“Of course, it’s even one of the first ways of use to choose,” says Danièle Festy, pharmacist and aromatologist. The essential oils are lipophilic, that is to say in affinity with fats. This is why, diluted in a vegetable oil, they act locally and have no difficulty in penetrating the three layers of the skin (epidermis, dermis, hypodermis) before joining the bloodstream and thus being transported to the deep organ. to treat. As proof, the breath of a baby whose soles of the feet have been massaged with two drops of eucalyptus essential oil exhales the fragrance of the plant just a few minutes after application! But beware, “contact with the skin must be accompanied by precautions”, insists the specialist. While there are a few very gentle essential oils (lavender, rosewood, geranium) that can be applied pure to the skin, on a very small surface in one or two applications at most, “most of them can be dermocaustic, that is to say irritating, if used for a long time or several times a day on the same area”, warns Dr. Festy. Clearly, if you want to treat a large surface (for example, an arm or a leg) or if you have to renew the application (in the case of a rheumatism, in particular), “we must systematically dilute the essential oil beforehand in a vegetable oil, preferably adapted to the problem to be treated”, details the pharmacist-aromatologist. Thus, vegetable oils of jojoba, argan and sweet almond (for babies) are indicated for skin problems; for osteo-muscular pain, we will choose the oil ofarnica ; for a burn, oil of St. John’s wort; for a massage that promotes blood and lymphatic circulation, calophylle oil.
How to use it in massages?
The essential oil is diluted in a vegetable oil, in a concentration adapted to the desired purpose: 1% maximum for daily use on the face, 3% for the body and 30% for a massage circulatory or muscular. For example, to relieve a painful or swollen limb, pour 2 drops of EO of wintergreen + 2 of EO of Italian helichrysum in 5 of arnica vegetable oil, and massage until completely absorbed for 5 10 minutes away. You can also prepare the massage oil in advance. To do this, pour 10 drops of HE into a 10 ml bottle and top up with vegetable oil adapted to your needs. This mixture can be kept for up to 3 months, provided it is placed in a cupboard, away from light and heat.
Some family preparations (5 ml bottle):
– For a massage that relieves pain due to osteoarthritis or rheumatism: 5 drops of wintergreen EO + 2 rosemary camphor EO + 3 lemon eucalyptus EO, diluted in 5 ml of arnica vegetable oil. We massage three times a day for 3 to 10 days, with about ten drops of the mixture.
– For a sedative, anti-nervous massage: 5 drops of lavender EO + 2 ylang-ylang EO + 3 bitter orange petit grain EO diluted in 5 ml of hazelnut vegetable oil (very fluid).
– To prepare the muscles for sport: 10 drops of lemon eucalyptus EO diluted in 5 ml of hazelnut or calophylle vegetable oil.
– To prevent seasonal ailments in babies: 2 drops of rosewood or ravintsara EO diluted in 2 drops of sweet almond oil, to be applied to the chest morning and evening during the high-risk period.
