Before it turned orange in 17th-century Holland, the carrot was purple or yellow — and its seeds give one of the most distinctive oils in skin care.

What is carrot seed oil?

The carrot (Daucus carota sativa) is a biennial of the Apiaceae family, related to parsley and dill. Carrot seed oil (Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil) is pressed from the small, aromatic seeds the plant produces in its second year, from its white, lacy flowers. It is rich in linoleic and oleic acid, vitamin E, phytosterols and carotol, and has an earthy, slightly sweet scent.

What are the benefits of carrot seed oil?

Carrot seed oil is a nourishing, revitalising oil. Applied topically it:

• Nourishes and softens dry skin
• Offers vitamin E with antioxidant activity
• Helps tired skin look more lively
• Suits dry and mature skin
• Leaves the skin soft and supple

Queen Anne’s lace

The wild carrot, with its white, lace-like flower heads, is called “Queen Anne’s lace” in English and grows in every Greek field. The ancient Greeks called it staphylinos and grew it for its seeds and leaves, not its root. The orange carrot we know today was developed in Holland in the 17th century; tradition says it was in honour of the House of Orange.

Where does it come from?

The carrot was domesticated in Central Asia, in today’s Afghanistan, around a thousand years ago. Today the largest producers are China, Uzbekistan, the USA and Russia, while the seeds for oil are grown mainly in France, India and Hungary.