For educational purposes only. We recommend further research whenever trying something new. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure, or prevent any disease.
Our Guide to Carrier Oils, Powders & Waxes
| Carrier Oil | Skin Type | Principle Skin Care Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Almond Oil | All skin types. | Good for dry and irritated complexions, high fatty acid content and penetrates well. Contains Vitamin D. |
| Apricot Kernel Oil | Dry, normal, mature; Contains Vit. A (cold pressed.) little lighter than almond and is odorless. | Protective, calming, anti-inflammatory, softens delicate skin around eyes. |
| Argan Oil | All skin types, especially dry skin, wrinkles, blemishes. | Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, strengthens elasticity of the skin, protects against stretch marks, and improves skin's overall health and vitality. Great for hair, skin & nails. |
| Arnica Oil | Sun infused - strains, bruises, tissue trauma, muscle ache, and rheumatic pain. | All around healer. Antiseptic, astringent, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, arterial circulatory stimulant. Good for bruises and contusions. Do not use on open wounds. |
| Avocado Oil | Dry, dull skin and hair, especially good for after bath. Use at 5-10% dilution. | Heavy emollient (takes a bit longer to penetrate, but penetrates deeply); prevents moisture evaporation in skin; cooling, anti-inflammatory. |
| Baobab Oil | All skin types, especially dry & mature skin. | Excellent moisturizing benefits to skin & hair. Absorbs quickly, does not clog pores & encourages skin cell regeneration. Very stable. |
| Black Currant Oil | Many types, especially for those with mature, dry, damaged skin, or acne &/or rosacea. Note: very short shelf life. | High in GLA which helps maintain healthy skin and repair skin damage from the sun. Rejuvenating effects are useful for treating mature skin. Known to alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis & eczema. |
| Borage Oil | All skin types, except psoriasis. Use at 10% dilution. | Rejuvenates skin cells, humectant (draws moisture from the air), conditions the skin and regulates the skin's hydration. Helps prevent nails from crackling and keeps them generally healthy. Nourishes scalp so good for treating hair and scalp issues. |
| Calendula | All types, esp. children and sensitive, environmentally damaged, acneic, irritated or chapped skin. Use in lotions, creams, elixirs and balms. | Calming, anti-inflammatory and skin healing. If skin is open, be sure that skin is clean of all debris to prevent infection as calendula speeds healing process, and closes wounds quickly. |
| Calophyllum Oil | Aka. Foraha or tamanu oil. Perfect for environmentally damaged, mature or very dry skin. | Analgesic, anti-biotic, anti-inflammatory. Helps fade scars, heal burns, soothe chapped skin & rashes/hives, eczema and psoriasis; supports connective tissue and promotes formation of granulation tissue. |
| Camellia Seed Oil (Green Tea Seed Oil) | Ideal for the face, especially acneic, infected, or pores that are blocked. | Major antioxidant activity, prevents free radical damage, helps clear blocked pores, regenerative action on skin. Light, non-greasy & quickly absorbed. |
| Carrot Infused Oil | Dry and aging skin types. Use up to 10% in blends. | Extremely fortifying and rejuvenating to the skin. CAREFUL - will stain. |
| Castor Oil | All skin types, esp. dry. Used in many lip balms and colour. | Highly emollient (softening & soothing), provides staying power and shine; softens rough dry heels, knees, elbow, and patches of eczema and psoriasis. When used on nails, imparts a protective shield against exposure to drying detergents, hot water and winter dry air. |
| Coconut Oil | Most skin types. | Rich emollient (softening & smoothing) - commonly used to skin & hair. Highest in saturated fats. Great for salves & ointments. |
| Coconut Oil (Fractionated) | Most skin types. | Clear liquid that has been squeezed from the coconut. It has a long shelf life and no odour. It is used to emulsify essential oils in water and adds a nice creamy texture to creams. It does not stain sheets, and absorbs quickly in the skin - loved by massage therapists. |
| Emu Oil | When deep healing and rehydration is needed, especially arthritic pain. Must use more than 20% to be effective. | Sourced for the Emu bird. It is the only oil that penetrates all 7 layers of our skin. |
| Evening Primrose Oil | Best for dry skin types, but see uses to the right. Often used as alternative treatment or corticoids or topical immuno-modulators for skin conditions such as eczema - Use at 10% dilution. | Very nourishing, emollient, soothing & healing & is good in blends to help acne, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis & other inflammatory conditions. Repairs tangles & repairs hair damage while providing non-greasy shine. |
| Glycerin | All skin types. | Assists in retaining moisture & is helpful in pulling oxygen into the skin. Vegetable glycerin is a natural emollient that adds a cooling effect on the skin & has become a predominant ingredient in most skin care products & soaps. Softens & soothes the skin, & assists the outer epidermis is retaining moisture. |
| Gotu Kola Oil (Centella) | Severe skin inflammation, and wound healing. | Aids connective tissue development & increases keritinization, soothes & minimizes varicose veins & helps minimize scarring. Strengthens veins by repairing the surrounding connective tissue & decreasing capillary fragility. Stimulates maturation of scar tissue production of Type I collagen & results in decreasing inflammation. |
| Grapefruit Seed Extract | Most skin types; sensitive skin should pay special attention. | Natural preservative, cleanser. |
| Grapeseed Oil | All types, but especially great for oily, blemished or teenage skin. | A "non-oily" oil, absorbs quickly with no residue and is odorless. Can be slightly drying. |
| Hazelnut Oil | Same as Apricot Kernel | Highly penetrative - see apricot kernel oil. |
| Hemp Seed Oil | Esp. good for dry and mature skin. | Helps stimulate cell growth; helps skin feel softer and smoother, reduces roughness, crackling and irritation of skin. May slow down fine wrinkles of aging. |
| Hypericum (St. John's Wort) | All types, esp. oily, inflamed or damaged skin, and eczema and dermatitis. | Anti-inflammatory, neuralgia, sciatica, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, antiviral. |
| Jojoba | All skin types - is chemically similar to our own moisturizing sebum. | Penetrates deeply & leaves no oily residue. Increases skin's softness & reduces superficial lines for hours after application. Does not turn rancid & requires no refrigeration. Excellent for perfume, facial elixirs & bath & body oil blends. Excellent conditioner for the hair, scalp, skin & nails & is an all-purpose skin lubricant. Contains a substance similar to collagen that gives it the silky smooth feel. |
| Kukui Oil | Dry, mature, sun damaged, burns including: sunburn, windburn, radiation burns, and heat induced burns. Eczema, chapped skin, psoriasis, acne, scars, lesions, dry hair and scalp. Sensitive skin. | Lightest oil for face, and a lovely emollient. Rejuvenating and soothing, without leaving a greasy or oily film. Immediately relieves symptoms because of its quick absorption into the skin. Leaves rough and dry skin feeling smooth, soft, and hydrated. Vitamins A, C, and E, anti-oxidants that help to protect the skin. Penetrates deeply into the skin layers, while creating a protective shield that locks in moisture. |
| Lanolin, anhydrous or pure | Similar to human skin oil. Derived from wool. | Fantastic moisturizer, helps prevent skin hydration. A water absorbing emulsifier that improves the emollient effect of creams and lotions and aids in the stabilization of oil and water blends. |
| Macadamia Nut Oil | Mature, environmentally damaged, irritated, sunburned or wind burned skin. | Like jojoba and sunflower oil, it is similar to our skin sebum. Good for softening scar tissue. |
| Meadowfoam Seed Oil | All skin types, but more towards the dry, somewhat similar to jojoba in that it stays on skin for a long time. | Stable and resistant to oxidation, may increase shelf life of other oils. Moisturizes the skin in a way few others do, and leaves the skin silky, soft and smooth. In shampoos and soaps, helps add shine and moisture to hair and scalp. Great in lip balms. |
| Monoi Oil | Great for all skin types. | Gardenia flowers macerated in Coconut oil (Coprah Oil). Penetrates deeply and hydrates while reducing transdermal water loss. Blend it in other oils, use straight on skin or rub it in hair. |
| Neem Oil | Mainly medicinal use. Note: strong odor. | Astringent, anti-bacterial & antiviral. Preservative. Helps with hair loss, dandruff, excess sebum production, brittle nails, nail fungus, and gum infections. |
| Olive Oil - extra virgin | Most skin types. | Beneficial vitamins and minerals. Blend with lighter odorless oil in body care products. Excellent make up remover and skin softener but masking the odor is difficult! Best for medicinal salves. |
| Pomegranate Seed Oil | All skin types esp. inflammation. | Anti-oxidant potential. ORAC is one of the highest available in natural sources; inhibits eicosanoid metabolism that causes inflammation and free radical damage. |
| Red Raspberry Oil | Good for acne, eczema, psoriasis and burns. | Has SPF protection (UV-A & UV-B) and is an amazing anti-oxidant. Anti-inflammatory. |
| Rice Bran Oil | Mature, sensitive, delicate and baby skin. | Naturally high in Vit. E & other anti-oxidants. It is moderately penetrating without being sticky, or greasy. |
| Rose Hip Seed Oil (Rosa rubiginosa, or mosqueta) | Mature, environmentally damaged, prematurely aged and devitalized skin. Use at 1% dilution (but we like a little more!). | Contains trans-retinoic acid which rejuvenates the skin; used daily it promotes even surface and tone to skin, supportive to rosacea. |
| St. John's Wort Oil | Any skin type depending on what carrier is used to infuse the herb. | Great for nerve damage, pain, swelling, bruises, and other types of trauma to the skin. |
| Sea Buckthorn Oil - Fruit | All skin types esp. aging and damaged. NOTE: VERY ORANGE - dilute. | Regenerating to damaged skin. The Fruit oil is extremely abundant in carotenoids - 18 have been identified. CAREFUL: will stain. |
| Sea Buckthorn Oil - Seed | All skin types especially aging and damaged. Specific for rosacea. | It has anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. Highly nutritive with many EFA's, vitamins and antioxidants; to help protect the skin from UV rays, to promote wound healing, and also for it's anti-aging properties. |
| Sesame Oil | Normal-to-dry skin types. Do not use toasted variety. Fairly stable with long shelf life, but best refrigerated. Use within 1 year. | Anti-oxidant, rich in Vit. A, E & protein. Low SPF properties therefore good in natural sunscreen recipes. A highly penetrating oil. |
| Soybean Oil | All skin types. Only purchase organic, non GMO oils. | Easily absorbed, excellent for massage oils and facial elixirs. Lends velvety texture when combined with cocoa butter, beeswax and shea. Excellent as a base for body balms. Natural insect repellant properties. |
| Squalene Oil | Good for dehydrated skin & wrinkles. Use 5-10% dilution. | Promotes cell regeneration. Plumps & hydrates the skin. Used as a fixative in perfumes and as a bactericide. Human oil is 25% squalene, so it is thought to blend particularly well in the skin. A fraction derived from olive, wheat germ or rice bran. Ours is not derived from Shark Liver Oil. |
| Sunflower Oil | All skin types except oily. | Light to medium texture and is similar to human sebum. Deeply nourishing and moisturizing. Good all-purpose oil for lotions, creams, bath and massage oil blends, body balms and hair conditioning recipes. |
| Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopherol or Mixed Tocopherols | Use on body alone, as may irritate eyes and sensitive skin. Use 1% dilution | Anti-oxidant and preservative. Aids in prevention of scar tissue from burns, weight gain, pregnancy, cuts, wounds, and surgery. |
| Wheat Germ Oil | Eczema, psoriasis, premature aging, stretch marks. Use up to a 10% dilution. | Very thick - must be used with other oils. High in Vitamin B, A and other anti-oxidants. It is said to sustain the shelf life of other products, but many have found it actually oxidizes other products. |
kolya
We are a botanical apothecary, skincare boutique, and organic spa that celebrates everything that is natural and pure. Our shelves are stocked with beautiful toners, creams and serums, as well as dried herbs, essential oils, botanical butters and clays.
At every turn, we seek to elegantly balance the efficacy of Science with the nourishment and art of Nature.