Carrier Oil Profile: Grapeseed Oil

Image Source: Craftology Essentials

INCI Name: Vitis vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil

Source: Seeds

Types: Refined / Unrefined

Color: Light yellowish-green

Aroma: Very faint odor

Viscosity: Thin

Absorption: Fast

Comedogenic Rating: 2

Shelf Life: 3 to 6 months (if stored in cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight)

SAP Value (for soap making): 180 - 200 (mg KOH), NaOH = 0.135 (g, oz or lb), KOH = 0.19 (g, oz or lb)

Ideal for which skin type: oily/acne prone

Fatty Acid Profile (in %):

Linoleic Acid	69.6
Oleic Acid	15.8
Alpha Linolenic Acid	0.1
Palmitic Acid	7
Stearic Acid	4
Others	3.5

Table Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grape_seed_oil

Grapeseed oil (also known as grape oil) is extracted from the seeds of grapes. It is actually a by-product of the wine making process. After the grapes are pressed to get the juices for making wine, the seeds that are left behind from this process are used to extract the oil.

Grapeseed oil is a popular choice of base oil for making massage oil due to its lightweight, non-greasy consistency. It absorbs fast to the skin but still gives enough time to do the actual massaging. It is also a great carrier oil to use for making essential oil blends because it’s almost odorless and cheaper than fractionated coconut oil (another popular carrier oil used by aromatherapists).

Due to its high linoleic acid (omega-6 essential fatty acid) content, grapeseed oil is ideal for people with oily and/or acne prone skin. Its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties help cleanse and tighten the pores, as well as reduce skin inflammations (e.g. pimples). Moreover, grapeseed oil has a comedogenic rating of 2 which is moderately low and still considered as non-comedogenic. All of these properties make grapeseed oil an important ingredient when making facial serum that balances sebum production and reduces the chance of acne breakouts.

Aside from facial serum, grapeseed oil is also great as a hair serum. It can soften, moisturize and add shine to the hair without weighing the hair down and feeling sticky.

Grapeseed oil can either be refined or unrefined, cold-pressed or solvent-extracted. It’s best to buy cold-pressed, unrefined grapeseed oil to get the most of its skin-loving properties. In terms of smell and color, there really isn’t that much difference between refined and unrefined grapeseed oil. The only advantage of refined grapeseed oil is longer shelf life. On the other hand, unrefined grapeseed oil has a very short shelf life of 3 – 6 months and it doesn’t help that it only has little amount of Vitamin E to help slow down its rancidity rate. In order to extend its shelf life a little bit, you may add 0.5% vitamin E to your grapeseed oil and store it in the refrigerator. Nevertheless, try to buy the smallest bottle of grapeseed oil if it’s for personal use since it goes rancid so quickly. Also, if you’re going to sell cosmetic products containing grapeseed oil then take note that it could affect the overall shelf life of the product itself.

References:

All About Grapeseed Carrier Oil. Retrieved from https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/blog/products/all-about-grapeseed-carrier-oils.html

Saponification Chart. Retrieved from https://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/resources/sapon.asp

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