Welcome to Life! Essential Oils are almost all sold in concentrated form. Some consumers might question why oil suppliers don't make the oils more "consumer friendly" by pre-diluting them in what are called "carrier oils"--oils that diminish the concentration of the essential oil, but are still readily absorbed and healthy for the body.

The answers to this question are fairly simple. Truly healthy carrier oils are almost all subject to rancidity over time. Essential oils remain viable for a longer time than the carrier oils in which they are commonly diluted. (Some common carrier oils are olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and almond oil.) So, it is wiser to keep the carrier oils separated from the essential oils until they are used. It is true that a carrier oil known as "fractionated coconut" has longer shelf life and is more stable over time. (It also remains in a liquid format without solidifying at lower temperatures). However, to become more stable, the structure of the fractionated oil is altered. In our home, we prefer to keep our food and supplements as close as possible to those that God created. Since we commonly use Virgin Olive Oil and Virgin Coconut Oil for cooking and eating, these have become our carrier oils of choice. We are always rotating through our stock on hand, and are therefore sure to keep our carrier oils fresh. 

The second reason that essential oils are usually sold in concentrated form is because each person's body is different and has varied and changing needs. Because of this, one size DOES NOT fit all. It is important that consumers become familiar with the essential oils they use and learn to be intuitive about the concentrations they use. Though it is always wise to test a person's reaction to a particular oil by using a low dilution (such as 5%), there are times when higher concentrations will be more likely to achieve satisfactory results. Concentrated essential oils allow the consumer to adjust the concentration they want easily.

So, how do the Beck's dilute their oils? For topical applications, we pour (or melt) some carrier oil in the palm of one hand and pour one to several drops of essential oil into the carrier oil pool. Then we rub our hands together and apply the mixed oils to the desired place on our body. For certain oils, Sarah does not want them on her hands, so each morning she sits on the floor over a surface that will not stain if the oil gets on them, and pours a drop or two of oil onto the bottom of her feet before rubbing her feet together. She then puts on her socks and starts her day!

And what about diluting oils for ingestion? We personally don't ingest very many oils. However, for those few exceptions, we have found it very easy to put a drop or two into a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice. This is MUCH preferable to trying to get the oils into a capsule like some companies advocate.

And what about dilution for diffusing? When diffusing oils, no carrier oil should be used. There are some diffusers that use water to dilute the oil and that put a humidifying mist into the air. However, when diffusing, only pure essential oils should be put into the diffuser.