If you are new to the world of essential oils, some of the terminology used can leave your head feeling like it’s swimming! So today’s post is dedicated to identifying and defining common essential oil lingo.
Note: This list will be updated as necessary. If you know of any terms that aren’t listed below (including any Young Living specific terms), please feel free to leave a comment letting us know what’s missing.
- Aromatic. This refers to oils that can be taken aromatically, or inhaled. Essential oils are inhaled by rubbing them on the palms of the hands and cupping both hands over the nose and mouth to breathe or by diffusing in a essential oil diffuser.
- Capsule. An empty pill capsule that can be filled with a mixture of essential oil and carrier oil.
- Carrier Oil. A neutral vegetable oil such as olive or coconut that is used to dilute an essential oil.
- Diffuse. To disperse an essential oil into the air.
- Diffuser. A machine used to diffuse the oil into the air.
- Dilute. To make an essential oil thinner or weaker such as by adding carrier oil. This is done when the oil is needed to cover a larger surface or to reduce or eliminate sensitivity to a particular oil.
- Distillation. A process in which essential oils are extracted using heat and sometimes pressure. When done correctly, the oil’s beneficial properties remain intact.
- EO. See Essential Oil.
- ER. See Essential Rewards.
- Essential Oil. Often shortened to EO. Essential oils are potent oils that have been extracted from various plant components including the flower, leaves, stem, or root. Learn more here.
- Essential Rewards. Often shortened to ER. These are reward points earned by making Young Living product purchases that can be applied on future purchases to save money. Learn more here.
- Expression. The removal of an essential oil from the plant component. Forms of expression include distillation, machine abrasion, and solvent extraction.
- Internal. This refers to oils that can be taken internally, or eaten. Essential oils are taken internally by eating them straight, mixed with foods or beverages, or in a capsule.
- Neat. This term applies to the use of an essential oil straight, as in without any dilution. Most commonly used when referring to applying an oil topically.
- Personal Volume. Often shortened to PV. This is a term used to place point value on Young Living products to use for Essential Rewards (see above).
- Photosensitive. Also phototoxic. This refers to oils that, when applied topically, have an adverse reaction when immediately exposed to sunlight. Such reactions could be temporary skin discoloration or sensitivity to getting a sunburn.
- Phototoxic. See Photosensitive.
- PV. See Personal Volume.
- Therapeutic Grade. This refers to essential oils that are pure and of high quality, therefore making them suitable to be used aromatically, internally, and topically. Please note that since the FDA does not currently have any regulations for essential oils, many companies abuse this term.
- Topical. This refers to oils that can be used topically. To use an oil topically, simply apply it to the skin neat or diluted with a carrier oil.
- Young Living. A company that sells the purest essential oils available on the market. Learn why we use Young Living essential oils here.
- YL. The acronym for Young Living.
[Box5]
Keara B. says
Thank you for this!! I’m kind of a newbie to essential oils and often found myself scratching me head when reading about the oils or how to use them. I’m pinning this page. 🙂
TJ says
I’m so glad it’s helpful! 🙂
Stacy R says
Been trying to learn more about EO. Thanks!