Many carrier oils are derived from flowers, such as calendula oil and evening primrose oil, but what is arnica oil?
Arnica oil is a carrier oil made by extracting oil from the flowers of the Arnica Montana Flower and is particularly beneficial when used as a homeopathic remedy to relieve pain associated with muscles, bites, and inflamed skin. It can be used on its own, or as a carrier oil for other beauty applications, such as with essential oils.
In this article, you’ll learn a wealth of information about arnica oil and its uses, including how it’s made its benefits, appearance, scent, and potential substitutes. Keep reading for all the details!
What is arnica oil made from?
Arnica oil is made by extracting the oil from the Arnica Montana Flower. This is a perennial plant that is native to North America and mountainous terrain in Europe and produces yellow, daisy-like flowers from which the arnica oil is extracted.
The manufacturing process involves collating dried arnica flowers that will be ground down and mixed with carrier oils such as jojoba oil or coconut oil. This creates an oil that is then heated and cooled, before being bottled and made available in retail stores and online.
Arnica oil is just one of 63 carrier oils that we’ve analyzed via our website. Here’s some more info on the other types of carrier oil if this topic is of interest to you!
Uses for arnica oil
Arnica oil has many uses and is particularly beneficial when used as a homeopathic remedy to ease pain, soothe inflamed skin, and reduce swelling.
It can also be used to soothe bug bites and reduce the pain of sprains/strains.
It is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as linoleic and oleic acid, which are highly beneficial when it comes to reducing inflammation.
Please note that arnica is considered poisonous to ingest and is therefore inedible. If consumed it is likely to cause severe vomiting, and in worst cases, heart damage/death so make sure to only use this oil topically.
Benefits of arnica oil
There are many benefits to using arnica oil directly on the skin.
Some key benefits of arnica include the following:
- Eases pain
- Reduces inflammation
- Soothes swelling associated with bug bites, muscle pain, and strains
- Antimicrobial
- Hydrates the skin
- Comedogenic rating of 2 which means it’s unlikely to clog pores
Appearance and scent of arnica oil
Arnica oil is generally bright yellow in color, however, it does depend on what oils it’s mixed with during the manufacturing process. It could vary from yellow, to amber, and even to a green-tinted liquid depending on what is added in production.
It is almost odorless in scent, however, some forms of arnica oil may be fragranced if mixed with other products in manufacturing. It’s worth bearing this in mind if you’re sensitive to highly-fragranced products, as some forms of arnica oil are likely to be heavily scented.
Substitutes for arnica oil
There are some effective substitutes to arnica oil if you’re looking for an alternative.
Here are some popular substitutes for arnica oil that may produce similar effects:
- Aloe
- Astragalus
- Bilberry
- Burdock
- Calendula
- Comfrey
- Echinacea
- Eucalyptus
Shelf life and storage of arnica oil
If stored correctly, arnica oil should have a shelf life of at least 2 years.
To get the best shelf life from your arnica oil, you should store it in a cool, dry area that is away from direct sunlight.
If you ever find that your arnica oil is different in texture/scent/appearance since you purchased it, it’s likely that your arnica oil has spoiled and needs to be disposed of and repurchased.
FAQ
Take a look at the below frequently asked questions for some more information on arnica oil!
Arnica oil has many uses and is often used as a healing oil for conditions such as bruises, sprains, achy muscles, joint pain, inflammation, and burns.
It can also be used cosmetically to promote healthy skin and hair as it absorbs easily and can help to provide moisture and nourishment.
Arnica oil is extracted from the Arnica Montana Flower, which is native to North America and mountainous terrain in Europe. The arnica plant is also known as wolf’s bane, leopard’s bane, mountain tobacco, and mountain arnica.
The manufacturing process involves harvesting arnica flowers and allowing them to dry out, before being ground down and mixed with carrier oils such as jojoba oil or coconut oil to create an oil texture. The oil is then heated and cooled before being bottled and sold.
Here’s some info on coconut oil and jojoba oil if you’d like to know more about other carrier oils that arnica oil is typically combined with.
Arnica oil can be used on the face as it has a low comedogenic rating of 2, which means it’s unlikely to lead to breakouts/spots.
Arnica oil is commonly used as an ingredient in face masks, eye creams, and moisturizers that can be applied to the skin on a regular basis.
Arnica is thought to be anti-inflammatory and can be beneficial when applied topically to soothe bug bites, sprains/strains, and burns. Arnica oil is generally very soothing as it can help to reduce inflammation associated with these issues.
Arnica oil can be combined with essential oils to create products that have a number of benefits. Take a look at this list of 112 essential oils for an in-depth guide into essential oils.
Arnica can be beneficial when used under the eyes as its anti-inflammatory properties can help to reduce puffiness and swelling, therefore diminishing the appearance of under-eye bags.
This is why arnica is often prevalent in eye creams designed to create a brighter appearance under the eye.
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