Types of Carrier Oil

Aromatherapy uses essential oils to create treatments for a number of health concerns. These essential oils, though, cannot be used by themselves, as a drop of the oil could harm the skin. To avoid irritation, combine a few drops of essential oils with a carrier oil. Carrier oil makes the solution easily spreadable and safe for application.

Identification

• Carrier oils are vegetable, nut or seed oils. Valerie Worwood, author of "The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy," says many oils have therapeutic values themselves, so they can actually add to the potency of the aromatherapy blend. Oils used in aromatherapy are different than cooking oils found in grocery stores, though. Worwood says to look for cold-pressed varieties to ensure the oil has been processed without chemicals. Carrier oils will turn rancid, so users should check the bottle's instruction label for storage information.

100 Percent Base Oils

• According to Worwood, some oils can be used by themselves with no dilution in aromatherapy applications; those include sweet almond, apricot kernel, corn, grapeseed, hazelnut, peanut, safflower, soya bean and sunflower. Keep in mind that some oils will not be appropriate for every user because of allergies and sensitivities. Other than that, these oils are safe to apply liberally onto the skin.

  Because it is inexpensive and has a shelf life of 12 months, sweet almond oil is popular among aromatherapy users. It absorbs quickly, and does not leave an excessive oily feeling on the skin.

10 Percent Dilutions

• Not every oil is suitable for liberal skin application. Some oils, such as carrot oil, can actually harm the skin when they are applied straight. Worwood says some oils are best used in combination with another base oil at a 10 percent dilution; those include avocado pear, borage seed, carrot, evening primrose, jojoba, olive, sesame and wheatgerm.

  Dilutions can be added for specific needs. For instance, jojoba and wheatgerm help skin issues, such as psoriasis, inflamed skin, eczema and prematurely aged skin. Though popular in cooking, olive oil is usually not the best oil for aromatherapy, as it is fairly thick, and its smell can overpower the essential oils.

Vegetable Butters

• Though not specifically a carrier oil, essential oils also can be placed in vegetable butters, such as cocoa butter and shea butter. These butters are solid at room temperature and work well for skin repair and maintenance solutions. Vegetable butters also can be combined to create a product specifically for a certain ailment.