Carrier Oils

Carrier oils have therapeutic properties in their own right and contain many vitamins and minerals, but the more highly processed the vegetable oils are, the less vitamin content will be retained.

Colour, other additives and synthetic antioxidants to extend the shelf life may also be added at the oil pressing factories, which is also undesirable.

There are a wide variety of vegetable oils suitable for aromatherapy massage. Some of the most commonly used carrier oils include sweet almond, apricot kernel, peach kernel and grapeseed. These oils are not too thick and have hardly any smell and so will not mask the aroma of the essential oils.

Some aromatherapists will use these carrier oils on their own but many prefer to add other thicker, more viscous oils to their aromatherapy blends, such as avocado, jojoba and evening primrose oil.

My own particular special blend includes sweet almond, apricot and peach kernel, jojoba, avocado, calendula and wheatgerm.