Cold pressed rapeseed oil is great for cooking, baking, drizzling and dressing food, but have you heard about some of the other uses for cold pressed rapeseed oil? Let us educate you some lesser known rapeseed oil uses. Find out how that bottle of golden oil in your kitchen cupboard can do everything from keeping your skin soft and your hair looking glossy to keeping your kids entertained on a rainy day.

Skincare

If you are the sort of person who likes to know exactly what ingredients they are putting on their skin then using cold pressed rapeseed oil to make your own homemade skincare products is a great idea.

Why is cold pressed rapeseed oil beneficial for your skin?

There are many reasons why it’s great to use cold pressed rapeseed oil for skin care.

Moisturising The emollient properties of cold pressed rapeseed oil help lock in moisture, making it an ideal choice for dry or dehydrated skin.

Anti-inflammatory Properties Linoleic acid (which is found in rapeseed oil) has anti-inflammatory properties, making it suitable for soothing dry or inflamed skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

A great source of Vitamin E Cold pressed rapeseed oil is rich in Vitamin E which is an antioxidant found in rapeseed oil. Vitamin E helps neutralize free radicals, which can help to reduce premature aging.

How can cold pressed rapeseed oil be incorporated into your skincare routine?

Two ways to you can use cold pressed rapeseed as part of your regular skincare routine is by making your own body scrubs, face / lip scrubs.

To make a homemade body scrub using cold pressed rapeseed oil you will need:

A natural exfoliant (used coffee grounds, salt or sugar)
Cold pressed rapeseed oil
Essential oils (optional)

How to make a body or face scrub using cold pressed rapeseed

In a container mix 2 parts exfoliant to 1 part cold pressed rapeseed oil. Stir together until combined. If you wish to add a scent to your scrub add a couple of drops of essential oils.

Orange or vanilla scents are great with coffee grounds and you can add just about any scent to salt and sugar scrubs. Go wild.

Transfer the scrub into a container with a lid.

When you’re ready to use your homemade scrub apply it to wet skin and massage it into the skin in circular movements. Rinse with warm water and enjoy the feeling of silky soft skin.

Cold pressed rapeseed oil for hair

The shelves of pharmacies are packed full of hundreds, if not thousands, of products which claim they can improve the look and condition of your hair. Did you know that you can create nourishing and natural hair treatments at home and you don’t have to venture any further than your kitchen cupboards?

Cold pressed rapeseed oil is a natural, simple and cost-effective way to treat your hair with the care and attention it deserves.

What makes cold pressed rapeseed oil good for your hair?

Nourishment

Cold pressed rapeseed oil is rich in the essential fatty acid Omega-3 as well as vitamin E, rapeseed oil helps to moisturize and condition the hair, leaving it soft, silky, and more manageable.

Repairing and strengthening

Cold pressed rapeseed oil contains high levels of linoleic acid, which can help to strengthen hair follicles and prevent breaking and damage.

It’s a scalp soother

Cold pressed rapeseed oil has anti-inflammatory properties great for helping to soothe and nourish your scalp. It can help with easing conditions such as dandruff and itchy or inflamed scalp. Massaging cold pressed rapeseed oil into your hair and scalp can stimulate blood flow, which is great for circulation and can help with encouraging hair growth too.

How to make a nourishing hair treatment using cold pressed rapeseed oil

To make a naturally nourishing and deep conditioning hair treatment using cold pressed rapeseed oil simply warm some oil slightly and massage it into your scalp and hair. Leave the oil on your hair for at least 30 minutes, or you can wrap your hair and leave it in overnight for an even more intensive treatment. To remove the oil simply shampoo as normal.

Homemade playdough

Yep that sticky coloured stuff in tiny tubs that kids love but it inevitably ends up stuck in the treads of your shoes… Well did you know that you can make it at home using a few store cupboard ingredients including cold pressed rapeseed oil.

Why make your own playdough?

One of the main benefits of making your own playdough is that it is very cost effective. You can make a large batch to be shared between lots of kids meaning the fun goes even further.

You can also add food colouring to your homemade playdough to make different colours, add glitter for a bit of sparkle or even different scents. Try vanilla, peppermint or even early grey tea.

How make your own playdough

Rapeseed oil is one of the best oils for playdough because it is inexpensive and widely available.

To make homemade playdough you will need:

Littleseed cold pressed rapeseed oil
Plain flour
Table salt
Cream of tartar
Food colouring

Mixing up the ingredients is very easy, check out our playdough activity sheet here

Beyond The Kitchen - Other Uses For Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil