We make it easy to answer, “how do you mix essential oils with carrier oils?”
As the popularity of aromatherapy and more specifically essential oils has grown in recent years, it’s easy to understand why so many people feel confused or overwhelmed with information. A quick google search of “essential oils” will net you just shy of 2,030,000,000 results, many of which we can safely assume might contain conflicting or downright contradictory information. When making the decision to add essential oils to your wellness and beauty regimen, it’s important to ensure the information you’re taking in is safe and credible.
One of the most important tips when it comes to essential oil usage is to ensure your oils are properly diluted. Essential oils have powerful benefits and they also have powerful effects, which means that when we are applying them topically to our bodies, we need to ensure they are at a safe dilution so as not to cause sensitivity or irritation to our skin. This is where carrier oils come in!
Carrier oils, also known as base oils or vegetable oils, are used to help dilute essential oils and quite literally help ‘carry’ them to your skin. Some of the most commonly used carrier oils are grapeseed, jojoba, coconut and apricot kernel oils, as these oils are typically similar in structure to our skin’s natural sebums and therefore absorb easily and don’t cause clogged pores or breakouts. Diluting essential oils is a critical safety practice and these plant based carrier oils make that possible!
How do you mix essential oils with carrier oils? Tip #1
Probably the most common way in which people choose to dilute essential oils is by adding single notes, or 100% pure oils, directly to the carrier of their choice. This means you would choose a single note oil like lavender or eucalyptus, you would blend it with a carrier oil and you would then be able to apply it safely to your body. Another important reminder when mixing essential oils with carrier oils is that less is always more. Typically, you’ll be using between 1-5 drops of any essential oil, and these drops would be mixed with up to 10ml/0.3 fl oz. of carrier oil prior to application.
Here are some of our favorite single note essential oils to blend with a carrier oil and where we like to apply:
Lavender: one of the most commonly used essential oils to induce relaxation and feelings of peace in both the body and mind, lavender is a natural choice to use in topical application. Once added to a carrier oil, this could be applied to the temples, wrists, jawline, throat and chest or anywhere that intuitively feels relaxing to you.
Eucalyptus: woodsy and refreshing, eucalyptus is commonly referred to in aromatherapy as ‘the breathing oil’. It stands to reason that once blended, eucalyptus is soothing, clearing and opening when applied to the throat and chest, especially if you’re experiencing symptoms of cold season like cough.
Frankincense: this grounding and deeply spiritual oil is prized for its use in ceremony and rituals, and is also nurturing and restorative for the skin. When blended with a carrier oil and applied as part of a skin care regimen, you can expect your skin to feel smooth, supple and supported. Try adding 1 drop to your facial moisturizer or serum in the evening!
Another thing to note: any essential oil that has been blended with a carrier oil should not be used in a diffuser. Diffusers are the exception for when we want 100% pure oils only, as the sensitive ultrasonic disc is not able to break up carrier oils in the same way it can water and pure essential oils. To keep your diffusers from malfunctioning, remember this simple rule: pure oil in a diffuser and diluted oils on your body.
How do you mix essential oils with carrier oils? Tip #2
Another one of the ways in which you can dilute your essential oils is to add them to your favorite lotion or body butter. If there is a certain essential oil you’re really keen on, you love the smell and you love the way it makes you feel, you might find yourself wanting to add a few drops to an existing product. In this case, the lotion or the body butter will act as the carrier oil, making it entirely safe to apply to the body as desired.
Here are some of the lotions and body butters we like to add essential oils to:
Lavender and Friends lotion: this blend contains essential oils from flowers like lavender, geranium and clary sage, but we like to boost the florals even more! Adding 1-3 drops of any of the three mentioned essential oils, all of which we offer as 100% pure single notes, helps bring the sweetness and the herbal-floral notes to the next level! We suggest blending in your hand and then applying all over the body after a bath or shower.
Tingle Mint lotion: do you want to kick it up a notch? This lotion is definitely one of the most popular body care products we offer, and is blended with cooling and soothing notes like peppermint, rosemary and eucalyptus. Our favorite way to take it in an entirely different direction is to add orange! This bright, cheerful and zesty citrus oil will make you smell like you’ve slathered on a natural creamsicle - and we mean this in the best possible way!
Carrot body butter: because this rich, nourishing body butter is already so luxurious on the skin, why not add a few drops of the king of essential oils, frankincense? Carrot is restorative and ultra hydrating after sun exposure, and frankincense is known to help rejuvenate dry skin. Is this a match made in heaven?
How do you mix essential oils with carrier oils? Tip #3
Body and massage oils are another prime candidate in terms of a product that lends itself well to mixing with essential oils. At Saje, our body and massage oils are formulated with a non-greasy, absorbable base of carrier oils like grapeseed, apricot kernel and vitamin e oils, and are then blended with specific essential oils like lavender, rosemary and marjoram, to name a few. Because the base of these products are already carrier oils, adding a little something extra will help enhance the smell and feel of your product, and you already know your formula will be safe for topical application.
Here are some of the body and massage oil formulas we recommend blending with pure, single note essential oils:
Stress Release body oil: the base of this oil contains three different nourishing carrier oils, grapeseed, apricot kernel and vitamin e. We then add calming, peaceful essential oils like lavender, roman chamomile and orange to the blend to help relieve symptoms of stress when massaged into the body. To really ramp up the relaxation, we suggest adding 1-3 drops of pure lavender or orange essential oil prior to application.
Mother’s Wellness body oil: not just for moms, this formula was created specifically for stretch marks during pregnancy and for helping the skin to retain moisture and elasticity. The soothing and balancing essential oils included in the blend are ho wood, frankincense and neroli. If you’re looking to take body care to the next level, we recommend adding 1-3 drops of a floral like geranium or jasmine and bask in the way it makes your skin feel smooth and restored.
How do you mix essential oils with carrier oils? Tip #4
The last recommendation we have for mixing essential oils with carrier oils is the easiest one of all: you don’t! At Saje, we are happy to help take the guesswork out of blending for you by offering a number of products in different categories like stress, pain, sleep and more that are pre-blended and safe for direct application to skin. When you choose products that have essential oils pre-blended with carrier oils, you can rest assured knowing that you’ve left the formulations to the experts and your only job is enjoying them each time you apply.
Here are some of the pre-blended roll-on’s we love:
Tranquility: blended with roman chamomile, marjoram and lavender, this blend will help you unwind at the end of the day as you head towards bedtime. Breathe deeply and feel at ease.
Goddess: bursting with fresh florals like jasmine, neroli and rose, this roll-on is excellent at supporting self love and self compassion, and can be applied as a personal fragrance anytime you need a self care moment.
Yoga: feel grounded and find your center with this balancing blend of patchouli, orange and neroli. Try applying this roll-on prior to a yoga class or a meditation session for deep feelings of serenity and harmony.
The verdict: how do you mix essential oils with carrier oils?
We’ve offered up a number of considerations when it comes to mixing essential oils with carrier oils, and we hope you feel informed when deciding which product to experiment with next! As always, we advise that you consult a trusted healthcare provider before adding any new essential oils to your wellness regimen. We encourage you to visit one of our stores or chat with us online for more information about pre-blended wellness products that are both safe and effective.
