Profile For Evening Primrose Oil
Latin name: Oenothera biennis. Aroma: A light and sweet aroma. Colour: This is a light pale yellow oil.
Method of extraction: Evening primrose oil is expressed from the seeds.
About the plant and its environment: Native to North America, the evening primrose was introduced into Europe in 1619, and is now common in the Mediterranean; it is cultivated also in the UK. It has a golden-yellow ephemeral flowers which burst into bloom in early evening and soon die, leading to the formation of pods containing tiny seeds (similar in size to mustard seed) from which the oil is obtained. The following evening the next circle of flowers blooms and so they progress toward the tip of the stem. It can grow almost anywhere - by riverbeds, on mountains, by the seashore and even in the desert.
About the oil: Like borage oil, evening primrose oil is highly unsaturated (the seed contains up to 25% of an oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids) and is therefore more reactive and less stable than most other oils.
Therapeutic properties (internal use): Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is now known to lower blood cholesterol and is therefore extremely useful in the prevention of heart disease. Both linoleic and gamma-linolenic acids are classified as 'essential fatty acids' - vitamin-like materials which are vital for cell and body function but which cannot be made by the body itself. Evening primrose oil is claimed to be useful in treating degenerative disease and is said to reduce blood pressure, inhibit thrombosis, control arthritis, treat atopic eczema, decrease hyperactivity in children and help in dealing with alcohlism (by reversing liver degeneration), and PMT.
Therapeutic properties (external use):
- useful for dry scaly skin.
- dandruff conditions.
- has benefited those with psoriasis.
- helpful for eczema.
- accelerates wound healing.
The oil can be used in antiwrinkle preparations at levels of around 20%. Once the triacylglycerol is broken down the GLA is used by the body in the repair and maintenance of skin tissue.
Folk-lore and traditional plant uses: Native North Americans made an infusion of the seeds to be used for healing wounds. They also used the leaves and roots. In Europe's past, evening primrose has rarely been used for medicinal purposes, but the plant was described by the English herbalist John Parkinson in 1629.
Carrier Oils General Information
Essential oils are concentrated and powerful and most cannot be used directly on the skin or they will cause irritation. Because of there concentration they need to be diluted in what are called 'carriers'. Most carrier oils are simply used for lubrication, but a few have therapeutic properties of their own, which can be chosen to complement those of the essential oils used with them. For example, peach kernel, apricot kernel and particularly avocado oil are all rich and nourishing and help dry and ageing skins. Wheatgerm oil (rich in Vitamin E) is used to reduce scar tissue after injury or operations and also facial scarring caused by severe acne. Wheatgerm is also a natural antioxidant which helps to prevent other oils from becoming rancid (i.e. oxidising). Small amounts (up to 10%) will improve the keeping ability of any other oil by two or three months.
Cold Pressed Oils - Cold pressed vegetable oils are the best and are generally superiour oils. In the cold pressing process, excessive heat is avoided in order to minimise changes to the natural characteristics of the oil.
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 etc.
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 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 (avocado is an exception as it is usually cloudy, especially in cold conditions) and has its taste and nutritional properties intact.
Macerated Oils - Macerated oils have additional properties to all the vegetable oils described because of the way they are produced. Particular parts of certain plants are chopped up and added to a selected carrier oil (usually sunflower or olive) and the mix is agitated gently for some time before placing in strong sunlight for several days. All of the oil-soluble compounds present in the plant material (including the essential oil chemicals) are transferred to the carrier oil, which consequently contains extra therapeutic properties. The macerated mixture is then filtered carefully to remove all the added plant material.
Organic Vegetable Oils - Strictly speaking, organic oils can only be produced from organically grown plant material using approved processes. The rules for organic processing generally exclude the use of chemicals, and a truly organic fixed oil is obtained only from plants which are both organically grown and organically processed.
Vegetable Oils - Vegetable oils constitute the bulk of the mix used to perform an aromatherapy massage. There function is to carry or act as a vehicle for administering the essential oils to the body, hence the term carrier oil. They also act as a lubricant, making it possible to carry out massage movements. All carrier oils are emollient, to a greater or lesser degree.
Basic Vegetable Oils - Sweet almond, apricot kernel, grapeseed, peach kernel and sunflower are among the most common carrier oils, and can be used with or without essential oils for a straightfoward body massage. They are generally pale in colour, not too thick and have very little smell.
Special Vegetable Oils - Certain vegetable oils tend to be more viscous and heavier than basic ones, and can be rather expensive. These include avocado, olive, sesame, rose hip and wheatgerm. The really rich oils such as avocado and wheatgerm are seldom, if ever used on their own. It is more usual to add 10-25% of these two to 75-90% of a basic carrier oil.
Massage Carrier Oils
For massage with essential oils use a carrier oil made specifically for that use. These are all extracted by cold-pressing, ie they are put under high pressure in their natural, raw state when first harvested to squeeze out the oil, and neither heat nor steam is used in the process. This retains the nutrients in the oils ( the proteins, minerals, vitamins, etc) that allow them to be readily absorbed by the skin. Virtually any vegetable oil can be used as a carrier, but anything other than a specific massage carrier will have several drawbacks. All will be too heavy to be easily absorbed by the skin, and most are not cold-pressed and will often contain additives, flavorings or colouring. Ordinary vegetable oils have little or no therapeutic value in themselves, whereas massage carriers will have their own benefits. Baby oils and other mineral oils are not suitable for aromatherapy massage as they are specifically made to lie on the surface of the skin and will not be absorbed.
There are several different massage carrier oils produced, but we have detailed here the most often used carrier oils:
- Sweet Almond
- Peach Kernel
- Evening Primrose
- Grapeseed
- Jojoba
- Wheatgerm
Carrier Oils Storage Information
All oils, essential and carrier, have a limited 'shelf life' and over time will degenerate by oxidisation and become rancid. Adding Wheatgerm to any blend will extend its life, and a blend with essential oils will keep for longer than the carrier alone. The best method is to mix only as much as you will use for one treatment.
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