Shelf Life of Carrier Oils

[Guest guest]

Shelf Life of Carrier Oils

Carrier oils also referred to as base oils are used to dilute

essential oils, CO2s (oils extracted by the carbon dioxide method)

and absolutes before applying to the skin or being used in the

making of soaps and toiletries. They are referred to as such because

they "carry" the essential oil onto the skin or in the product that

they are used in. Different carrier oils offer different properties

and the choice of carrier oil can depend on the therapeutic benefit

being sought by the products maker Carrier oils are generally cold- pressed vegetable oils from the fatty portions of the plant. Unlike

essential oils that can evaporate and have a very concentrated

aroma, carrier oils do not evaporate or impart their aroma as

strongly as essential oils. This is not to say that they are

fragrance free but that they are merely not so strongly scented.

For more information on these oils and their respective uses you may

also be interested in my other article entitled Carrier Oils.

Many carrier oils used in soap and toiletries are available to the

home soap and toiletry making hobbyist as well as the professional.

Something to remember is that an oil that is primarily a

polyunsaturated one will go rancid more quickly than one that is

monounsaturated. This is because it will have greater amounts of

free radicals, which are associated with rancidity. Many vegetable

and all animal oils quickly degrade and will then generate odors

signaling their rancidity. Questionable preservatives usually need

to be incorporated to compensate for this and this is especially

true of those high in monounsaturated fats.

Below are many of the better-known oils, and a few not so well

known, listed under their respective shelf lives. It is important to

remember that oils should be kept in a cool dark area for longest

shelf life. For highly unstable oils one may wish to store them in

the refrigerator. Some such as Jojoba and even olive oil may become

solid when stored in this manner. One needs only to leave them on

the counter until they come back to room temperature when using them

so they will return to their liquid form.

Short Shelf Life -up to 3 months, *denotes those that may last up

to 6 months if kept cool, unopened.

Aloe Vera Oil

Camellia

Evening Primrose

Flax

Grape seed

Hemp-natural

Soybean

Sunflower

Walnut*

3-6 month Shelf Life, *denotes possibly longer shelf life if kept

cool and unopened.

Almond

Apricot Kernel

Borage

Cottonseed

Evening Primrose

Hazelnut

Hemp-refined

Macadamia

Peanut

Pecan

Pistachio

Rice Bran

Safflower

Sesame

Soy

Walnut

9-12 month Shelf Life or longer when kept cool:

Safflower (high oleic)

Avocado oil (refined)

Corn

Canola

Emu

Castor

Cocoa Butter

Coconut

Fractionated Coconut

Jojoba

Macadamia nut

Olive oil

Palm

Kukui Nut

Safflower-Oleic

Shea Butter

Sunflower (high oleic)

Tea Tree

Wheat Germ

 

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.~ Albert Einstein ~

 

Check Out My Groups:

 

Everything Natural

http://health./

Everything Magick

EverythingMagick/

 

 

 

--

 

 

Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.6/323 - Release 4/24/2006