ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Skin inflammation is caused by various factors such as UV exposure, pollution, diet, etc. As our body’s barrier, the skin may become inflamed when exposed to these stimuli and when it becomes injured or damaged. Chronic skin inflammation can also lead to issues such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. 
Luckily, polyunsaturated fatty acids found in carrier oils are anti-inflammatory when applied topically. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid found in abundance in oils such as Walnuts, Pumpkin seeds, Kukui nuts and many more. One study revealed that a deficiency in linoleic acid was linked to scaly skin disorder and a decline in skin moisture. 

HEALING
Many carrier oils are wound healing, which means they assist with one or more of the following physiological processes after the skin is wounded:
Hemostasis: Clotting around the wound to prevent further bleeding. 
Inflammation: An immune response that assists in cleaning and repairing the area of injury.
Proliferation: The wound is rebuilt using new skin tissue. 
Tissue Remodeling: The wound closes as collagen fibres link. 
Carrier oils that are wound healing often heal skin quickly while also repairing damage from scarring and blemishes. Two fatty acids, often touted as wound healing, are oleic and lauric acids. Three oils containing many components include Oat, Moringa and Shea Nut. 

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MATURE SKIN
There are two ways to categorise skin ageing– chronological and environmental. Chronological skin ageing refers to physiological processes that occur as we age—a decrease in cellular replacement and impaired skin cell remodelling. Environmental skin ageing refers to stimuli causing oxidative damage to the skin. These stimuli include UV rays, pollution, smoke and temperature changes. 
Antioxidant enzymes in the skin can reduce oxidative damage caused by environmental stimuli unless overwhelmed, especially in UV exposure. In addition, topical antioxidants such as nourishing carrier oils may boost the skin’s antioxidant levels, preventing skin ageing. 
Certain carrier oils may also improve the skin’s barrier, further preventing skin ageing. Oils that reduce ageing appearance include Sunflower, Grapeseed, Coconut, Sesame, Jojoba, Rosehip Seed, Olive, and Sweet Almond oil. 

MOISTURISING
If you’ve ever applied carrier oil to your skin, you know how soft and silky your skin can feel afterwards. That’s because many carrier oils act occlusive, meaning they lock in your skin’s natural moisture and other skincare ingredients, thus preventing trans-epidermal water loss. A lack of moisture can also indicate poor skin barrier function, thus making your skin more susceptible to ageing, inflammation, damage and more. Top moisturising carrier oils include Apricot Kernel oil, Castor oil, Avocado oil, Kukui Nut oil and Oat oil.