Whether you’re working in massage therapy or you’re just an interested amateur, you’ll have your favourite carrier oils that are always to hand. It’s possible they were the ones your first massage tutor recommended – cheap, reliable, effective and with a reasonable shelf life too. Chances are that you can put your hands on a bottle of Sunflower, Sweet Almond or Grapeseed oil within five minutes of finishing this article.
Then along comes a situation that makes you wonder whether it is time to change your approach. Perhaps it’s a skin condition – eczema, acne, psoriasis, dry or dehydrated skin. Maybe it’s that moment of truth when you look in the mirror and you don’t look as youthful as you did last week. It could even be the client climbing on the couch who tells you that they are allergic to just about everything.
With so many oils now commercially available, choosing new ones to integrate into your practice can be a challenge. Here are a few of the more unusual ones to consider:
Carrier Oils for General Body Treatments
- Peach kernel – Peach kernel is very similar to Sweet Almond oil in terms of its slippage. It’s a great, all-round carrier oil with a mild, pleasant odour. Try it if you have clients who are allergic to nut oils.
- Apricot kernel – another useful carrier oil with a mild odour and a long shelf-life. Apricot kernel is easily absorbed by the skin. Try it as part of an overnight facial treatment – your skin will be visibly softer and healthier in the morning.
- Hazelnut oil – try adding hazelnut oil to your preferred carrier oil (5 mls hazelnut to 20 mls of your favourite oil) if you are massaging someone with oily skin who is also prone to acne. Hazelnut is relatively astringent and has been used effectively for reducing the appearance of large pores as well as clearing up mild skin eruptions.
- Macadamia nut – Macadamia nut oil is high in palmitoleic acid, a substance produced in young skin that slowly disappears as we age. Using macadamia nut oils in skin treatments should, in most cases, reduce the evidence of premature ageing.
- Coconut oil (fractionated) –This light, fragrant oil is quickly absorbed by the skin. Try it on oily skin types or use it for producing hair oil treatments.
- Camellia – used for centuries in Japan to enhance the appearance of hair, skin and nails, camellia carrier oil is very useful in treating dry, damaged skin. Try it blended with cold (refrigerated) aloe vera gel as an after sun treatment.
Oils to Enrich your Carrier Oils
- Jojoba – If you haven’t already tried Jojoba, buy some now. Jojoba is structurally very similar to sebum (the oil your skin produces naturally). This means that jojoba is absorbed into the skin very quickly – apply a small amount to the face as a moisturiser/facial oil and within 15 minutes you will be able to apply make up. Like sebum, it is also mildly antiseptic – so it will help to heal problem skin and can dissolve any blockages affecting the pores of the skin.
- Avocado – Ideal for mature and dehydrated skin, Avocado oil (particularly the unrefined version – which is recognisable by it’s dark green colour) is a wonderful way of protecting the skin from the elements and reducing the appearance of fine lines. Try applying it in a blend with a carrier oil like peach kernel or sweet almond oil if you are treating someone very elderly or infirm who has dry, papery skin.
- Rose hip – recent studies have indicated that Rose hip oil is extremely effective at encouraging the healthy regeneration of the skin. Use rose hip oil to improve the appearance of scar tissue, acne scarring, stretch marks and wrinkles.
- Evening Primrose – A very useful enhancement to any carrier oil, Evening Primrose oil is particularly good at reducing inflammation in the skin. Try using it as part of your carrier oil when treating eczema, psoriasis, inflamed, dry and dehydrated skin.
- Borage oil - Borage oil has been shown to contain almost twice the amount of GLA in it that Evening Primrose contains. This makes it excellent to reduce wrinkles and to improve joint mobility. Although it’s often very expensive, it only needs to be used at 10% in solution (10 mls borage to 90 mls of another carrier oils) to be very effective.
- Tamanu – A profoundly effective carrier oil, Tamanu only needs to be used at 10% in solution to be therapeutically valuable. In it’s natural state it is thick and gritty, so warm it up slightly before mixing it into another carrier oil to use in massage. Try using it in combination with specific essential oils when trying massage (or aromatherapy) for pain relief. There is some literature to suggest it is a particularly useful carrier oil to consider when treating shingles.
- Kukui – produced in Hawaii, there are rumours that it is being used by some hospitals there to support cancer patients with radiation burns. It is an excellent carrier oil for use with skin prone to eczema or psoriasis or very dry and dehydrated skin types.
- Meadowfoam seed – Meadowfoam seed carrier oil can feel very rich and heavy (to the practitioner) when you first use it. Try adding it only in small amounts to another carrier oil. As well as being great for the skin, it also extends the shelf-life of your blended oils.
- Seabuckthorn – Seabuckthorn oil has been shown to aid healthy skin regeneration and to improve blood circulation to the skin. An effective anti-inflammatory oil, try it where skin is inflamed or damaged.
Oils to Use Yourself
- Argan – good quality Argan oil is very pricey. This is a reflection of how difficult it is to harvest. It is also worth every penny if you are treating dry, dehydrated or mature skin types and you want to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Use it in facial oils and when making moisturising products. If the price is making you wince, blend it with Jojoba or Macadamia nut oils to produce an excellent and more cost-effective solution.
- Pomegranate Seed – Another very expensive carrier oil which is appearing more frequently in natural and organic skin care products. Pomegranate seed oil contains Punicic acid – which has been associated with healthy fat metabolism, (and can, apparently, aid weight loss). It does stimulate keratinocyte production in the dermis – thereby helping the skin to retain its elasticity, aiding the reduction of wrinkles as well as helping problem skin return to health.
Looking for a reliable source of good quality carrier oils? Find carrier oil stockists.
