Aromatherapy Carrier Oils

How to choose the best carrier oil for your skin type

A little basic knowledge can really help you choose the best carrier oil for your aromatherapy recipes. Each carrier oil has its own distinct qualities, so each oil is best suited for certain skin types or conditions such as acne, dryness or eczema.

Don't be afraid to experiment. Choosing the best carrier oil for your skin is often a matter of trial and error. They won't hurt you, so it's okay to play!

Aromatherapy Carrier Oils Cheat Sheet

Click on the links to jump to each of the aromatherapy carrier oils, or scroll down the page to browse through them.

Sweet Almond Oil	spacer cell	Coconut Oil	spacer cell	Olive Oil
Apricot Kernel Oil		Comfrey Herbal Oil		Rice Bran Oil
Arnica Herbal Oil		Evening Primrose Oil		Rosehip Oil
Avocado Oil		Grapeseed Oil		Rosemary Herbal Oil
Borage Oil		Jojoba Oil		Sea Buckthorn Oil
Calendula Herbal Oil		Kukui Nut Oil		St. John's Wort Herbal Oil
Canola Oil		Neem Herbal Oil		Sunflower Oil

Sweet Almond Oil

• Especially good for dry, irritated and aging skin, but suitable for all skin types.
• Soothing, nourishing and reconditioning for skin.
• High in protein, Vitamin D and GLA acids.
• Average absorption into skin, leaves a slight film on skin.
• Popular all-purpose oil.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Can stain sheets if used for massage.
• Buy sweet almond oil

• Good for all skin types, including sensitive and aging skin.
• Nourishing, soothing.
• High in Vitamin A.
• Light texture, quick absorption.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Buy apricot kernel oil

• Good for sensitive, irritated skin, as well as skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and severely dry or aged skin.
• Deeply nourishing, soothing.
• High in vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E. Also contains amino acids, sterols, pantothenic acid, lecithin, and other essential fatty acids.
• Green color, slightly thick consistency. Leaves a sticky, waxy feel on skin.
• Dilute to a maximum of 10% of a recipe due to its oily residue.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year.) Refrigerate after opening.
• Buy avocado oil

• Good for dry, damaged, aging and sunburned skin.
• One of the richest known sources of essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.
• Supports mobility of joints and tissues.
• Stronger color and odor than many oils.
• Usually diluted to a maximum of 10% of a recipe due to its high price and oily residue.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Not recommended for use during pregnancy.
• Buy borage oil

• Good for all skin types.
• Rich in minerals, vitamins and GLA acids.
• Very affordable, readily available (just check your grocery store.)
• Good absorption into skin.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.

• Good for dry, damaged hair. Good for use in lip balms. Creates a moisture barrier.
• Solid at room temperature; liquid when heated.
• Rich in minerals, vitamins and GLA acids.
• Buy virgin, unrefined to get the most benefits.
• Virgin, unrefined coconut oil has a strong coconut aroma; dilute if concerned about altering the scent of your recipe. Refined coconut oil has very little scent.
• Creates a smooth, protective barrier on the skin.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Check for possible allergic reaction before applying directly to the face.
• Buy coconut oil

• Good for eczema and psoriasis. Soothes inflammation.
• Rich in gamma linoleic acid, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
• Dilute to a maximum of 10% of a recipe due to its oily residue.
• Quick to go rancid; shelf life is three to six months. Refrigerate after opening.
• Buy evening primrose oil

• Good for oily, acne-prone skin. Non-allergenic: good for sensitive skin types.
• Astringent.
• One of the lightest, most easily absorbed carrier oils available.
• Very popular for use as a base oil for lotions and body, bath and massage oils.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Buy grapeseed oil

• Good for all skin types, including dry or mature skin, as well as oily, acne-prone skin.
• Deeply moisturizing. Rich in Vitamin E.
• Reduces appearance of pores over time.
• Reduces superficial wrinkles and stretch marks.
• Closest in properties to skin's own natural oils; helps balance skin's oil production.
• Readily absorbed without making the skin feel greasy or tacky. Does not clog pores.
• Very popular for use in facial products, cosmetics and lotions.
• Good for dandruff, athlete's foot.
• Highly stable, excellent shelf life. Often used to extend the shelf life of other oils.
• Buy jojoba oil

• Especially good for dry, mature and damaged skin but suitable for all skin types.
• Deeply moisturizing, soothing and nourishing. Rich in Vitamins A, C & E.
• Penetrates skin layers to hydrate and lock in moisture.
• Protects against sun, wind, salt and other skin damage.
• Used to help heal burns including sunburn, windburn, radiation burns and heat induced burns.
• Quickly absorbed with no oily film.
• Good shelf life (about a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Buy kukui nut oil

• Good for dry, irritated skin.
• Affordable, readily available (check your grocery store.)
• Not appropriate for bath oils because it can change the scent of the blend.
• Makes lotions feel slightly 'tacky'.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Buy olive oil

• Particularly good for delicate, sensitive, dry and aging skin types (including babies.)
• Believed to protect against UV rays.
• Non-allergenic.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Buy rice bran oil

• Particularly good for dry, weathered, sunburned skin, as well as eczema.
• Extremely high in essential fatty acids.
• Contains Trans-Retinoic Acid, a similar to the active ingredient of Retin-A (a popular wrinkle cream)
• Good for treating burns and sunburn, scars, stretch marks, wrinkles and premature aging.
• Usually diluted to a maximum of 10% of a recipe.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• May aggravate acne at high concentrations.
• Buy rosehip oil

• Good for dry, weathered, sunburned skin, as well as eczema.
• Reputed to be one of the best sources of natural antioxidants.
• Used for treating wounds, burns and sunburn, scars, stretch marks and wrinkles.
• Believed to protect against UV rays.
• Usually diluted to a maximum of 10% of a recipe.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year.) Store at room temperature.
• If undiluted it will stain skin, surfaces and clothing. Use caution, spread evenly and dilute.
• Buy sea buckthorn oil

• Good for normal to dry skin types.
• Rich in vitamins, minerals and fatty acids.
• A good all-purpose oil for bath and body recipes.
• Easily absorbed, leaves very little oily residue.
• Good shelf life (six months to a year) if refrigerated after opening.
• Buy sunflower oil

Here's some easy instructions for making your own herbal infused aromatherapy carrier oil, followed by a few well known herbal carrier oils and some notes on what makes them so great.

1. Mix 1 part dried herbs with 2 parts oil in a container.


2. Leave the mixture in a warm place for two or three weeks. The longer the herbs are left in the aromatherapy carrier oil, the stronger it will be. (Mountain Rose infuses their herbs in olive oil for over 3 months.)


3. Strain out the herbs and store the herb infused aromatherapy carrier oil in a cool, dark place.

• Used to treat physical trauma, sprains, bruising and other injuries.
• Prevents, relieves and reduces swelling, bruises and pain.
• Speeds healing.
• Buy arnica oil or arnica flowers.

• One of the most effective topical oils. Gentle, cooling and soothing.
• Heals dry, damaged and inflamed skin, rashes (including diaper rash) and other skin problems.
• Used to disinfect minor wounds. Good for treating slow-healing cuts and people with compromised immune systems.
• Stimulates the production of collagen at wound sites to minimize scarring.
• Suitable for sensitive skin (including babies.)
• Buy calendula oil or calendula flowers.

• Used for centuries for general wound healing, bruises and for speeding the growth of new skin cells.
• Breaks down red blood cells, which helps heal bruises, and promotes the growth of muscle, cartilage, and bone.
• Effective in treating eczema, dermatitis, viral skin infections and skin ulcerations.
• Do not use on dirty or open cuts or wounds. Do not use when pregnant or nursing. Do not take internally.
• Buy comfrey oil or comfrey leaves.

• One of the oldest medicines available - used in India since 2000-4000 BC, where it's still considered a cure-all today.
• Antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic and antiparasitic.
• Moisturizing and regenerative, neem oil contains Vitamin E and essential fatty acids.
• Good for treating acne, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, hives, athlete's foot, cold sores and warts.
• Also good for dandruff, hair loss and head lice.
• Helps relieve headaches, nausea, heartburn, fatigue, insomnia, colds and flu.
• Used to deter mosquitoes, fleas, flies, ticks, mites and lice.
• Very strong odor, dark color and thick viscosity.
• Dilute to a total of 5% or less of the recipe - its strong scent WILL affect your blend.
• Do not take internally. Pets, children and pregnant or nursing women should not use Neem.
• Buy neem oil or neem leaves.

• An aromatic, refreshing, versatile oil with a wide range of uses.
• Antioxidant, antiseptic and antispasmodic.
• Excellent for scalp problems like damaged hair, dandruff and itchiness. Especially effective used as a hot-oil treatment.
• Traditionally used as a pain relief rub for muscle pain, cramps, spasms, gout, arthritis, rheumatism and headaches, as well as strains, cuts, scrapes and bruises.
• Buy Rosemary oil or rosemary leaves.

• Anti-inflammatory. Helps speed the healing of wounds, bruises, varicose veins, sunburns, bee stings and mild burns.
• Sedative, astringent and anti-depressant (taken internally as a capsule or tincture for depression.)
• Often used as a breast massage oil after radiation treatments.
• St. John's Wort infused oil used in salves and lotions is made only from fresh material.
• Buy St. John's Wort oil.

What Next?

The Magical Search Box

For example, simply type in "jojoba oil" (without the quotes) and hit Search. Every page on this website that includes the words Jojoba Oil will pop up. Poke through them and decide which recipe to try next.