or jojoba with peppermint if you want something more complex than just one type!
