September 2023 • Vol. 29 • Issue 7
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The Use of Natural Oils to Treat the Skin …Roger L. McMullen
he term natural oil refers to a fixed (nonvolatile) oil of animal or plant origin. These types of oils—in contrast to essential (volatile) oils, which are obtained by steam distillation methods of plant matter—are typically obtained from plant seeds and nuts by a mechanical pressing technique or solvent extraction. Natural oils have been used to treat the skin for millennia. For example, evidence suggests that the ancient Egyptians used almond (Prunus amygdalus), balanos (Balanos aegyptiaca), castor (Ricinus communis), moringa (Moringa oleifera), olive (Olea europea), and sesame oil (Sesamum indicum) in cosmetic preparations.1 The natural movement in cosmetics of the twenty first century has led to renewed interest in formulating skin care products with botanical ingredients. In this article, I highlight the use of natural oils in skin care and their benefits for skin health.
n Benefits of Natural Oil Treatment
Natural oils nourish, smoothen, sooth, and clean the skin. Skin nourishment is provided by biologically active ingredients in natural oils such as antioxidants and essential fatty acids.2 As an example, the antioxidant activity and health benefits of grape seed oil (Vitis vinifera) mostly stems from the presence of tocopherol, linolenic acid, resveratrol, quercetin, procyanidins, carotenoids, and phytosterols in the oil.3 Essential fatty acids, obtained through the diet or applied topically, are important for maintaining skin health (essential fatty acid deficiently leads to dermatitis) and preventing trans-epidermal water loss.4,5 Dry skin is typically rough due to ineffective desquamation. Plant oils can smoothen the surface of skin by providing a lubrication effect and by helping the skin maintain a healthy level of hydration through fortification of the skin barrier. Natural oils can also have a soothing effect on the skin. Anti-inflammatory compounds in the oils can help to reduce skin redness and irritation. Studies have shown that olive, sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus), coconut (Cocos nucifera), safflower seed (Carthamus tinctorius), argan (Argania spinosa), soybean (Glycine max), sesame, jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), and oat (Avena sativa) oil provide an anti-inflammatory effect in skin.6 Natural oil-based cleaners are used to remove sebum and makeup from the skin. While conventional surfactants can be very efficacious at cleaning the skin, they can also disrupt the barrier function of skin and remove lipid components important for barrier integrity. A good example of a natural oil-based cleaner was provided by researchers at Mae Fah Luang University in Thailand who demonstrated the effectiveness of tea seed oil (Camellia sinensis) at removing foundation and eyeliner.7
n Composition of Natural Oils
The chief components of natural oils are triglycerides. They usually represent greater than 95% of the composition of natural oils. Triglycerides are formed by the esterification of free fatty acids to glycerol resulting in a molecule with a polar headgroup and three (continued on Page 6) hydrophobic tails (see Figure 1). Triglycerides are synthesized by animals and plants as energy reserves
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