Here's one more quick cheat reference chart on dilution ratios. Remember for infants, 0.5% is suggested, and for children, 1% dilution ratio is suggested. Adults can use 6%.
First Essential Oils:
Different essential oils are more beneficial for different skin types and conditions. Here is a quick reference chart to help you decide what essential oils to add to your carrier oil. As you can see, if you are making your face oil to assist in mosturizing dry skin, you would lean towards oils such as cedarwood, clary sage, jasmine, and geranium. If you tend to have very sensitive skin, geranium, jasmine, and lavender are beneficial for you to use. If you have oily skin, there are quite a few options, including, bergamot, frankincense, helichyrsum, and melaleuca. And if you are looking for properties pertaining to wrinkles, clary sage, helichyrsum, geranium, lavender, and lemon are some of the suggested oils.
Carrier oils are more beneficial for certain skin types in the same way because of their different properties. So as we make different DIY gifts, I thought this reference chart would be a helpful tool in deciding what carrier oil would be best for that face cream or moisturizer you are making!
Apricot Kernel Oil
- Good for all skin types, including sensitive and aging skin.
- High in Vitamin A.
- Fatty Acids: Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Linolenic, Stearic.
- Low viscosity, light texture, quick absorption.
- Good shelf life, up to one year.
- Storage: Stores well, avoid light and excessive heat.
Avocado
- Good for sensitive, irritated skin, eczema, psoriasis, severely dry skin, wrinkles and aged skin.
- High in vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E. Amino acids, sterols, pantothenic acid, lecithin.
- Essential Fatty Acids: Linoleic, Linolenic, Oleic, Palmitic, Palmitoleic.
- High viscosity, thick texture.
- Good shelf life, up to 1 year.
- Storage: Refrigeration after opening recommended but not required.
Coconut Oil
- Good for dry, damaged hair, lips.
- Solid at room temperature; liquid when heated, melt point 76 degrees.
- Fatty Acids: Caprylic, Capric, Lauric, Linoleic, Myristic, Oleic, Palmitic, Stearic.
- Buy only virgin, unrefined coconut oil, which retains the nutrients.
- Virgin, unrefined coconut oil has a strong coconut aroma.
- Refined coconut oil has no scent and lacks nutrients.
- Creates a smooth, protective barrier on the skin.
- Good shelf life, up to 2 years.
- Storage: Stores well, avoid light and excessive heat.
Evening Primrose
- Good for acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, wrinkles, dry or aged skin.
- Rich in fatty acids: gamma linoleic acid, omega 6, Linoleic, Oleic, Palmitic, Stearic.
- Contains anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant properties.
- Low viscosity, medium to light texture.
- Storage: Shelf life 3-6 months, prone to rancidity. Refrigerate after opening.
Grapeseed Oil
- Good for oily, acne-prone skin, sensitive skin.
- Non-allergenic, astringent oil.
- Low viscosity, thin, very light texture, easily absorbed.
- Fatty Acids: Linoleic, Linolenic, Oleic, Palmitic, Stearic.
- Excellent for blending with thicker oils to lower their viscosity, lighten texture and help increase absorption.
- Good shelf life, up to 2 years.
- Storage: Stores well, avoid light and excessive heat.
Jojoba Oil
- Good for all skin types, oily, acne-prone, combination, sensitive, dry or aged skin.
- Deeply moisturizing. Rich in Vitamin E.
- Fatty Acids: Erucic, Gadoleic, Oleic.
- Reduces appearance of pores over time.
- Reduces superficial wrinkles and stretch marks.
- Very similar to skin's natural oils.
- Balances sebaceous glands and natural oil (sebum) production.
- Technically a wax, not an oil.
- Low viscosity, thin, light texture, easily absorbed, non-greasy, non-tacky.
- Does not clog pores.
- Storage: Stores well, stable shelf life. Not prone to rancidity. Used to extend shelf life of other oils.
Kukui Nut Oil
- Good for all skin types. Excellent for nourishing for dry, mature or damaged skin.
- Rich in Vitamins A, C and E and fatty acids.
- Fatty Acids: Oleic, Palmitic, Alpha Linolenic, Linoleic.
- 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.
- Used to help treat acne, eczema, psoriasis, chapped skin, dry skin, dry scalp, scars.
- Low viscosity, thin, light texture, easily absorbed, non-greasy.
- Good shelf life, up to 1 year if refrigerated after opening.
Macadamia Nut Oil
- Good for all skin types. Excellent for nourishing dry, mature or damaged skin.
- Rich in fatty acids; Oleic, Palmitoleic, Linoleic, Palmitic.
- Very similar to skin's natural oils.
- One of the best regenerative oils.
- Penetrates skin layers to hydrate and lock in moisture.
- Used to help heal scars, sunburns, minor wounds and skin irritations.
- Low viscosity, thin, light texture, easily absorbed.
- Storage: Avoid excessive light and heat.
Neem Oil
- Good for all skin types, especially beneficial for problem skin.
- Used in India's Ayurvedic tradition for 5000 years.
- Antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic properties.
- Used to help treat a wide range of ailments including: acne, eczema, psoriasis, athletes foot, warts, wrinkles, fungal infections, skin irritations.
- Contains moisturizing, regenerative properties.
- Contains Vitamin E and essential fatty acids.
- High viscosity, thick, heavy texture, (similar to olive oil).
- Sometimes blended with olive oil to keep from solidifying at room temperature.
- Exceptionally rich and contains a heavy odor, dilute accordingly.
- Excellent shelf life, up to 2 years.
- Storage: Avoid excessive light and heat.
Olive Oil
- Good for dry and mature skin.
- Fatty Acids: Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Linolenic, Stearic.
- Anti-inflammatory.
- Extra Virgin is most beneficial.
- Medium viscosity, thick, heavy texture, may leave oily or tacky residue.
- Excellent shelf life, stable, up to 2 years.
- Storage: Stores well, avoid excessive light.
Rosehip Seed Oil
- Good for dry, weathered, dehydrated skin, aged, damaged skin.
- Extremely high in essential fatty acids; Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Linolenic.
- Contains Trans-Retinoic Acid, similar to the active ingredient of Retin-A
- Ability to regenerate skin cells.
- Reduces scars, stretch marks, wrinkles, UV damage, sun spots, premature aging.
- Contains Vitamin A and E.
- Considered a "dry oil", low viscosity, light texture, easily absorbed, non-greasy.
- Penetrates skin layers to hydrate and lock in moisture.
- Can be used straight from the bottle as a moisturizer.
- Good shelf life, up to 1 year, if refrigerated after opening.
- Storage: Should be kept refrigerated. Avoid light, heat, temperature changes.
Sea Buckthorn Oil
- Good for all skin types. Especially dry, weathered, acne-prone, problem skin.
- Used for treating wounds, burns and sunburn, scars, stretch marks, wrinkles.
- Rich in essential fatty acids, carotene, tocopherols, phytosterols.
- Good shelf life, up to 1 year.
- Storage: Store at room temperature.
- Will stain skin if used undiluted. Use caution, spread evenly and dilute.
Sunflower Seed Oil
- Good for all skin types, especially dry, weathered, aged or damaged skin.
- Deeply nourishing and conditioning for the skin.
- Light texture, easily absorbed.
- Rich in Oleic Acids.
- Contains essential fatty acids; Linoleic, Oleic, Palmitic, Stearic.
- High in vitamins A, D, and E.
- Good shelf life, up to 2 years.
- Storage: Stores well under most conditions, extreme heat and light will lessen shelf life.
Tamanu Oil
- Good for all skin types, especially dry, aged, damaged or scarred skin.
- A therapeutic, healing oil for the skin.
- Contains essential fatty acids; Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Linolenic, Stearic.
- Used to treat several skin ailments including; acne, scars, stretch marks, eczema, psoriasis, sunburn, chapped skin.
- Used successfully to fade both new and old acne scars and stretch marks.
- Contains significant antimicrobial, anti-fungal, bactericide, anti-inflammatory properties.
- Promotes new tissue formation, accelerates healing and healthy skin cell regeneration.
- Medium viscosity, slightly tacky texture, but absorbs surprisingly fast, leaving little to no residue.
- Good shelf life, up to 2 years.
- Storage: Stores well under most conditions, avoid excess heat and light.
Enjoy Your OILS!!