Carrier oil is a vegetable oil which is derived from the fatty portion of a plant, most often from the seeds, kernels, or nuts. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils, absolutes, and other oils before they are placed on the skin. In essence, carrier oils "carry" the essential oil to the skin. There are many different kinds of carrier oils. Each different kind offers different therapeutic benefits. Each different carrier oil also has a different shelf life. Natural lotions, creams, body oils, bath oils and other moisturizing skin care products are made using vegetable oils. Carrier oils do not evaporate like essential oils and do not have the concentrated aroma of essential oils. The reason for this is that carrier oils are pressed from the fatty parts of the plant. A few carrier oils are odorless, but generally speaking, most have a faint sweet, nutty aroma. The blend of essential oil and carrier oil makes up most of the skin care products. The choice of carrier oil used in this blend can affect the fragrance, color, therapeutic benefits, and shelf life. There are several ways to extract the carrier oil from the seed or nuts. Cold-pressed oils are generally the best because they have not been heated, which means the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids are still in the finished product. Unfortunately, only smaller amounts of the oils can be collected in this manner. There are also refined and unrefined carrier oils. In general, the unrefined oils are the best because they still retain all the things that make them good for your skin. There are several reasons that a lot of carrier oils are refined. Some, such as avocado and wheatgerm, have dark colors and strong odors which make them less desirable. Unrefined coconut oil has the consistency of set butter. For this reason, coconut oil comes in a fractionated form. If you wish to gain the benefits of some of the heavier oils that have a strong odor, blend them with the lighter oils such as sweet almond oil. Macadamia oil has ingredients that help keep skin soft, supple, and looking young, but can overpower a blend if not diluted or used very carefully. Choosing the right carrier oil is very important and should be given careful thought. Since it is harder to find information on carrier oils than essential oils, it can take more effort to find the right one for your needs. At JansAromatherapy, the use and benefit of each carrier oil is listed in its description. You should choose the one that will give you the most of what you want in a carrier oil. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email or the customer service phone number.

You can rest assured that our aromatherapy carrier oils are pure and wholesome. You may choose your carrier oil with complete confidence.