What I learned in Boulder (Part 3)

Base Oils and Macerates:

More information about some familiar carriers, and information about newer ones in our toolbox.

 Sweet Almond Oil: 

Rich in vitamins, and high in Oleic Acid, which promotes skin absorption.  Preferably cold pressed if available, and unrefined.   Very helpful for moisture lesions, like diaper rash and other chronic sores.  A cooling oil.

Avocado Oil:

Helpful for allergic skin, eczema and psoriasis. Good for "stressed skin", ie, under pressure. (My note, wondering if it can help prevent bed sores?)

 

Borage CO2 Extract 

 High in GLA (gamma linolenic acid), anti-inflammatory. Much longer shelf life than the cold pressed oil, and may be frozen! Excellent for infant's skin care, for extra sensitive skin.

Evening Primrose CO2 Extract

High in GLA and in Linoleic Acid. Protective and healing for the skin, very quickly absorbed. Recommended for tight dry skin, in cases of mastitis, lymphedema, etc.  Linoleic acid can irritate very sensitive skin. If irritation occurs, dilute with Borage Seed Oil, or discontinue use.

 Jojoba  

 Anti-inflammatory! (I didn't know that.) Well absorbed, allows for very slow, longlasting release of added essential oils, leading, perhaps, to longer-lasting symptom relief.  Good carrier for all skin types. Helpful for acne.

Olive Oil

Good for dry rough skin, cooling.  Helpful for itching.  Traditional base for macerated oils.

Rose Hip Seed CO2 Extract

Excellent carrier for burnt or damaged skin, scarring, ulcers, acne. Very quickly absorbed.  Do not use alone because it causes skin to regenerate too quickly and will leave the skin over sensitive.  Better to blend with Seabuckthorn Seed oil and Calophyllum inophyllum (Tamanu) for scars.  For deep scars blend Rose Hip Seed CO2, with Calophyllum and Helichrysum italicuum to treat deep seated scars in connective tissue.  (I have had clients report that Rose Hip oil and Helichrysum helped with deep scar tissue and I was surprised.  Here is more evidence.  Seems to me this would be an essential post surgical blend.)  

Sea Buckthorn Seed CO2

Excellent carrier for any pain blend, especially important when treating bed sores, ulcers of any type. Useful for all skincare. Very quickly absorbed.  Use at no more than 5% of a blend, as little as 2.5% will be effective.  Use with Rose Hip Seed and Calophyllum inophyllum for scarring.  Healing for damaged skin and extremely sensitive skin.

(Note, this description is for the Seed extract. Madeleine recommends the Sea Buckthorn Pulp for treating mucous membranes.  More on that another day.))

Sesame Oil

Need to be from white, unroasted seeds.  High in Oleic acid,  Warming.  Excellent for skin prone to atrophy, poor circulation.  Also helpful for psoriasis and eczema.

Calophyllum Inophyllum (Tamanu)

Quickly absorbed. Best wound healer, apply to the edges of a wound, not into an open wound. Soothing for nerve pain, effective against any type of skin infection.  Use in skin products if patient is taking prednisone (to help counteract the thinning and/or fragility of the skin that Predinsone can cause.) Very quickly absorbed.  Necessary for any type of damaged skin.

Macerates (infused oils)

Calendula (and Calendula CO2)

Up to 30% Farideol esters.  Use of the CO2 in a white cream, at only 1/2 of one percent, will turn the cream pink.    Preferably dilute the CO2 in a fixed oil high in Oleic Acid for better availablity.  Preferably use the CO2 at only 1 or 2%.  Blend with Seabuckthorn Seed and Calophyllum.  Add Borage for pain relief.

St. Johns Wort

Useful for post surgical itching, healing in nerve rich skin. Use for muscle and joint pain. Healing for burns.  Useful for skin atrophy.   Macerate should be deep red, indicative of infusing fresh, not dried, blossoms.  The CO2 extract will not give the skin healing benefits of the macerated oil.   Later in the weekend Madeleine referred back to St. John's Wort infused oil for treating ear aches.  Perhaps warmed gently and applied all around the ear, the neck and jawline below the ear.  It would not hurt to dip a wisp of cotton in the warmed oil and insert in the ear.