Diluting conserves the amount of oil used.
Essential oils are highly concentrated plant product.
I.e. Peppermint takes approximately 1 pound of product to produce 1 drop.
Because of their concentration only a few drops at most are needed with any application. Diluting helps spread those few drops over large areas. FYI: The effectiveness of an essential oil is not decreased if diluted at the time of use. However, if your essential oil has been in a carrier oil longer than a few months – the plant (essential oils are plants) can start to break down, so you may want to add a little more essential oil to renew it.
Diluting helps keep essential oils from evaporating before they have a chance to be absorbed.
It’s kind of like putting water on hot asphalt – the water evaporates quickly. Because your body is a higher temperature than the oils – using a carrier oil helps hold the tiny volatile constituents on your skin long enough to have a better chance of being absorbed.
Diluting makes using essential oils safer.
Because of the high concentration of pure essential oils they are able to accomplish desired results with a very small amount. Less is more in this case!
Use good old common sense when using pure essential oils! Like anything else you might use from the medicine cabinet; use only as needed, use recommended amount (no more than a few drops), for a specific purpose and discontinue use when no longer needed.
Taking a large number or amount (such as 20 or more drops a day) of essential oils cannot be good in the long term for the kidneys and liver. It is also possible to create sensitivities or heightened allergic reactions to the oils that could cause you not to be able to use these precious oils at some time in the future when you may really need them. Sometimes this takes time to develop – so don’t risk it!
It may not be wise to continue use for extended periods of time – with no specific purpose! These oils need to be treated with the same respect you would use with over the counter medicine or prescription drugs. Just because they are natural – does not mean you can overdose without consequences.
Diluting helps decrease skin sensitivity and reduce the risk of allergic reactions.
Some oils are very irritating to the skin such as; cinnamon or oregano. Allergic reactions (or skin sensitivities) may possibly occur simply because of the high concentration of the oils and the strong ‘heat’ of the oil (I call an oil that burns when put on the skin without a carrier oil a ‘hot’ oil). Diluting decreases the probability of these reactions.
I have put an undiluted drop of essential oil directly on such things as: bee stings, mosquito bites, a zit or a wart, but even then it would be better if I diluted. It would have the same result and is safer. Becky Utley
Let us be wise and use prudence (sound judgment) when using these precious oils so that we may continue to enjoy the benefits from their use for years to come.
Happy oiling!