Carrier oils – base oils for your own blends

Carrier oils are fatty plant oils – unlike essential oils they don't evaporate and have barely any scent of their own. Their job is dilution.

We sell them as raw materials for your own blending. Which carrier suits what is explained under Skincare & Massage.

The four carrier oils compared

  • Almond oil – light, absorbs at a medium pace, keeps around 12 months. The all-rounder for massage and large areas.
  • Jojoba oil – light and waxy, absorbs quickly, keeps three years and more. First choice for the face and for anything meant to last.
  • Avocado oil – heavy and dark green, absorbs slowly, keeps around 12 months. Use as a component at 10 to 30 percent in a lighter base.
  • Castor oil – very thick, absorbs very slowly, keeps around two years. Only as a component at 5 to 10 percent, otherwise the blend turns sticky.

On shelf life: almond and avocado are fatty oils with unsaturated fatty acids – they oxidise and turn rancid over time. Jojoba isn't chemically a fat at all but a wax ester, and therefore far more stable. If you want a blend to keep, use jojoba as the base or mix small quantities.

Allergy note: almond oil comes from a tree nut and is a declarable allergen. If you have a nut allergy, switch to jojoba – botanically it isn't a nut.

How many drops to how much carrier oil?

One drop is roughly 0.05 ml. That gives these guide values:

  • 1 % – face, sensitive skin, children from 6: 3 drops in 10 ml, 9 in 30 ml, 15 in 50 ml, 30 in 100 ml
  • 2 % – body, daily use: 6 drops in 10 ml, 18 in 30 ml, 30 in 50 ml, 60 in 100 ml
  • 3 % – massage, localised: 9 drops in 10 ml, 27 in 30 ml, 45 in 50 ml, 90 in 100 ml
  • 5 % – short-term, small areas: 15 drops in 10 ml, 45 in 30 ml, 75 in 50 ml, 150 in 100 ml

As a rule you don't go above 5 %. More essential oil doesn't mean more scent in the result, only a lower irritation threshold.

Four points before your first blend

Patch test. One drop of the finished blend in the crook of your arm, wait 24 hours. This applies to every new essential oil, even if others were tolerated without trouble.

Citrus oils and sun. Cold-pressed citrus oils contain furocoumarins and are phototoxic. Avoid direct sun for twelve hours after applying. This particularly affects lemon, bergamot and grapefruit.

Not in the eyes, not on mucous membranes. If it happens: remove with a carrier oil, not water – essential oils aren't water-soluble.

Pregnancy, small children, pre-existing conditions. Different rules apply here than we can set out generally. Please clarify with a doctor beforehand.

Making up a blend

Take a dark glass bottle in a size you'll use up within a few weeks. Add the essential oils first, then top up with the carrier oil – that way they distribute themselves as you fill. Close it and roll it briefly between your palms rather than shaking. Label it with the date and the composition.

Small quantities beat large ones. A 50 ml blend on an almond oil base is at the end of its freshness after three months; a 250 ml bottle won't survive the same period any better – only more expensively.

Recipes with concrete quantities are under DIY Cosmetics; dilution and application in more detail under Skincare & Massage.

Our blends

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Frequently asked questions about carrier oils

Why do I need a carrier oil at all?

Essential oils are undiluted plant extracts and can cause skin irritation and sensitisation when used neat. A carrier oil dilutes them to a tolerable level and lets the blend spread evenly.

Which carrier oil is the right one?

Almond oil for massage and large areas, because it's light and spreads well. Jojoba for the face and for blends meant to keep. Avocado and castor are too heavy on their own and work as components.

How long does a homemade blend keep?

As long as its shortest-lived carrier oil. On an almond or avocado base, around three to six months; with jojoba, considerably longer. Store cool and dark, use dark glass.

Can I combine different carrier oils?

Yes. A common combination is 80 % almond oil with 20 % avocado – lighter than avocado alone, richer than almond on its own. Castor oil only in small proportions of 5 to 10 percent, otherwise the blend turns sticky.

What does phototoxic mean?

Cold-pressed citrus oils contain furocoumarins, which can trigger skin reactions in combination with UV light. Avoid direct sun for twelve hours after applying.

Are your carrier oils cosmetic products?

No, we sell them as raw materials for your own blending. What you make from them is up to you.

Why is almond oil an allergen?

Almonds count as tree nuts and are subject to declaration. If you have a nut allergy, switch to jojoba oil – botanically it isn't a nut.