Welcome to Natural Touch

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is the difference between an aromatherapy oil and an essential oil?

When you buy an aromatherapy oil it is usually a 2% dilution of an essential oil with the other 98% made up of a carrier oil such as sunflower or grapeseed oil. When buying this in a 10ml bottle it can look as if you are buying the real thing but it ends up being very poor value for your money.
An essential oil is an undiluted product extracted from flowers, roots, leaves, woods, fruits or herbs. For a pure oil nothing should be added or taken away after extraction.

2) I was recommended a particular oil and I can’t stand it’s smell, should I go ahead and use it?

Absolutely not. Our sense of smell is extremely acute and can stimulate memories (happy or sad), emotions (good or bad) and it’s really important in Aromatherapy that you like the smell of the oil you choose to use. Oils can either soothe or stimulate and can have a very positive effect on our hectic lives when used correctly.

3) Can I use un-diluted oils directly on my skin?

We have all probably used Tea Tree oil for it’s antiseptic properties, directly on a spot or blemish in the past. For those of us that have overdone it the skin can end up dry and red around the spot or blemish. Almost no oil should be applied undiluted to the skin. Advice should be sought from a qualified Aromatherapist.

4) What is a Carrier Oil?

A carrier oil is usually a cold pressed vegetable oil with each one having a different benefit. They don’t evaporate like essential oils can. When essential oils are used for massage they need to be mixed with a carrier oil as they are far too powerful to be used on the skin undiluted. The most common carrier oils used are, sunflower, Grape seed or sweet almond oils. The dilution should be 10 drops of Essential oil to 20mls of Carrier.