Carrier Oil Information

Almond Oil- Sweet
· Botanical name- prunis dulcis
· What does it smell like?- slightly nutty and sweet.
· What does it feel like?- slightly oily and remains on the skin a little. Absorbs fairly readily
· What does it look like?- almost entirely clear but with a slight yellow tinge
· Weight- medium
· Shelf life- around one year
· Skin types- good for most types
· Physically good for- itching, dryness, soreness, inflammation
· Tell me more- Sweet almond oil is great for protecting and nourishing the skin. It contains vitamins A, B1, B2 and B6 as well as a small amount of vitamin E. It can be used as 100% of the base oils in a recipe but if you need a lighter consistency then use 50% and use a lighter oil for the rest. Almond oil is great for creams and salves.

Apricot Kernel Oil
· Botanical name- prunus armenica
· What does it smell like?- it smells very faintly sweet
· What does it feel like?- a little oily but absorbs fairly quickly
· What does it look like?- almost entirely clear but with a slight yellow tinge
· Weight- light
· Shelf life- six months
· Skin types- good for all but particularly aged, sensitive, inflamed and dry
· Physically good for- inflammation, dryness
· Tell me more- Apricot kernel oil is great for rejuvinating the skin and can be used as 100% of the base oils. It contains vitamin A and B and is great as a massage oil and in creams and lotions.

Avocado Oil
· Botanical name- persea americana
· What does it smell like?- slightly fatty, sweet and nutty
· What does it feel like?- thick and slick, leaves a waxy feeling on the skin
· What does it look like?- darkly green
· Weight- heavy
· Shelf life- about one year
· Skin types- dry
· Physically good for- eczema, scars, age spots, wrinkles
· Tell me more- Because avocado oil is so heavy it is best to only use it as 10% of the base oils in a recipe. If you use too much of this oil it could easily become overpowering. Avocado oil contains vitamins A, B and D

Borage Oil
· Botanical name- borago officinalis
· What does it smell like?- faintly sweet
· What does it feel like?- leaves a slightly oily feeling to the skin
· What does it look like?- light yellow liquid
· Weight- medium
· Shelf life- quite short
· Physically good for- PMT, menopausal problems, heart disease, psoriasis, eczema, premature aging
· Tell me more- borage oil has a high level of gamma linoleic acid in it so is reputed to regenerate skin cells. It is usually used as only a small percentage (10-25%) of the total base oil in a recipe.

Canola Oil
· Botanical name- brassica campestris
· Shelf life- around one year
· Weight- light
· Tell me more- can be used as 100% of the base oils in a recipe and is so similar to olive oil that they are interchangeable in a recipe.

Castor Oil
· Botanical name- ricinus communis
· Shelf life- a little more that a year
· Weight- heavy
· Tell me more- this oil's main purpose is creating moisture barriers. Only use it in minute quantities as it is very thick.

Cocoa Butter
· Botanical name- theobroma cacao
· What does it smell like?- sweet and chocolate-like
· What does it feel like?- a hard solid at room temperature that is slightly oily to touch
· What does it look like?- a creamy yellow solid
· Skin types- all but oily
· Tell me more- cocoa butter is always mixed with other oils before it can be used in creams, salves and lotions.

Evening Primrose Oil
· Botanical name- oenothera biennis
· What does it smell like?- faintly sweet, musty
· What does it feel like?- only a little oily
· What does it look like?- golden yellow
· Weight- light
· Skin types- dry
· Physically good for- eczema, PMT, psoriasis, premature aging
· Tell me more- evening primrose oil is full of vitamins and minerals. It does wonderful things to the skin in massage or facial blends.

Grapeseed Oil
· Botanical name- vitus vinifera
· What does it smell like?- faintly sweet with a touch of nutty smell
· What does it feel like?- only slightly oily
· What does it look like?- almost clear
· Shelf life- three to six months
· Weight- light
· Tell me more- grapeseed oil can be used as 100% of the base oils in a blend. It is perfect for a light massage and blends wonderfully in a warm bath. Grapeseed oil is not suitable for use in creams or lotions.

Hazelnut Oil
· Botanical name- corylus avellana
· What does it smell like?- sweet and nutty
· What does it feel like?- slightly oily on the skin
· What does it look like?- clear with a yellow tinge
· Weight- medium
· Skin types- great for oily or cobination skins
· Physically good for- acne, poor circulation
· Tell me more- hazelnut oil is great for light massages and is a good base for creams as it has astringent properties. It contains fatty acids, vitamin E, minerals and protein.

Jojoba Oil
· Botanical oil- simmondsia chinensis
· What does it smell like?- distinctly sweet
· What does it feel like?- silky and light
· What does it look like?- clear and yellow
· Weight- light
· Physically good for- acne, inflammation, psoriasis, eczema
· Tell me more- jojoba oil is actually a wax rather than an oil. It lasts for ages is kept correctly and makes a great base in any cream or lotion. It absorbs well into the skin. Contains vitamin E, protein and minerals and is fantastic for use on oily, acne or inflamed skins. It unclogs pores and removes dirt.

Kukui Nut Oil

· Botanical name- aleurites moluccana
· What does it smell like?- sweet and nutty
· What does it feel like?- only slightly oily
· What does it look like?- clear with a yellow tinge
· Weight- light to medium
· Shelf life- quite short
· Skin types- mature, aging

Macadamia Oil
· Botanical name- macadamia integrifolia
· What does it smell like?- little or no smell but is faintly sweet
· What does it feel like?- oily on the skin
· What does it look like?- light golden yellow
· Weight- light
· Shelf life- around one year
· Skin types- dry, aging

Olive Oil
· Botanical name- olea europaea
· What does it smell like?- exactly the same as the stuff you use to cook with- a little like olives
· What does it feel like?- rather oily
· What does it look like?- light to deep green
· Weight- heavy
· Physically good for- rheumatism, stretch marks, dry skin, inflammation

Palm Oil
· Botanical name- elaeis guinensis
· What does it look like?- a hard, white, solid oil
· Tell me more- palm oil is usually used in soap and salve recipes to harden the finished product. It is usually limited to 10-20% of the base oils as it can be drying to the skin. When it is used in soap it tends to make the bar lather better.

Passionfruit Oil
· Botanical name- passiflora incarnata
· What does it look like?- quite yellow
· Tell me more- this oil is great for the skin- whether on the face or body- as it maintains elasticity and reduces moisture loss.

Peach Kernel Oil
· Botanical name- prunus persica
· What does it smell like?- slightly sweet
· What does it look like?- light golden yellow
· Skin types- dry and mature
· Tell me more- this oil is great for use directly on the face or body as it helps increase the skin's elasticity. It contains vitamins A and E

Peanut Oil
· Botanical name- arachis hypogeae
· What does it smell like?- very faintly nutty
· What does it feel like?- very oily on the skin
· What does it look like?- almost clear with a tinge of yellow
· Weight- heavy
· Physically good for- arthritis
· Skin types- good for all
· Tell me more- Never use even a drop of peanut oil on anyone who is allergic to peanuts as the smallest amount is enough to hospitalise them

Rosehip Oil
· Botanical name- rosa mosqueta
· What does it smell like?- light and slightly earthy
· What does it feel like?- leaves only a light film of oil on the skin
· What does it look like?- clear with a golden tinge
· Weight- light
· Shelf life- quite short
· Physically good for- rejuvinating skin cells, scars, wrinkles, acne scars, burns, eczema
· Tell me more- Usually used as only 1-10% of the total oil blend. It contains vitamin C.

Safflower Oil
· Botanical name- carthamus tinctorius
· What does it smell like?- a little nutty
· What does it feel like?- quite smooth and absorbs really well
· What does it look like?- golden yellow
· Shelf life- quite short
· Tell me more- Safflower oil needs to be kept in the refridgerator to maintain its freshness. It naturally filters the sun's rays and makes a great massage blend for the body.

Sesame Oil
· Botanical name- sesamum indicum
· What does it smell like?- very strong, sweet and nutty
· What does it feel like?- leaves the skin quite oily
· What does it look like?- clear yellow
· Weight- medium
· Physically good for- psoriasis, eczema, rheumatism, arthritis

Shea Butter
· What does it smell like?- sweetly nutty
· What does it fell like?- silky, smooth, and melts into the skin leaving a slightly oily feeling
· What does it look like?- solid at room temperature with an off-white to cream colouring
· Tell me more- Good base for creams, lotions and as an addition to soaps

Sunflower Oil
· Botanical name- helianthus annuus
· What does it smell like?- slightly sweet
· What does it feel like?- leaves no oil behind
· What does it look like?- clear with a yellow tinge
· Weight- light
· Shelf life- quite short
· Physically good for- leg ulcers and poor circulation
· Tell me more- this is a great oil for bath oils as it disperses well and absorbs readily. As it absorbs very quickly it isn't very good for massage blends.

Wheatgerm Oil
· Botanical name- triticum vulgare
· What does it smell like?- very earthy
· What does it feel like?- quite oily on the skin
· What does it look like?- dark golden brown
· Physically good for- scars, burns, inflammation
· Tell me more- usually added to blends only as a nutritive and less than 1% of the total blend


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