some info on oils

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r Oils

r oils also referred to as base oils or vegetable oils are used to dilute essential oils, CO2s and absolutes before applying to the skin. Please see the What are r Oils? article for more information on what carrier oils are and how they are used. Below is a list of many of the commonly used carrier oils.

Almond, Sweet

Botanical Name: Prunus amygdalus var. dulcusAroma: Light, slightly sweet and nutty.Texture: Slightly oily, leaves a slight oily feeling on the skin. Absorbs semi-quickly.Color: Virtually clear with a tinge of yellow.Notes: Sweet Almond oil is considered to be a good all-purpose carrier oil to keep on hand and is moderately priced.

Apricot Kernel

Botanical Name: Prunus armeniacaAroma: FaintTexture: Somewhat oily, absorbs semi-quickly.Color: Virtually clear with a tinge of yellow.Notes: The semi-oily texture makes this oil helpful in massage blends.

Avocado

Botanical Name: Persea americanaAroma: Medium. Somewhat sweet, fatty and nutty in aroma.Texture: Thick, leaves a fatty, almost waxy feel to the skin. Color: Deep olive green.Notes: If not carefully used or used in a small dilution with another carrier, it may overpower a blend.

Borage

Botanical Name: Borago officinalisAroma: Light and sweet.Texture: Thin to medium, leaves a somewhat oily feel to the skin.Color: Light yellow.Notes: Is said to be excellent in treating many skin conditions. Borage oil is expensive and is usually blended in a small (often 10%) dilution with other carrier oils. It goes rancid rather quickly.

Cocoa Butter

Botanical Name: Theobroma cacaoAroma: Unrefined cocoa butter is rich and very sweet . It has a chocolaty, "cocoa" aroma. The cocoa aroma is less noticeable in refined cocoa butter.Texture: Solid and hard to work with at room temperate. Breaks into pieces.Color: Yellowish tan.Notes: Cocoa butter needs to be blended with other materials/oils to be workable. Suitable for use in lotions and creams.

Evening Primrose

Botanical Name: Oenothera biennisAroma: Light and sweetTexture: Thin, leaves only a trace of oiliness on the skin.Color: Medium yellow.Notes: Evening Primrose is also said to be excellent in treating many skin conditions. It is expensive and is usually blended in a small (often 10%) dilution with other carrier oils. It goes rancid quickly.

Grapeseed

Botanical Name: Vitus viniferaAroma: Light, slightly sweet with a hint of a nutty aroma.Texture: Thin but leaves a glossy film on the skin.Color: Virtually clear, has an almost unnoticeable tinge of yellow/green.Notes: Unlike most other carrier oils, grapeseed oil is solvent extracted and may have trace amounts of chemical solvent remaining. I have heard mixed reports on the shelf-life of grapeseed (some have said it goes rancid rather fast). I usually go through a bottle of grapeseed once each six months and have not discovered any problems with rancidity when stored in an amber bottle in a cool dark area.

Hazelnut

Botanical Name: Corylus avellanaAroma: Light, nutty, somewhat sweet.Texture: Thin and only leaves a slightly oily film on the skin.Color: Light yellow.Notes: It is said to be a good choice for those with oilier skin.

Jojoba

Botanical Name: Simmondsia chinensisAroma: Light to medium in aroma, not as sweet as the nut oils. The aroma is distinct but pleasant.Texture: Light and silky. Absorbs well.Color: Yellow.Notes: Jojoba "oil" is actually a wax. It is a somewhat pricier oil and is frequently blended in a small dilution (10%) with other oils. It has a very long shelf-life.

Kukui

Botanical Name: Aleurites moluccanaAroma: Light, sweet, pleasant, nutty.Texture: Thin. Absorbs well, leaving only a trace oily feeling on the skin.Color: Clear with a hint of yellow.Notes: It is said to be excellent in treating many skin conditions. It is a somewhat more pricier oil. It goes rancid rather quickly.

Macadamia Nut

Botanical Name: Macadamia integrifoliaAroma: More fragrant than sweet almond and some of the 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: If not carefully used or used in a small dilution with another carrier, it may overpower a blend.

Olive

Botanical Name: Olea europaeaAroma: Typical aroma of olive oil used in cooking (smells somewhat like olives). Texture: Heavy and rather oily.Color: Light to medium green.Notes: If not carefully used or used in a small dilution with another carrier, it may overpower a blend.

Peanut

Botanical Name: Arachis hypogeaeAroma: Like Pecan, it is extremely light in aroma with a slight fatty, nutty quality.Texture: Thick and leaves a very oily film on the skin.Color: Virtually clear.Notes: Peanut oil should not be used by anyone that has an allergy to peanuts. Because of it's oiliness, it is said to be a good choice for inclusion in massage blends. It has been said that it is a good oil to use for those with arthritis.

Pecan

Botanical Name: Carya pecanAroma: Extremely light with a hint of a fatty, nutty aroma.Texture: Medium thickness, leaves a slight oily film on the skin.Color: Virtually clear.Notes: It is said that it goes rancid somewhat quickly. I have used only one bottle of Pecan oil and did not discover any problems with rancidity when stored in an amber bottle in a cool dark area during my use of the oil over about 4-6 months.

Rose Hip

Botanical Name: mosquetaAroma: Mild and perhaps earthy aroma.Texture: Light and leaves only a hint of oil on the skin.Color: Virtually clear.Notes: It is said to be excellent in treating many skin conditions. It is expensive and is usually blended in a small (often 10%) dilution with other carrier oils. It goes rancid rather quickly.

Sesame

Botanical Name: Sesamum indicumAroma: Medium with a distinctive sweet, nutty sesame scent. 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.

Shea Butter

Botanical Name: Butyrospermun parkiiAroma: Nutty, fatty.Texture: Solid but permeable at room temperature. Leaves an oily/waxy feeling on the skin.Color: Off-white/cream.Notes: Suitable for use in lotions and creams.

Sunflower

Botanical Name: Helianthus annuusAroma: Faint and sweet.Texture: Thin and does not leave an oily residue.Color: Virtually clear with a tinge of yellow.Notes: When choosing sunflower oil, strive to get unrefined oil