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Borage Seed Oil

	Borage

Botanical Name: Borago officinalis

Aroma: Light and Sweet.

Viscosity: Thin to Medium.

Absorption/Feel: Penetrates Well, But Leaves a Somewhat Oily Feel to the Skin.

Color: Light Yellow.

Shelf Life: 6 Months.

	Borage Field

Notes: Borage Seed Oil is a prized oil in skin care for its noteworthy essential fatty acid content, consisting primarily of the omega-6 EFA gamma linolenic acid.

Borage Seed Oil has been used in aromatherapy and natural skin care to aid many skin conditions including eczema.

Borage Seed Oil is expensive and is usually blended in a small (often 10%) dilution with other carrier oils. By their nature, essential fatty acids deteriorate quickly. Borage Seed Oil, therefore, goes rancid rather quickly.

Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage by Len Price mentions that Borage Seed Oil contains approximately 15% saturated fat, 15% oleic acid (an omega-9 fatty acid), 38% linoleic acid (an omega-6 essential fatty acid), 21% gamma linolenic acid (GLA, an omega-6 essential fatty acid) and less than 1% alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 essential fatty acid). [Len Price with Ian Smith and Shirley Price, Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage (United Kingdom: Riverhead, 1999), 43.]

Important Note: The information provided on AromaWeb is for educational purposes only. This data is not considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

General Safety Information: Use caution when trying any new ingredient, including carrier oils on the skin or in the hair. Those with nut allergies should consult their medical practitioner before coming into contact with nut oils, butters or other nut products. Do not take any oils internally without consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Safety information can be found by visiting the Safety Information page. For very in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand. 

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	Own Profiles on 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols In 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols, Jeanne Rose supplies brief monographs (summaries) of essential oils, hydrosols and other botanicals.   Read a review of this book or purchase this book from Amazon.com for a discount off the normal retail price.

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