Topical use of essential oils has been used for many many years for many many reasons. Essential oils are lipophilic, meaning the are absorbed by the skin right into the body. Once they are absorbed, the oils will circulate through the blood stream and lymphatic systems, moving throughout the body, all within about 20-60 minutes minutes. Fun fact, applying essential oils to the feet can often leave a minty taste in the mouth! Because they are absorbed into the body, it's very important that you are choosing top quality essential oils. Contaminated or adulterated essential oils will introduce undesired chemicals into your body. People choose to use essential oils on the skin mostly for muscle, respiratory, and skin support, but also for supporting the brain, cell, immune system, and mood reasons.
Methods of apply essential oils to the skin
1. Massage. Most often used to address tension, inflammation, or promote relaxation in the body. The diluted essential oils are applied over large areas, providing a full body effect both mentally and physically.
2. Creams or balms. These are used to manage skin conditions (acne or eczema) or to maintain healthy skin. Essential oils are diluted with an appropriate carrier oil and applied to the area where support is required. This method is also useful when supporting the musculoskeletal system at home (sore muscles or joints or menstrual cramps).
3. Diluted rollerballs. Typically used to conveniently apply diluted essential oils and blends to the skin. Most beneficial for mood, immune, respiratory, or aromatic purposes.
4. Compresses. Most commonly used when massage might be uncomfortable or inconvenient, for swelling and inflammation, or with broken skin but they have many other uses as well. Compresses are created by adding 6 drops of essential oil to 1 cup water (warm or cool) and soaking a cloth in the water before applying it to the desired area.
5. Gargles or mouthwashes. For concerns in the mouth or throat. Typically 2-3 drops of essential oil are added to water and swished around the mouth or gargled before spitting it out into the sink.
Considerations for choosing your application method
When applying essential oils to the skin, there are a few considerations to keep in mind:
1. Age. Essential oils should be diluted for children and the elderly. Using creams, rollerballs, or massages make this simpler. Also many children struggle with gargling without swallowing, so that may not be the best approach for most.
2. Your desired goal. The dilution you choose can vary depending on your overall goal. Stronger dilutions are often used for addressing bruising or acute and clinical issues, where lighter dilutions might be chosen for someone with red, inflamed skin patches. Also, certain skin conditions benefit from different carrier oils to promote better absorption.
3. Skin type. Dry or thick areas of skin don't absorb essential oils as thin areas with good blood flow. Selecting the right carrier oil can help accomplish the goal of moving essential oils into the blood stream. This is why many prefer fractionated coconut oil. If your goal is to effect the body as a whole or a particular body system (vs a dry skin remedy), apply oils to areas where the skin is thinner and where veins are closer to the surface.
4. Essential oil choice. Certain essential oils can cause skin irritation. These are commonly referred to as hot oils and include cinnamon, clove, oregano, black pepper, thyme, lemongrass, cassia etc. Adding these oils to lotions or balms or diluting them in rollerballs can lessen skin reactions. Compresses and gargles do not dilute the essential oils, increasing the chance of irritation.
Diluting essential oils
Ask 5 different essential oil experts about the best dilution ratio, and you'll probably get 5 different answers. Why? Because there are a lot of things to consider and it's both an art and a science (and a topic to fight over for web traffic). Most recommendations error on the side of caution and are based on what's commonly been recommended in the field. First, let's discuss WHY you want to dilute essential oils. The answer is that they work better and lessen skin reactions when you do. Next, what does diluting mean anyway? It means that you take a certain amount of essential oil and divide it into small amounts. Finally, how much should you dilute essential oils. HA! That's the million dollar question!
Essential oil dilutions are given in percentages. Recommendations for healthy adults range from 2.5% (general massage) to 20% (acute situations). For those that are younger, older, those with chronic conditions or skin sensitivities, or are pregnant the recommendations are between .5-2.5%. My general advice is to stay in the 2-5% range, depending on age or what you're trying to achieve, and which oils you are using. For example for me personally, oregano and cinnamon oils need more dilution or my skin itches. When I want strong immune, musculoskeletal, or respiratory support, I choose a 5% dilution, and for general goals or strong scented oils, I use 2.5% or less dilutions. Like I said, it's both an art and somewhat of a science. One of my favorite quotes from aromatherapy is from one of my favorite aromatherapy books :
“It appears that most, if not all, of the sweeping generalizations are not inspired by a thorough analysis of potential toxicity, but by a sentiment to err on the side of safety. The aim is to establish simply rules which would prevent a public, often perceived as less than intelligent, from incurring any and all adverse reactions with essential oils.”
Is it ever safe to use undiluted essential oils?
Yes. Sometimes. This is recommended by aromatherapists and experienced essential oil users in certain situations and isn't for everyone or for regular use. According to AromaticStudies.com, undiluted essential oils might be appropriate for the following:
- Spot treatments (for acne or mild burns or cold sores)
- Bug bites
- Bruises
- Migraines
- Musculoskeletal trauma
- Reflexology or acupressure
- Ear infections
Essential oils acceptable for occasional undiluted use include (but not necessarily limited to): Melaleuca, Lavender, Helichrysum, Roman Chamomile, Rose, Sandalwood, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lemon, Rosemary
What if I have a skin reaction?
Some people may not be able to tolerate undiluted or even well diluted essential oils at all while others might be fine for a time or always. Patch testing for your own personal tolerance is a good idea. If you experience a negative reaction to essential oils, it's best to either stop using that oil or dilute it further to see if it is better tolerated. Removing essential oils from the skin is best done by wiping it away with a carrier oil (soap and water spreads the oil further on the skin). Note: doTERRA tracks negative reactions to their essential oils for research purposes, so please report them to the company directly.
