Using Carrier Oils to Dilute Your Young Living Essential Oils

Young Living’s V-6™ Massage Oil is a nourishing, antioxidant vegetable oils that is colorless and odorless. It is the ideal carrier for essential oils. V-6™ Enhanced Vegetable Oil Complex should be used to dilute certain essential oils and can be mixed with essential oils to create custom blends, formulas, and massage oils. This oil complex nourishes the skin, has a long shelf life, doesn’t clog pores, and will not stain clothes.

A ‘Carrier Oil’ is Quite Different than an Essential Oil

A carrier oil is a fatty oil (like the fatty oils used for cooking purposes), whereas and essential oil is volatile, meaning it evaporates or dissipates into the air.

Fatty oils (carrier oil) can and ‘will’ turn rancid within a relatively short period of time (usually about a year).

A YL essential oil which is ‘not’ combined with a fatty oil (carrier oil) pretty much has an indefinite shelf-life provided you do not expose your bottle of essential oil to extremes of heat, cold, or sunlight. Thus, it is recommended that when you do mix your YL essential oil with a carrier oil that if be done in smaller amounts or batches (what you’ll be able to use up within 4 months or less).

Neat: is a term used for describing the application of essential oil without diluting it with a carrier oil.

Topical Application Practices

Before applying oils, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Many Young Living Essential Oils are safe to apply directly to the skin because of their extremely pure and therapeutic- grade standards. Young Living’s lavender is safe to use on children without dilution. Using a YL essential oil ‘neat’ is a term which means no dilution with a carrier oil is used or necessary. However, you must be sure what you are NOT using a cheap essential oil lavandin (which is often the case with essential oils found in health food stores) is often labeled and sold as lavender or genetically-altered lavender.

When applying most other essential oils on children, dilute them with a carrier oil. For dilution, add 15-30 drops of essential oil to 1 oz. of a quality carrier oil as mentioned previously.

A precaution: NEVER assume an essential oil labeled lavender is true lavender and of superior quality. Therefore, do NOT keep such inferior essential oils in your kitchen for treating burns, or in your First Aid kit. An inferior or adulterated lavender WILL make a burn worse and will NOT heal a wound, and will make a condition worse!

Carrier oils, such as a V-6, extend your YL essential oils and provide more efficient use. When massaging, the vegetable oil also helps lubricate the skin which proves a nice ‘glide.’

When starting an essential oil application, always apply the oil first to the bottom of the feet. This allows the body to become acclimated to the oil, minimizing the chance of a reaction. The Vita Flex foot chart  identifies areas for best application. Start by applying 3-6 drops of a single or blended oil, spreading it over the bottom of each foot.

When applying essential oils to yourself, use 1-2 drops of oil on 2-3 locations twice a day. Increase to four times a day if needed. Apply the oil and allow it to absorb for 2-3 minutes before applying another oil or getting dressed (to avoid staining clothing).

As a general rule, when applying oils to yourself or another person for the first time, do not apply more than two single oils or blends at one time.

When mixing essential oil blends or diluting essential oils in a carrier oil, it is best to use containers made of glass or earthenware, rather than plastic. Plastic particles can leach into the oil mixture and then into the skin once it is applied (yes, skin is very absorbent and your body’s largest organ).

V-6 Contains the Following Vegetable Oils:

Fractionated Coconut Oil – is distilled from pure coconut oil. It is colorless, odorless, never goes rancid, and is easily washed out from fabrics.

Olive Oil – is rich in cell-protecting phyto-nutrients and antioxidants like squalene.

Sesame Seed Oil – contains powerful phytonutrients and is nourishing to the skin.

Almond Oil – is high in vitamin E and phytonutrients. Highly nourishing to the skin, it protects cell membranes from oxidative damage.

Sunflower Seed Oil – is compatible with the skin’s natural oils and sebum.

Wheatgerm Oil – is rich in lecithin, vitamin E, and B vitamins. Protects skin from free radical damage. Moisturizing and noncomedogenic.

How to use Young Living’s V-6 Massage Oil as a Carrier Oil

For direct topical application, blend 1 drop essential oil in 1-8 tsps. of V-6™ Enhanced Vegetable Oil Complex. V-6™ may also be used to create your own massage oil blend for topical applications by adding 15-30 drops of oil to 1/8-1/4 cup of V-6™.

Shake well before using. Store in a cool, dry place.

V-6™ may be applied to skin prior to the application of essential oils when stronger oils are being used (e.g. cinnamon, clove, peppermint, thyme, oregano, Thieves, etc.) which require more dilution than gentler oils (e.g. lavender, spruce, fennel, sage, Gentle Baby, Sensation, etc.)

Using Essential Oils and Carrier Oils in Massage

Start by applying 2 drops of a single oil or blend on the skin and massaging it in. If you are working on a large area, such as the back, mix 1-3 drops of the selected essential oil into 1 tsp. of pure carrier oil (such as a vegetable mixing oil or a massage oil base).

Keep in mind that many massage oils such as olive, almond, or wheat germ oil may stain some fabrics.

Using Essential Oils in Acupuncture

A licensed acupuncturist can dramatically increase the effectiveness of acupuncture by using therapeutic-grade essential oils. To start, place a few drops of YL essential oil into the palm of your hand. Dip the acupuncture needle tip into the oil before inserting it. You can pre-mix several oils in your hand if you wish to use more than one oil.

Using Essential Oils and Carrier Oils in Acupressure

When performing an acupressure treatment, apply 1-3 drops of YL essential oil to the acupressure point with a finger. Using an auricular probe with a slender point to dispense oil can enhance the application. Start by pressing firmly and then releasing. Avoid applying pressure to any particular pressure point too long. You may continue along the acupressure points and meridians or use the reflexology or Vita Flex points as well. Once you have completed small point stimulation, massage the general area using V-6 Massage oil. SeeLavender and Acupressure and Low Back Pain Study

Using Essential Oils in ‘Layering’

This technique consists of applying multiple oils one at a time. For example: place marjoram over a sore muscle, massage it into the tissue gently until the area is dry, and then apply a second essential oil, such as peppermint, until the oil is absorbed and the skin is dry. Then layer on the third oil, such as basil, and continue massaging. You can use your V-6 oil at any point.

How to Enhance the Benefits of Topical Application

The longer essential oils stay in contact with the skin, the more likely they are to be absorbed. Young Living’s V-6 is typically used on top of the essential oils to reduce evaporation of the oils into the air and to enhance penetration. This may also help seal and protect cuts and wounds.

Note: Do not use V-6, ointments, or other fatty oils on burns until the burn is at least three days old.

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