How to correctly add essential oils to base oils and creams

When using essential oils on the skin and hair, they are almost never used in pure form: the essential oil is added to vegetable cosmetic oil, lotion, natural cream. But what is the right way - which ones and in what proportion - should you add essential oils? Advice from the master, renowned aromatherapist Kurt Schnaubelt.

While essential oils can be great for creams, milks, and lotions (make sure these are natural), they work best with herbal cosmetic oils. Both oils and creams to which essential oils are added are called "base" or "base oil" in recipes.

Proportions

The proportions of adding essential oil: from 10 to 20 drops per 30 ml of base. This is a very general case, and there may be limitations for each individual recipe and oil, but the approximate proportions are as follows. If you are preparing a smaller or larger portion of the mixture, then you need to recount. For example, for 5 ml of base, 2-3 drops of essential oil are enough, for 15 ml (an approximate portion for massage or hair mask) - 5-10 drops of essential oil.

If the mixture is intended for children under 7 years of age, the concentration should not exceed 7-10 drops per 30 ml of the base. The same concentration is suitable for those who are afraid to start with richer mixtures and for those whose skin is more sensitive.

Advice

Sometimes you can do without a base: for this, drop the essential oil on a damp towel, fold it - and place it on the selected area of the skin. So the essential oil will act, but indirectly. This technique is suitable for cases such as removing irritation from a specific spot on the skin.

In general, any cosmetic oil goes well with EO, but among the most convenient companions are almond, jojoba, sesame, apricot kernels, and light olive oils. A blend of cosmetic and essential oils is applied to slightly damp skin and spread with a very light massage. There is still controversy about how deeply essential oils penetrate into the body, applied to the skin with a base - oil or cream. It is reliably known that the components of essential oils applied in this way are found in human blood, which means that the penetration of EO is deep enough and affects not only the skin, but also the body as a whole. Therefore, essential oils in mixtures are definitely capable of seriously affecting the skin, helping with the solution of all kinds of problems with it.

Since creams and lotions are lighter in composition, it is recommended to add up to 10 drops of essential oils per 30 ml. When choosing a suitable base in the form of a cream and lotion, pay attention not only to its composition, which should be natural, but also to the absence of synthetic fragrances and fragrances. It is desirable that the base cream or lotion be either odorless at all, or have a slight odor thanks to the essential oils and plant extracts already added. The simpler the composition of such a database, the better. 

Storage

If you are preparing a large portion of a mixture of essential oils and base at once, store it in a dark glass bottle, preferably in a cool dark place. If you feel that the smell has changed and became unpleasant, throw away the mixture without regret. In general, it is advisable not to store such mixtures for too long, although in general the mixture of base oil and essential oils can be stored without problems for several months.

The naturalness of all components does not mean hypoallergenic and complete safety: each person is unique, and his body can react negatively to any component of an essential or even base oil. Therefore, before applying the mixture to the body or face, make a small dose, generously smear it on the skin, for example, on the bend of the elbow or knee - and wait 24 hours, although usually a bad reaction appears almost instantly. Be careful and watch your well-being.