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Kitchen Cosmetics-Carrier Oils

Kitchen Cosmetics-Carrier Oils

In aromatherapy and many other applications other types of oils are used in various ways. These are the vegetable or carrier oils, which are derived from various types of nuts and seeds. They are true ‘oils’, containing fatty acids along with other constituents such as fat soluble vitamins and minerals. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils or they may have their own healing properties which are beneficial in skin care or for certain topical disorders. Other oils are highly valued as internal supplements. As with everything else to do with aromatherapy there are many aspects to understanding oils-quality of raw material, method of production and storage all impact on the quality of the end product and of course the price! One of the things you will start to do possibly at the end of this session is to look quite critically at the oils you use in cooking and eating once you read how much processing is undertaken!

What are carrier oils?

Vegetable or carrier oils are technically called 'fixed' oils because they do not evaporate. Some books also refer to them as base oils. Most of the common oils are extracted from nuts and seeds, however there are exceptions to this (coconut and jojoba are two of the most well know). There are also other carriers which are not ‘oils’-these include the butters, gels and creams which will be discussed along the way.

How are they obtained?

The oil obtained from nuts and seeds are usually extracted by one of two different methods. The first process is known as 'cold pressing' and is restricted to relatively small scale production these days due to the higher cost. The nuts or seeds are placed in a horizontal press with a rotating screw known as an 'expeller' and the oil is literally squeezed out. Despite the processing name, a certain amount of heat is produced during the process due to friction, but this rarely exceeds 70° or 80° C and causes little damage to the oil. The oil is then filtered and sold as a finished product.

Large scale industrial production uses a method called 'hot extraction' and uses a similar process, but tremendous heat is applied during the process to increase the yield of oil, and temperatures used can reach up to 200° C which destroys the important vitamins and fatty acids. The waste product from both methods of extraction, known as 'cake' is often re-processed using solvents to extract even more oil. This oil is re-heated again, refined, deodorised and the colour is bleached out. Finally, artificial colour, preservatives and vitamins are added back. These highly refined, solvent extracted oils usually end up on supermarket shelves for use in cooking and are therefore totally unsuitable to use in aromatherapy. All the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids have been destroyed during the extraction process and they are a 'dead' product. You should always buy cold pressed oils for aromatherapy and your skin will be sure to feel the benefits. Regrettably, grapeseed oil can not be produced by cold pressing since a realistic yield of oil can not be produced without applying heat.

Refined or unrefined?

In aromatherapy and many other applications other types of oils are used in various ways. These are the vegetable or carrier oils, which are derived from various types of nuts and seeds. They are true ‘oils’, containing fatty acids along with other constituents such as fat soluble vitamins and minerals. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils or they may have their own healing properties which are beneficial in skin care or for certain topical disorders. Other oils are highly valued as internal supplements. As with everything else to do with aromatherapy there are many aspects to understanding oils-quality of raw material, method of production and storage all impact on the quality of the end product and of course the price! One of the things you will start to do possibly at the end of this session is to look quite critically at the oils you use in cooking and eating once you read how much processing is undertaken!

What are carrier oils?

Vegetable or carrier oils are technically called 'fixed' oils because they do not evaporate. Some books also refer to them as base oils. Most of the common oils are extracted from nuts and seeds, however there are exceptions to this (coconut and jojoba are two of the most well know). There are also other carriers which are not ‘oils’-these include the butters, gels and creams which will be discussed along the way.

How are they obtained?

The oil obtained from nuts and seeds are usually extracted by one of two different methods. The first process is known as 'cold pressing' and is restricted to relatively small scale production these days due to the higher cost. The nuts or seeds are placed in a horizontal press with a rotating screw known as an 'expeller' and the oil is literally squeezed out. Despite the processing name, a certain amount of heat is produced during the process due to friction, but this rarely exceeds 70° or 80° C and causes little damage to the oil. The oil is then filtered and sold as a finished product. Large scale industrial production uses a method called 'hot extraction' and uses a similar process, but tremendous heat is applied during the process to increase the yield of oil, and temperatures used can reach up to 200° C which destroys the important vitamins and fatty acids. The waste product from both methods of extraction, known as 'cake' is often re-processed using solvents to extract even more oil. This oil is re-heated again, refined, deodorised and the colour is bleached out. Finally, artificial colour, preservatives and vitamins are added back. These highly refined, solvent extracted oils usually end up on supermarket shelves for use in cooking and are therefore totally unsuitable to use in aromatherapy. All the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids have been destroyed during the extraction process and they are a 'dead' product. You should always buy cold pressed oils for aromatherapy and your skin will be sure to feel the benefits. Regrettably, grapeseed oil can not be produced by cold pressing since a realistic yield of oil can not be produced without applying heat.

Refined or unrefined?

Some oils like Avocado, Coconut and Wheat germ are available in both a 'refined' and 'unrefined' form, and where you have the choice you should always choose the unrefined oil. Unrefined Coconut oil is harder to use since it sets like butter in colder climates, and is therefore made available in the form of ’fractionated’ oil and is very useful in aromatherapy. It is also known as MCT (multichained triglycerides) or caprylic acid. Unrefined Avocado oil is a dark green colour and has a very strong odour which is not to everyone's liking, but nonetheless is rich in lecithin and vitamins A and D. Likewise unrefined Wheat germ oil is a dark orange colour with a strong fragrance typical of the cereal, and contains high levels of essential fatty acids and some vitamin E. The cosmetics industry prefers refined oils since the darker colours and heavy odours can have an adverse effect on the final product. Because of this, unrefined oils are often only produced in much smaller quantities and can be a little more difficult to find especially if you only buy from health shops. Fortunately, most reputable aromatherapy stockists will normally offer a selection of unrefined, cold pressed vegetable oils.

How to choose a carrier oil?

There is a wide range of carrier oils to choose from, plus some other infused or macerated oils such as Calendula and St John’s Wort. The variety of vegetable oils available to a newcomer can seem a little bewildering at first, since there is very little written on this important subject in many books. But choosing which one is for you is not really complicated at all. Choosing carrier oils is exactly the same as choosing an essential oil really, - you choose one with the properties that you need for your particular needs. You just need to know some basic facts about the properties, actions and viscosity of vegetable oils, and then choosing becomes easier. Experiment with your oils until you find what works best for you - that's one of the keys to success with aromatherapy. Sweet Almond, Peach and Apricot oils are highly versatile and can be used for both body massage and facial treatments since they are light and easily absorbed. If you are concerned about the possibility of nut-allergy reactions then Sunflower is a perfect body oil since it is extracted from seeds, and the same applies to Grape seed. Borage, Evening Primrose, Jojoba and Rosehip oils all deliver outstanding results in facial treatments, but may need diluting with another lighter oil if you want to use them in body massage. None of these oils are extracted from nuts either. Unrefined Avocado and Wheat germ are perfect for nourishing the skin in an overnight treatment, but are a little too heavy to use in body massage. They have a strong odour that some people do not like, but please don't let that put you off! They are excellent, deep nourishing oils that will provide essential fatty acids and nutrients to soften your skin. If you want to use these richer oils in body massage or facial treatments just add them to a lighter oil such as Almond, Apricot or Peach oil at around 15-20%, - then you can enjoy all their therapeutic benefits without the odour. Of course you can do the same with any of the other deep-nourishing oils - and it helps keep the cost per treatment down too.

To complete your massage or facial oil simply add 1 drop of pure essential oil to every 5mls of carrier oil that you use. If you are having a facial treatment remember to avoid the delicate under-eye area and don't apply too much oil - a little goes a long way. Gently work the oil into the skin until it has all been absorbed and your skin will be left feeling soft and silky smooth.

What are fats, oils and waxes?

Oils and fats are called lipids and are made up of triglycerides which are a chemical unit composed of 1 unit of glyceride and three units of fatty acids. An oil or fat will have different types and amounts of triglycerides in it depending on what it is.

Fats/oils are basically chains of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) with a methyl (CH3) group at one end and a carboxyl (COOH) at the other end. The number of C atoms ranges from 4-24 in a chain. The example below shows how this is represented.

A saturated fat means that the fat or oil has more double bonds in its structure, which means there are less hydrogen ions. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature and mostly from animal origin. (Monounsaturated means there is one double bond and polyunsaturated means there are two or more). An unsaturated fat has fewer double bonds. In nature we use fatty acids for primarily for energy and insulation of our nervous system. Humans can make most of the fatty acids we need except for what are referred to as Essential fatty Acids or EFA’s. These are:

  • Linoleic (omega -6), linolenic (omega 3) and arachidonic fatty acids.
  • Linoleic (often called GLA or gamma linoleic acid) is found in many cod pressed vegetable oils. Common ones include safflower, sunflower, sesame and linseed. If the diet is short of GLA there may be skin problems, loss of hair, liver degeneration, poor wound healing, miscarriages and growth retardation. Evening primrose and borage seed oils are specifically high in GLA.
  • Linolenic acid or ALA (alpha linolenic acid) is high in linseed, hempseed, canola, salmon, tuna and oher cold water fish oils. It is metabolised in the body into various critical fatty acids. The omega 3 fatty acids have crucial roles on preventing blood clots, heart arrhythmias, and disease prevention. If the diet is short of ALA the person may have growth retardation, lack of coordination, muscle weakness, nerve tingling and behaviour changes.

Hydrogenation is a process that hardens fats and oils through a chemical process, making the oil more solid. The natural saturated fats are left intact and the mono and poly unsaturated fats have become trans fats. (An example is when oils are converted to margarine). For hydrogenation to occur high heat is applied (which destroys many of the EFA’S) then a metal catalyst is added (e.g. nickel or copper) which react with the hydrogen gas which is bubbled through the fat. This then changes the structure of the hydrogen and carbon atoms. Some oils are partially hydrogenated which gives greater stability for the volatile fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6. Commercially hydrogenation gives a stable product which doesn’t go rancid; however there are many health risks associated with the consumption of large amounts of trans fatty acids as trans fats interfere with metabolic absorption efficiencies and tend to congregate at adipose tissue sites. They are difficult to excrete from the body and are a low quality energy source.

Whilst waxes and oils have similar fatty acid and glycerine structures, the key difference is the length of the carbon chains and the fatty acids attached to the glycerine molecule. They are at least 30 carbon atoms long (compared to the 4-24 of fats and oils) and as humans we cannot digest them. Two common waxes used in many health and cosmetic applications are beeswax and carnauba wax. Beeswax is approved a food item (even though we can’t digest it) as it is used as a glossy coating. It is often used in balms, lipsticks and some creams as it has a thickening and barrier function, remaining on the surface of the skin. Beeswax is solid at room temperature and melts at 600C. A key risk of beeswax is that it will contain traces of pollen and if a person has allergies to those pollens will react to products. Also beeswax is considered an animal derived ingredient. Another other common wax is carnauba, which is derived from a variety of palm tree. It is a very hard wax and used in tablets, capsules, lipsticks and car polish. It has a high melting point of 82-860C.

Extracting Vegetable Oils

Vegetable or carrier oils are extracted using a number of methods depending on the market and type of raw material.

  1. Cleaning and cooking

The raw material (nuts and seeds) are cleaned and crushed then cooked (1200C) to break the husks.

  1. Expeller extraction

Huge rotating presses move and rotate the seeds to express out the oil. Through a process of heat (up to 850C) and pressure the oil is expressed out. At this stage it may be filtered and bottled and called ‘cold pressed’. (see earlier image)

  1. Solvent extraction

Some oils can only be extracted this way; others use this process of the remaining seed ‘cake’ to remove every trace of useable oil. Further heat is used here to evaporate the oil (1500C).

  1. Degumming

Occurs whereby gums, complex carbohydrates and other substances are removed from the oil- such as lecithin from soy beans. This process uses phosphoric acid at 600C.

  1. Refining

Free fatty acids are removed from the oil by adding sodium hydroxide (lye and sodium carbonate. This also removes minerals, fat soluble vitamins and phospholipids (750c).

  1. Bleaching

This occurs with various types of clays and fullers earth to remove any pigments, soap and beta carotene. Toxic peroxides may form during the bleaching process.

  1. Deodorisation

The carrier oil is then steam distilled under pressure to remove any remaining aromatics which affect the smell and taste. This occurs at 2400-2700 C for 30-60 minutes. This oil is now completely colourless, odourless and tasteless and will look the same as other oils produced this way regardless of origin. This type of oil can also be called ‘cold pressed’ though as the actual pressing did not occur at high heat.

  1. Preservation and winterisation-

Oils need to be stable on shelves so will have chemicals added (not usually listed on the label)-butylated hydroxytoluene, propyl gallate and others which replace the missing anti-oxidants. Winterisation is a process where the oil is cooled and filtered again to prevent cloudiness.

So you can see that some carrier oils undergo extensive processing, which is not especially desirable for aroma therapeutic purposes (or really for our dietary needs either!).

In aromatherapy and many other applications other types of oils are used in various ways. These are the vegetable or carrier oils, which are derived from various types of nuts and seeds. They are true ‘oils’, containing fatty acids along with other constituents such as fat soluble vitamins and minerals. Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils or they may have their own healing properties which are beneficial in skin care or for certain topical disorders. Other oils are highly valued as internal supplements. As with everything else to do with aromatherapy there are many aspects to understanding oils-quality of raw material, method of production and storage all impact on the quality of the end product and of course the price! One of the things you will start to do possibly at the end of this session is to look quite critically at the oils you use in cooking and eating once you read how much processing is undertaken!

For a limited time the full 2020 package can be downloaded here for free (link to google drive)

Posted: Wednesday 7 July 2021

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