While at home, it is important for clients to apply essential oils properly to avoid adverse reactions as essential oils are pure, potent liquids that can irritate the skin if they are not applied correctly. When using essential oils, the first thing clients should do is identify a carrier oil. Carrier oils will dilute the essential oil and make it more effective for their beauty care regimen. Good carrier oils include sweet almond oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil. Once clients have identified a carrier oil they like, they can apply a few drops of their essential oil to it. A good rule of thumb is to apply three to four drops of essential oil for every tablespoon of carrier oil. Teach clients that they can use different carrier oils depending on how they want to apply the essential oil. For example, they can use shea butter and a few drops of essential oils for a DIY body lotion. For a homemade skin toner, they can use apple cider vinegar, water, and a few drops of essential oils. The key is to avoid applying the essential oil directly to the skin. If they are unsure of how to mix their essential oils, advise them to contact the oil's manufacturer or look for a licensed essential oil distributer online. These experts often have useful tips and recipes to help people learn to properly mix oils. Remind clients that essential oils can also be mixed together to create a customized skin care product to fit their unique skin. Do they have acne-prone skin that is also beginning to show fine lines? They can try creating their own serum using jojoba oil as the carrier oil and a few drops of lavender and frankincense oils. If they want to fade stretch marks and moisturize their skin, they can make their own body butter using shea butter as the carrier oil with a few drops of ylang ylang and frankincense oils. Furthermore, the skin requires different oil combinations based on the season. Clients can experiment with creating more lightweight essential oil blends in the summer and heavier oil blends in the winter. Unlike products they find in the store, they do not have to feel stuck with a one-size-fits-all product. They can cater their skin care experience based on their own needs and choose the essential oil combination that works best for them! One important aspect about essential oils that is often overlooked by clients is storage. To ensure oils are as effective as possible, proper storage is essential. First, essential oils do not like excess heat. Remind clients to store their oils in a cool, dry place; they should keep them away from window sills and be sure they are closed tightly if they plan to keep the oils in the shower. If clients plan on using essential oils in the bath or the shower, they do not need to worry about too much heat in those instances. The short period of time they will be bathing will not make much difference. Excess heat becomes more of a problem if it is extreme heat, like the heat of cooking, or if the oils are exposed to sustained high heats over a period of time. If clients are storing their oils long-term, they should try to use cobalt or amber glass bottles as they will help to protect the oils from harsh ultraviolet light.Want to read more? Subscribe to one of our monthly plans to continue reading this article.