Essential oils are a staple for modern Yogis, New Agers, Spiritual Practitioners, and Witches! Empowerment and supplemental therapy is huge. Everyone is turning to essential oils to help dreams come true, aid in overcoming mental struggles, and aid in healing.Essential oils have amazing health benefits. They smell amazing, and they can be incredibly relaxing or exciting! The trick is to know how and when to dilute them for maximum benefit and maximum health.
Why Diluting Essential Oils is Important
Essential oils are naturally highly concentrated; they contain a high amount of compounds in a single area. Therefore too much of a strong oil on one area can cause skin irritations, such as caustic burning of the flesh, sensitization, and phototoxicity, as well as systemic toxicity (hepatotoxicity, fetotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and carcinogenicity). Diluting an oil makes it less concentrated; there is a smaller amount on your body at any given time. To dilute an essential oil, you should use a “carrier oil”. Our favorites are sweet almond, jojoba, or coconut oil.
What Oils Must Be Diluted?
The dilution of essential oils depends on the type of oil it is. There are three types of essential oils:
- neat
- dilute
- sensitive
What is a Neat Essential Oil?
“Neat” essential oils do not need to be diluted. Neat essential oils include sandalwood, melissa, melaleuca, lavender, and frankincense.
What is a Dilute Essential Oil?
“Dilute” essential oils must be diluted. Thyme, oregano, clove, cinnamon, and cassia are good examples.
What is a Sensitive Essential Oil?
“Sensitive” oils affect sensitive and young skin if not diluted. Black pepper, wintergreen, eucalyptus, ginger, and peppermint are good examples.
Essential Oil Dilution Chart
Here’s our handy chart.
It’s amazing how a little bit of dilution can improve the effectiveness and longevity of a bottle of oil and your health!
