Fatty acid compositions found in oils
Lately I have been getting a lot of questions about incorporating oils into your skincare regimen. Many are fearful that using oil will cause more breakouts and clog their pores. Oils have a rating based on how likely they will clog your skin. This is known as a comedogenic rating. This scale ranges from zero to five, zero meaning the oil will not clog pore to five meaning that the oil will clog pores. However, this isn't the only way to determine whether an oil will work for you. . Oils are made up of fatty acids and it's these fatty acids that are key in determining how they will affect our skin. So I decided to write a quick post and hopefully ease your mind a bit.
Oleic Acid
Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid. Oleic acid makes oils richer and heavier, so they are extra-occlusive and can seal in moisture really effectively. Therefore oils high in oleic acid work really well for those who have dry or mature skin, as they can deliver heavier moisture. Acne-prone, oily skin and sensitive skin types might find these oils may exaggerate their issues. The most common oils known and used typically are Coconut oil, Olive oil, Almond oil and Argan oil. Listed below are some wonderful other choices perfect for dry skin types:
Carrot seed oil: Oleic-68.4% Linoleic-10.8
Marula oil: Oleic- 70-78% Linoleic-4-7%
Avocado oil: Oleic-63% Linoleic-9.8%
Buriti oil: Oleic-70.5% Linoleic-7%
Moringa Seed oil: Oleic-65-73% Linoleic-0.5%
Mango Butter: Oleic-40-46% Linoleic-3-4%
Shea Butter: Oleic-40-45% Linoleic-3-8%
Apricot Kernel oil: Oleic-64.2% Linoleic-28.3
Linoleic Acid
One major factor that makes some oils work better for some and not for others is the ratios of linoleic to oleic acids in the compositions in the oils. Linoleic acid is one of the many fatty acids found in oils. It’s unsaturated, which means it tends to stay liquid at lower temperatures. Oils higher in Linoleic acid are often referred to as "dry oils" and makes for a lighter oil with a thinner consistency. They don't feel too heavy and absorbs quite quickly. These oils will nourish and protect your skin without being too heavy. Therefore these oils will work best for oily and acne prone skin. Linoleic acids is also great for reducing scarring and hyperpigmentation. It is said that those who suffer from acne have been shown to have lower levels of linoleic acids in their skin surface lipids. When our skin is deficient in linoleic acid, our skin's natural sebum becomes thick and sticky that clogs our pores and causes acne. Usually oily congested and acne prone skin's sebum is predominately composed of oleic acid. And we can help balance out our skin by incorporating this high linoleic oils into our daily skincare to help minimize our breakouts. Listed below are some wonderful other choices perfect for oily, acne skin types:
Rosehip Seed oil: Linoleic-44.1% Oleic- 13.9%
Grape Seed oil: Linoleic-70.6 Oleic-16.2%
Prickly Pear Seed oil: Linoleic-60.5 Oleic-20.6%
Evening Primrose oil: Linoleic-72.6% Oleic-8.4%
Papaya Seed oil: Linoleic-72-77% Oleic-13%
Safflower oil: Linoleic-68-85% Oleic-8-30%
Hemp Seed oil: Linoleic-56.48% Oleic-10.71%
Kukui Nut oil: Linoleic-40% Oleic-20%
Hopefully you find this a little helpful in clarify how and why it's totally ok to use oil on your skin. For our oily, acne beauties we have a wonderful oil just for you! I highly recommend giving it a try, you won't be disappointed. Til next time!
Marla Rene
