We get the question all the time: What is the difference between a carrier oil and an essential oil. Heres the simplest explanation: Essential oils are extracts from the root, bark, stem, leaves and aromatic portions of the plant. There are several extraction methods in practice like the steam distillation method, cold-pressing method and solvent extraction method to produce essential oils of absolute or concrete kinds. Essential oils are thin oils with strong aromas. They evaporate pretty quickly and are classified into Top Notes, Middle Notes and Base Notes based on their evaporation levels. Carrier Oils (also called base oils) are vegetable (and some animal-based) oils that are used to dilute essential oils. Since essential oils can cause skin irritations or itching when used in undiluted forms, carrier oils are used as base oils to dilute them. Vegetable carrier oils are derived from the fatty portion of plants, like the seeds, nuts and kernels. Animal-based carrier oils come from the rendered and refined fat of the animal. Since each carrier oil has its own set of therapeutic benefits, an essential oil’s effectiveness depends on the proportion and properties of carrier oils used in the blend
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 19:59:06 +0000