What is the Difference Between Carrier Oil and Essential Oil

The main difference between carrier oil and essential oil is that carrier oil can be directly used on the skin while essential oil cannot be directly used on the skin.

Essential oils, which are natural oils extracted from plant parts, are highly concentrated and too potent to directly apply on the skin. Carrier oils are oils we can use to dilute essential oils so that they are safe to use on the skin. 

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Carrier Oil 
     – Definition, Nature, Use
2. What is Essential Oil
     – Definition, Nature, Use
3. Difference Between Carrier Oil and Essential Oil
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Base Oil, Carrier Oil, Essential Oil, Oil

What is Carrier Oil

Carrier oil is a plant-based oil with little or no scent that helps to dilute essential oils. They are also known as base oils or fixed oils. We call them as carrier oils because they have the ability to carry essential oils into the skin. They help essential oils to spread more evenly unto the skin. Moreover, the absorption of the essential oil will depend on the thickness of the carrier oil. Besides, the dilution of the essential oil depends on the type of oil, where the oil is applied, as well as the size and health of the person.

Carrier oils are typically sourced from the fatty parts of a plant, such as seeds, kernels or nuts. Coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, hemp oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, hazelnut oil and flaxseed oil are a few examples of carrier oil.

Figure 1: Olive Oil

When choosing the carrier oil that suits you the most, you have to consider several factors like your skin type, where you’ll apply the oil and whether you have any allergies or not. To find the carrier oil that suits you the best, you can experiment with few oils using a patch test. Then you can see how your skin responds and choose the best carrier oil for you.

What is Essential Oil

Essential oil is a natural oil having the characteristic scent and flavour of the plant or other source from which it is extracted. In other words, it captures the ‘essence’ of the plant from which it was extracted. They carry the essence of flowers, leaves, seeds, roots, and other parts of plants. These oils are obtained through distillation or mechanical methods, such as cold pressing. Lavender oil, orange oil, tea tree oil, sandalwood oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, cinnamon oil, and lemon oil are some examples of essential oils.

Figure 2: Lavender Oil

It’s important to know that essential oil is produced from a single plant species (lavender oil from lavender) and that not all plants produce essential oils. Moreover, you will find essential oils sold in raw form, bottled in tinted glasses. You can also find them in products like soap, perfume, cream, lotion, shampoo, bath salts, and candles. 

Essential oils are highly concentrated and volatile. They are too potent to be applied directly on the skin. This is why we first dilute them using a carrier oil before applying them on skin.

Difference Between Carrier Oil and Essential Oil

Definition

Carrier oil is a plant-based oil with little or no scent that helps to dilute essential oils while the essential oil is a natural oil having the characteristic scent and flavour of the plant or other source from which it is extracted.

Scent

While carrier oils are lightly scented or unscented, essential oils are highly scented.

Application on Skin

Carrier oil can be directly applied to the skin while essential oil cannot be directly applied to the skin.

Nature

Moreover, carrier oils are not very strong/potent or volatile, while essential oils are highly concentrated, potent and volatile.

Source

Carrier oils are typically sourced from the fatty parts of a plant, such as seeds, kernels or nuts while essential oils are sourced from flowers, leaves, seeds, roots, and other parts of the plant.

Examples

Coconut oil, sweet almond oil, sesame oil, jojoba oil and olive oil are few examples of carrier oils while rosemary oil, lavender oil, orange oil, sandalwood oil, and cinnamon oil are examples of essential oils.

Price

In addition, carrier oils are inexpensive than essential oils.

Conclusion

Essential oils, which are natural oils extracted from plant parts, are highly concentrated and too potent to directly apply on the skin. Carrier oils are oils we can use to dilute essential oils so that they are safe to use on the skin.  Therefore, the main difference between carrier oil and essential oil is that carrier oil can be directly used on the skin while essential oil cannot be directly used on the skin.

Reference:

1. Wong, Cathy. “The Most Popular Types of Carrier Oils.” Verywell Health, 6 Dec. 2019, Available here.
2. West, Helen. “What Are Essential Oils, and Do They Work?” Healthline, Healthline Media, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “968657” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Lavender oil” By Giantera – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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