Aromatherapy and especially essential oils are terms that almost everyone has heard before. But what is aromatherapy exactly? And what is an essential oil? I will give you a quick definition of both terms as well as of what is meant by the term carrier oil.
As an aromatherapist I use essential oils for improving or maintaining health and beauty. Essential oils itself are volatile and aromatic liquids that are occuring naturally in various parts of plant, herbs, flowers, fruits, woods and spices. They are organic compounds and may react to light, temperature, air and over time. So if you already have essential oils at home, store them in a dark, cool place and keep them tighly capped at all times (according to Joyessence, Aromatherapy, Essential oils).
A carrier oil is a natural base oil. We use carrier oils if we need to dilute the essential oils. As soon as we want to apply the essential oil on the skin (massage, bath, skin, scalp and hair treatment...) it has to be diluted. There is a huge variety of carrier oils. The most popular carrier oil is sweet almond oil. If we diffuse essential oil (Inhaler, steam inhalation or diffuser) we do not need any carrier oil, as it will be diluted by the air.
Now let's talk about dilution. Depending on the type of topical application (whole body massage, facial treatment, bath...) different dilutions are required. The following infographic (acc. to Tisserand Institute) illustrates the recommended dilutions for topical use:
You can see, that the essential oils have to be diluted differently for each type of topical application. We can't use the same blend of essential oils for all topical uses. The above shown infographic refers to adults. A higher dilution (that means more carrier oil for the same amount of essential oils) is required when using essential oils for babies and children:
The same applies to pregnant women. It is recommended to use a lower essential oil concentration (higher degree of dilution) (according to Joyessence, Aromatherapy, Essential oils).
You may wonder how much ml one drop of essential oil is. The Tisserand Institute has a great dilution chart. Depending on how much carrier oil you use, you see the amount of essential oil that is needed:
Although essential oils are natural they are not always safe. There are some essential oils that are contraindicated for pregnant women, postpartum and children.
To be sure to get the right dilution as well as safe essential oils for your personal needs please contact a certified aromatherapist before using essential oils at home.
As a member of the Canadian Federation of Aromatherapy (CFA) I do not recommend nor condone the ingestion of any essential oil in any manner.
What to do in case of adverse reaction?
If adults show an adverse reaction it is often not severe. In case that a small child ingests any amount of essential oils, medical attention should be sought urgently.
In Canada there is no centralized phone number. Here is a list of poison information centers in Canada. Or call 911.
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