Exotic Carrier Oils For Anti-Aging, Healing, And All-Around Natural Beauty
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010In aromatherapy blending, its generally the essential oils that get all the press. But certain carrier oils have very profound therapeutic activity for healing all sorts of skin conditions, as well as for daily beauty care treatment. It seems that some of the carrier oils from faraway places have the most dramatic therapeutic potential. Here’s three great carrier oils from faraway places you can use alone or blend together in your skin recipes that are sure to give you the healing effects you’re looking for.
Rosehip seed oil is first on the list. In terms of the exotic carrier oils, it is the one that’s been the most widely available for the longest time, so it may not seem so exotic to some. This doesn’t at all diminish its truly important therapeutic activity. Pressed from the seeds of rosehips grown in the mountains of Chile (a rosehip is essentially the fruit of wild roses), the oil has a lovely reddish orange color, indicating its high level of therapeutic nutrients. The oil often has a potent, earthy aroma to it.
Rosehip seed oil offers its own unique combination of essential fatty acids and micro-nutrients that work together to stimulate cellular turnover. It’s like nature’s own “retin-A”, a pharmaceutical anti-wrinkle cream, without the drying effect. The oil has been the subject of several studies performed at the University of Santiago, with dramatic results. The oil alone resulted in significant reduction of appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and scars. The oil is typically used at about twenty percent of one’s overall formula, though it can be used at one-hundred percent if desired. For improving skin texture, it is an indispensable oil.
Next up is an oil that goes by several names: Callophylum, Tamanu or Foraha. The oil is pressed from the nut of a tree found on islands in the South Pacific. It is most curious in appearance in aroma, seeming like a greenish sludge — but don’t let this fool you, Tamanu is a remarkable healer. It likely has the most complex chemical makeup of any of the carriers here, and perhaps the greatest diversity of healing effects as well.
Investigating the applications of Tamanu oil, one finds that its called for for virtually every known skin care condition. For anti-aging, the oil can speed the generation of a new layer of skin from an average of 21 days down to as few as 7 — this is important for wound healing and scar reduction as well. The oil can prevent premature aging due to sun overexposure, and use in an after-sun formula may be very therapeutic. Its anti-inflammatory properties may make it helpful for may varieties of dermatitis, rashes and the like, and it appears to combat many skin infections as well (athlete’s foot, for example). As you can see, a truly well-rounded, therapeutic oil. While it can be used at 100% strength, you’ll likely want to blend it to a more common 20% due to its potent characteristics.
Recently, Argan nut oil has been getting a lot of “press”. It has been supported by the fashion and cosmetic industry, not only for its therapeutic actions, but because its production is effectively supporting indigenous people’s livelihood. Further, large amounts of land have been protected so that this wonderful natural resource continues to be available.
Argan oil’s primary use is for anti-aging skin care, along with being an excellent moisturizer. Its actions are a result of the synergistic activity between the variety of natural antioxidants and essential fatty acids. The oil seems to support cellular turnover, reduce wrinkle appearance, and promote naturally healthy and vibrant skin. Of the three oils here, it may be the choice for those not dealing with a specific “condition”, but looking instead to simply keep their already healthy skin healthy.
These oils are all exceptionally beneficial for skin care. They’re all excellent choices for anti-aging blends, and it appears that tamanu may be the most holistically therapeutic (supporting the healing of the widest variety skin conditions). You can make an exceptional base by combining all three alone, or using 20% of each and 40% of virgin coconut oil (a truly therapeutic oil that has lost its exotic-ness, as we find it everywhere these days). This would be a supremely healing formula, excellent for nearly every skin care condition (it is only acne that demands the removal of rosehip seed from the recipe). To this you can add your essential oils at a total concentration of up to 5%, and make true skin care magic.
For more resources on using essential oils and Bach flower essences therapeutically, visit the Ananda Apothecary.