Where does carrot seed oil come from?

Contrary to the way it sounds, carrot seed oil doesn’t come from the orange vegetable in the garden. It comes from the steam distillation of the seeds of the Daucus carota plant (a.k.a wild carrot and Queen Anne's lace). Unlike the cultivated version, the wild carrot’s root is tough and stringy and not particularly pleasant to eat, but it has other powers.

The white blossom plant got its name because of its carrot-scented roots. Research attributes its origins in skincare variously to Egypt, France and India, although that was more for its medicinal properties rather than cosmetic benefits. Wild Carrot was often used to soothe inflammation and ease indigestion.

These days we love carrot seed oil for skin and hair care, but it’s also retained a name for other benefits. It has some antibacterial and antifungal properties, and is an anti-inflammatory.