Essential oils have the potential to aggravate the skin. Avoid using essential oils near sensitive areas such as the eyes, ears, and mouth. Do not apply them to broken, inflamed, or irritated skin. You can look out for potential skin allergies by doing a patch test before using any carrier or essential oil.
12 Must-Have Essential Oils
- Lavender. The most popular essential oil because of its versatility and well-liked floral, herbal aroma, lavender can be used in a variety of ways to inspire calm and relaxation.
- Frankincense.
- Peppermint.
- Eucalyptus.
- Tea Tree.
- Grapefruit.
- Rosemary.
- Lemon.
From bergamot to tea tree oil, here are our top ten aromatherapy oils for treating skin conditions.
- Bergamot oil.
- Chamomile oil.
- Cinnamon oil.
- Clove Bud oil.
- Eucalyptus oil.
- Lavender oil.
- Lemongrass oil.
- Oregano oil.
A: A carrier oil is a vegetable oil—such as coconut oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil—that can be used to dilute essential oils. Vegetable shortening, butter, margarine, or petroleum derivatives (such as mineral oil, baby oil, and petroleum jelly) should never be used as carrier oils.
Essential oils can be applied to the crown of your head, behind the ears, to your neck, and to your temples. If the aroma of an oil is too strong, or your skin is sensitive, you can dilute it with a carrier oil.
Carrier Oils vs.Essential Oils
- Carrier oils are vegetable oils derived from the fatty part of a plant, such as the seed, nut, or kernel.
- Essential oils are extracted from the leaves, bark, roots and other aromatic sections of a plant and are thinner in viscosity.
Rosehip oil is most often used topically. For aromatherapy, blend a few drops of essential oil with about an ounce of rosehip oil and apply topically. Rosehip oil is often used as a carrier oil for essential oils.
The carrier oil used to make an essential oil-based perfume is completely up to you. Grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil are my top picks for making perfume. Virgin coconut oil may also be used, but it will impart a coconut scent on the final product.
Oils such as sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil and olive oil are too thick for the face but are perfect for the body. They are excellent carrier oils to massage essential oils into the body for absorption into the skin.
Choosing a scent for your essential oil blend
| Scent Type | Essential Oils |
|---|
| Flowery | Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Palmarosa, Rose, Vanilla, Ylang Ylang |
| Spicy | Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Nutmeg, Pepper, Myrrh |
| Citrus | Bergamot, Citronella, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Neroli, Orange, Petitgrain, Mandarin |
As a rule of thumb, essential oils should be diluted in a carrier substance (vegetable or nut oil, or water) at no greater concentration than 3-5%. That means if you have one teaspoon (5cc) of carrier, you would add 3 drops of pure essential oil.
Use tea tree oil with a few precautions: You should not apply tea tree oil directly to skin. It's important to dilute the oil with a carrier oil, such as olive oil, coconut oil, or almond oil. For every 1 to 2 drops of tea tree oil, add 12 drops of a carrier oil.
- Pour the jojoba oil into dropper bottle.
- Add the argan oil, rosehip seed oil and vitamin E.
- Add carrot and geranium oil.
- Shake before use.
- Cleanse your face.
- Apply toner.
- Gently massage about a 1/4 to 1/2 dropper full of oil blend onto your face and neck.
The National Institute of Health provides a thorough summary via the US National Library of Medicine of research conducted into the efficacy of essential oils. Currently, there is no evidence-backed research showing any illnesses that can be cured through the use of essential oils or the practice of aromatherapy.
Top 5 Massage Oils
- Melrose Sweet Almond Oil. Sweet almond oil is one of the most popular massage oils among massage therapists.
- Apricot Kernel Oil (Prunis armeniaca seed fixed oil) Apricot kernel oil is similar in texture and color to almond oil, but costs slightly more.
- Coconut Oil.
- Jojoba Oil.
Vitamin E oil is an excellent carrier for other essential oils, which often need to be diluted before rubbing directly onto your skin. When used alone, some essential oils can cause skin irritation or react poorly with sunlight (like citrus oils).
How to Dilute Essential Oils with Coconut Oil in 4 Simple Steps
- Step 1: Place two teaspoons of your carrier oil in a small glass bowl.
- Step 2: If your coconut oil is solid, you'll need to melt it.
- Step 3: Add the essential oil to the melted coconut oil to dilute it.
Essential oils for your hair
- Lavender essential oil. Lavender oil can speed up hair growth.
- Peppermint essential oil.
- Rosemary essential oil.
- Cedarwood essential oil.
- Lemongrass essential oil.
- Thyme essential oil.
- Clary sage essential oil.
- Tea tree essential oil.
8 Essential Oils With Serious Skin Benefits
- 1 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil.
- 2 Organic Lavender Oil.
- 3 Organic Frankincense Essential Oil.
- 4 Tea Tree Oil.
- 5 Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil.
- 6 Peppermint Halo Cooling & Soothing Oil Blend.
- 7 Egyptian Chamomile Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Oil.
- 8 Pa + G Papaya-Geranium Hyperpigmentation Facial Serum Concentrate.
When dealing with damaged, dry hair, get a little extra help with some of the best hair oils like Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, Clary Sage, and Geranium oil to rejuvenate and repair your lackluster locks.
You can wash out the treatment after 30 minutes, leave it on overnight and shampoo in the morning, or use some as a leave-in conditioner. See what works best for your hair texture.
Mix equal parts of castor oil and jojoba oil and place into a glass bottle. Use a dropper to apply a few drops on your scalp and gently massage in. Apply on damp or dry hair. Use two to four times a week, depending on your hair type.
Here are the 14 best foods you can eat to promote hair growth.
- Eggs. Eggs are a great source of protein and biotin, two nutrients that may promote hair growth.
- Berries. Berries are loaded with beneficial compounds and vitamins that may promote hair growth.
- Spinach.
- Fatty Fish.
- Sweet Potatoes.
- Avocados.
- Nuts.
- Seeds.
4 oil blends you can make at home for all hair concerns, from dandruff to thinning hair
- For damaged hair: Olive oil and almond oil.
- For dandruff: Coconut oil and jojoba oil.
- For frizz: Apricot kernel oil and almond oil.
- For hair growth: Castor oil and grapeseed oil.
Their proven benefits can help to stimulate growth and enhance the hair that you have.
- Massage. Massaging the scalp can help to restore hair growth and can be used in conjunction with hair oils and masks.
- Aloe vera.
- Coconut oil.
- Viviscal.
- Fish oil.
- Ginseng.
- Onion juice.
- Rosemary oil.
After taking a bath or shower, mix 5 drops of rosemary oil with 1 teaspoon of a carrier oil such as jojoba oil or coconut oil. Apply this directly to the scalp and massage it in.
SHELF LIFE Carrier Oils that are high in unsaturated fatty acid content will generally have a shorter shelf life and can last up to 6 months, whereas oils with a longer shelf life can last 1-2 years.
How to mix: The general rule is for every 30ml of carrier oil, you can use 1 drop of essential oil. You can also mix different carrier oils as long as you keep the carrier to essential oil ratio the same.
How do you use face oils? You can always mix oils in with your moisturizer, but if you're going to give them their own spot of honor in your skin care routine, do it before you moisturize but after—or even instead of—your serum. Now, for some bad news: Certain types can clog your pores if you're prone to breakouts.
Dosage and Preparation. There is no standard or recommended dose for frankincense essential oil. When a drop or two is combined with a carrier oil (such as jojoba, sweet almond, or avocado oil), frankincense essential oil can be applied to the skin or added to baths in small amounts.
Carrier oil, also known as base oil or vegetable oil, is used to dilute essential oils and absolutes before they are applied to the skin in massage and aromatherapy. Carrier oils do not contain a concentrated aroma, unlike essential oils, though some, such as olive, have a mild distinctive smell.
Vegetable glycerine (also spelled glycerin) is a clear, syrup-like liquid that has a sweet taste and no odor. It's obtained from vegetable fats found in carrier oils, such as soybean oil or coconut oil. It's also water and alcohol soluble, making it easy to work with.
GREAT CARRIER OIL: Castor oil is the perfect carrier oil for essential oils. Just add the essential oil of your choice to make a customized massage oil or use as is. It suits all skin types, glides on smoothly and is extremely nourishing. It can be used also as a natural makeup remover.
