Carrier oils are typically pressed from the fatty part of the plant i.e seed, kernels, nuts and vegetables to give oils such as Argan oil, Jojoba oil, Rosehip oil, Hemp seed oil, Vitamin E oil, Neem oil, Olive oil, Almond oil, Sunflower oil, Grapeseed oil…etc and possess the skincare properties of the plant from which they are derived.
Just like the name suggests, in aromatherapy, carrier oils ‘carry’ essential oils, CO2 or absolutes into the skin. With essential oils being highly concentrated and too dangerous to use in their concentrated form on the skin, they are diluted using a carrier oil of choice before application on the desired part of the body, be it the face, scalp, elbows or feet.
Carrier oils can also be used independently as a skincare serum as they possess the beneficial skincare properties of the plant from which they are derived.
Carrier oils intended for skincare application should be sourced from a good supplier and should be of good quality, cold pressed and with all the goodness still intact.
