With so many organic oils on the market, it’s hard to know which to consider a staple in your arsenal. When it comes to luxurious, nourishing plant seed oils, look no further than Borage Seed Oil to stock your back bar. This flowering plant oil is lightweight, easily absorbed, and delivers a host of benefits, including omega fatty acids, age defying properties, and low comedogenicity.
Flowering Blue Beauty
Borage seed oil is extracted from the borage plant, also known as starflower or Borago officinalis. The plant is native to the Mediterranean, but is grown in a broad range of destinations. This flowering plant can be recognized by its bright blue, but sometimes pink petals. In fact, in mild climates the borage plant will bloom most of the year! The seeds of the plant harness the borage seed oil, which is extracted for use in topical skin care.
Benefits
Borage seed oil has an impressive chemical breakdown. Namely, this plant oil has a high concentration of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Borage oil is unique in that it has a concentration of around 20 percent GLA, higher than most other plant oils. GLA can be found in evening primrose oil and black currant oil, but in lower quantities.
Gamma-linolenic acid is an important fatty acid for maintaining healthy skin hydration. It is a precursor for other important skin-compounds, and deficiencies in GLA can lead to moisture loss and inflammation. GLA is helpful in the treatment of skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, trans epidermal water loss (TEWL) and impaired barrier function. All of these disorders may be associated with deficient levels of gamma-linolenic acid.
Borage oil also contains a moderate percentage of palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. It is important to note that the concentration of linolenic acid is greater than that of oleic acid, making borage seed oil ideal for problematic skin types. Borage seed oil has a low comedogenicity rating of two.
Fatty Acid Breakdown:
- Linoleic Acid – 36 percnet
- Gamma Linolenic Acid – 20 percent
- Oleic Acid – 18 percent
- Palmitic Acid – 10 percent
- Stearic Acid – 6 percent
Ideal for Sensitive Skin
Many clients seek out natural skin care because they think it will be better for their sensitive skin. However, sometimes using too many plant extracts and essential oils can wreak havoc on reactive skin. Borage seed oil is a great option for sensitive skin clients who often react to more potent oil blends, especially those containing essential oils. The high levels of GLA help combat inflammation, while the lightweight oil protects impaired moisture barriers without being overly occlusive.
Borage seed oil benefits:
- • cell regeneration
- • firming
- • smoothing
- • moisturizing
- • anti-inflammatory
- • barrier function
Hormonal Acne Healer
Borage seed oil has been shown to help with acne, especially hormonal acne, due to its balancing effects and high fatty acid content. Give this oil a try for your acneic clients who also suffer from dry skin! Borage seed oil can be applied post-peel to protect your client’s skin barrier and prevent TEWL and inflammation.
Always look for 100 percent pure, cold-pressed borage seed oil that is free of any additives.
