There have been several posts on aromatherapy recently. We have covered specific oils and their benefits as well as some oil blends that you can create for specific uses. In many of these posts you have been instructed to dilute some oil prior to applying it to your skin in order to avoid skin irritation. The oils that we use to dilute the essential oils are referred to as carrier oils and I wanted to cover those in more detail today.
You can use a variety of oils or lotions to dilute essential oils however the list below are some commonly used carrier oils.
- Grapeseed Oil – Grapeseed oil is an all-purpose carrier oil. The aroma is a light nutty and sweet odor and is clear with a yellow/green tinge. Grapeseed oil leaves a glossy film on the skin. The shelf life is 6-12 months.
- Sweet Almond Oil – Sweet almond oil is an affordable, all-purpose carrier oil. The aroma is a light sweet and nutty odor and it is clear with a tinge of yellow. It leaves a slight hint of oil on the skin and absorbs somewhat quickly. The shelf life is 12 months.
- Fractioned Coconut Oil –Fractioned coconut oil is treated to contain only medium chain triglycerides. It is affordable oil with a fairly indefinite shelf life. It is odorless and colorless and penetrates the skin well.
- Virgin Coconut Oil – Virgin coconut oil is untreated with a distinct coconut aroma. It is slightly greasy on the skin but is also highly stable with a long shelf life. Virgin coconut oil is solid at room temperature and will melt when applied to the skin.
Learn more about aromatherapy:
