Carrier Oils For Aromatherapy

• Grapeseed Oil

• Latin Name
  Vitis vinifera
• 
  Family: Vitaceae
• 
  Etymology
  Vitifera is from the Latin meaning wine bearing and vitis is Latin for the vine.
• The Plant and its environment
  The plant is a deciduous climbing vine (with tendrils) which grows to a length of perhaps 20-30 metres (70 100 feet). The cultivated vine has hermaphrodite flowers while wild forms are unisexual. There are about 3000 cultivated varieties all with grapes that usually contain no more than two seeds.
• The Oil
  First produced in France, grapeseed oil is now produced mainly in Spain, Italy and California. Grape seeds yield a high quality oil which is edible and is now widely known thanks to its food and dietetic properties. The refined oil keeps fairly well, is tasteless and almost colourless. a very fine oil it is used to lubricate watches.
• Method of Extraction
  Vine growing regions produce large quantities of grapes and after vinification and distillation the wasted grape seeds are washed, dried and ground and pressed with the aid of heat (necessary because there is only 13% oil in the seeds. It is not available cold-pressed. The extracted oil may be refined to improve clarity and flavour.

Principal Constituents

Physical Properties

• Folk-Lore and Traditional Plant Uses
  It is believed that this oil was first produced during times of hardship in Napoleonic France. Michelet refers to a grapeseed oil mill in Tarn at a time when France was struggling to feed herself; an added bonus ws that the oil could also be used for lighting.
• Therapeutic Properties - Internal Use
  Grapeseed oil is easily digested and does not contain any cholesterol.
• Therapeutic Properties - External Use
  leaves the skin with a smooth satin finish without being greasy.
• Cosmetic Use
  Being non-toxic and hypoallergenic, grapeseed oil is much used in skin creams (Price 1987)
• Culinary Use
  It is easy to digest and because it contains little or no cholesterol it is suitable for dietary and culinary use by those with hypertension or arteriosclerosis.
• Cautionary Notes
  Grapeseed oil has no known contraindications and is non-toxic (winter 1984).
• Reference: Carrier Oils For Aromatherapy & Massage : Len Price with Ian Smith & Shirley Price