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Using and Blending Thick Aromatic Oils![]() Pictured clockwise from top left are Calendula CO2, Benzoin Resin, Peru Balsam and Rose Absolute. Most essential oils are thin in viscosity, meaning they are almost of a water-like consistency. Some steam distilled essential oils, namely patchouli and sandalwood, are thicker but still are relatively easy to work with. Some CO2s, absolutes, balsams, resins and other botanical aromatics, however, can be nearly solid at room temperature and are much harder to work with, measure and blend. Heating oils until they are at a workable consistency helps, but it's important to heat oils gently and for as brief a period as possible. Heat can potentially destroy the fragile constituents of particular oils. I recently received a question from an AromaWeb/AromaTalk visitor who would like to know the best method to handle thick oils. Beyond my basic recommendation to gently heat thick oils in warm water, I have wanted to take out some time to develop an article where I describe and explore the options for working with thick oils. When first working with a new oil, I begin by using a water bath technique: I gently heat the bottle or jar of oil by placing it in a small bowl of warm water, and then allow the bottle to rest in the warm water for 10 minutes or more. If the water cools, I replace the water. It is often a trial-and-error process, and each oil can differ in the precise temperature of warm water that works and the length of time that's needed for the oil to reach a workable consistency. I also use this method for liquefying balsams and resins like benzoin. I have also used it to loosen hard vegetable butters from their containers for easier removal. Of course, you risk damaging the legibility of labels. If that matters to you, you can try applying a waterproof, clear tape to the label before submerging the container into water. Sidenote: This water bath technique is also a useful technique for opening bottles that have tops that refuse to come off. Over time, my bottles of patchouli and vetiver can become difficult to open, especially if I've allowed any essential oil to drip onto the grooves of where the cap screws onto the bottle. I place the bottle, upside down, into a bowl of warm water and allow it to rest there for at least 15 minutes. Of course, this technique can risk allowing water to enter the bottle, but I haven't experienced that problem yet. Marge Clark is founder and President of Nature's Gift and is one of AromaWeb's largest advertisers and supporters. Marge is an expert in working with precious, rare and thick absolutes, CO2s and other aromatic oils. I asked her for her input in compiling tips in working with solid/thick oils, and she happily shared some especially helpful tidbits:
It happens to all of us that use thicker CO2s and absolutes: We have dropped, dripped and/or scooped out as much of the oil as we can, but we know there's still a tad more left in the bottle. Using Marge's techniques above, you can add alcohol or carrier oil (depending on the method of extraction) to the nearly empty bottle. and then enjoy using those last few drops by way of the dilution that you just created. If you are in doubt or are having trouble working with a particular oil, contact the company that you purchased the oil from. They are most familiar with the particular oil that you purchased and should be quite experienced at working with it. A special thank you to Marge Clark, President of Nature's Gift for her significant contributions to this article. Aromatherapy Blending Guide:
Part 1: Introduction to Blending Essential Oils
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Wendy Robbins (Cert. Aroma ACHS), Founder of AromaWeb, is a Professional Level Member of the Alliance of International Aromatherapists and the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. ![]() ![]() |
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