Carrier Oils

Has anyone ever wondered what some oils may be good for before you experiment with them? Well, here's some data I found awhile ago and thought I'd share the data and website...enjoy:

http://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils/carrieroils.asp

Carrier Oils

Carrier oils also referred to as base oils or vegetable oils are used to dilute essential oils, CO2s and absolutes before applying to the skin. Please see the What are Carrier Oils? article for more information on what carrier oils are and how they are used. Below is a list of many of the commonly used carrier oils.

Almond, Sweet
Botanical Name: Prunus amygdalus var. dulcus
Aroma: Light, slightly sweet and nutty
Texture: Slightly oily and absorbs semi-quickly
Color: Virtually clear with a tinge of yellow
Notes: Sweet Almond oil is a good all-purpose carrier oil and is moderately priced. It is cold pressed from the almond itself. Conditioning, emollient, softens and smoothes skin.

Apricot Kernel
Botanical Name: Prunus armeniaca
Aroma: Faint
Texture: Somewhat oily and absorbs semi-quickly
Color: Virtually clear with a tinge of yellow
Notes: The semi-oily texture makes this oil helpful in massage blends.

Avocado
Botanical Name: Persea americana
Aroma: Medium. Somewhat sweet, fatty and nutty.
Texture: Thick
Color: Deep olive green
Notes: It may overpower a blend if not used in a small dilution. High in vitamins A, D, and E. It softens skin and aids in cell regeneration. It is often used in products for sensitive skin.

Borage
Botanical Name: Borago officinalis
Aroma: Light and sweet
Texture: Thin to medium
Color: Light yellow
Notes: It is excellent in treating many skin conditions. Borage oil is expensive and is usually blended in a small dilution with other carrier oils (often 10%). It goes rancid rather quickly.

Cocoa Butter
Botanical Name: Theobroma cacao
Aroma: Unrefined cocoa butter is rich and very sweet . It has a chocolate/cocoa aroma. The cocoa aroma is less noticeable in refined cocoa butter.
Texture: Solid and hard to work with at room temperate. Breaks into pieces.
Color: Yellowish tan.
Notes: Cocoa butter needs to be blended with other materials/oils to be workable. Suitable for use in lotions and creams. It is from the cacao bean and is used to hold moisture in the skin.

Evening Primrose
Botanical Name: Oenothera biennis
Aroma: Light and sweet
Texture: Thin
Color: Medium yellow.
Notes: Evening Primrose is excellent in treating many skin conditions. It is expensive and is usually blended in a small dilution with other carrier oils. It goes rancid quickly.

Grapeseed
Botanical Name: Vitus vinifera
Aroma: Light, slightly sweet with a hint of a nutty aroma.
Texture: Thin
Color: Virtually clear and has an almost unnoticeable tinge of yellow/green.
Notes: Unlike most other carrier oils, grapeseed oil is solvent extracted and may have trace amounts of chemicals remaining. It has a lower shelf-life and goes rancid rather fast. Grapeseed oil should be stored in an amber bottle and in a cool dark area to reduce the chance of rancidity.

Hazelnut
Botanical Name: Corylus avellana
Aroma: Light, nutty, somewhat sweet.
Texture: Thin
Color: Light yellow.
Notes: It is a good choice for those with oilier skin.

Jojoba
Botanical Name: Simmondsia chinensis
Aroma: Light to medium in aroma, not as sweet as the nut oils. The aroma is distinct but pleasant.
Texture: Light and silky. Absorbs well.
Color: Yellow.
Notes: Jojoba "oil" is actually a wax. It is a more expensive oil and is frequently blended in a small dilution with other oils. It has a very long shelf-life and is the closest to the skins own naturally occurring oils.

Kukui
Botanical Name: Aleurites moluccana
Aroma: Light, sweet, pleasant, nutty.
Texture: Thin, absorbs well
Color: Clear with a hint of yellow.
Notes: It is excellent in treating many skin conditions. It is a more expensive oil, but tends to go rancid rather quickly.

Macadamia Nut
Botanical Name: Macadamia integrifolia
Aroma: More fragrant than many other nut oils and has a very sweet, nutty aroma.
Texture: Thick
Color: Clear with a tinge of yellow.
Notes: It may overpower a blend if not used in a small dilution.

Olive
Botanical Name: Olea europaea
Aroma: Typical aroma of olive oil used in cooking (smells somewhat like olives).
Texture: Heavy and rather oily.
Color: Light to medium green.
Notes: It may overpower a blend if not used in a small dilution. It is cold pressed from the olive itself and is great to retain your own natural moisture. Is an excellent softener for the skin.

Peanut
Botanical Name: Arachis hypogeae
Aroma: Very light in aroma with a slight fatty, nutty quality.
Texture: Thick
Color: Virtually clear.
Notes: Peanut oil should not be used by anyone that has an allergy to peanuts. Because of it's oiliness, it is a good choice in massage blends.

Pecan
Botanical Name: Carya pecan
Aroma: Very light in aroma with a slight fatty, nutty quality.
Texture: Medium thickness
Color: Virtually clear.
Notes: May go rancid quickly. It should be stored in an amber bottle and in a cool dark area to reduce the chance of rancidity.

Rose Hip
Botanical Name: Rosa mosqueta
Aroma: Mild, earthy aroma.
Texture: Light
Color: Virtually clear.
Notes: It is excellent in treating many skin conditions. It is expensive and is usually blended in a small dilution with other carrier oils. It goes rancid rather quickly.

Sesame
Botanical Name: Sesamum indicum
Aroma: Medium with a distinctive sweet, nutty sesame scent.
Texture: Mildly thick
Color: Light yellow.
Notes: Sesame oil may overpower a blend if not diluted with another carrier oil.

Shea Butter
Botanical Name: Butyrospermun parkii
Aroma: Nutty, fatty.
Texture: Solid but permeable at room temperature.
Color: Off-white/cream.
Notes: Suitable for use in lotions and creams. It is derived from an African nut and is also known as Karite Butter. It is extremely gentle to the skin and is very moisturizing.

Sunflower
Botanical Name: Helianthus annuus
Aroma: Faint and sweet.
Texture: Thin
Color: Virtually clear with a tinge of yellow.
Notes: When choosing sunflower oil, strive to get unrefined oil.

Important Note: The information provided in the Oil Profiles area is for educational purposes only. This data is not considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

General Safety Information: Do not take any oils internally without consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and give children only the gentlest oils at extremely low doses. It is safest to consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children. A skin patch test should be conducted prior to using an oil that you've never used before. Instructions on conducting a skin patch test and more safety information can be found by visiting the Safety Information page. For very in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand.