Fixed Vegetable Oils or "Carrier" Oils
Fixed vegetable oils or “carrier oils” come from the non-volatile oily part of plants. They are referred to as carrier oils because they are used to dilute (‘carry’), pure essential oils which can be harmful if applied undiluted to the skin. Although vegetable oils are much safer than essential oils, they should not be used on babies, broken skin or if you suffer from severe allergies to certain foods or vegetables.
Fixed vegetable oils or carrier oils usually come from the seed of the plant. Their chemical make up is far less complex than essential oils as they mainly consist of essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Some vegetable oils posses their own therapeutic properties. For example, olive oil is known to be a skin healing agent. Fixed vegetable oils are usually obtained in one of two ways: they can be cold-pressed where the lack of heat ensures that the vegetable oil's vitamins, acids & minerals are not destroyed; or they can be extracted or refined using heat. Although many people believe that refining carrier oils can destroy their vitamin content, this is only true when the carrier oils is to be used for cooking purposes. In many cases, refining can improve carrier oils because it can help remove fungal spores and bacteria which can be harmful to the skin.
Fixed vegetable oils are used as emollients which help to protect and moisturise the skin.
Tips for use
The type of fixed vegetable oil you use should be dictated by skin type – i.e. whether dry, oily or normal. For dry skin the average vegetable oil like sweet almond oil will rapidly be absorbed by the skin meaning that massage may become difficult. In this case, adding jojoba vegetable oil, which is oilier and less readily absorbed, would help to maintain smooth massage strokes. Very dry or mature skin may require the addition of thicker oils such as apricot kernel.
Below are some suggestions depending on the type of skin being treated:
Normal Skin:
- Base oils: Sweet almond oil, Apricot kernel, Grape seed, Macadamia
- Additive oils: Jojoba, Borage seed, Evening Primrose, Hazelnut
Dry Skin:
- Base oils: Sweet almond oil, Apricot kernel, Jojoba, Olive, Argan, Macadamia, St John’s wort
- Additive oils: Borage seed, Evening Primrose, Jojoba, Hazelnut, Calophyllum
Oily Skin:
- Base oils: Sweet almond oil, Apricot kernel, Grape seed, Sesame
- Additive oils: Borage seed, Evening Primrose, coconut
Mature Skin:
- Base oils: Apricot kernel, Borage seed, Macadamia, Argan
- Additive oils: Evening Primrose, Muscat Rosebush, Jojoba
Properties of commonly used vegetable/carrier oils
Apricot Kernel Oil
Apricot kernel oil is an easily absorbed fixed vegetable oil which moisturises both the body and face well. Apricot kernel oil is extracted from the kernel of the Apricot and contains vitamins A, B & E which help in healing and rejuvenating skin cells.
Borage Oil
Borage seed oil is rich in gamma linolenic acid and as a result Borage seed oil has excellent moisturising qualities. Borage seed oil can often help regenerate damaged skin.
Evening Primrose Oil
Evening Primrose oil contains large amounts of essential fatty acids which are key to fighting ageing and which help to retain the skin’s natural moisture content.
Grape seed Oil
Rich in Omega 6 and vitamin E, Grape seed oil is an odourless vegetable oil and has a non-greasy feeling after application. Grape seed oil helps tighten and tone the skin and can alleviate acne.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba vegetable oil is one of the best vegetable oils for hair and skin. It helps to heal inflamed skin, psoriasis and eczema and can help to control acne as excess sebum dissolves in Jojoba.
Macadamia Oil
Macadamia oil contains a large amount of palmioleic acid which helps prevent ageing and cell oxidation.
Sweet Almond Oil
Rich in proteins and vitamin D, Sweet almond oil is good for all skin types and can help provide relief for eczema sufferers. Sweet almond oil is quickly absorbed by the skin, leaving a non-greasy feeling.
Storage
Vegetable or carrier oils tend to have a relatively short shelf life (approximately 6 months) and can go rancid if kept for too long. Keep in a cool, dark room and make sure you date mark the bottle when you open it so you know by when you need to use up the vegetable or carrier oil. If the vegetable or carrier oil smells very strong or rancid do not use it.