First of all, we rarely use the essential oils full strength or essential oils undiluted. Usually you have to put them in some type of a carrier. They are oil soluble, so that's why they are very good to add to vegetable type oils not mineral oil, as I mentioned earlier. Also, they are soluble in some creams, but you have to be careful. If you are putting them in a cream, some essential oils will break down the cream, so it becomes more of a liquid. Usually we use them on the face. Most often, you're using them in particular carrier oils and each of the carrier oils has their own therapeutic effects. Some would be better for oily skin, some for dry skin or certain types of skin. When you are putting them on the skin and putting them on your face, you would only use a half and one and a half percent essential oil to the base. That would be anywhere from four to 12 drops in one ounce of carrier, because they are extremely concentrated. The only ones that we recommend you use full strength are lavender or tea tree. Even then, it would be on a blemish or cut or burn or a bite; you could put a drop directly on it. Otherwise, you would always be diluting it in a carrier. Another carrier that they are soluble in is vinegar. For example, cider vinegar is excellent for the skin. In Victorian times, they used to make aromatic vinegars for rinsing the hair and the skin. They are soluble in honey and they are soluble in alcohol; but of course with alcohol you would only be using it more for like cologne or something like that, because we don't recommend using alcohol on the skin.
