Carrier oils are an important part
of aromatherapy. Carrier oils are mainly used to dilute essential oils.
Dilution is especially important when the essential oils are being
massaged into the skin. If you know anything about essential oils, you
know that they are highly concentrated and some can be pricy. Besides
the fact that you'd consume a considerable amount if you used an
essential oil for massage without first diluting it, essential oils are
usually too much for the body to tolerate in an undiluted form.
Use
of carrier oils during a massage session also makes the essential
oils
easier to handle. Carrier oils act as lubricants, helping the hands to
move freely about the body, which produces a more soothing and
comfortable result. Without carrier oils, the hands would tend to stick
to the skin and drag along the top rather than
glide.
Carrier oils serve
another very important purpose. They improve an essential oil's ability
to absorb deep into the skin and underlying blood stream. Essential
oils also absorb faster when diluted with carrier oils.
Vegetable
and nut oils make the most effective carrier oils. In fact, these types
of carrier oils can even be used without mixing them with essential
oils. But before you open your kitchen cupboard and grab the bottle of
vegetable oil you use for cooking, there are a few things you should
know.
First of all, put that bottle back into your
cupboard and use it only for cooking. Why? Because oils used for
cooking go through a different manufacturing process than the
vegetable-based carrier oils that are used in aromatherapy. These
processes are harsh and they actually strip out much of the vegetable
oil's useful vitamins, nutrients and fatty acids.
When
shopping for carrier oils to use in aromatherapy, look for
vegetable-based oils that have been cold-pressed. This type of process
is natural. It does not involve chemicals or heat which ensures that
the beneficial fatty acids and other nutrients are retained within the
oil.
And finally, be sure to select carrier oils
that have little or no odor. This is especially important if you will
be using the carrier oil to dilute an essential oil. Also look for
carrier oils that are light and that don't have a sticky feel. These
qualities ensure the oils will penetrate easily and more efficiently.
There
are many different types of carrier oils suitable for aromatherapy.
Sunflower oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil,
grapeseed oil, macadamia oil and wheat germ oil are all acceptable
choices. Since each will have different qualities such as aroma,
texture and color selecting the 'right' one is more a matter of
personal preference. Carrier oils will also interact differently
depending on the essential oil with which it's mixed. Other qualities
of carrier oils to consider include shelf-life and cost.
The
bottom line – do your research before you purchase carrier oils and
you'll be guaranteed better results.
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