What Are Carrier Oils?

Most essential oils for home use need to be diluted. There is a whole range of products that can act as suitable ‘carriers’ – mediums in which to dilute the essential oils. Usually the carrier is a vegetable oil, and it’s some­times called a ‘base oil’. In many shops you can now buy ready-made face and body carrier oils for massage. These might be either a single oil or a combination of oils. If you don’t like the idea of oily skin, there are also many other possible ‘carriers’, such as lotions, creams and gels. These should be unperfumed and, ideally, specially formulated to be used with essential oils.

Vegetable oils that have not been heat-treated or are without preservatives are liable to have a shorter shelf life than the average cooking oil. So store carrier oils in a cool, dark place, and buy only as much as you need at one time. A bottle of massage oil with the essential oil(s) added lasts for an average of six months. As a general rule, the higher the content of essential oil added, the longer the massage oil lasts.

Aromatherapists often blend two or more carrier oils together to get a particular effect as some of these oils have their own therapeutic value. Avocado oil, for example, is often added to face oils for dry skin. You can lengthen the shelf life of a home-made aromatherapy blend by adding the contents of a vitamin E capsule. This acts as an antioxidant and helps prevent the oil going rancid.

APRICOT KERNEL OIL

Description: Odorless, colorless to pale yellow.

Useful for: All skin types, especially elderly, inflamed and dry skin. Good for facial care because it is very light and well absorbed.

Cost: Expensive.

AVOCADO OIL

Description: Available in both refined and unrefined forms. The refined is odorless, pale to slightly greenish yellow in color, whereas the unrefined is dark green and is best used in combination with another carrier oil(s). The unrefined has a shorter shelf life; usually up to four months.

Useful for: Dry and dehydrated skin.

Cost: Expensive.

GRAPESEED OIL

Description: Has a slight smell, pale green to greenish-yellow in color. Grapeseed oil is very versatile and easily absorbed. (It is the  carrier oil your ready-to-use, diluted oils which accompany the series.)

Useful for: Most skin types. Avoid using on sensitive skin, eczema and psoriasis.

Cost: Inexpensive.

JOJOBA OIL

Description: Has a slight smell, pale to golden yellow to pale orange in color. A waxy oil, with a long shelf life.

Useful for: All skin types, including inflamed, red, dry or older skins, eczema, psoriasis and acne.

Cost: Expensive.

SUNFLOWER OIL

Description: Has a slight smell, pale to dark yellow in color. Has usually been heat-treated.

Useful for: Not generally used by aromatherapists. However, sunflower oil is very easy to find and can be used for body massage when you first begin. Not for use on the face, or for health care recipes.

Cost: Inexpensive.

SWEET ALMOND OIL

Description: Odorless, colorless to pale golden yellow.

Useful for: Nourishing, softening and  revitalizing all types. Helps relieve itching, soreness, dryness, inflammation and wrinkled, dry hands. This is the best oil to use on children and babies.

Cost: Affordable.

WHEATGERM OIL

Description: Strong odor (unless refined) and can adversely alter the smell of any recipe, yellow to orange in color. A very heavy oil, always used as an addition to another carrier oil, never on its own.

Useful for: Prematurely aged skin, eczema and psoriasis. Not to be used on children.

Cost: Reasonable.

How Much Oil To Use?

The proportion of essential oil to carrier oil depends on whether the blend is for beauty use, for wellbeing, or for a specific health condition. As a guide, for beauty and wellbeing you use less essential oil than for acute and chronic health care.

• For self-help use, beauty and wellbeing, use 3 drops of essential oil for each 10 ml carrier oil.
• For first aid, and health care, use 3 to 5 drops of essential oil for each 10 ml carrier oil.
• Otherwise follow the specific recipes on this blog.

How To Blend?

There are several ways to dilute essential oils in carrier oils. You’ll find a plastic funnel and measuring cup (available from chemists) are both helpful accessories.

1. The first method is to add the correct number of drops of essential oil to the appropriate amount of carrier oil(s) in a bottle, and shake well.
2. Method two is to put the drops of essential oil into an empty bottle. Roll the bottle between the hands to mix the essential oils well. Then add the measured quantity of carrier oil(s) to complete the recipe.
3. For method three, you need a small china or glass dish. This method is only suitable if you are going to use the whole amount straight away. Measure the carrier oil(s) into the dish, then add the drops of essential oil and mix them together well to blend.

Allergy Check

If you have an allergy to nuts, choose a seed based oil. If you have an allergy to wheat, avoid using wheatgerm oil. If you have an allergy to a vegetable which produces an oil, such as avocado, avoid the relevant oil.

Related Article:

• How To Keep Your Essential Oils
• Aromatherapy And Essential Oils
• Chamomile Essential Oil
• Buying Essential Oils Guidelines
• Mandarin Essential Oil