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~ Carrier Oil Series Part 5 - Scent of Carrier Oils ~
In the last part of this article series, we are going to discuss scents of carrier oils, as well as rancidity and how to tell when an oil has gone off.
There are so many carriers oil on the market these days that there is a wide variety to choose from. Something we get asked about a lot is about the scent of oils.
Here are some common questions!
Question - Why does my carrier oil smell like fish or seaweed? Is it bad? Is it okay to use still?
Answer - Many oils that have a high percentage of omega fatty acids 3, 6 and 9 have a very strong omega fatty acid smell. For example - Borage Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Seed Oil, Black Currant Seed Oil, Flax Seed Oil. This is totally normal and the oil is not bad.
Question - My carrier oil smells rancid, is it still good to use?
Answer - When oils have gone off (rancid) they will have a rotten nut smell. Some describe it as crayons or metallic or sour.
Often times oils coagulate at the top of an oil bottle and will make it smell rancid on first sniff, but when you smell the actual oil inside the bottle itself, it smells perfect. This is because the oils at the top of the bottle have been exposed to air and oxidize, causing this rancid smell.
Sometimes the smell is coming from the seal that we use on the top of the bottle to keep it fresh. Try taking off the seal and coming back a few hours later. Take a few drops of oil from the bottle and apply them to your hand, or a paper towel and sniff. You will usually find the oil smells normal.
Question - My carrier oil smells different than the last bottle I got from you. Is this normal?
Answer - We get this question A LOT! :) It is very very rare for us to actually have an oil go bad. Most of the time the reason that your carrier oil might smell different than a previous bottle is because it is a different batch, or we had to switch to a different supplier due to supply. Oils can also change by growing season, and weather/environmental factors.
Sometimes the smell is coming from the seal that we use on the top of the bottle to keep it fresh. Try taking off the seal and coming back a few hours later. Take a few drops of oil from the bottle and apply them to your hand, or a paper towel and sniff. You will usually find the oil smells normal.
Question - My carrier oil smells different than the last bottle I got from you. Is this normal?
Answer - We get this question A LOT! :) It is very very rare for us to actually have an oil go bad. Most of the time the reason that your carrier oil might smell different than a previous bottle is because it is a different batch, or we had to switch to a different supplier due to supply. Oils can also change by growing season, and weather/environmental factors.
Question - My carrier oil arrived but it sat in my very hot mailbox, is it still good to use?
Answer - Most of the time heat from transit will not cause an issue with an oil. It is prolonged exposure to heat and air that will cause this. We have never had an oil go bad in transit. Even overseas! :)
Question - I want to help my carrier oil last even longer, what can I use to help this?
Answer - Rosemary Co2 is great for this! Adding this can help keep the oil from going rancid. Don't go above .5%
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