Topical Applications

Topical Applications
Yes, you can apply essential oils directly to the skin, but as mentioned above, you need to be careful with this approach for several reasons, the most immediate of which is simply that you may very well burn yourself! There are a few oils that can be applied undiluted to the skin. These are called “neat” oils. The vast majority of essential oils, however, need to be diluted to use them safely, especially on the skin. Once you understand how to properly dilute essential oils for topical use, you can go several directions: making massage oils, home blends for case-by-case use, and adding them to personal care products like shampoo and lotion.
To really drive in how important it is to dilute the oils, I’m going to sacrifice some pride and give you two “real life” experiences from my own history:
1. When I first started investigating essential oils, I had no idea what I was doing and didn’t do enough reading before trying my hand at some (very foolish) applications. On one occasion, I diffused straight peppermint oil – 20 to 30 drops of it – directly into the air, no water added. I didn’t think about diluting it, because I thought that would make it weaker and I wanted a good, strong scent in the air. The result? An entire house full of people had to step outside for a while, because all of us were experiencing tearing eyes and burning lungs. I was prompted to do a bit more research and have never made that mistake again…
2. I thought that I’d concoct a home-made deodorant, but I didn’t really have a good recipe and didn’t know enough about blending to know what I was doing. I ended up putting very poorly diluted Peppermint essential oil (you can tell that’s one of my favorites) directly on my underarms. Wow! It took about 5 seconds to go from cooling to burning and I could not wash it off fast enough. The “icy-hot” sensation lasted the rest of the day and was pretty darn uncomfortable…even though I did smell good.
So, let’s talk about diluting. The first way is to use water. If using a diffuser, this is the best way to dilute the oils (carrier oils are not meant to be diffused). Add 2 – 3 drops of essential oil to about 100 drops of pure water. Light the candle (or plug the diffuser in) and you are good to go. If you’re adding oil to water for topical use (such as in a spray bottle to spritz your skin), you’ll have to shake the bottle before each use, because even with the miracle of aromatherapy, oil and water still won’t mix.
For most topical applications, however, you’ll probably want to use a carrier oil. These range in thickness and texture and have different uses. In general, you’ll want to research or ask someone knowledgeable in aromatherapy to guide you in making your carrier oil choices. Here’s a small example of what to be aware of:
Grapeseed oil is very light and non-greasy; it’s good for skin that does not absorb other oils quickly. Sweet almond oil, however, is lubricating but not easily absorbed by the skin, so it makes a good massage oil base.
Jojoba is actually a liquid wax (not an oil), but it penetrates the skin rapidly. Therefore, while it isn’t ideal for massage, it’s excellent for nourishing the skin, healing inflamed areas, and skin problems like eczema and psoriasis.
You can see that it becomes important to have the appropriate carrier oil for the task at hand. Once you have that oil, again, add 2 – 3 drops of the essential oil to every 100 drops of carrier oil. This counting of drops can be tedious – holding a bottle upside down and counting 100+ drops of oil can take some time. This is why essential oil blends are sold commercially; it’s one more way to take the work out of something. While I suggested above that you buy undiluted, unblended oils, it really is up to you. There are some fine pre-blended oils ready for topical application available. (Massage therapists, for example, buy blended oils; they do not often have the luxury of time necessary to create their own.)
Here are some very general guidelines:
For Massage Blends
Sweet almond oil makes a great base as does extra virgin olive oil. Add 2 – 3 drops of essential oil per 100 drops of carrier oil. If you have several hundred drops of carrier oil, consider mixing several different essential oils in it. (Aromatherapy “recipes” will be given later.)
For Home Use
For other uses, such as treating wounds or burns, consider adding a drop or two of an antiseptic or antibacterial essential oil to some Aloe vera gel. This will penetrate the skin, providing valuable nutrients and promoting cell repair. Another idea: try adding a drop or two of Lavender or Eucalyptus essential oil to the rinse cycle of your washing machine.
In Personal Care Products
Adding a few drops of certain essential oils (such as Rosemary) to a shampoo base is useful for scalp conditions. Also, an excellent way to introduce essential oils to the skin is to “add a few drops to your usual lotion or moisturizer and then rub it into the affected area” (Enhancing Your Mind, Body, Spirit, 1:2).
In the Bath
Because oil and water don’t mix, the best way to use essential oils in a bath is to add them (again 2 – 3 drops) to a small amount (say, ¼ – 1 cup) of milk or cream. This acts as an emulsifier, allowing the oils to blend better with the bathwater, plus the milk (or cream, if you use it) softens
the skin. Using essential oils in the bath is a great way to absorb their therapeutic compounds, as your pores are wide open, increasing your skin’s ability to let in the oils.


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