Aromatherapy Carrier Oil
The use of aromatherapy carrier oil
is a personal and lifestyle choice. It is one that can bring you
pleasure, beauty and well-being. For this reason, the practice of
aromatherapy has become the fastest growing fields in alternative
medicine and holistic healing.
There are several types of oils used
in aromatherapy. You have essential oils, absolutes, floral waters
or hydrosols, resins, infused oils, herbs, natural substances, and
of course, the ever dependable aromatherapy carrier oils. Unlike any
other oil used in this ancient art form, aromatherapy carrier oils
are not made from herbs or fruits. Aromatherapy carrier oils are
almost entirely made from vegetable oils.
Some people refer to aromatherapy
carrier oils as base oils. This is because they are most often used
to dilute highly concentrated essential oils when applied to the
skin. Not only are aromatherapy carrier oils used for that, but they
are also used in combination with absolutes and CO2s, two other
types of aromatherapy oils.
Aromatherapy carrier oils carry the
essential oil onto the skin. Different aromatherapy carrier oils
offer different properties and therapeutic benefits for you so
choosing the right carrier oil is very important.
Aromatherapy carrier oils are not
like any other oil used in aromatherapy. Often, they are
cold-pressed and extracted from fatty portions of vegetables. They
do not evaporate, unlike essential oils, and their fumes or aroma
are not quite as strong.
Some fine examples of aromatherapy
carrier oils are sweet almond, apricot kernel, grapeseed, avocado,
peanut, olive, pecan, macadamia nut, sesame, evening primrose,
walnut, and wheat germ. Most of the aromatherapy carrier oils you
find in grocery stores are not cold-pressed. When aromatherapy
carrier oils are heated, they lose some of their therapeutic
benefits. That is why it is in never advisable to purchase your
carrier oils from grocery store.
Aromatherapy carrier oils are
different from mineral oil so don’t ever mistake one for the other.
Mineral oil is never used in aromatherapy not only because it is not
a natural product but because they may prevent the absorption of
essential oil into the skin. Aromatherapy carrier oils on the other
hand function specifically to help the skin absorb essential oil.
Another significant difference
between aromatherapy carrier oil and essential oil is that the
latter does not go rancid. Aromatherapy carrier oils can go rancid,
especially if they’ve been sitting there for long. The aromatherapy
carrier oils that you purchase must be natural and unadulterated to
prevent the oil from going bad faster than normal. The only
exception to this rule is aromatherapy carrier oil that contains a
blend of natural vitamin E. Vitamin E acts as a natural preservative
so its addition shouldn’t pose a problem.
Back to
Aromatherapy
