Carrier Oil: Types, Use, and More - Healthline

Carrier oils and essential oils are made from plants. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils and “carry” them to your skin. HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeHowtoUseCarrierOilsMedicallyreviewedbyNatalieOlsen,R.D.,L.D.,ACSMEP-C—WrittenbyAnnetteMcDermott—UpdatedonAugust15,2017ThingstoconsiderCoconutoilJojobaoilApricotkerneloilSweetalmondoilOliveoilArganoilRosehipoilBlackseedoilGrapeseedoilAvocadooilSunfloweroilMixwithessentialoilsTakeawayShareonPinterestWhatarecarrieroils?Carrieroilsandessentialoilsaremadefromplants.Carrieroilsareusedtodiluteessentialoilsand“carry”themtoyourskin.That’sbecauseessentialoilsarepotentandcancauseirritationwhenapplieddirectlytoyourskin.Mostcarrieroilsareunscentedorlightlyscentedanddon’tinterferewithanessentialoil’stherapeuticproperties.Theymaybeusedaloneorwithotheroilstonourishyourskin.Keepreadingtolearnmoreaboutchoosingtherightcarrieroil,someofthedifferentcarrieroilsavailable,andmore.HowtoselectthecarrieroilyouneedTherearemanycarrieroilsavailable.Mostaresuitabletousewithanyessentialoil,butyoushouldconsiderafewthingsbeforechoosingone.ThinkaboutOdor:Afewcarrieroilshaveadistinctodor.Whenaddedtoanessentialoil,itmayalterthearoma.Absorption:Yourskincanabsorbsomecarrieroilsbetterthanothers.Skintype:Dependingonyourskintype,someoilsmayirritateskinorworsenaskinconditionsuchasacne.Shelflife:Somecarrieroilscanbestoredforlongerperiodsthanotherswithoutgoingbad.TheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministrationdoesn’tregulatecarrieroilslabeledforuseascosmetics.Theydo,however,regulateediblecookingoilsthatmayservedouble-dutyascarrieroils.Youshouldonlybuytherapeutic-gradecarrieroilsfromamanufactureryoutrust.Lookforoilsthatarecold-pressed,100percentpure,andadditive-orpreservative-free.Ifyouwanttouseacookingoilasacarrieroil,choosecold-pressed,organicvarieties.Thefollowinglistincludespopularcarrieroilsusedtodiluteessentialoilsforaromatherapy,massage,andskincare.Thelistisn’texhaustive,butit’sagoodplacetostart.1.CoconutoilCoconutoilisanedibleoilmadefromthemeatofmaturecoconuts.It’savailableinrefinedorunrefinedvarieties.Unrefinedcoconutoilcomesfromfreshcoconutmeat.It’snotprocessedwithchemicalsandretainsitscoconutaromaandflavor.Refinedcoconutoilcomesfromdriedcoconutmeat,alsocalledcopra.It’sbleachedanddeodorizedtoremovecontaminants,aswellasthedistinctcoconutaromaandflavor.Refinedcoconutisn’tall-naturalandisn’trecommendedforuseasacarrieroil.Uses:Coconutoilcontainsskin-nourishingfattyacidsandpolyphenols,whichmakeitagreatcarrieroilformassageoilsandskincarepreparations.2.JojobaoilJojobaoilcomesfromtheseedsofthejojobaplant.Ithasadelicate,nuttyaroma.Technically,jojobaisn’tanoil,butawaxwithpowerfulmoisturizingproperties.It’sthoughttocloselymimicsebum,theskin’snaturaloil.Usingjojobaoilmayhelpreducetheskin’soilproductioninacne-pronepeoplebymakingtheskinthinkit’sproducedenoughoil.Uses:Jojobaoilabsorbseasilyintheskinanddoesn’tclogpores.Thismakesitagoodcarrieroiloptionformassageoils,facialmoisturizers,andbathoils.3.ApricotkerneloilApricotkerneloilismadefromapricotseeds,alsoknownaskernels.It’sanemollientoilhighinfattyacidsandvitaminE.Itabsorbseasilyintotheskinandhasaslightlysweet,nuttyscent.Youcanbuyedibleapricotkerneloil,orapricotkerneloilforcosmeticuseonly.Uses:Apricotkerneloilisthoughttohelpsoftenandcalmirritated,itchyskin.Useitasacarrieroiltomakemassageoils,bathoil,andhaircarepreparations.4.SweetalmondoilSweetalmondoilhasastrong,nuttyaroma.It’sanedibleoilmadefromthekernelsofsweetalmonds.Theoilislightweightandabsorbseasily,andisagreatmoisturizerfordryskin.It’salsousedingeneralaromatherapy,butitsstrongscentmaymaskanessentialoil’saroma.Uses:Sweetalmondoilisoneofthemostpopularcarrieroilsforskincare.It’sgreatinmassageoils,bathoils,andsoaps.5.OliveoilOliveoilcomesfrompressedolives.It’sbestknownasahealthy,edibleoilwithafruityaroma,butit’salsousedinaromatherapyasacarrieroil.Extra-virginoliveoilisthepreferredvarietyforaromatherapyandskincarepreparations.Oliveoil’sscentmayinterferewiththescentofsomeessentialoils.Uses:It’spackedwithfattyacidsandplantsterols,whichmakeitgreatforcleansingandmoisturizingdryskin.Useoliveoilasacarrieroilformassage,facialcleansers,haircare,andhomemadesoaps.6.ArganoilArganoilismadefromkernelsfoundinsidethefruitofargantrees,whicharenativetoMorocco.Theoilisedibleandistraditionallyusedtonourishthebodyinsideandout.IthasanuttyaromaandisrichinvitaminsAandE,andmonounsaturatedfattyacids.Uses:Arganoilcanhelptreatdryskinandhair,wrinkles,andskininflammation.Thismakesitaterrificcarrieroilforgeneralskincareandmassageoils.7.RosehipoilRosehipsaretheseedsoftheRosarubiginosabushortheRosamoschatabush.Theflowersofbothbusheslookdifferentfromtraditionalroses.Whentheseflowersdieanddroptheirpetals,therosehipisleftbehind.Rosehipoilispressedfromrosehips.Rosehipoildoesn’tsmelllikearose,though.Ithasanutty,earthyscent.Uses:RosehipoilishighinvitaminsAandC.VitaminAisanaturalretinoidthathelpsfightaging,andbothvitaminscanhelpreversetheeffectsofthesunonyourskin.Useitasacarrieroilfordryskinremedies,massageoils,andmoisturizers.8.BlackseedoilBlackseedoilismadefromtheNigellasativaplant.Althoughit’slesserknownthanothercarrieroils,it’srichwithunsaturatedandsaturatedfattyacids.It’salsothoughttohaveanti-inflammatoryabilities.Uses:Blackseedoilisoftenusedasafolkremedytosootheskinconditionsincludingeczema,acne,andpsoriasis.Withthisinmind,it’sagreatchoiceforfacialcare,massageoils,andgeneralskincare.9.GrapeseedoilGrapeseedoilcomesfromgrapeseeds.It’sabyproductofthewinemakingprocess.It’srichinvitaminE,anutrientthoughttohealtheskinandreducewrinkles,althoughscientificresearchisinconsistent.Uses:Grapeseedoilislightweight,easilyabsorbedbytheskin,andhasaneutralscent.It’sagoodcarrieroiltousewithessentialoilstomakebodyoilsandmassageoils.10.AvocadooilAvocadooilisaheavy,thick,edibleoilmadefromavocadofruit.Ithasanuttyaroma.Avocadooilishighinoleicacid,amonounsaturatedfattyacidthoughttohelpdry,damagedskin.Uses:Thiscanbeagoodcarrieroilfordryskinremediesandbodycreams—unlessyou’redealingwithacne.Avocadooilmayincreasesebumproduction,soifyourskinisacne-prone,checkwithyourdermatologistbeforeuse.11.SunfloweroilSunfloweroilisanedibleoilextractedfromsunflowerseeds.Ithasaneutralodor.Theoilissaidtoactasaskinbarrieragainsttoxinsandgermsthatcauseinfection,makingitagreatchoiceforirritatedskin.Uses:It’sthoughttohelpsoftenskin,moisturizeskin,andsootheirritation,soaddthiscarrieroiltoyourmassageoilsoruseforgeneralskincare.HowtomixcarrieroilwithessentialoilsWheneverpossible,purchaseorganic,cold-pressedcarrieroilsfromamanufactureryoutrust.Althoughmostcarrieroilsdon’tcauseanallergicreaction,youshouldalwaysdoapatchtestpriortousing.Toperformapatchtest:Addasmallamountofcarrieroiltotheinsideofyourwristorjustbelowyourear.Covertheoilwithabandage.Checkbackontheareaafter24hours.Ifirritationoccurs,rinsethoroughly,andavoidfutureuse.Ifyou’reallergictotreenuts,youshouldn’tuseoilsderivedfromtreenuts.Thisincludessweetalmondoil,arganoil,andapricotkerneloil.Whendilutingessentialoilswithacarrieroil,it’simportanttofollowthesedilutionguidelines.Foradults:2.5percentdilution:15dropsessentialoilper6teaspoonscarrieroil3percentdilution:20dropsessentialoilper6teaspoonscarrieroil5percentdilution:30dropsessentialoilper6teaspoonscarrieroil10percentdilution:60dropsessentialoilper6teaspoonscarrieroilForchildren:0.5to1percentdilution:3to6dropsessentialoilper6teaspoonscarrieroilAlwaysstorecarrieroilsinacool,darkplace,preferablyintherefrigerator.Youshouldalsokeeptheminadarkglassbottle.Whileresearchsuggeststherearehealthbenefits,theFDAdoesn’tmonitororregulatethepurityorqualityofessentialoils.It’simportanttotalkwithahealthcareprofessionalbeforeyoubeginusingessentialoilsandbesuretoresearchthequalityofabrand’sproducts.Alwaysdoapatchtestbeforetryinganewessentialoil.ThebottomlineCarrieroilsmakeitpossibletouseessentialoilssafely.Theyalsohelpnourishandmoisturizeyourskin.Notalloilsmakegoodcarrieroils,though.Youshouldavoidusingthingslikebutter,petroleumjelly,andmineraloil.Whateveroilyouchoose,avoidusingitonyourlips,eyes,orothersensitiveareasafterit’sbeenmixedwithanessentialoil.However,youcansafelyapplycarrieroilalonetotheseareas.LastmedicallyreviewedonAugust15,20178sourcescollapsedHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.AhmadA,etal.(2013).AreviewontherapeuticpotentialofNigellasativa:Amiracleherb.DOI:10.1016/S2221-1691(13)60075-1AngeloG.(2012).VitaminAandskinhealth.lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-ADarmstadtGL,etal.(2008).EffectofskinbarriertherapyonneonatalmortalityratesinpreterminfantsinBangladesh:Arandomized,controlled,clinicaltrial[Abstract].pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/121/3/522.long?sso=1&sso_redirect_count=1&nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+tokenExploringaromatherapy:Methodsofapplication.(n.d.).naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/about-aromatherapy/methods-of-application/GuillaumeD,etal.(2011).Arganoil.altmedrev.com/publications/16/3/275.pdfJojobaoil.(n.d.).Everythingyouneedtoknowaboutjojobaoil.acne.org/jojoba-oil.htmlMichelsAJ.(2011).VitaminCandskinhealth.lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-COakleyA,etal.(2014).Whatcausesacne?dermnetnz.org/topics/what-causes-acne/FEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyNatalieOlsen,R.D.,L.D.,ACSMEP-C—WrittenbyAnnetteMcDermott—UpdatedonAugust15,2017ReadthisnextThe7BestMassageOilsItturnsoutsomeofthebestmassageoilsincludegels,creams,andessentialoilsalongwithmoretraditionalcarrieroils.Let'shearwhat…READMORETheBestEssentialOilstoAddtoYourBathMedicallyreviewedbyKerryBoyleD.Ac.,M.S.,L.Ac.,Dipl.Ac.,CYTYoucanchooseessentialoilsforyourbaththatappealtoyoursenses.Hereareafewoilsandhowtomakethemostofusingthem.READMOREEssentialOilsforHairMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHTSomeessentialoilscanimprovethehealthofyourhairwithverylittleriskofsideeffects.Learnaboutwhichessentialoilscanhelpyourhair…READMOREThe5BestOilsforYourSkinMedicallyreviewedbyCatherineHannan,M.D.Traditionallotionsnotdo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