The essential oil and carrier oil should always be mixed. Always remember that 10 drops of essential oil should be mixed with 30 drops of carrier oil and applied.
A patch test is always important to rule out any reactions, try to apply it on your feet or soles to check for any cause of allergy or any change in heartbeat. If you don’t find any change, then you can use this oil. Aromatherapy is natural and normally does not irritate sensitive skin or the nose until unless few people who have much sensitive skin.

Aroma oils can be used in a variety of ways – One can simply spray on a tissue or a kerchief or any of the following methods can also be done:

Inhalation:
Add 2-3 drops of essential oil you have selected to the hot boiling water and inhale the steam by covering your head with a towel to stop the steam from escaping. This helps open the pores of the skin and thus more oil is absorbed giving the additional benefit of a facial. . It is also an ideal way of treating coughs or colds.

The same bowl which has the hot water and the aroma oil could be left under the bed so that the room is enveloped in aromatic fragrance.

Diffusers:
Diffusers are generally made of ceramic or clay. The diffuser has a cave like opening to hold candles or earthen oil lamps and the top is shaped like a curved cup to hold a little water and few drops of aroma oil. Fill the top cup with water add a few drops of essential oils and light the candle or the lamp.
Castor oil added to the earthen lamp help the oil lamp to last for a long duration.
Once the water and oil heat up, evaporation takes place and the whole atmosphere is filled with the aromatic scent that lasts for more than 6 hours.

Diffusers are ideal in a gatherings, bedrooms, hotels, living -rooms, office, cars, etc., and anywhere where scented air is required. One can feel relaxed with a positive feeling and also help to relieve from pain if the right oil is used. One needs to be careful in choosing the right essential oil.

Vaporizers:
Vaporizers is another way to create a different mental and emotional atmosphere and the best air freshener. Vaporizers are the insect repellents used normally in the form of mats etc used for repelling insects. Simple method is you could reuse the used mats by adding 2-3 drops of essential oil of your own choice and keeping them lit (electrically). Slowly the smell will get released and the area would be filled with soothing aroma.

You can also buy essential oil burners, which have a saucer, fixed above a stand which holds a candle. Fill the saucer with hot water, add up to eight drops of essential oil and light the candle to keep the water hot enough to make the oil evaporate. This is a good way to scent a room quickly. Top it up with water and oil every three to four hours.

Massage Oils:
Essential oils mixed with carrier oils can be used for a massage and the dual benefits of touch therapy and scent therapy are simultaneously enjoyed. Massage improves blood circulation and tones the muscles, detoxify toxins and releases trapped energy from tense muscles.

About 10 drops or 1 teaspoon of essential oil can be mixed to about 30 ml of carrier oil and massaged into the skin, use circular motions in a clockwise direction so that the skin absorbs the oil. They are put into the blood stream and sent to the relevant parts of the body quickly and effectively. Generally carrier oils like sunflower, coconut, olive, sweet almond, sesame and vegetable oils are mixed with aroma oils.

Baths:
This is an easy way to relax using essential oils. You can use 5-6 drops of essential oil directly to your bathtub, stir the water well and spend 20 minutes in the tub or if you want a oil bath, mix the essential and carrier oils and apply all over your body. Rub all parts of your body for 10 mins and then take bath. This will help alleviate anxiety. The best oils are ylang ylang, lemon balm, bergamot, frankincense, lavender and jasmine.

Foot Bath:
A very refreshing experience after a hard days work is to immerse your feet in a bowl of luke warm water to which 2-3 drops of essential oil is added. Even if you have sweaty and smelly feet then too this footbath is very profitable.

Pot Pourri:
Pot Pourri is a mixture of dried flowers, herbs, grass and seedpods. Few drops of essential oil added to the pot pourri in a closed container overnight so that the oil gets absorbed. This can be spread on to a bowl and it would keep giving out aromatic fragrance for 4-6 weeks.

Bed Time:
For a very peaceful and relaxed sleep one or two drops of essential oils sprinkled on a tissue kept inside the pillow or cushion changes the mood and gives you good sleep. This also helps in treating headaches, stress, and tension and in boosting confidence.

Compresses:
Compressing is to dip a hand towel or piece of cotton in warm or cold water then squeeze out the excess water and place the towel on the area to be treated.

If you can add 2-3 drops of aroma oil to a bowl of warm or cold water and dip a hand towel or piece of cotton to enable it to absorb the mixture then squeeze out the excess water and place on the effected part of the body that is to be to be treated it will be beneficial in 2 hours.

Oil like lavender is usually used; as it is known to provide relief when used over bruises, skin problems and pre menstrual syndromes.

Cold compress can be done by adding 6 cubes of ice to a bowl with 2-3 drops of essential oil and following the same way. Cold compress is highly helpful in treating burns, sore feet, hangover, sprains and headaches. After a facial the use of hot and cold compress alternately helps the skin.

Perfumes:
One can make their own distinctive and personal perfume by blending different oils with unscented alcohol or a carrier oil. This can be applied as normal perfume.

Oral Intake:
This should be done under the supervision or guidance of an experienced aromatherapy practitioner though it is an accepted practice in many places. Only few oils can be taken internally in prescribed dosage for problems like indigestion, constipation, etc but under the guidance of a qualified therapist only.

Beauty Treatment:
Aroma oils have been used as an application for the skin as they are highly soothing in treating and enhancing the natural beauty of the skin. Facials, massages, manicures, pedicures, scalp treatment, hair wash, hair treatment along with other creams and oils are some of the treatments given using aroma oils.

People whose skin is dry, normal, mature, oily, sensitive or problem skin can use oil treatment. Specially oils like Rose, chamomile, lemon, lavender, geranium, sandalwood are some good oils for facials. They can be a combination of two oils or just single oil used. The helpful carrier oils used in a beauty treatment are sweet almond, wheat germ, peach kernel, apricot, kernel and sunflower. Steam facials with essential oils rejuvenate and help in improving the skin texture.

Room Sprays:
To protect the environment and the area where u live it is good one use aroma oils in the rooms instead of chemical sprays. Essential oils are natural and hence they could be used liberally in a room, bathroom, living room, bedroom, cupboards, dining-room, office cabin, etc. to freshen, scent and light up our spirits.

To one liter of oil add 10-12 drops of aroma oil, shake the mixture well and spray the mixture with the help of a spray bottle. The oils that can be used are lavender, lemon, peppermint, pine and rosemary.

Wood Fires:
Pour a maximum of twelve drops of oil on three pieces of wood about fifteen minutes before lighting the fire. This will warm and scent your room simultaneously.