The Most Effective Natural Oils for Harnessing the Power of This Unique Ingredient
Read Time 2-3 Minutes
Sometimes referred to as Vitamin F, Linoleic Acid is one of the most effective ingredients in skincare, strengthening the skin’s protective barrier while providing excellent moisturizing and healing properties. Several types of skin care oils, including Sunflower Seed Oil, Hemp Oil, Grapeseed Oil, and Prickly Pear Seed Oil, are particularly high in Linoleic Acid.
But which oils provide the best benefits, and how can you ensure you get the most out of this unique fatty acid? In this post, we’ll explore why Linoleic Acid is so beneficial while delving deeper into some of the most effective oils containing this powerful ingredient.
The Basics of Linoleic Acid
Linoleic Acid is an Omega-6 essential fatty acid (EFA), which means it’s essential for human health but isn’t created by the body. Working in tandem with Omega-3 EFAs, Omega-6 fats like Linoleic Acid help promote optimal brain function, aid in skin and hair growth, and keep our metabolism regulated. This multitasking ingredient is critical for proper tissue and cell growth.
Linoleic Acid—in which “linoleic” comes from the Greek “linon,” or “flax,” while “oleic” translates to “derived from oil”—is an unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fats are critical for promoting cell turnover and regeneration, keeping skin soft, supple, and youthful.
The Benefits of Linoleic Acid
Linoleic Acid, or Vitamin F, provides moisture and “plumpness” without weighing down the skin; it fortifies and protects the skin’s barrier, thereby helping to fend off UV rays and air pollutants such as smoke, both of which cause free radical activity that can result in wrinkles and signs of aging. It also lightens sun induced hyperpigmentation.
Linoleic Acid for Acne-Prone Skin
Most people prone to breakouts are actually lacking Linoleic Acid in their sebum, the skin’s natural oils, and instead have an overabundance of Oleic Acid, a (non-essential) Omega-9 fatty acid that helps the skin lock in and retain moisture but can easily get trapped in pores when not properly balanced with Linoleic Acid. Whereas Oleic Acid is quite rich, often leading to excess oil for people with acne-prone skin, Linoleic Acid is much thinner and lighter, and therefore suitable for those with oily/acne-prone skin.
The Drawbacks of Linoleic Acid
Powerful but gentle, Linoleic Acid offers a wealth of skin care benefits, but it’s also worth taking note of an important drawback: Linoleic Acid has a short shelf life, meaning most oils containing high amounts of Linoleic Acid will lose effectiveness after three to six months.
In vegetable oils containing 60% or more Linoleic Acid, destabilization happens quickly. Oils that contain less Linoleic Acid, like Rosehip Seed Oil and Argan Oil, are much more stable. However, skin care formulas containing high levels of Vitamin E allow Linoleic Acid to stabilize, meaning it can remain effective much longer.
Linoleic Acid in Prickly Pear Seed Oil
Although it contains high amounts of Linoleic Acid, Prickly Pear Seed Oil is especially adept at maintaining the efficacy of this powerful fatty acid.
Prickly Pear Seed Oil, extracted from the prickly pear plant, also referred to as the Barbary fig, is extremely high in antioxidants, which are essential for keeping Linoleic Acid “fresh” and active. Containing 150% more Vitamin E—one of the most powerful antioxidants available—than Argan Oil, Prickly Pear Seed Oil has a much longer shelf life for active Linoleic Acid efficacy than any comparable oils.
Of any beauty oil on the market, Prickly Pear Seed Oil also contains the highest percentage (88%) of unsaturated fatty acids, such as Linoleic Acid, which are essential for stimulating healthy cell production and turnover.
To ensure you get the most of out Linoleic Acid’s many benefits, reach for our Aknari Brightening Youth Serum. Containing antioxidant-rich Prickly Pear Seed Oil and soothing Argan Oil, this serum provides weightless moisture, lightens sun-induced hyperpigmentation, and evens out overall skin tone.
