What's a carrier oil ? by Dr.Benjamin Patrick (phD.Hom.)
“Carrier Oil” is a term generally used in the contexts of aromatherapy and cosmetic recipes for natural skin and hair care. Carrier oils and essential oils are made from plants. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils and “carry” them to your skin. Depending on which fatty acids a carrier oil contains, different carrier oils have unique benefits for the skin. The reason carrier oils are important in aromatherapy and when creating skin care is because they provide a buffer between the skin. A carrier oil can be used to create a physical separation so that the essential oil has less direct contact with the keratinocytes, or skin cells, creating less of an adverse reaction.
Jojoba oil It’s great for use on oily skin. It’s easily absorbed into your hair and skin and doesn’t leave a greasy feeling. I really love this oil in summer because it’s lighter in feel than some of the other carrier oils available. Shelf life: Unlimited. Jojoba keeps indefinitely.
Almond oil is great for dry skin. It brings with it loads of vitamins including Vitamin E which rocks for moisturizing and nourishing skin for a healthy glow. Almond oil is amazing for dry or itchy skin since it packs amazing soothing qualities. As an added bonus, almond oil is a deep conditioner for dry hair. Sweet Almond Oil has a high percentage of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which makes it work wonderfully for all types of skin. Apply it liberally if you suffer from itchy, dry or inflamed skin. Shelf life: Almond oil stores reasonably well. I wouldn’t go more than a year though.
Virgin coconut oil and fractionated coconut oil. The virgin coconut oil is solid at room temperature. We use it in our kitchen for cooking but also in recipes for rubs and foot scrubs. Fractionated coconut oil is liquid and super for full-body massages. Fractionated coconut oil has no odor and so it’s a favorite for diluting oils for rollerball perfume recipes. Shelf life: Indefinite
Grapeseed oil goes on silky and smooth. It absorbs quickly into the skin. Because it has a slight wine smell, I like it for diluting very strong-smelling oils like Thieves and basil. Make sure to find a variety that is cold-pressed.
Sesame oil is rich in essential fatty acids and helps to maintain the integrity of skin tissue while restructuring and moisturizing the skin. Its potent antioxidants are beneficial for reversing skin aging, increasing skin glow, strengthening conditioning, and moisturizing skin and hair. Warning: If you have any kind of nut allergies, do not use sesame seed carrier oil.
Shelf life: 2 years
Skin types: All skin types
Avocado oil is quite thick and heavy, though not overly greasy. Use avocado oil if you’re treating dry skin or wrinkles. It contains a high amount of vitamins and is a good source of fatty acids, which helps it get absorbed into the skin easily. Avocado oil is great to use in a carrier oil blend as it does have strong skin-soothing properties, but on its own, the scent is too overwhelming. Shelf life: 1 year.
Skin types: For dry, sensitive, and mature skin
Argan oil is really nice to use on your face as it has restorative qualities for your skin cells. It helps with skin elasticity, softens wrinkles and fine lines, and restores nutrient content to skin cells treating an array of skin conditions. It is very gentle, yet effective. Shelf life: Around 2+ years
Skin types: For dry, sensitive, and mature skin
Rosehip oil – also known as rosehip seed oil. It is rich in Vitamin C and essential fatty acids, and protects the skin by increasing cell turnover. This aids the cells in your skin to re-generate, which is why some say rosehip oil contains anti-aging benefits. It is excellent for facial wrinkles, tissue regeneration, UV damage, burns or scars. The anti-aging benefits of rosehip oil come due to its chemical structure. Rosehip oil contains many polyunsaturated fatty acids, and when absorbed through the skin, these fatty acids convert to prostaglandins, which are involved in cellular membrane and tissue regeneration. Shelf life: 6 months, then it’ll start smelling rancid or ‘off’.
Skin types: For mature skin
Macadamia nut oil is a fantastic choice for a carrier as it contains up to 23% palmitoleic acid, which is rarely found in any other vegetable oils at such high levels. Palmitoleic acid is a common constituent of the human tissue, particularly the skin of infants, children, and teenagers, which has a natural youth, glow, and elasticity to it. Naturally, these youth-like properties are desirable in any skincare, but particularly when treating aged or dry skin.Given the high content of essential fatty acids, macadamia nut oil has restructuring properties, strengthening the skin’s lipidic barrier and thus improving skin moisturization.
If you’re considering Macadamia nut oil as an essential oil carrier oil, make sure you buy a cold-pressed variety. All carrier oils should be cold-pressed for aromatherapy purposes. You can keep Macadamia nut oil in the fridge to extend its shelf life. If you have nut allergies, you, unfortunately, have to stay away from macadamia nut carrier oil, too.
Shelf life: 2 years in the pantry, 2-3 years if kept in the fridge.
Skin types: All skin types
Evening Primrose oil is invaluable for Aromatherapists. It contains a high concentration of Linoleic acid and a small percentage of Gamma-Linoleic acid (fatty acids).Used externally, Evening Primrose is healing to eczema, prematurely aging skin, dry or scaly skin, dandruff, and small scrapes or bruising. Evening Primrose helps minimize wrinkles, dark circles around the eyes, and tired-looking eyes. Its rejuvenating properties improve firmness and skin elasticity. Evening Primrose carrier oil is a pale yellow to golden yellow liquid that is typically cold pressed from plant seeds and also refined to remove some of the stronger scent notes. After application, the skin will have a pretty oily feel to it, so it is best blended into another carrier oil such as Sweet Almond Oil. It’s recommended to keep cold pressed carrier oils in a dark, cool place to maintain freshness and achieve maximum shelf life. If you keep your Evening Primrose oil refrigerated, bring it up to room temperature before using, otherwise, it’ll be pretty uncomfortable during massage.Per the study, GLA is necessary for ideal skin structure and function. Because the skin can’t produce GLA on its own, researchers believe taking GLA-rich EPO helps keep skin healthy overall.
Shelf life: 2 years
Skin types: For irritated skin
Chadasha Bioresonance
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Website: www.chadashalifecare.com
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