Base Oils

Natural plant oils nurture and soothe the skin, making it feel soft, silky and smooth. Our modern obsession with cleanliness counteracts the body’s own protective mechanism as we try to scrub all the natural skin oils away.

Vegetable oils and butters are derived from seeds and nuts or very oily vegetables like olives or avocados. Just as such nuts and vegetables are healthy and nutritious for the body when included in the diet they also nourish and help to maintain healthy skin, nails and hair when used in cosmetic preparations.

Each type of oil has its own specific characteristics, feel and consistency. Some are quite drying, while others are rich and thick. Some have a chemical structure that is very similar to the skin's sebum and are thus particularly healing. Some oils are particularly rich in unsaturated essential fatty acids (also known as EFAs, such as oleic or linoleic fatty acids) and vitamin E and other fat soluble vitamins, which are essential to our health and well-being. Such oils are considered vitalizing and rejuvenating and are thus particularly suitable for tired and worn skin.

Our range of base oils includes ´carrier´ and ´nutrient´ oils. Carrier oils are gentle, nutritionally well balanced oils that can be used neat on any skin type. To make body lotions, bath or massage blends for specific purposes or skin types the carrier oils are usually combined with a smaller amount of other, ´nutritive´ oils, that may be rich in EFAs or particular minerals and vitamins that benefit various types of problem skin.

Adding essential oils and base oils to homemade cosmetic blends such as face masks and body lotions can transform a simple moisturiser into a healing lotion with a specific therapeutic affect.