Carrier oils serve as some of the main ingredients in moisturizers and other skincare products.
Oftentimes, companies will highlight essential oils, plant extracts, or other special ingredients in their anti-aging products, but the carrier oils are no less important. Think of them kind of like the tonic in a gin and tonic – you can order the drink with the fanciest gin in the world, but if the tonic isn’t up to par, your drink will be disappointing.
The same goes for the ingredients in anti-aging skincare. There are plenty of important extracts and essential oils to pay attention to, but if the carrier oils aren’t the best, then you’ll be disappointed. You want products that include anti-aging properties in every ingredient.
So here, we’ll give you an overview of the some of the carrier oils we choose to use because of their undeniable abilities to improve your skin, target aging, and bring the best out of all of our ingredients.
Apricot Kernel Oil
Apricot Kernel Oil, which has a high absorption rating (meaning it quickly absorbs into skin), is great for revitalizing older skin or clearing up blemish-prone skin. It reduces inflammation, has a low chance of clogging pores, and leaves a very silky finish. It’s an important ingredient in our Nourish Hydrating Cleansing Oil and our Regenerate Reviving Serum.
Avocado Oil
You may have some of this oil in your kitchen because, well, it’s also a popular heart-healthy oil for cooking. As a rich source of vitamin E and healthy fatty acids, such as oleic acid, avocado oil does wonders for your skin whether you eat it or apply it topically. It penetrates the skin well, and studies with animals have shown it can increase collagen synthesis and decrease inflammatory cells. We use it in our Renew Intensive Eye Cream.
Baobab Seed Oil
The baobab tree is a uniquely beautiful tree native to Africa that looks almost like it’s growing upside down – with its roots in the air! It also provides a particularly moisturizing oil. With a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids, this oil helps improve skin texture and softness and prevent water loss. Because of its deeply moisturizing qualities, it’s even used to treat eczema. This oil plays a role in our Regenerate Reviving Serum.
Jojoba Seed Oil
This oil (pronounced ho-HO-ba) is different in its chemical structure from most other oils because it’s actually a polyunsaturated wax. As a wax, jojoba is especially protective of your skin’s moisture. It was long used for its healing properties in its native region of Arizona, California and northwestern Mexico. Also, it contains vitamins E and B, silicon, chromium, copper, and zinc. We use it in our Regenerate Reviving Serum and our Restore Youth Serum.
Meadowfoam Seed Oil
Here’s an oil that deserves more attention. Its chemical makeup includes more carbon atoms in its fatty acids than are found in many other oils. This means meadowfoam oil is very emollient with being too greasy. It also interacts with other oils in our products to give them a longer shelf-life without having to rely on synthetic preservatives. We use it in our Revive Gentle Emollient Cleanser and our Renew Intensive Eye Cream.
Pomegranate Seed Oil
This oil offers many benefits thanks to its rich levels of punicic acid, vitamin C, flavonoids, linoleic acid, and oleic acid. It has both antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Its vitamin C can work as a brightening agent in aging skin. And it reduces inflammation and promotes elasticity. You’ll find it in our Regenerate Reviving Serum.
Prickly Pear Seed Oil
Here’s an oil you may not have heard of before. It is rich in vitamins E and K, so it’s great at fighting off free radicals in your skin. Plus, it’s got linoleic acid to help reduce hyperpigmentation or scarring as well as fight of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s an essential ingredient in our Restore Youth Serum.
Safflower Seed Oil
People have been using safflower seed oil to moisturize and care for their skin for literally millennia. Today, this oil is often a popular choice to decrease the appearance of stretchmarks. Safflower oil does a great job of keeping your natural skin oils in balance. It contains high quantities of linoleic acid and vitamin E, so it keeps skin supple and minimizes the appearance of dark spots. You’ll find it in our Nourish Hydrating Cleansing Oil.
What are the other oils listed among our ingredients?
You’ll find the names of other oils amongst our ingredients, including frankincense oil, myrrh oil, neroli flower oil, geranium flower oil, and bergamot fruit oil. These are essential oils (rather than carrier oils). Unlike carrier oils, they are highly concentrated and must be included in smaller quantities. They all play important roles in bringing the right properties and aromas to our products. We make all out products in Los Angeles by hand through small batch processes. Find out more about our products and our philosophy.
Photo Credit: Anshu A.