Carrier Oil Profiles
Almond, sweet:
BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus amygdalus var. dulcus
AROMA: Light, slightly sweet and nutty.
TEXTURE: Slightly oily, leaves slight oily feeling on skin. Absorbs semi-quickly.
COLOR: Virtually clear with a ting of yellow.
NOTES: Sweet almond oil is considered to be good all purpose oil to keep on hand.
Avocado:
BOTANICAL NAME: Persea Americana
AROMA: Medium, fatty and nutty in aroma and bit sweet
TEXTURE: Thick, leaves a fatty, waxy feel to the skin
COLOR: Deep olive green
NOTES: It should be used carefully otherwise it may overpower a blend.
Cocoa butter:
BOTANICAL NAME: Theobroma cacao
AROMA: Unrefined cocoa butter is rich and very sweet. It has a choclaty, “cocoa” aroma.
TEXTURE: Solid and hard to work with at room temperature.
COLOR: Yellowish tan
NOTES: Cocoa butter needs to be blended with other materials to work. It is suitable for use in lotions and creams.
Grapeseed:
BOTANICAL NAME: Vitus vinifera
AROMA: light, sweet with a hint of a nutty aroma
TEXTURE: Thin but leaves a glossy film on skin.
COLOR: Clear, it has an unnoticeable tinge of yellow/green.
NOTES: It is solvent extracted and have trace amounts of chemical solvent remaining
Jojoba:
BOTANICAL NAME: Simmondsia chinensis
AROMA: Light to medium in aroma. The aroma is distinct but pleasant
TEXTURE: light and silky. Absorbs well
COLOR: Yellow
NOTES: It is a wax. It is bit pricier oil and is frequently blended in a small dilution with other oils. It has very long shelf life
Macadamia nut:
BOTANICAL NAME: Macadamia integrifolia
AROMA: it is sweeter than almond and in some other nut oils, it is very sweet, fatty and nutty in aroma.
TEXTURE: Thick and leaves an oily film on the skin.
COLOR: Clear with a tinge of yellow.
NOTES: It should be used carefully otherwise it may overpower a blend
Peanut:
BOTANICAL NAME: Arachis hypogeae
AROMA: It is very light in aroma with slight fatty, nutty quality.
TEXTURE: Thick and leaves a oily film on skin
COLOR: Virtually clear.
NOTES: It should not be used by persons having allergy to peanuts. Because of its oiliness it is good for inclusion in massage blends. It is good for those having arthritis.
Rose hip:
BOTANICAL NAME: Rosa mosqueta
AROMA: Mild and perhaps earthy aroma.
TEXTURE: Light and leaves a hint of oil on the skin.
COLOR: Virtually clear
NOTES: It is good in treating many skin conditions. It is expensive and is usually blended in a small dilution with other carrier oils.
Shea butter:
BOTANICAL NAME: Butyrospermun parkii
AROMA: nutty, fatty
TEXTURE: Solid, it leaves an oily/waxy feeling on the skin.
COLOR: Off-white/cream.
NOTES: Suitable for lotions and creams
Sunflower
BOTANICAL NAME: Helianthus annuus
AROMA: Faint and sweet
TEXTURE: Thin and does not leave oily residue.
COLOR: It has a tinge of yellow to it.
NOTES: When choosing sunflower oil, strive to get unrefined oil.
Sesame:
BOTANICAL NAME: Sesamum indicum
AROMA: Medium with a distinctive sweet, nutty sesame scent. It may overpower a blend if not diluted with another carrier oil.
TEXTURE: Mildly thick, leaves an oily film on the skin.
COLOR: Light yellow.
NOTES: Sesame oil may overpower a blend if not diluted with another carrier oil.
Pecan:
BOTANICAL NAME: Carya pecan
AROMA: Extremely light with a hint of fatty, nutty aroma
TEXTURE: Medium thickness, leaves a slight oily film on the skin.
COLOR: Virtually clear
NOTES: It goes rancid quickly
Olive:
BOTANICAL NAME: Olea europaea
AROMA: Typical aroma of olive oil used in cooking
TEXTURE: Heavy and rather oily.
COLOR: Light to medium green.
NOTES: it should be carefully used otherwise it may overpower a blend
Kukui:
BOTANICAL NAME: Aleurites moluccana
AROMA: Light, sweet, pleasant, nutty
TEXTURE: Thin. Absorbs well, leaving only a trace of oily feeling on the skin.
COLOR: Clear with a hint of yellow.
NOTES: It is good in treating skin condition. It goes rancid rather oily.
Hazelnut:
BOTANICAL NAME: Corylus avellana
AROMA: Light, nutty, bit sweet.
TEXTURE: Thin and only leaves a slightly oily film on skin.
COLOR: Light yellow.
NOTES: Good choice with those with oilier skin.
Evening primrose:
BOTANICAL NAME: Oenothera biennis
AROMA: Light and sweet
TEXTURE: Thin, leaves only a trace of oiliness on the skin.
COLOR: Medium yellow
NOTES: It is good in treating skin conditions. It is expensive and is usually blended with small dilution with other carrier oils. It goes rancid quickly.
Borage:
BOTANICAL NAME: Borago officinalis
AROMA: Light and sweet
TEXTURE: Thin to medium, leaves a somewhat oily feel to the skin.
COLOR: Light yellow
NOTES: Is excellent in treating skin conditions. Borage oil is expensive and is usually blended in a small dilution with other carrier oils. It goes rancid rather quickly.
Apricot kernel:
BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus armeniaca
AROMA: Faint
TEXTURE: Bit oily
COLOR: Virtually clear with a tinge of yellow
NOTES: The semi-oily texture makes this oil helpful in massage blends.