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The more you read about the use of mediums the more you'll find that there are as many approaches as there are artists.
I trust the input of artists like Virgil Elliott who work with the ASTM, studying longevity of artists materials. He recommends a philosophy of "less is more" with mediums. Fewer extraneous ingredients and less of whatever you do use. He especially cautions against including any varnish in the paint layers which causes dramatic darkening over time (and that includes all the mastic varnish in the Maroger's).
I use paint and a bit of linseed sometimes. That's it. I can paint alla prima, glaze or scumble with different proportions of oil and paint, but either way, I don't use much linseed.
I will sometimes rub a very thin layer of it into any sunken in darks and then wipe much of it off. It does restore the gloss and depth of color in the darks and it allows me to blend wet edges, but I use this technique only once in a while.
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