There’s more than one reason to use carriers! In this chapter, you’ll learn more about how they protect your skin and help you get the most out of every bottle of essential oil.

1. Carriers protect your skin

Essential oils contain natural chemical components in very high, undiluted concentrations.

Some of these components can cause skin irritation.

Eugenol, for example, is present in clove bud oil (Eugenia caryophyllata). While eugenol has incredible benefits for issues like sore and achy muscles, it can also seriously irritate your skin. If you’re applying clove bud oil to your skin, the eugenol might cause redness, irritation, or a more serious reaction.

Even the most skin-nourishing essential oil, like lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), should be diluted. Its main components are linalool and linalyl acetate. While they’re known to be very gentle on skin, applying lavender undiluted can still overwhelm your body. As your system seeks to defend itself against such strong substances, it can develop a sensitization.

You can use a product without issue for months (or even years!), and suddenly find your skin gets red and sore every time you use it. Now you’re “sensitized” to that product and you have to stop using it.

Diluting essential oils in carriers allows you to get their benefits without putting your health at risk.

Learn how your skin absorbs essential oils in carriers.

2. Using carriers respects your oils

Using carriers is also a way to respect the essential oils themselves.

When you add 5 or 6 drops of essential oil to a 1 oz (30 ml) bottle of carrier, the entire 1 oz bottle now offers the benefits of the essential oil!

That means you’ll use less essential oil. Your oils will last longer and you can get the most benefit out of every bottle.

This also respects nature. One bottle of essential oil contains HUGE amounts of plant material! Using no more than you need is a sustainable practice that honors nature, as well as the farmers and distillers who pour hard work and dedication into sustainable practices.

3. Carriers let you skip essential oils altogether

There are some times when you might not want to use essential oils at all.

If your skin is super-sensitive, even the gentlest essential oils might irritate it.

Essential oils are also generally too strong for babies and children under five years old.

Fortunately, carriers themselves have an array of benefits!

You can use them to make therapeutic aromatherapy blends without a single drop of essential oil. Use pure argan oil as a facial moisturizer, or make a soft, soothing balm with shea butter, beeswax, and hemp seed oil to care for a baby’s skin during diaper rash.