Preparing Essential Oil Blends For Aromatherapy Massages

April 16th, 2010

When using essential oils for those special aromatherapy massages, it's always nice to be able to create your own favorite essential oil blends. Although there are a few things to keep in mind.

Essential oils are extremely volatile, they will evaporate rapidly or deteriorate if kept in the wrong conditions. Only buy oils that are sold in airtight, dark glass bottles (never plastic). Do not expose them unstoppered to the air or to sunlight and keep them in a cool, dry place, preferably a refrigerator (though never a freezer).

Essential oils are always diluted in carrier oils. Peach, apricot, grapeseed, almond, coconut, calendula, olive and wheatgerm are all recommended.

Carrier Oils

As a general rule, aromatherapy oils must be diluted in a carrier oil before they can be applied to the skin. Various types of oil can be used and any cold pressed vegetable oil will make a good base. One consideration is the smell. Olive oil, for instance, has quite an overpowering smell. Almond, grapeseed, peach or apricot kernel oils are vitamin rich and easily absorbed. Olive and wheatgerm oils are usually used with another lighter carrier oil and are particularly good for dry and mature skin, and for a massage oil to be used on the face. Coconut oil blends well with sweet floral essences. Calendula oil is excellent for problem skin.

If you want to make up a quantity of massage oil for future use, bear in mind that both vegetable and essential oils oxidize and go rancid. Keeping them, once mixed, in dark glass airtight bottles is essential. Wheatgerm oil prevents oxidization, so always use a little of this (10% or more) as part of your carrier oil.

Dark glass bottles in various sizes for storing your essential oil blends are usually available from chemists.

Recommended Dilutions for your Essential Oil Blends:

FOR USE ON THE BODY

25 drops of essential oil

In

50ml (2fl oz) carrier oil

FOR USE ON CHILDREN

10 drops of essential oil

In

50ml (2fl oz) carrier oil

FOR USE ON THE FACE

12 drops of essential oil

In

50ml (2fl oz) carrier oil

FOR USE ON BABIES

5 drops of essential oil

In

50ml (2fl oz) carrier oil

Blending Essential Oils:

Blending essential oils is often made rather unnecessarily into something of a mystery. It is in fact, a combination of common sense and personal preference. Start by measuring the correct amount of carrier oil into a dark glass bottle. If you are following a particular recipe, measure in the number of drops given for each essence, then stopper and shake the bottle well, if you are not going to use it all immediately, label it.

If, however, you decide to experiment with blending, follow the simple maxim: you can add but you cannot take away. So add drops very gradually, mix and see if you feel that blend is going to be what you want. Three (or occasionally four) should be the maximum number of essences used in any mixture. If you use more than this, the overall aroma can become muddied.

Interestingly, it is very common that the oils you like the smell of are the ones you need therapeutically, so this is one time when you can certainly be led by your nose.

Hint: Aromatherapy oils should always be kept in dark glass bottles to protect them from the light. Put the carrier oil in first and add essential oils gradually until you achieve a scent you like.