Essential Oils vs. Carrier Oils

What is a Carrier Oil?

One hears a lot about essential oils these days, but not so much about carrier oils. So, what is a carrier oil and why is it important?

A carrier oil is an oil derived from nuts or kernels or seeds of plants.

Here is a list of common carrier oils, but there are many more:

• Avocado
• Olive
• Coconut
• Grapeseed
• Almond
• Walnut
• Etc.

Why Is It Called Carrier Oil?

It is called “carrier oil” because it can carry other ingredients into the skin with it. This can be beneficial. For example, carrier oils are used in aromatherapy or for massage or moisturizing the skin. If you add a little essential oil to a carrier oil, the carrier will carry the essential oil into the skin. Each carrier oil has a unique quality unto itself.

Carrier oils are made by crushing and spinning the seeds or nuts or kernels of plants to release the oils within. Cold-pressed oils are best because they contain more nutrients than heat-pressed oils or oils obtained by chemical extraction. I do not like applying chemicals to my skin, and you probably do not either. So, I recommend using only cold-pressed oils.

What Is the Difference Between a Carrier Oil and an Essential Oil?

An essential oil is significantly different from a carrier oil. It is called “essential” because it captures the pure essence of the leaf or bark or root of a plant. It is very highly concentrated. That is why the smell is so strong. In fact, essential oils are so concentrated and so strong that they must be stored in glass or metal containers only. They cannot be stored in plastic because they will break down the plastic and leak out over time.

Essential oils also differ from carrier oils in that they are volatile, which means they evaporate rapidly. Therefore, it is important to keep them tightly capped. Carrier oils, on the other hand, do not evaporate.

How Much Essential Oil Should Be Added to the Carrier Oil?

The best combination is 2% essential oil to 98% carrier oil. A quick and easy formula is to add 12 drops of essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil.

Cautions

You have to be careful when handling essential oils. They must be kept away from children and from eyes and mucous membranes. Plus, you should never use an essential oil or a carrier oil if you are allergic to the substance from which it is produced.

A little bit of essential oil goes a very long way, but it MUST be combined with a lot of carrier oil before it is applied to the skin. It is never a good idea to apply essential oil directly to your skin as it can seriously irritate your skin or cause other reactions.

But when used responsibly, essential oils are really special and can be very beneficial. They are distilled down to the pure essence of the plant itself, and because of that, they each have a unique and noteworthy quality that can benefit a person’s health, wellbeing or mood in a different way. There is a vast amount of information about the specific qualities of each essential oil, which is a study itself. They are worth learning more about.

So, now you know. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.