Blending Essential Oils

Although two essences may have a similar smell or property, it does not necessarily mean they will mix well together. It is possible that one essence can overpower the other. It is best when blending essential oils to use a maximum of three oils so as to not detract from their individual qualities.

Blending:

Essential oils should be handled, mixed and stored with care and used sparingly because they are highly volatile substances. If you have children or animals in the room where you are blending essential oils, be extra careful not to spill any as the smell can be quite overpowering and adversely affect them.

The power of aromatics is quite subtle, so never try to sniff or smell a pure essential oil straight from the bottle. Place a drop of the essential oil on the side of a glass and sniff, define the smell and take note if you wish.

Blending essential oils at a dilution of 1 per cent, or one drop per 1 teaspoon of base oil is best. This may sometimes be increased to 2 per cent, but take care that no skin reactions occur with any oil.

The base oils play an important role in carrying and diluting the highly concentrated essential oils. Essential oils are used only in small amounts and measured in drops. The base oils dilute the essential oils inhibiting the evaporation rate and helping quick absorption of the oils into the skin.

When blending essential oils, use a glass, aluminum or porcelain bottle and make sure that you have the correct amount of vegetable carrier oil before adding the recommended drops of essential oil with a dropper or pipette for accurate measurements. Mix thoroughly and label the bottles clearly.

Carrier Oils:

Base oils are normally extracted from seeds or nuts and each has its own particular quality. Sweet almond oil is the best all-purpose carrier oil because it is neutral and non-allergenic. Sweet almond oil is considered safe enough that if can be used on babies. Other suitable base oils are grapeseed, coconut, sunflower, and wheat germ oil.

The most important thing to remember when buying these oils is to check to make sure that they have been naturally processed and not chemically treated. As always, cold-pressed is best.

Storage:

After blending essential oils, remember that they are sensitive to light, so store them in dark glass bottles with stoppers, in a dark place. Even though the bathroom is probably where you will use your oils the most, do not keep them in the bathroom because they will evaporate and become stale from the steam.

At home, keep oils in a cool dry place, stand bottles upright, and always out of the sight and reach of children. Oils will keep for at least a year if properly stored, but citrus oils may have a shorter life.

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