People often ask me, “Which carrier is best for _______?”
To help you navigate the benefits of these amazing carrier oils, I wanted to give you a bit more information about each one, including an appropriate skin type. This is just the tip of the iceberg! Each carrier has its own set of properties that make it a good choice for certain reasons. I wanted to begin with a small selection, so let’s check out the following carriers and how you can incorporate them into your aromatherapy experience:
Apricot Kernel Oil
This is a lovely choice for mature skin or as the base of a massage blend. This carrier is cold pressed from the kernel of apricots and results in light yellow oil that smells faintly nutty. Apricot Kernel Oil absorbs readily by the skin and leaves a smooth and moisturized result behind.
Apricot Kernel Oil can be combined with other carriers for a soothing & moisturizing massage blend. Use 2 parts Apricot, 1 part Avocado and 1 part Camellia Seed oils. You may add essential oils to this base, if desired.
Avocado Oil
This can be a lovely choice for dry skin. Avocado Oil is a thick, rich oil that has very little scent and typically has a light green color. It blends best with another carrier, such as Camellia Seed or Meadowfoam.
Can be used as a hair mask, combine 1/4 cup of Avocado Oil with essential oils of your choice and apply to hair. Allow to sit on hair for a few hours or overnight (use a shower cap if you need to sleep!). To wash out, use shampoo on “dry” hair, rubbing it in well, then rinse and repeat the shampoo process!
Camellia Seed
This is cold pressed from the seed of a flower native to China and Japan. This carrier is light to golden yellow in color and provides protection to mature skin and improves appearance Camellia is easily absorbed into the skin, providing a silky finish with no greasy feeling.
A lovely serum for dry (or mature) skin can be made by combining 1 part Avocado oil, 1 part Evening Primrose with 2 parts Camellia Oil.
Check out these blog posts to learn more about essential oils that are beneficial for a healthy complexion:
Evening Primrose
This provides a wonderful boost when combined with other carriers. This nourishing carrier is cold pressed from the seeds of an evening-blooming flower and is yellow in color. Used alone, it leaves an oily feeling on the skin. Combine with other carriers like Camellia or Meadowfoam to reduce this greasiness. Evening Primrose oil provides the base for our body cream. Refined to remove the unpleasant scent, in the refining process there are no solvents used, instead it is refined by heat. Our evening primrose is not bleached.
Evening Primrose Oil can be used to soothe cramping during menstrual cycles. Use as the base for any blend found in this post: Women’s Health Concerns and smooth over belly to reduce discomfort.
Jojoba
This is actually a liquid wax with a very long shelf life. It’s very like our own natural sebum, which makes it ideal for cosmetic reasons. Jojoba has a soft, pleasant scent and leaves a nice barrier on the skin, but with a satiny finish so you don’t feel sticky!
Jojoba can be used to create a solid perfume and can even as the base of a bath oil.
Sesame Seed
This is a rich carrier that is cold pressed from sesame seeds. The oil absorbs fully into the skin leaving only a whisper of oil behind. The scent of this carrier is distinct, and may overpower other scents. Sesame seed oil ranges in color from golden yellow to golden brown and has a distinct aroma. A favorite of massage therapists and aromatherapists since it’s non-staining!
To create your own massage blend, combine 1 part Sesame Seed Oil with 2 parts Apricot Oil. Add essential oils of your choice. Here are a few essential oils that are fabulous in massage blends; Lavender, Marjoram, Roman Chamomile, Frankincense, Orange, and many others! A good rule of thumb is to use 9 drops TOTAL essential oils per ounce of massage oil.
Sunflower Seed Oil
This is a pale to golden yellow carrier that has been cold pressed from the seeds of the sunny flower! Sunflower Oil is deeply nourishing and amazing for dry or damaged skin. Since it absorbs easily into the skin, Sunflower Oil is a great base for your blending needs. Sunflower Oil makes up the base of our Organic Healing Balm, as well!
Sunflower Seed Oil makes a fabulous main ingredient in lotion or body butter recipes like these ones: Luscious Body Butter and DIY Lotion
Thanks for joining me as we create new products to benefit your family, the possibilities are endless!
If you have any questions, concerns or comments please feel free to email us at Aromatherapist@planttherapy.com Plant Therapy has a staff of 5 Aromatherapists who are happy to answer your questions about essential oils! We also have a fabulous Facebook group which you can find by clicking here: Safe Essential Oil Recipes where you can hang out with other Plant Therapy fans and share amazing recipes, tips and other essential oil related topics!
