Making an anti-inflammatory body oil with just four ingredients.
For this body oil recipe we will be working with lipid carrier oils that have natural anti-inflammatory properties.
You’ll notice this recipe doesn’t include any essential oils. If you love working with the essential oils, you could add your own combination to this recipe.
Prolonged inflammation is damaging to the skin and body, but working with anti-inflammatory plant oils can help soothe and reduce inflammation.
Here’s an overview of the four oils we are using in this recipe.
Passion Flower Oil
Passion flower seed oil, has the to power to calm, just as the herb is used in herbalism and when inflammation is the identifying condition, a calming oil is helpful in taking the stress downwards.
Passion fruit seed oil also called passion flower seed oil
Evening Primrose Oil
Evening Primrose oil (an alternative is Borage) contains a very specific fatty acid that helps with inflammation; GLA, gamma-linolenic acid. Evening primrose and borage seed oils are both known for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Evening Primrose Oil
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Pumpkin seed oil (you could also use watermelon seed oil) is a nourishing oil high in linoleic acid, a fatty acid with many skin benefits. It is absorbent and it contains squalene and vitamin E.
Oils from the pumpkin family
In the picture above you can see oils from the pumpkin family. Each oil is unique, but we do find many similarities between oils in the same plant family.
Kukui Nut Oil
Kukui nut oil contains both essential fatty acids, linoleic and a-linolenic acid and together work to manage inflammation in the body.
In Equal Proportions
For this recipe, we are using in equal proportions of the four oils to create a nourishing, anti-inflammatory body oil
Body oils and massage oils are similar in many ways, but there are a few key differences.
While you want a body oil to absorb quickly a massage oil needs to coat the skin and provide slip without absorbing too quickly.
In our next post we'll look at some oils you can use to create a massage oil.
can you make this a printable version please
Hi Alice, I’ll see if I can get that set up later this afternoon
Hi Susan
I am in South Africa and cannot get some of the oils you use, would it be possible to give names of alternatives I can use?
Thank you so much.
Hi Susan!
It’s so generous of you to share with us (in so plain and easy to understand way) all your knowledge about the oils and all the homemade products nourishing the skin and helping the body and soul – thank you very much indeed!
tks you much, i want to buy oil. how can i buy ??
Hi Nguyễn, this is a selection of oils that can help, not a product to be purchased. If you have access to any of these you can use them on your own.
Thank you very much.
What kind of black seed oil do you recommend as an alternative to the Kukui? Thanks, Nancy
Hi Nancy, Black seed oil is a common name for Nigella sativa – it’s just that the seeds are vary black and velvety. There are a number of common names for this plant but the botanical Nigella will get you the right oil. It can have a spicy scent.
Thank you Susan, Will these be considered dry oils?
Hi Lyne, they are on the dry side, not particularly oily oils.
Thanks! So cool. I’ve been wondering about body oils, randomly experimenting.