Essential Oil Carrot Seed (15 mL)
Essential Oil Carrot Seed
Aroma: Soft, earthy, sweet, fresh, herbaceous, pungent with dry woody undertones.
Traditional Use:  Also known as ‘Wild Carrot’ and ‘Queen Anne’s lace’, one of the most underrated oils, has a purifying effect on the liver and the digestive system.
Properties: antiseptic, disinfectant, detoxifying, antioxidant, carminative, depurative, diuretic, emenagogue, stimulant, cytophylactic, tonic, and vermifuge substance.
How to Use: Â Inhalation, Diffusion, Topical.
Blends well with: Bergamot, Juniper, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Cedarwood, Geranium as well as all citrus and spicy oils.
Safety: Â Avoid while pregnant. Not intended for internal use.
HISTORY OF USE
This humble essential oil is packed with natural healing properties, which have been used since time immemorial by ancient Greeks and Indians. Â Carrot seed oil is derived from the dried seeds of the wild carrot plant (Daucus carota) of the Apiaceae or Umbelliferae family. Its plant source is an annual or biennial plant with hairy leaves and umbels of white lacy flowers and purple centers. Also popularly called wild Queen Anne’s lace, its native origins can be traced back to Egypt, France, and India.
While most people know that carrots are a healthy addition to their diets, many are surprised to hear that they are also incredibly beneficial for the skin. This is particularly true of carrot seed oil, which is found in an ever-increasing number of skin care products, particularly those included in natural, organic and vegan skin care collections.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Carrot seed oil has a detoxifying effect on the liver and helps to fight jaundice, while at the same time cleaning the digestive system and the body as a whole.
It is helpful for arthritis, gout, edema, rheumatism and the accumulation of toxins in muscles and joints and also strengthens the mucus membranes in the nose, throat and lungs. It has a beneficial effect on problems such as bronchitis and influenza.
Carrot Seed relieves fluid retention and can be beneficial in cases of anorexia. It also revitalises and tones the skin, helping in cases of dermatitis, eczema and rashes.
Carrot seed oil can be used in vapour therapy for relieving stress, boosting the liver, the digestive and respiratory systems, as well as for muscle pains. It does not have an over-powering smell, but this earthy smell will help to “ground” a person while fighting stress and exhaustion.
As a blended massage oil or diluted in the bath, carrot seed oil can assist with muscle pains and in boosting the respiratory tract. It can be used to detoxify the body and boost the manufacture of red blood cells.
A. Health Properties
Carrot seed oil is steam distilled from the dried fruit (seeds). Carrot root oil is obtained by solvent extraction of the red carrot (root) and contains high levels of carotenes.
Carrot seed oil is a yellow or amber-coloured to pale orange-brown liquid of peculiar dry-woody, somewhat root-like, earthy odour. The initial notes are sweet and fresh, butthe tenacious undertone and dry out is very heavy, earthy, fatty-oily, slightly spicy. Normally the seed is first crushed, and then distilled with direct steam, care being taken that the steam does not form channels through the seed material in the still, which would result in a subnormal yield of oil.
Oil content can be very variable, 0.05 however, like celery seed, carrot seed can be distilled without crushing, and this will minimize the carry-over of odourless fixed oil in the distillate. Although there are no accurate medicinal data on this oil, many of the following actions are attributed to infusions or alcoholic solutions of the whole seed: anthelmintic, antiseptic, carminative, depurative, diuretic, hepatic, cytophylactic and stimulant. There are even suggestions that it might be anti-diabetic, anti-hypercholesterol and a liver regenerator.
Respected aromatherapy references suggest that it is useful for the treatment of dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, wrinkles, and that it aids dry skin and revitalises the basal layer. There is also evidence that it assists circulation and aids muscular tension. It has been suggested that it might be useful for the treatment of hypertension and neurasthenia.
It is hormonal in action and helps the pituitary gland to regulate the production of thyroxine and the release of ova. It is also said to ease PMT. Carrot seed oil is said to have a powerful tonic action on the liver and gall-bladder, and is used in the treatment of jaundice and other liver disorders.
B. Skin Protection
Carrot seed oil is also an emollient, a substance that lubricates the cells in the outermost layer of the skin. The oil helps to replenish moisture that is lost from the skin due to evaporation, making it a useful ingredient in moisturizers. The emollient properties of carrot seed oil also allow it to soften the skin tissue. The ingredient is often included in products designed for the treatment of eczema and rosacea.
How can the brazen quest for a beautiful tan and the need for protection from UVR be reconciled? You won’t find the answer in any newly engineered chemicals. Nature holds the solution in Carrot Oil. Suncare products containing naturally extracted Carrot Oil quickly produce a beautiful golden tan and better protect the skin against the damaging effects of UVR than chemical sunscreens alone.
Carrot Oil is a golden coloured extract from carrots with extraordinary skin protection and conditioning benefits derived from the high quantities of oil soluble carotenoids that it contains. Carotenoids are a class of easily assimilated antioxidants, which are present in a wide range of fruits and vegetables but most abundant in carrots. Antioxidants protect human cells from harmful free-radical attack. Free-radicals are stray oxygen molecules that attack healthy cell walls and react with polyunsaturated fats to create a chain reaction of unlimited free-radical regeneration. Free-radicals are produced by a wide range of environmental pollutants, including UVR. If left unchecked by antioxidants, free-radicals damage both the structure and function of cell membranes, resulting in premature aging and an array of degenerative diseases.
Carotenoids, when either topically applied or ingested, directly reduce the damaging effects of UVR. Specifically, carotenoids have been found to enhance the body’s immune response to UVR, decreasing skin damage from ultraviolet exposure. Carrots contain over 600 identified carotenoids, making them an unparalleled source of antioxidants. Carrot Oil, derived from pure carrot extract, is the most potent source of the highest concentration of carotenoids available. Suncare products with only Beta-carotene (a single carotenoid), although possibly beneficial, do not contain the wide range of antioxidants contained in Carrot Oil.
In addition to carotenoids, Carrot Oil contains other powerful antioxidants such as tocopheryl, or vitamin E. Studies have shown that topical application of vitamin E may directly reduce many harmful effects of UVR, enhance skin immunity and help heal a sunburn.
Carrot Oil also acts as a natural tanning enhancer, producing a visibly golden tan in a short amount of time. The natural colour of Carrot Oil is deep gold and will appear so in solutions containing effective concentrations (between 2% to 10%). Either alone or when combined with other tanning enhancers, such as tyrosine or riboflavin, suncare products containing effective concentrations of Carrot Oil provide a noticeably golden, even tan without any unwanted orange colouration.
It must be noted that the beneficial effects of Carrot Oil may be diminished if placed in a mineral oil base. Mineral oil, commonly known as baby oil, is a petroleum derivative that decreases the absorption of and depletes the body’s reserves of vitamins, especially vitamin E.8 During exposure to UVR, this is of special concern. Of even greater concern, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have published findings that mineral oil has been determined to cause cancer in humans. Unfortunately for the consumer, most suncare products are almost wholly comprised of mineral oil because it serves as an inexpensive base. However, there are Carrot Oil sun care products available that do not contain mineral oil.
To avail yourself of carrot seed oil’s positive skin benefits, you can use it topically by applying a few drops of the essential oil on the affected area. Don’t forget to mix your carrot seed oil with a with a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil for protection from its potential photosensitization and the other effects of its undiluted strength.
Precautions – Carrot Seed should definitely be avoided in pregnancy (along with our general advice to avoid all oils in pregnancy – this is one should be especially avoided).
Those suffering from epilepsy and asthma should also avoid Carrot Seed as it is very stimulating. In general epilepsy sufferers should avoid burning essential oils or working closely with them as they can trigger severe reactions.
Carrot Seed can be very useful in respiratory problems however overdosing can cause convulsions and vomiting, so use with care.
Summary – Carrot Seed oil’s greatest benefit is its purifying effect on the liver and the digestive system. It is also a great help in the treatment of muscular aches and pains, skin problems and respiratory ailments.
Caution: Â NEVER USE INTERNALLY without consulting professional medical help
- Not recommended for pregnant women and infants.
Individuals with serious and chronic health issues should consult an expert prior to using oils.
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