Carrier Oils - Aromatherapy’s quiet achievers

bennettej21
Mar 20, 2023
4 min read

Did you know it’s not an accident that essential oils do such wonders for us and our health?

Plants have all kinds of unique components that have been specifically designed to perform essential functions. Often it’s to do with protecting the plant from microbes given the plants don’t have the dexterity or mobility to protect themselves as animals do.

When extracted, these volatile components are what give us the essential oils that we know and love, and it’s why so many of them have great anti-bacterial or anti-fungal properties – they were originally part of the defence system of the plant itself!

However, essential oils are just one part of the story.

Why a ‘fixed’ oil is different

Fixed oils, also known as ‘carrier oils’ or ‘base oils’ are made from non-volatile lipids that live in the seed or fruit of the plant. They are there to feed and nourish the seed as their primary purpose and because they have larger molecules, they don’t evaporate as essential oils do.

We usually get these oils by pressing the seeds or nuts or from the fruiting plant itself. They are popular both for cooking to add both nutritional and aesthetic quality to foods. But they’re also very useful in the world of aromatherapy to soothe, nourish and protect the skin. Some examples are avocado, sesame, or olive oil.

These oils usually stay on the skin for longer periods of time and are therefore a great way to safely transfer essential oils safely into the skin, thus we call them ‘carrier’ oils. They’re also great to use to extract some of the useful compounds from herbs, which is where you see herb-infused oils like arnica, comfrey or calendula.

So many to choose from!

It’s easy to revert to the same carrier oil all the time – I use sesame or grapeseed a lot for massage as they are easily absorbed into the skin and they have a really nice consistency for massage.

But then, I don’t often use them in an essential oil blend, as there are so many different bases to choose from depending on what you are trying to do with the blend.

Here are four of my favourites:

Avocado oil (persea gratissima) - Avocado oil is what I primarily use to treat my son’s eczema. It’s a deeply nourishing oil that’s extracted from the fruit of the avocado itself. It contains linoleic acid, palmitoleic acid, vitamins A, B, and E and it has proteins that make it easily absorbed into the skin. It’s quite heavy and it can have a relatively strong scent to it so generally, I use it as part of a blend of base oils rather than on its own.

Evening Primrose oil (Oenothera Biennis) - high in Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA which is a great anti-inflammatory), linolenic acid, and polyphenol gallic acid, a strong antioxidant and cell regenerator. This oil is great in blends aimed at reducing inflammation, healing wounds and improving the health of the skin. I also use it a lot for hormone balancing blends and studies show it’s great for women who suffer from breast pain linked to menstruation (cyclic mastalgia). It’s easily absorbed so it doesn’t make your skin feel greasy but again, it has quite a distinctive scent which makes it great to use as part of a blend of base oils, unless you really love the scent!

Rosehip (Rosa Rubiginosa) - this one is high in vitamins A, C and E and also contains carotenoids which are a strong antioxidant and cell regenerator. It is the carotenoids which also give the oil its beautiful rich orangey-brown colour. It has a beautiful feel on the skin and is a well-known skin restorer that hydrates and conditions. It’s sometimes referred to as “the fountain of youth” and is one of my go-to's for facial oils, especially for dry or more mature skin.

Sweet Almond (Amygdalus Communis) - This lovely, light coloured oil is made from almond kernels. It’s primarily made of oleic acid, omega-9 fatty acid and vitamin E-rich linoleic acid which again means it’s amazing for the skin. It is also thought to help with regulating cholesterol levels, improving memory and helping to lower risk of heart disease and cancer. It’s particularly popular in the cosmetic/skincare industry because of how versatile it is. It's light and it absorbs quickly into the skin and it’s also really easy to find and cost-effective to buy.

These are just four of my favourites but there are so many great options out there, all with their own special properties.

I feel like they don’t get enough kudos a lot of the time for what they can do, so I wanted to dedicate this blog to promote some of their great advantages and properties.

What are some of your favourite base oils?

Or do you have a question about what might be a good choice of base for a blend?

Post a comment here or get in touch for some advice.