Carrier Oil

• Carrier oils help carry the benefits of essential oils into the skin. Massage oils are actually carrier oils and have the property of being easily absorbed by the skin. Carrier oils also mix well with most other types of oils. Some massage oils are a combination of essential oils diluted in carrier oils. A carrier oil also doesn't have a strong concentrated aroma and does not evaporate easily. They are commonly extracted from vegetable sources and are sometimes called base or fixed oils.
  
  

Essential Oil

• Essential oils are concentrated and thus contain strong aroma compounds. They are also volatile and may easily evaporate or mix with other substances. There is no one chemical distinction that identifies an essential oil other than that it was extracted directly from the plant and therefore carries its unique characteristic scent. Due to the concentration, it is generally unsafe to apply essential oils directly to the skin. Diluting the oil in other substances, such as carrier oils, is best and reduces negative skin reactions. Delivery of health benefits is also more effective.
  
  

Extraction

• Massage oils are derived from various plants via several extraction methods. Steam distillation uses a still wherein the heat causes the oil to separate from the plant material and evaporate. Condensation turns the oil vapor back into liquid form, which easily separates from water or other liquids that may be generated by the process. Maceration involves soaking and heating the plant material in carrier oil, infusing it with the plant's essential aroma. Solvent extraction uses a hydrocarbon solvent to dissolve the oil in a plant material. The resulting liquid is filtered and distilled. Pure alcohol is then applied to separate the oil from other residues. The alcohol then evaporates and what remains is the essential oil.
  
  

Benefits

• Almond oil, grapeseed oil and apricot oil are some of the more popular carrier oils used for massages. Aside from their benefit as carriers, they are all good emollients. Emollients help soften and smooth the skin. Though the actual aim of a massage may be to remedy certain muscular pain, use of such oils give the added benefit of nourishing the skin.
  
  

Olfaction

• Though carrier oils by themselves can be used for massages, adding essential oils increase health benefits. Olfaction, or positive stimulation of one's sense of smell by the strong aroma of essential oils, can result in a general feeling of well-being. Olfactory receptor cells are connected to the limbic system, which in turn is connected to areas in the brain that control breathing, blood circulation and the endocrine glands. The fragrance of essential oils when inhaled can relieve stress and help regulate hormone levels.