We often hear that essential oils should not be used neat on the skin. They are potent oils and can cause irritation, they tell us. How do we then use these precious oils on our skin and body? The answer is carrier oils. In order to carry essential oils to your skin, cells and bloodstream, a carrier oil is used to dilute potent essential oils. The essential oils are extremely potent, even in diluted form. And diluting it will decrease chances of possible allergic reactions. But the best of all is that carrier oils are extremely nourishing to the skin! Both the essential oils and carrier oils are beneficial and therapeutic.
Why carrier oils are important
Carrier oils are mostly unscented or only slightly scented. They don’t interfere with an essential oil’s therapeutic properties. These base oils actually adds to the therapeutic value due to their own therapeutic properties. Use them on their own or with other oils. Olive Oil, for instance, has a distinct odor and many of the other carrier oils have a slightly nutty aroma. Remember this when adding your essential oils to these oils since the resulting smell may be ever so slightly different from what you expect. Carrier oils, also called base oils, don’t interfere with an essential oil’s therapeutic properties. Because these non-volatile oils actually have therapeutic properties of their own. The medium to long chain fatty acids nourish, moisturize and protect the skin. So, use them on their own, undiluted, or with other oils.
Here is the list of the 8 most popular essential oils used in South Africa:
- Coconut Oil and Fractionated Coconut Oil
- Sweet Almond Oil
- Olive Oil
- Argan Oil
- Rosehip Oil
- Grapeseed Oil
- Kalahari Melon Seed Oil
- Avocado Oil
Coconut & Fractionated Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is an edible oil available as refined or unrefined oil. Dried coconut meat, also called copra produces refined coconut oil. During processing, it is bleached and deodorized to remove impurities and the distinct coconut flavor. It is not considered to be an all-natural oil and is therefore not recommended for use as a carrier oil. However, it is still a much better carrier oil than a vegetable oil and you should rather use it if you can.
Unrefined coconut oil is made from raw meat of the coconuts and is not processed with man-made chemicals. That is why it retains its coconut flavor. This oil contains skin-nourishing fatty acids and polyphenols. This makes it a great carrier oil for home-made skin care products.
Fractionated Coconut Oil is made by separating the different types of fats in regular coconut oil. It still contains lauric acid, which is known for being anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. The more fluid fraction contains Medium Chain Triglycerides so that fractionated coconut oil is also known as MCT oil. MCT is also known to curb memory-loss – take a teaspoon a day over your breakfast cereal to stay sharp! Add a citrus essential oil blend, such as Lite, to your fractionated coconut oil to help with weight loss, or add a drop of the Boost essential oil blend to your fractionated coconut oil to boost your immune response.
Let’s talk about Sweet Almond
Sweet almond oil is also an edible oil. It has a nutty aroma since it is cold pressed from the sweet almond kernels. It absorbs easily, and is a great moisturizer for dry skin. Sweet almond oil is one of the most popular carrier oils for skin care, in massage oils and soaps. It contains high amounts of vitamin E which can help heal sun damage and scars. The antioxidant-rich oil fights free radicals, so it is a great anti-aging oil. It also has anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties.
The beloved Olive Oil
Olive oil is produced from pressed olives. We know that it is mostly used for culinary purposes. Whenever possible, use extra-virgin olive oil as that is the most unrefined. Use it in a capsule or as a massage oil. It can have a strong aroma and this distinct scent may change the smell of your blends. So it isn’t a good choice for making perfumes or fragrances unless you want the distinct scent present. It packs a punch as noteworthy antioxidant oil and contains various fatty acids and plant sterols, so it is great for cleansing and moisturizing dry skin. Or if you are making it for internal usage. It is packed with fatty acids and plant sterols, which makes it great for cleansing and moisturizing dry skin. Use olive oil as a carrier oil for massage, facial cleansers, hair care, and homemade soaps.
The famous hair-care Argan Oil
This oil is native to Morocco. It is pressed from Argan fruit kernels and is an edible oil. It will nourish the body inside and out. Look out for its nutty fragrance. Argan oil is rich in vitamins A, E and monounsaturated fatty acids. Use it to help treat dry skin and hair, wrinkles, and even to lessen skin inflammation. It has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Apart from its protective an healing effect against sun damage, it is used widely to help reduce symptoms for a number of different inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis, and is even anti-ageing. Its antibacterial an anti-fungal properties makes it perfect for application to infected patches skin or wounds to promote rapid healing. Use argan oil to treat acne an reduce excessive oiliness!
Rosehip – say yes to younger looking skin!
The seeds of the Rosa Rubiginosa bush or the Rosa Moschata bush is used to make this oil. This oil comes from the seeds of wild roses – Rosa rubiginosa. When the petals o the flowers the rosehip fruit is left behind. The red fleshy bit is removed and the seeds inside are cold-pressed to produce the oil. Rosehip oil doesn’t smell rosy at all. It has a nutty, earthy scent. It is rich in vitamin A as well as omega 3, 6 an 9 oils. The Vitamin A helps to reverse the effects of sun on the skin. Use it as a carrier oil for dry skin remedies, massage oils, and in facial and body moisturizers or balms. If you do not have evening primrose oil or fish oil, you can easily substitute with rosehip oil since it contains similar omegas which are excellent or brain, heart and joint health.
Grapeseed as carrier oil
Grapeseed oil is a byproduct of wine making and is pressed from the seeds of grapes. It is rich in vitamin E, a nutrient proven to heal scars and reduce wrinkles. Although your skin easily absorbs it, it makes a great massage oil because it is viscous enough to linger on the skin for a while. Grapeseed oil has a neutral scent which makes it a good carrier for essential oils and even oil-based personal perfumes. It is also a great anti-oxidant helping with pigmentation and other skin ailments. ou can even use it in your salad-dressing. This oil is safe for use in massaging your little pink-foot and animals too.
Undiscovered gold: Kalahari Melon Seed
Kalahari Melon Seed oil has been used in cosmetics for centuries. An interesting study from Science Direct tells us more about this wonderful oil including that it has regenerating and restructuring properties when applied topically. When taken internally it is a great source of energy and has a plethora of useful nutrients needed by your body. It is an underrated oil which we wish more people would explore and use. This thin, easily absorbing oil, helps remove dark circles under the eyes, lighten pigmentation but is also excellent in treating wounds and to reduce scarring. It is a powerful anti-oxidant, so it fights free radicals and helps with fine lines and wrinkles. An excellent oil to use with Rosehip in facial balms and moisturizers.
Do not forget the wonderful Avocado Oil
This is a thick, edible oil made from the avocado fruit and has a nutty flavor. Avocado oil is high in Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid shown to help with bettering damaged and dry skin. Use it for thick body creams along with essential oils such as Patchouli and Lemongrass to nourish and feed dry skin. Taken internally with essential oil blends for the gut, it can be a wonderful support. It will have you glowing from the inside out. Your question might be what to look for when purchasing a carrier oil. The answer is to look for oils that are cold-pressed, 100 percent pure, and additive- or preservative-free. If you want to use a cooking oil as a carrier oil, choose cold-pressed, organic varieties.
As with all skin products, perform a patch test before using it, by adding a small amount of carrier oil to the inside of your wrist or just below your ear. Check back on the area after a few hours up to 24 hours. If irritation occurs, wash thoroughly, and avoid future use. Don’t use oils such as Sweet Almond oil, Argan oil, and Apricot Kernel oil if you are allergic to tree nuts.