Base Oils

If you apply pure essential oils to your skin, it can cause irritation and drying of the specific area resulting in further problems. Some extracts can be used neat, but we recommend erring on the side of caution.

To save you time, you can purchase a bottle of pre-diluted essential oil.

- For massage and body oils: use between 15 and 60 drops of essential oil per one ounce of base oil. If using on a child, use no more than 3-6 drops per ounce.

- For use on the face: use between 3 drops (sensitive skin) and 15 drops (normal skin) of essential oil per one ounce of base oil.

- For creams and lotions: Some essential oils such as tea tree oil and oregano oil are ideal for treating these painful blisters. Peppermint oil for cold sores is great too. Simply dilute a small amount of your favourite essence with a skin-friendly carrier oil like coconut or olive oil to protect from damage, and dab it on to the cold sore with a cotton swab. Be careful not to ingest any though – essential oils can be toxic.

- For baths: use between 2 and 12 drops of essential oil or salts to each teaspoon of bath gel or oil.

- For steam inhalation (adults only): use up to 6 drops per ounce of boiling water. Halve the drops for children aged 5+.

- For diffusion: check your diffuser’s guidelines.

Undiluted essential oils can be harmful to the skin causing irritation, dryness, and sensitivity due to their highly-concentrated form. Some are even potentially toxic when undiluted resulting in dermatitis and even burn-like marks.

A few people see no adverse effects when using undiluted oil, but safely thinning will minimise the risk.