Pomegranate Oil

by | Jan 8, 2019

What is it? The oil pressed from the seeds of the pomegranate.
INCI Punica Granatum seed oil
Appearance Pale yellow liquid.
Texture Thin and smooth.
Scent Slight oily scent, nothing too noticeable.
Absorbency Speed Fast
Solubility Oil
Why do we use it in formulations? For starters, it feels lovely on the skin! It has also been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, as well as stimulating skin regeneration and healing.
Do you need it? No, but it’s a nice luxury oil.
Refined or unrefined? I’ve only ever used refined, and I like it.
Strengths Beautiful feeling oil with unique fatty acid makeup and beneficial skin properties.
Weaknesses It’s a bit pricier than some carrier oils.
Alternatives & Substitutions Due to the high punicic acid content there are no substitutes that will have a similar fatty acid composition. Your best bet would be to choose something that is similarly light—perhaps argan oil, or Abyssinian Oil.
How to Work with It Include it in oil serums, balms, butters, lotions—whatever strikes your fancy! It can be applied neat or blended with other oils and butters.

Include it in the oil phase of your recipes.
Storage & Shelf Life Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, pomegranate oil should last at least one to two years. It is prone to oxidization, so storage in the fridge is recommended. You may also wish to add an antioxidant like vitamin E to the bottle when it is purchased to extend the shelf life.
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks Pomegranate seed oil is composed of mostly punicic acid, which is a is a rare conjugated linolenic acid. This fatty acid is not found in any other carrier oils used in skincare.
Recommended starter amount 30–60mL (1–2fl oz)
Where to Buy it  Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon.

Some Formulations that Use Pomegranate Oil

Plum Oil

by | Nov 16, 2018

What is it? The oil pressed from the seed of the plum fruit, Prunus domestica L.
Appearance Warm yellow liquid.
Texture Velvety, smooth, rich.
Scent Wonderful scent reminiscent of marzipan and dried fruit.
Absorbency Speed Medium, but on the faster side of medium. Stunning, satiny skin feel.
Solubility Oil
Why do we use it in formulations? The incredible scent carries through in final products at 10, contributing a very luxurious scent that is hard to get without the use of fragrance oils.
Do you need it? No, but it’s a nice luxury oil. If you love the scent of marzipan I highly recommend it!
Refined or unrefined? Definitely get the variety that has the scent in tact.
Strengths Stunning scent, beautiful skin feel.
Weaknesses It does tend to be fairly expensive, but we don’t need to use it at large amounts.
Alternatives & Substitutions If you don’t have the plum oil I think your best alternatives would be apricot kernel oil (USA / Canada) or cherry kernel oil—oils that are pressed from the kernels of similar stone fruits. You will lose the marzipan/cherry note. You can look to replace that scent with a fragrance or flavour oil with a similar scent (I’d start at 0.1–0.2% as it’s a pretty subtle scent). I haven’t found this scent anywhere else in the realm of natural ingredients, sadly.
How to Work with It Use it at 10% of the oil phase to contribute a stunning marzipan-y scent to the end product.
Storage & Shelf Life Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, plum oil should last at least two years.
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks The fatty acid composition is very similar to apricot kernel oil, sweet almond oil, cherry kernel, and peach kernel oil.
Recommended starter amount 50mL (2fl oz) or less
Where to Buy it I personally recommend the stuff from Essential Wholesale. I haven’t found it for sale from very many shops, but you could always try a different online DIY ingredient supplier.

Some Formulations that Use Plum Oil

Rosehip Oil

by | Sep 19, 2016

What is it? The oil pressed from the seeds of the rosehip plant (Rosa Canina). It is sometimes called Dog Rose. It is primarily comprised of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid, making it a great choice for acne-prone and mature skin.
Appearance Refined rosehip oil is a pale yellow liquid. Cold-pressed, unrefined rosehip oil is a much more vibrant orange-yellow colour.
Texture Thin and smooth.
Scent Refined rosehip oil has a light oily scent, nothing too noticeable. Unrefined rosehip oil has a fresh scent that I find reminiscent of lemony iced tea. It definitely does not smell like roses.
Absorbency Speed Super fast—rosehip oil is a “drying” oil that sinks into the skin in an instant, leaving it feeling dry to the touch.
Solubility Oil
Why do we use it in formulations? Rosehip oil is a beautiful luxury emollient, and thanks to its super-fast absorption speed, it’s really useful for lightening up oil blends.
Do you need it? No, but it’s a nice luxury oil.
Refined or unrefined? I prefer unrefined rosehip oil.
Strengths Fast absorbency speed, high content of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acids.
Weaknesses Rosehip oil is a fairly expensive carrier oil.
Alternatives & Substitutions Hazelnut oil is a good alternative in terms of absorbency speed. You could also try other fast-absorbing luxury carrier oils like Camellia Seed Oil or even Olive Squalane, though that’s really just an emollient with a similar absorbency speed—the composition is very different.
How to Work with It Include rosehip oil in the oil phases of your formulations; I prefer to avoid heating it if possible.
Storage & Shelf Life Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, rosehip oil should last at least one year. I store my rosehip oil in the fridge.
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks Rosehip oil is often said to have a high vitamin C content, but according to Modern Cosmetics, “this is completely incorrect, as vegetable oils do not contain water-soluble vitamins”.
Recommended starter amount 100mL (3.3fl oz) or less
Where to Buy it Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon.

Some Formulations that Use Rosehip Oil

Oat Oil

by | Sep 7, 2016

 

What is it? The liquid oil pressed from the oat kernel. It is comprised primarily of oleic and linoleic acids, and is rich in phytosterols.
Appearance Dark, golden liquid.
Texture Viscous and silky smooth.
Scent Slight oaty scent.
Absorbency Speed Slow
Solubility Oil
Why do we use it in formulations? It’s anti-inflammatory and an anti-irritant, making it fantastic for dry, irritated, or mature skin.
Do you need it? No, but it’s a nice luxury oil.
Refined or unrefined? I like unrefined.
Strengths Soothing, long-lasting moisturizing.
Weaknesses Its heavy, slow-absorbing nature can be a turn off for those who prefer faster absorbing formulations. This can be tempered by blending oat oil with faster absorbing oils and/or including it in emulsions at lower concentrations.
Alternatives & Substitutions Modern Cosmetics recommends rice bran oil as a good alternative. Evening primrose oil and castor oil have similar absorption speeds, but quite different fatty acid makeups.
How to Work with It I love it in body butter bars and soap, as well as other products for people with eczema or dry skin.
Storage & Shelf Life Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, oat oil should last at 1–2 years. I store my oat oil in the fridge.
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks Try combining oat oil with colloidal oatmeal and/or hydrolyzed oat protein for an extra oat-y formulation!
Recommended starter amount 100mL (3.3fl oz)
Where to Buy it Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon.

Some Formulations that Use Oat Oil

Pumpkin Seed Oil

by | Sep 5, 2016

What is it? The oil pressed from the seeds of the seeds of the pumpkin.
Appearance Bright orange to pale yellow to green liquid—check with your supplier.
Texture Thin and smooth.
Scent Slight oily scent, nothing too noticeable.
Absorbency Speed Average
Solubility Oil
Why do we use it in formulations? I mostly like it in pumpkin themed recipes, paired with pumpkin spices. It contributes a nice orange hue.
Do you need it? No, but it’s a nice luxury oil.
Refined or unrefined? I’ve only ever used unrefined, and I like it.
Strengths Pumpkin seed oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and linoleic acid, making it great for troublesome skin.
Weaknesses Depending on the final product you may or may not want the added colour from pumpkin seed oil.
Alternatives & Substitutions I’d blend a bit of sea buckthorn or buriti oil with jojoba to get the combination of the absorption speed and the colour.
How to Work with It Include it in lotions, lip balms, body butters, and lip glosses.
Storage & Shelf Life Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, Pumpkin Seed Oil oil should last up to 18 months.
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks It can be orange, yellow, amber, or green—check with your supplier and try to get the orange variety.
Recommended starter amount 100mL (3.3fl oz)
Where to Buy it  Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon.

Some Formulations that Use Pumpkin Seed Oil

Moringa Oil

by | Sep 3, 2016

What is it? The oil pressed from the the kernel of the moringa seed.
Appearance Slightly viscous yellow liquid. A bit of sediment can sink to the bottom; shake before use and consider placing the oil in a warm water bath if there is a lot of sediment to re-melt it.
Texture Rich and smooth.
Scent A really lovely nutty scent, reminiscent of almond butter.
Absorbency Speed Fast
Solubility Oil
Why do we use it in formulations? Moringa oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A & C, and has great anti-aging properties. It also feels fantastic on the skin and has a really lovely nutty scent.
Do you need it? No, but it’s a nice luxury oil.
Refined or unrefined? Unrefined
Strengths Vitamin rich, wonderful skin feel, long shelf life.
Weaknesses It can be hard to find.
Alternatives & Substitutions I haven’t found another oil with a similar nutty scent, but marula oil has a similar feel and is also rich in antioxidants.
How to Work with It I am loving it in facial serums and other simple recipes where it can really shine.
Storage & Shelf Life Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, Moringa Oil should last at least two years.
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks Moringa oil is inherently shelf-stable, making it a good choice for a luxury oil as you’ll have plenty of time to use it.
Recommended starter amount 100mL (3.3fl oz) or less
Where to Buy it  Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon.

Some Formulations that Use Moringa Oil