When you pick up a bar of soap, massage oil, balm, or body-care product, the fragrance may be what first catches your attention. But the oils and butters doing the behind-the-scenes work are what help shape the product’s texture, lather, glide, and after-feel.
At Aquinas Soap Company, we use a variety of plant-based oils across our formulas. Each one brings something different to the blend. Here’s a closer look at the carrier oils you’ll find in our products, plus a quick explanation of how they differ from essential oils and butters.
What is a carrier oil?
A carrier oil is a plant-derived oil used as a base or supporting ingredient in skincare, massage oils, balms, hair care, and other body-care products. It helps dilute essential oils when they’re used topically and gives a formula its feel, slip, richness, or conditioning qualities.
Carrier oils are not the same as essential oils. Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic extracts, while carrier oils are generally the nourishing base that helps carry them across the skin. They are also different from butters, waxes, and vitamin E, which may support a formula but are not carrier oils.
The carrier oils we use
Olive oil
Olive oil is a classic soapmaking ingredient with a smooth, conditioning feel. It helps create a gentle bar and is one of the foundational oils in several of our soaps. Its familiar, rich texture makes it a dependable choice for everyday cleansing products.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is valued in soapmaking for the cleansing power and bubbly lather it can bring to a formula. We balance it with other oils and butters to create products that cleanse effectively while leaving skin feeling comfortable. Coconut oil also appears in several of our balms, deodorants, lip care, and bath products.
Grapeseed oil
Grapeseed oil has a lighter feel and is often chosen when a formula needs a silky, less heavy finish. It is part of the oil blend in several of our bar soaps.
Sweet almond oil
Sweet almond oil is a popular conditioning oil with a soft, smooth feel. We use it in soaps, bath products, massage oil, and other body-care formulas. Because it comes from almonds, anyone with a tree-nut allergy should check the full ingredient list before use.
Castor oil
Castor oil is especially useful in soap and hair-care formulas. In handmade soap, it can help support a creamy, rich lather. We also use it in our shampoo bar formulas, where it contributes to the overall conditioning blend.
Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil is technically a liquid wax, but it is commonly used like a carrier oil. It has a smooth, elegant feel and works well in products designed for targeted care, including cuticle, balm, deodorant, aftershave, and massage formulas.
Apricot kernel oil
Apricot kernel oil is a light, emollient oil used in our botanical roll-on formula. It helps give the product a comfortable glide without making the blend feel overly heavy.
Argan oil
Argan oil is a silky botanical oil used in our cuticle care formula. It is a lovely choice for a formula made to soften and condition the delicate skin around the nails.
Sunflower seed oil
Sunflower seed oil is a gentle-feeling oil that appears in our lip care and conditioning formulas. It helps contribute to a smooth, moisturized finish.
Pomegranate seed oil
Pomegranate seed oil is used in one of our post-shave care formulas. It adds a botanical touch to a product designed to leave skin feeling refreshed and comfortable after shaving.
Palm oil
Palm oil appears in our lip care formula as part of the supporting oil blend. In a finished product, oils like this can help contribute to structure, texture, and a smooth application.
What about shea butter and cocoa butter?
Shea butter and cocoa butter are not carrier oils, but they are important plant-based ingredients in some of our formulas. They are solid or semi-solid at room temperature and bring richness, firmness, and a cushiony feel to products such as balms, lip care, soaps, and bath products.
Why we blend different oils
No single oil has to do every job. A thoughtfully balanced formula can combine oils for lather, glide, softness, absorption, stability, and texture. That is why a bar of soap, a massage oil, and a lip balm can each use different oil combinations, even when they are all made with skin-loving ingredients.
We also use ingredients such as essential oils for fragrance and botanical character, beeswax for structure, and vitamin E as a supporting ingredient in selected formulas. Each has a different role, and the complete ingredient list is always the best place to check what’s inside a specific product.
Find the right formula for your routine
Whether you prefer a creamy bar of soap, a lightweight body oil, a nourishing balm, or a conditioning product for your hair, the oil blend helps define the experience. We choose each ingredient with the finished product in mind, then make our products in small batches at Aquinas Soap Company.
Have a question about the ingredients in a particular product? Check its ingredient list or reach out to us. We’re happy to help you find a formula that fits your routine.
This article is for general product education only and is not medical advice. Always review the full ingredient list and follow the product directions before use.