What is "OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA SEED OIL" and what does it do?
Role: EMOLLIENT
Family: Prickly pear vegetable oil
Comedogenic index: 0
Known as prickly pear oil, this product is extracted from the prickly pear, a fatty plant that grows in arid regions of Latin America and around the Mediterranean.
Source : This oil is extracted from the seeds of the prickly pear, also known as Nopal, a cactus native to Mexico. Its fruits, used to make jams and jellies, contain around 18 to 20% of seeds.
Extraction process: The quantity of oil extracted from the seeds is relatively small, between 3 and 5%, which makes this oil rare and expensive. It takes about a ton of fruit to produce just 1 liter of oil.
Oil composition and properties
Fatty acids: The main fatty acids present in the oil are repairing linoleic acid (60-70%), nourishing oleic acid (9-26%) and saturated palmitic acid (8-18%).
Rich in antioxidants and sterols: The oil contains a high concentration of antioxidant vitamin E and anti-inflammatory sterols, such as beta-sitosterol and campesterol.
Potential anti-aging effects
Tensor effect: Prickly pear oil may help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, giving skin a rejuvenated look.
Protection against Free Radicals
Antioxidants: Rich in sterols and vitamin E, this oil could protect the skin against damage caused by free radicals, molecules which, in excess, accelerate skin aging.
Nutrition and elasticity: Prickly pear oil, containing omega-6 and omega-9, may nourish the skin and reinforce its elasticity, while preventing dehydration and improving the epidermal barrier.
Revitalizing dull complexions
Radiance and luminosity: This oil is beneficial for dull, tired complexions, thanks to its rich unsaturated fatty acids that restructure and illuminate the skin.
The Prickly Pear: A Gift of Nature
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