Crazy about Carrot Seed Essential Oil

A flowering wild carrot plant, also known as Queen Anne's Lace.

It's all about the carrot

For many, carrot seed essential oil is most valued because of its anti-aging and revitalising effect on the skin.  However, it is also the most misquoted essential oil as many authors use the properties of carrot, carrot oil and carrot seed interchangeably when in fact they are not the same.  They are all great for our health and skin wealth, but each should be considered for its own merits and how best to use.

Lets take a quick look at each before we learn more about the amazing benefits of carrot seed essential oil on the skin.

Carrots

The garden variety that we eat are the orange root of the daucus carota sp sativus plant.  This species was cultivated from the daucus carota or wild carrot plant.  They are loaded with beta-carotene which gives the root a bright orange colour and converts to Vitamin A once eaten and metabolized.  You get 3% of beta carotene if a carrot is eaten raw vs 39% if it is juiced, steamed or lightly cooked in oil. Carrots are also a good source of Vitamin K and B6.  The other vitamins and minerals are quite minimal so it really is all about the Vitamin A.  If its healthy skin and healthy vision you’re after through Vitamin A – lightly steam or add a carrot to your juice each day.

Why not wild carrots?  They are quite bitter, woody and tough to eat, hence a sub species was cultivated.  With ivory/yellow roots they are not so rich in beta-carotene and their leaves i.e. what you see above the ground, closely resemble the poisonous hemlock plant.  Now that cultivated carrots grow everywhere, wild carrots are more commonly used for medicinal purposes.

Carrot Oil

This is where it gets confusing.  Carrot oil may be produced from either carrot root or carrot seed and may come from either the cultivated carrot or wild carrot plant.  Because each seed only contains 7-8% oil, carrot seed oil is most likely CO2 extracted from the seed then blended with another oil like sunflower oil.  Pure, pressed carrot seed oil would be very expensive indeed.  Oil from the root of the carrot i.e. carrot oil is made by macerating it in oil.

So which to choose and why:

• Carrot Oil - the root we know has lots of beta carotene.  However simply applying carrot oil to your skin will not deliver Vitamin A.  As we learned earlier it needs to be ingested in order to convert, plus the level of beta-carotene will be much less because it has been further diluted in oil.  What it will deliver is an orange-y coloured oil with some anti-oxidant activity and skin nourishing benefits, like many other oils.

• Carrot Seed Infused Oil - carrot seeds are very different to the carrot root.  The seed properties are excellent in revitalising the skin, but there is no (or very minimal) beta-carotene.  You’ll see lots of claims suggesting it does, but I can find no chemical composition evidence that shows it does.  And also - it’s not orange.  Carrot seed extract blended with a carrier oil will give you the benefits of carrot seed essential oil but to a much lesser extent.  This makes a great addition to any skin care product for an extra boost, but it is the essential oil that will deliver you the biggest bang for your buck.

Carrot Seed Essential Oil

Carrot seed essential oil is steam distilled from the seeds of the flowering wild carrot plant i.e. daucus carota.  It may be sourced from the cultivated variety, but the wild variety contains higher percentages of skin loving compounds, hence the wild carrot plant is favoured. 

These white, delicate flat topped flowers look a little like lace, hence it’s common name, Queen Anne’s Lace.  The story goes that Queen Anne of England (1665 – 1714) pricked her finger when sewing lace and so came about the name.  The flower also has a small purple dot in each centre which resembles her droplet of blood.  It’s aroma reminds me of freshly picked carrots and probably why it’s not embraced by major skin care companies as it is the easiest aroma to blend with.

What does carrot seed have that carrot root and other essential oils don’t? 
Loads and loads of daucol and carotol.  OK, maybe the name gave it away but it is these unique compounds that give carrot seed essential oil its excellent anti-aging and skin rejuvenating properties.  A study also shows another unique compound – retinaldehyde which is a form of Vitamin A that is able to penetrate the skin. 

I believe it is these unique properties which allow carrot seed essential oil to deliver these skin rejuvenating benefits:

• Improves overall complexion and texture of dry, dull skin
• Assists elasticity and tone of dehydrated skin
• Prevents and improves appearance of wrinkles in photo-aged or mature skin
• Tonifies without irritating sensitive skin

These are some pretty big claims supported by very unique properties not commonly found in natural active ingredients.

How best to use

That was a lot to cover.  To summarise, here’s how to get the most out of carrots in all it’s forms:

• Vegetable – eat it and drink it for a beta carotene fix and daily Vitamin A intake

• Oil – try the macerated version ie carrot root oil as a 'natural' tanning body oil to soften and lightly colour the skin.
  

• Essential Oil – add a drop or two to your favourite oil or face cream for that all important anti-aging boost.  I use carrot seed essential oil in all my Drift Escentuals Moisturisers and custom-made serums for it’s amazing skin rejuvenating benefits.

Stay tuned for my next blog.  It will feature a nutritious carrot recipe!