There are many oils that can be used for NEAT application. NEAT referencing your ability to apply the oil as is or without dilution. There are oils however that do require dilution due to the nature or properties of the oil. Attempting to apply such oils such as peppermint or past tense with proper dilution can cause severe irritation, burning or redness. No fun and can be very painful, trust me I have done it. Carrier oils are your friends!
There are different dilution requirements depending on age:
| Age (rough estimate) | % Dilution | Ratio: Essential Oil to Carrier Oil |
|---|---|---|
| Babies (0-2 years) | .3% | 1 drop of essential oil (EO) to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil (CO) |
| Children (2-12 years) | 1% | 1 drop of EO to 1 teaspoon of CO |
| Adult (12 years and beyond) | 2%-4% | 3-6 drops of EO to 1 teaspoon of CO |
The benefit to diluting is that you can make the oils last without diminishing the oils fragrance or properties as well as increasing topical oil distribution (doterra.com). Oils applied undiluted can evaporate too quickly before it is properly absorbed therefore you could potentially diminish the benefits. Just a tidbit for you I use this brand of carrier oil. It’s great because it comes with a pump and a squirt lid.
Carrier oils
A carrier oil is have that name because they help “carry” the essential oil into the skin, they actually aid absorption better. There are many carrier oils to choose from with which to dilute your essential oils in:
- Coconut oil*
- Fractionated coconut oil* (No, they are not the same)
- Jojoba oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Olive oil
- Evening Primrose oil
- Rose hip oil
*The difference between coconut oil and fractionated coconut oil is its resting state. Regular coconut oil is a solid similar to beeswax, cocoa butter or shea butter whereas fractionated coconut oil is a liquid NOT a solid.
