Product Overview
Carrot Seed essential oil is derived from Daucus carota whose common names include Wild Carrot and Bishop’s Lace. This tenacious 'weed' seen along country roads is known in North America by another familiar name – Queen Anne's Lace. The feathery umbels eventually close upon their precious seeds, protecting them from weather and wind, but they often attach to the fur of passing animals, successfully dispersing the seeds and making this plant nearly impossible to eradicate. France is one of the largest producers of carrot seeds for aromatherapy and perfumery, with major seed production sites located primarily in the southern and western parts of the country.
Added to floral, fruity or spicy accords, Carrot Absolute is often used to give the sweet and subtle effects of plum or apricot jam.[2] Rhind even mentions a little known blending trick: the combination of Carrot and Cedarwood oils mimics the scent of the very costly Orris Butter![3] Please note that Carrot Seed has an extremely intense aroma and can easily overpower a perfume, so dilute well if working with small-quantity perfume formulas.
Carrot Seed essential oil is popularly added to facial masks and to preparations for mature skin – a sensible choice since carotol, the dominant sesquiterpene alcohol, is a multi-purpose constituent that is well-suited to skincare applications.
1 Rhind, Jennifer Peace. Aromatherapeutic Blending: Essential Oils in Synergy, Jennifer Peace Rhind, 2016, p. 200.
2 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, pp. 130-1.
3 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, pp. 130-1.
4 Lawless, Alec. Artisan Perfumery or Being Led by the Nose, 2009, p. 78.
5 Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, pp. 233-4.
