Oil Additives

Oils are extracted from plants and plant products and are used in various healing therapies.



Massage, aromatherapy, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine, all use oils in their treatments. Today oils are used in bath and body products, potpourris, incense sticks, candles, and aroma jelly balls for fragrance and therapeutic use.

Many of these oils are concentrated when extracted from their source. Lavender oil, eucalyptus, and ylang ylang are concentrated when extracted.



Some others such as sesame oil, almond oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, and wheat germ oil can be used for direct application and are often used as base oils to dilute the concentrated ones. Many a times, oils are not fit for use or require to be modified for treating health conditions; in such cases various additives have to be added to make them viable for use.  

Oil additives are used for various purposes:

• To improve emollient property of the massage oils.
  
  
  
   
• To improve viscosity of dense oils such as avocado oil.
• To prevent oils from solidifying in cold temperatures.
• To improve longevity of the base oil.
• To improve penetrating power of the base oil.
• For medicinal and therapeutic value.
• To induce fragrance.
• To add color.

Today with the commercialization of every business, many manufacturers have resorted to using synthetic oil additives, which they claim to be equally effective as their natural counterparts. These additives are cheap and hence commercially viable. However, alternative therapy practitioners do not recommend using oils to which synthetic additives have been added. They believe that the best oil additives are the ones that are derived from natural sources since they have minimal adverse effects, if any, and are very effective for the desired purpose.  Hence people with allergies and sensitive skin which is easily prone to irritation, can also use them for massage therapy or in cosmetic products.

It is always advised to buy synthetic additive free oils. This is especially important in aromatherapy, where the natural therapeutic property of the essential oil forms the basis of the entire treatment. The best way to ensure that the oil you are using is free of synthetic additives is to buy it from reputed manufacturers. Although they might cost you more, they will be of premium quality with minimal or no side effects.