A word of warning, though: If you're eager to try these essential oils yourself, it's important to dilute them heavily before applying them to your skin , Tourles says. Some people may find that essential oils irritate their skin, so you should aim to use six to 12 drops per ounce of carrier. Good carriers include hand lotions or fatty oils (think castor , almond, fractionated coconut, jojoba, or olive). As with other uses for essential oil, you should be careful and do as much research as you can: "Essential oils are serious medicine, being incredibly concentrated substances , and must be used with respect and knowledge of proper application techniques," she says.