Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil is a mild oil pressed from the seeds of grapes, often after the fruit is used for wine, or other food and beverages. How is grapeseed oil extracted?

Cold pressed grapeseed oil is made using a hydraulic steel press; this method of extraction is said to retain the purity of the ingredients, producing a higher quality oil with more phenols (flavonoids and other plant compounds).⁷

Grapeseed oil color ranges in shade, from translucent to bright green. The properties of grapeseed oil, such as its ability to fight free radicals, combined with its faint sweet smell, make it a wonderful addition to health and beauty products.

Grape seed oil is often used as a carrier oil, and mixed with essential oils, such as lavender essential oil or cypress essential oil for use in aromatherapy.

Grapes have been used in healing practices for thousands of years. Originating in Asia, grapes were brought to Europe and North America later, where European folk healers used their leaves and sap to stop bleeding and inflammation.

Today, modern vineyards all over the world use grapes in the production of wine, grapeseed oil, and many other commercial products. This is how grapeseed oil, Canada and USA production became possible.⁸

Grapeseed Oil Benefits & Uses

Grapeseed oil benefits include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help to protect and encourage healthy hair and skin cells. When combined with essential oils, the benefits of grapeseed oil often complement the essential oil’s properties, proving it to be one of the most versatile carrier oils.^1,3

Grapeseed oil uses include massage, hair and beard oil, eyelash care, and skin care products. To learn more about how to use grapeseed oil, and to learn recipes to try at home, read on below.

Grapeseed Oil for Hair

One of the questions many natural oil users ask is, “is grapeseed oil good for hair?” Expeller pressed grapeseed oil has proven itself a natural hair care product by stimulating follicles to promote new growth.¹ For those with brittle or short lashes, grapeseed oil for eyelashes can help to thicken and increase length.

The benefits of grapeseed oil for hair are many; in a 1998 animal study, researchers tested the proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins) found in grape seeds and found that the usage of these antioxidant rich extracts could create similar hair growth results in test subjects to that of Minoxidil, a medication prescribed to balding men for hair growth.¹

Shea butter and grapeseed oil can be used as a heat protectant in hair which is frequently straightened or curled, by adding a moisture barrier to the hair before heat is applied.

To use grapeseed oil for heat protectant at home, simply fill a clean spray bottle ¾ with distilled water, add 6 drops of grapeseed oil, and 1 Tbsp. shea butter, and shake well.

You can also add essential oils to grapeseed oil for hair growth, to create naturally stronger hair. Thyme essential oil, lavender essential oil, cedarwood essential oil, and rosemary essential oil all offer benefits to your hair.

In a study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, researchers applied a topical solution of these four essential oils with a mixture of jojoba and grapeseed carrier oils. Of the 86 participants in the trial, 44% from the group who used essential oils saw hair growth improvement; only 15% in a group who used the carrier oils alone.

To experience the benefits of grapeseed oil for natural hair care at home, try creating your own shampoo or beard oil blend:

For shampoo, mix 10 drops of lavender essential oil, 5 drops of rosemary essential oil, 5 drops of cedarwood essential oil, and 5 drops of thyme essential oil to 3 Tbsp. organic grapeseed oil, ¼ cup of distilled water, and ¼ cup of castile liquid soap.

Mix well, and pour into a clean and dry shampoo bottle. Remove the castile liquid soap, and replace with ¼ cup of coconut oil, to turn your shampoo into a grapeseed oil deep conditioner.

For beard oil, mix 4 drops of cedarwood essential oil, 2 drops of sandalwood essential oil, and 2 drops of lavender essential oil to 1 ounce of grapeseed oil.

Mix well, and store in a glass bottle in a cool dry place. Use a dropper to apply, and use small amounts to get the most from your homemade beard oil.

Grapeseed Oil for Skin

Grapeseed oil is a vegetable oil, and offers a soft smell and smooth feel to the skin, making it a mild moisturizing agent. Grapeseed oil uses for skin include use as a natural moisturizer and massage oil.

The benefits of grapeseed oil for skin, include its anti-inflammatory properties, which are helpful in combatting swelling and redness in the skin. A 2002 clinical trial focused on the anti-inflammatory activity of grapeseed oil on test subjects.

Researchers concluded that grapeseed oil significantly reduced inflammation, and could have a potential as a natural medicinal ingredient for inflammation and swelling.³

Grapeseed Oil for Sex

Due to the soothing skin benefits of grapeseed oil, it works well as a massage oil during sexual activity. With no known side effects or reported irritations, grapeseed oil may also be used as a natural lubricant, but should be cleared with your physician before internal use.

Grapeseed oil, with its faint fragrance and soothing texture, is one of the best carrier oils to mix with aphrodisiac essential oils, such as clove essential oil or nutmeg essential oil which have been shown to increase sexual behavior in animal test subjects.⁵ When using grapeseed oil for massage, an essential oil mixture can help intensify arousal naturally.

You can create your own grapeseed oil massage product at home, by combining 1 oz. of grapeseed oil with 5 drops nutmeg essential oil, and 5 drops clove essential oil.

Mix well, and store in a clean, dark, glass container that seals well. Apply your oil to clean dry hands, or directly to the area being massaged, and work the oil mixture into the skin.

If you use grapeseed oil lube during sexual intercourse, be sure you are using it in its pure form, and not the clove and nutmeg mixture, as this could irritate the sensitive skin of the genitals.

Grapeseed Oil for Face

As a natural plant based oil, grapeseed oil has benefits for your facial skin, and can be used as a moisturizer. A 2010 study which focused on the antiaging and moisturizing activity of plant based moisturizers found that grape seed oil was among the highest performing natural oils, when applied topically to 40 healthy volunteers.⁶

Results showed that grapeseed oil improved hydration and viscoelasticity (stretch and firmness) in the skin. This makes grapeseed oil for under eye wrinkles a natural alternative to expensive commercial products, as the cost of grapeseed oil is often much less than name brand moisturizers.

Researchers also suggested that grapeseed oil was one of the better natural moisturizing ingredients for all skin types, making grapeseed oil for acne prone skin, a promising choice over other vegetable oils.⁶

On its own, grapeseed oil provides improved skin firmness and smoothness, but these results can be intensified when the carrier oil is mixed with essential oils containing the same skin healing properties.

Lemon essential oil has antioxidant properties, which have proven themselves useful in battling the effects of sun and air damage over time.⁴

A study published in the European Journal of Medicinal Plants found that lemon essential oil, mixed with grapeseed carrier oil, showed dramatic improvements on skin quality and early aging.

In their conclusion, researchers promoted the use of these two natural oils together, saying that there may be potential for the prevention of skin diseases related to oxidative stress through continued use.⁴

If you’re wondering how to use grapeseed oil on the face, try creating your own lemon essential oil and grapeseed oil facial moisturizer at home. Use a clean 1 oz. glass bottle, and fill it ¾ of the way with grapeseed oil, add 6 drops of lemon essential oil, and 6 drops of rosehip seed oil.

Mix well, and store in a cool dry place; your moisturizer should keep for up to 12 months. You can apply your facial moisturizer with cotton swabs, or by adding a few drops to clean dry fingers, and massaging into your skin. To use grapeseed oil for face acne, apply the same mixture as a spot treatment to problem areas.

You can also use grapeseed oil to remove makeup, by applying 2 drops of the pure grapeseed oil to a cotton pad and swiping gently against facial skin.

For a toning grapeseed oil face mask, combine 1 cup plain Greek yogurt to a small mixing bowl, combine 3 drops of grapeseed oil with 2 Tbsp. lemon essential oil, and add to the yogurt.

Mix well, and apply to your face with clean dry fingers. Let dry for 20 minutes, and rinse, for a fresh-faced look, you’ll feel all day.

When applying natural oils to the face, be wary about getting too close to your eyes or lips. If your homemade moisturizer gets into your eye, flush eye immediately with water, and seek medical attention if irritation occurs.

Where to Buy Grapeseed Oil

Previously, pure grapeseed oil could only be purchased from specialty health stores. Now, due to advancements in technology, extremely high grade and organic grapeseed oil can be purchased over the internet at very reasonable prices. No matter where you are shopping for grapeseed oil, Canada or the USA, you can easily purchase both cold pressed grapeseed oil and expeller pressed grapeseed oil from the comfort of your home.