Fatty acids in skincare. How to choose your oils?

You must be very familiar with the term OILS in cosmetics. Oils are based on two simple building blocks: glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol has three alcohol groups to which the fatty acids can be attached. The fatty acid components can vary widely.

An example of a triglyceride

Oils can be solid (waxy, butter) or liquid. The degree of unsaturation and branching in the molecule can increase liquidity. In this post, I want to focus on the main unsaturated fatty acids: oleic acid, linoleic acid, alpha, and gamma-linolenic acid.

Oleic acid:

A monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid, which our body can produce. Oleic acid is said to be useful for dry and aging skin since it has nourishing, softening, and soothing properties. Thus, oil with a high percentage of oleic acid is good for massaging purposes as it has a rich texture and thus is absorbed slowly.

Oils rich in oleic acid:

I have tried sweet almond oil for facial massage and it feels amazing on my skin (I have a combination skin type). Research says that sweet almond oil has many benefits such as reducing puffiness and under-eye circles, improving acne, and reducing scar spots. I haven’t used it long enough to see the progress, but for the purpose of softening and smoothing the skin, it works perfectly. One plus of sweet almond oil is that it can make your hair soft and feel smoother to the touch.

Linoleic acid:

A polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid, which our body can’t naturally produce. Linoleic acid is good for acne-prone, oily, and sensitive skin. It is lightweight and thinner than oleic acid thus absorbed easily.

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA):

A polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, which our body can’t produce either. It does have moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties, but its effect is less direct than linoleic acid.

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA):

An omega-6 fatty acid. It is good for improving the barrier function of the skin. It seems that oral supplementation of ALA and GLA are more important than smearing them all over our faces.

Oils rich in linoleic acid and linolenic acid:

Tamanu oil has almost equal amounts of oleic acid (34-41%) and linoleic acid (29-38%), which is good for combination skin types. Tamanu oil has moisturizing benefits, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Thus it is good for treating acne and fading acne scars.

I hope you find this information helpful in choosing your oils.