# Suggestions for carrier oil **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 5, 2020, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974 "2020-03-05T19:24:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/1 "2020-03-05T19:24:37Z")
My unfortunately broken Marine hubby makes his own topical pain relief rubs for his various maladies (primarily a broken neck with accompanying muscle issues). Over the years he has perfected a quite decent recipe that does a great job of releasing the muscle tension that exacerbates his neck pain, but he has yet to get just the right base for it. Right now he’s using fractionated coconut oil, which he specifically purchased because the reviews said that once it was on the skin, it was not greasy. It is, in fact, QUITE greasy. :smack: Now he’s back to the drawing board, hoping he can find a good base for this rub. He is not picky about the method of delivery- whether it’s pump, squeeze, or roll-on. What he wants is something skin-safe that he can incorporate the other ingredients (which come in oil and crystalized form) into that isn’t greasy, goes on smoothly, rubs in and doesn’t leave a residue. Evaporates, if you will, but evaporates after giving the actual pain-relieving ingredients to do their work. He’s tried regular and fractionated coconut oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, a variety of storebought skin lotions, and Vicks. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/2 "2020-03-05T22:38:01Z")
Oil is going to be, well, oily. I sort of doubt that if you’ve used coconut, almond, grape, jojoba and other stuff, and they’ve all turned out greasy, then I can’t imagine that soybean, canola, or any other commonly available oil is going to be any better. Maybe he should use something more like alcohol, as it’s a solvent and will evaporate. It’ll depend on whether the other ingredients are alcohol soluble or not though. If you want to get really fancy, you could try something from a site like this: [https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Solvents\_c\_72.html](https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Solvents_c_72.html) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/3 "2020-03-05T23:23:04Z")
Is DMSO still available? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/4 "2020-03-06T01:52:17Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Oil is going to be, well, oily. I sort of doubt that if you’ve used coconut, almond, grape, jojoba and other stuff, and they’ve all turned out greasy, then I can’t imagine that soybean, canola, or any other commonly available oil is going to be any better. > > Maybe he should use something more like alcohol, as it’s a solvent and will evaporate. It’ll depend on whether the other ingredients are alcohol soluble or not though. > > If you want to get really fancy, you could try something from a site like this: [https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Solvents\_c\_72.html](https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Solvents_c_72.html) I was just thinking that something like glycerin or propylene glycol might work. Those are common ingredients in lubricating eye drops. Lots of hair products use a combination of oil and silicone to keep the oil from feeling too heavy or greasy on hair. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/5 "2020-03-06T01:57:34Z")
I don’t know, but I suspect the actual amount of oil in silicone hair products is very slight, based on how it feels compared to the coconut oil I use. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/6 "2020-03-06T02:39:02Z")
Most of those oils you mentioned are “wet” and meant to stay on top of the skin. Try a dry oil like rosehip or avocado. They’re quickly absorbed and are non-greasy as they’re meant to penetrate into the skin. ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/7 "2020-03-06T04:01:04Z")
I used to use this Neutrogena shower oil in my younger days when I went around with bare legs in the summer, I remember it as very pleasant to use and not greasy. It says it is a “light sesame oil” formula. [https://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-Lightweight-Moisturizer-Sesame-Formula/](https://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-Lightweight-Moisturizer-Sesame-Formula/) ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/8 "2020-03-06T04:02:48Z")
Duplicate post ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/9 "2020-03-06T12:58:11Z")
> [@Saturn\_Dreams](#): > > Most of those oils you mentioned are “wet” and meant to stay on top of the skin. Try a dry oil like rosehip or avocado. They’re quickly absorbed and are non-greasy as they’re meant to penetrate into the skin. Agreed but these oils can be both difficult and expensive to acquire. Ordinary [soybean oil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean_oil) is a very effective and obtainable option. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/10 "2020-03-06T14:30:05Z")
> [@Saturn\_Dreams](#): > > Most of those oils you mentioned are “wet” and meant to stay on top of the skin. Try a dry oil like rosehip or avocado. They’re quickly absorbed and are non-greasy as they’re meant to penetrate into the skin. They already tried jojoba and grapeseed, both of which are supposedly “dry” oils. Personally, based on a little bit of googling, I think the whole dry vs. wet oil thing sounds like total BS intended to sell more expensive oils to credulous cosmetic purchasers. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/11 "2020-03-06T23:15:45Z")
Making cosmetics: > **[Emulsifiers | Mixing Ingredients for Cosmetics | Making Cosmetics](https://www.makingcosmetics.com/search?lang=en_US&cgid=Emulsifiers)** > > You can use emulsifiers as mixing ingredients to create your own cosmetic products. Explore Making Cosmetics' ingredients today! Use a water-based solution instead of an oil-based solution. Using a solubilizer or emulsifier. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/12 "2020-03-07T00:20:39Z")
> [@bump](#): > > They already tried jojoba and grapeseed, both of which are supposedly “dry” oils. Grapeseed is a dry oil but jojoba is generally known as an occlusive. It’s meant to stay on the skin to seal in moisture and act as a barrier to the outside environment. Grapeseed oil may not have had the desired effect but they are free to try others. Not all oils have the same effect on every person. > [@](#): > > Personally, based on a little bit of googling, I think the whole dry vs. wet oil thing sounds like total BS intended to sell more expensive oils to credulous cosmetic purchasers. Many people who have actually used them would disagree with you but if you want to make your conclusions "based on a little bit of googling”, that’s you prerogative. After all, that’s what makes America great again. ---
**Author:** ![EdelweissPirate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@EdelweissPirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdelweissPirate)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/13 "2020-03-07T21:31:16Z")
> [@Saturn\_Dreams](#): > > Many people who have actually used them would disagree with you but if you want to make your conclusions "based on a little bit of googling”, that’s you prerogative. After all, that’s what makes America great again. To be fair, Saturn Dreams, the wet/dry oil concept reeks of woo. It carries about as much weight as “rejuvenating” or “replenishing.” Woo aside, it’s a subjective judgement and doesn’t have any inherent scientific meaning (AFAIK). As far as I can tell, “dry/wet” is a useful-but-nonscientific term common in the beauty and supplement industries. It may be a popular retelling of this concept: > [@](#): > > Natural oils are heterogeneous lipid mixtures composed of triglycerides and minor components—mono- and diglycerides, free fatty acids (FAs), phosphatides, sterols, fatty alcohols, fat-soluble vitamins, and other substances [4]. FAs are the main components in natural oils which can modify the skin barrier. They act by fluidization and disorganization of skin lipids in a reversible manner [5]. Scientific data shows that based on the structure-skin permeability enhancement relationship, unsaturated C16–C18 FAs are more efficient in increasing the permeability of skin barrier if compared to saturated FAs. Source: [Skin Penetration Enhancement by Natural Oils for Dihydroquercetin Delivery - PMC](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6151382/) Bump has plenty of reasons to doubt the validity of the wet/dry oil concept, and googling around does indeed give the impression that the concept is undiluted woo—the subjective opinions of woo-practitioners notwithstanding. There’s real science behind the idea that free fatty acids can enhance oil penetration into the skin, as cited above. I suspect that’s what Bump was asking for—not an out-of-the-blue political jab. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2020, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/14 "2020-03-08T09:48:14Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > I was just thinking that something like glycerin or propylene glycol might work. Those are common ingredients in lubricating eye drops. Lots of hair products use a combination of oil and silicone to keep the oil from feeling too heavy or greasy on hair. I was gonna suggest glycerin as well. It seems to hit the properties requested in the O.P. and it has no scent, either. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2020, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/15 "2020-03-08T11:30:13Z")
[Drying oil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drying_oil) (e.g., flaxseed oil) is a well-known, real thing in art- it’s not woo- but I doubt the guy is trying to oil-paint his neck. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/16 "2020-03-08T15:43:33Z")
Thanks for the feedback, all! My trainer is dropping off a tube of pain relieving gel that she swears by, but it looks like we’re also going to try out some of the options at Making Cosmetics. At the very least, I make my own soap and will definitely be filling up a virtual shopping cart there. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/17 "2020-03-08T20:32:14Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I was gonna suggest glycerin as well. It seems to hit the properties requested in the O.P. and it has no scent, either. Glycerin is sticky stuff though, and it won’t evaporate. What about kerosene? Personally, I love the smell of it, but I guess opinions can vary! (Be aware of the fire hazard, though!) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2020, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/18 "2020-03-09T13:39:27Z")
> [@EdelweissPirate](#): > > Bump has plenty of reasons to doubt the validity of the wet/dry oil concept, and googling around does indeed give the impression that the concept is undiluted woo—the subjective opinions of woo-practitioners notwithstanding. > > There’s real science behind the idea that free fatty acids can enhance oil penetration into the skin, as cited above. I suspect that’s what Bump was asking for—not an out-of-the-blue political jab. I wasn’t so much trying to cast shade on the wet/dry oil nonsense, even if I do think it’s unmitigated BS, so much as pointing out that they’ve _already_ used two oils that are listed as “dry”, and that didn’t work for them. Time to use something else- clearly oil isn’t the right carrier/diluent for whatever it is that the OP’s husband is putting in his homemade liniment. ---
**Author:** ![Osano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@Osano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osano)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2020, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-carrier-oil/848974/19 "2020-03-10T22:52:33Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Is DMSO still available? This would be a good route to go if you want a non greasy cream. Im sure the tradeoff with odor isn’t too bad. Looks like a cutback with 30% aloe vera is the common blend ratio. DMSO creams are banned in the US though