Extraction of essential oils may sound only to be of technical interest, it is one of the key points which determines the quality of the oil that is used, since a wrong, or wrongly executed extraction, can damage the oil, and alter the chemical signature of the essential oil.Distillation converts the volatile liquid (the essential oils) into a vapor and then condenses the vapor back into a liquid - it is the most popular, and cost effective method in use today in producing essential oils.

• Water distillation, Steam distillation, Hydro diffusion, Cohobation, Rectification,
  Water and steam distillation,

• 1/8 ounce = ¾ teaspoon = 3-4 ml = 80 drops
  
• 1/4 ounce = 1 teaspoons = 6-8 ml = 160 drops
  
• ½ ounce = 3 teaspoons = 13-15 ml = 320-400 drops
  
• 1 ounce = 6 teaspoons = 25-30 ml = 600-650 drops

Essential oil (except for a few exceptions) should never be used undiluted on the skin, and needs to be mixed with a carrier oil (also referred to as a base oil) to dilute the concentrated molecules and to help spread them over the surface of the skin, and this is done by diluting them in carrier oils. As a rule of thumb, you would normally need about 30 ml of carrier oil to perform a full body massage. Carrier oils, also referred to as base oils, are fixed oils (since they are not volatile) and are from vegetable origin extracted from either nuts or seeds.

Carrier oils can also posses their own therapeutic properties and they also enhance the absorption of the essential oils through the skin. Most carrier oils are furthermore rich in fatty acids as well as other nutrients.