Carrier & Other Oils

Traditionally, there are two methods of cold pressing. In one, the raw material (seeds, nuts or kernels) is simply pressed with a hydraulic press and the oil is squeezed out. This process is only used for soft oily seeds and plant material such as olive, sesame and sunflower.

Harder seeds such as safflower require more force and a large, powerful screw device known as an expeller is used to crush the plant material which may be passed through the expeller more than once. The process generates a certain amount of heat.

The crushed shells, etc. are removed from the oil by a succession of filters, the last of which is made of paper. The oil obtained is usually clear and its taste and nutritional properties intact.

The proper storage of carrier oils is very important. Keep your carrier oils cool and in the dark, the head space above the oil in a bottle should be minimized. Once an oil starts to smell rancid it should be discarded and not used. (Above information obtained from the book Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage by Len Price.)

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