Wild carrot (Daucus carota L.)



Updated 17 January 2024

Botanical characteristics

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Division: Magnoliophyta 
  • Class: Magnoliopsida 
  • Order: Apiales
  • Family: Apiaceae
  • Genus: Daucus
  • Part used: Seeds
  • Country of origin: France

Precautions for use

Carrot essential oil is reserved for adults.

It can be irritating on the skin pure, always use very diluted at 5%.

Use of this essential oil requires medical advice if you have liver problems.

People with asthma, epilepsy should seek medical advice.

Other precautions

Cutaneous use:

  • Carrot essential oil should be diluted for use on the skin: dilute to 5% in vegetable oil (5% essential oil to 95% vegetable oil). This is equivalent to 1 drop of essential oil in 20 drops of vegetable oil.

Ingestion:

  • The oral route should only be used under medical supervision in cases of liver disease.
  • The essential oil can be used in cooking if it is diluted in a fat, for example.

Contraindications: 

  • Carrot essential oil should not be used by people who are sensitive to allergic reactions.
  • Be sure to do an elbow prick test before using.
  • People with cancer or a history of cancer should not use carrot essential oil. People with high blood pressure should be careful.

Allergenic components:

Carrot essential oil contains several high-dose allergenic biochemical components.

  • Geraniol (< 9%)
  • Limonene (< 2%)
  • Linalool (< 1%)

Note: It is best to test the essential oil before use (two drops on the crease of the elbow for at least 24 hours to check for a reaction).

Authorised users

 Adults and adolescents

Children under 6 years

 Pregnant and breastfeeding women

 Pregnant women younger than 3 months

 Infants under 3 years old

How to use

 Inhalation

 Cutaneous

 Oral

Diffusion

Risks of use

 Allergic

 Skin irritation

Properties

  • Antifungal, bactericidal
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Anticoagulant
  • Hepato-renal depurative 
  • Hepato-renal regenerating 
  • Regenerates all epitheliums and endotheliums (skin and mucous membranes) 
  • Hypocholesterolemic 
  • General toning 
  • Antianemic 
  • Slightly hypertensive 

Indications

Directions for use/usual dosage

  • Hepato-renal disorders: 2 drops orally 3 times a day before meals.
  • Eczema, burns: apply locally to affected area diluted in vegetable oil.

Cosmetic

  • Beneficial for acne, boils and eczema
  • Tones the skin and keeps it looking young, with a feel-good effect
  • Brightens the complexion
  • Reduces blemishes (in combination with Celery EO)

Cooking

  • Can be used to season dishes, sauces, soups and seafood. 
  • Adds a musky, slightly woody fragrance to various culinary preparations.

Find out more

  • Wild Carrot essential oil does not have quite the same composition or benefits as cultivated carrots.
  • While the root carrot we eat is known for its beta-carotene content, wild carrot essential oil contains none. It is not the root that is distilled, as you might expect, but the seeds of the plant.
  • To obtain 1 to 2 kilos of wild carrot essential oil, it is necessary to distil around 100 kilos of seeds.