The Best Carrier Oils: All You Need To Know About Carrier Oils

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Carrier oils are a base or vegetable oils that are used to dilute the strength of essential oils when being applied to the skin for massage or aromatherapy. They are called carrier oils because they carry the oil into your skin.

Now, there are many carrier oils but it can be confusing to figure out which one is the best for you. This is why we are going to list out the benefits of some common carrier oils, so that you can pick whichever one is best suited for your skin.

These essential oils are judged on whether they are comedogenic or not, which refers to their likelihood in clogging pores or not. Oils that clog pores can most likely be used by people with dry skin, but people who have oily and acne-prone skin should avoid these oils.

Here are some common carrier oils and their benefits.

1. Argan Oil: Argan oil is a favourite of many people when it comes to hair care. This oil is present in a lot of shampoos and conditioners you find in the markets these days. This oil helps treat hair that is damaged from either heat styling or from chemicals from coloring your hair too often. It also helps treat split ends and breakage and protects the hair from frizz. Moreover, this oil can even be used on cuticles and brittle nails and even on cracked heels.

2. Jojoba Oil: This oil has a very low comedogenic rating and can be applied by people of all skin types. This oil resembles the natural oils produced by the skin and are used to moisturise the skin and to purify it. This oil too can be used on nails and even all over the body to treat dry skin. You can even use it on your hair to strengthen the hair follicles and to the ends of the hair to moisturise dry ends and fix split ends.

3. Neem Oil: Neem oil is really good for people with sensitive skin. It is antibacterial and helps to purify the skin, hence helping against problems like acne and blackheads. Another benefit of this oil is that it helps to cure foot fungus.

4. Sweet Almond Oil: This oil will provide you with beauty benefits no matter what your skin type is. It restores moisture and the protective barrier of the skin. You can massage this into your face right before you go to bed, as a night oil and wake up to glowing and soft skin. When used on the scalp, this can improve blood circulation and hence acts to increase hair growth and decrease dandruff.

5. Castor Oil: This oil was used for beauty purposes by Egyptians. It has a very low comedogenic rating, which makes it safe to apply on the face. This helps to keep the skin moisturised without clogging pores. It also helps to heal sunburns. This can even be applied to the scalp to improve hair growth. Castor oil is used in many cosmetics and masks for the hair. It is even known to improve hair growth in the eyebrows and to get longer and thicker lashes.

6. Rosehip Seed oil: Rosehip seed oil is a fast-absorbing oil that has a high content of fatty acids. It can be used to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and is even safe to be used in the sensitive under-eye area to get rid of under-eye bags and crow's feet. With time, this oil will help fade acne scars and by promoting the growth of newer and healthier cells. This oil can be used by people of all skin types, as it does not leave behind any oily residue and gets completely absorbed into the skin. We suggest using this as a night-time serum.

7. Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is the most popular carrier oil and is even used in cooking. This oil can be applied directly onto the skin as a moisturiser for the face as well as the body, but oily skinned beauties need to be aware, as this oil has a high comedogenic rating and may cause the pores to get clogged. Hence, we suggest that only people with dry skin use this on their faces, while everyone can use it on their bodies. Coconut oil has a high amount of vitamin E in it, thereby providing the skin with antioxidants to protect the skin against signs of ageing, making it an amazing moisturiser for the skin and body. It can also be used to provide the hair with deep conditioning, as this oil deeply penetrates into the hair shaft and provides the moisture needed by the hair. What's more is that it smells amazing!