What Is a Carrier Oil?

A carrier oil is derived from the seed, kernel or nut of a plant. Coconut, olive, and safflower oil are all examples of carriers used to dilute essential oils before they are applied topically. These oils get their name because they “carry” the essential oil onto the skin. Diluting with a carrier oil doesn’t limit the effectiveness of your essential oils. It allows you to extend the life of your EO’s, preventing waste.

Carrier oils do not contain a concentrated aroma, although they may have a mild distinctive smell. Cold-pressed, natural and unadulterated carrier oils should be used whenever possible to keep consistent with holistic aromatherapy. Vegetable shortening, baby oil, butter, mineral oil or any other petroleum derivative should be avoided as a carrier oils. They can prevent the skin from breathing properly, cause the essential oils not to absorb, keep your body from releasing toxins and clog pores.

High quality oils found in your pantry (olive oil and grapeseed oil) are great for carrier oils and very economical. Keeping your carrier oils in a cool, dark place is important in preserving their freshness. Anytime a carrier oil turns rancid, it should be discarded. Certain oils can be refrigerated to keep them fresh. They may appear cloudy or solid when removed from cold. They will return to their original state once they come to room temperature. Each carrier oil has various therapeutic properties and viscosity (thickness). Grapeseed is thin while olive oil is considerably thicker. You can blend carrier oils to reach your preferred viscosity, lubrication, absorption and aroma.

Nut-derived and pure peanut oil don’t typically contain the proteinaceous part of the plant. Oil purity cannot be guaranteed, so it’s best to use carrier oils that are hypoallergenic.

Below are lists of carrier oils and their comedogenic rating.  Unsure how to dilute your carrier oil with your essential oils? Look for dilution ratios on Young Living essential oil bottle labels.

Ratings: 0 = Will not clog, 1 = Low, 2 = Medium Low, 3 = Moderate, 4 = Fairly High, 5 = High

Carrier Oils
Apricot Oil – 2
Avocado Oil – 2
Castor Oil – 1
Cocoa Butter – 4
Corn Oil – 3
Cotton Seed Oil -3
Evening Primrose Oil – 2
Grape Seed Oil – 2
Hemp Seed Oil – 0
Jojoba Oil (technically a wax) – 2
Olive Oil – 2
Safflower Oil – 0
Sesame Oil – 2
Soybean Oil – 3
Sunflower Oil – 0
Wheat Germ Oil – 5

Nut Carrier Oils
Coconut Butter – 4
Coconut Oil – 4
Hazelnut Oil – 2
Peanut Oil – 2
Shea Butter – 0
Sweet Almond Oil – 2

Let’s Talk Diffusers

So many different types of diffusers, how do you decide which one is best?

Every diffuser has its own purpose and benefits. I personally own all of the diffusers pictured above and use them for different areas of the house, for the car and for out-of-state travel. The thing I love best about Young Living diffusers is they are made out of medical grade plastic. This means the plastic will not be broken down by citrus or any other type of oil and will not release toxins into the air. Ahhh, clean breathing!

Let’s take a look at each diffuser individually.

Aria – My Aria spends most of its time in the kitchen. It’s bamboo inspired maple base and glass dome are beautifully designed. It goes great with my decor around the house. The Aria covers approximately 430 sq.ft . and has the option to run for 1, 2 or 3 hours with automatic shut-off. I love the multicolored LED lights, especially at night!

The Aria is easy to clean and maintain. I feel like the scent covers more than 430 sq. ft. since we can smell it throughout the bottom floor of the house. The beauty of the Aria, the area of coverage, LED lights and the built-in soothing music make it definitely worth its weight in gold!

Dew Drop – The Dew Drop diffuser live in the kids’ rooms. It is simple and very easy to clean. This diffuser is multipurpose; use it as a humidifier, night-light, atomizer, and aroma diffuser. The ultrasonic technology of the Dew Drop breaks any mixture of essential oils and water into millions of micro-particles, dispersing them into the air, and releases the constituents found in Young Living essential oils.

Running for 4 hours at a time, the Dew Drop diffuser has an automatic shutoff. It covers approximately 323 sq. ft. The LED light can be left on or turned off while the diffuser runs.

Orb – Perfect for travel, our Orb has been to many states and is great for any hotel room. When the Orb isn’t traveling with us, it lives in my bathroom for some morning aromatherapy prior to my busy day at work.

The Orb covers approximately 50 sq. ft. making it perfect for those small spaces including the office. It has an intermittent or continuous diffusion flow and when full, will last up to 4.5 hours with an automatic shut-off.

Rainstone – Living in the master bedroom, the Rainstone is amazing! I have several setting options for the length of time it runs and LED lighting or none. I routinely diffuse my sleepy time oils for 6-8 hours at night before it automatically shuts off. Pure sleep heaven.

The Rainstone diffuser is a little harder to clean, but definitely worth the extra few minutes it takes me to clean it. It’s cool modern design covers approximately 323 sq. ft.

USB – Another great diffuser for travel or the office, but also in our laptops at home while the kids study! I also enjoy having one of these in the car for long drives or to safe me from the athlete smells after my kids play sports. Ewww…wet, grassy cleats smell the worst!

The USB diffuser is silent and runs in intervals or 10, 30 or 60 seconds. It functions as an air purifier and aroma diffuser. It comes in black, pink, purple or white.

If you would like to learn more about these diffusers or other Young Living diffusers, click HERE.