Omega Fatty Acids, and skin health.
What are omega fatty acids?
Fatty acids are the main constituents of oils and fats, along with vitamins, bio-active compounds, and substances that provide oils with their colour and flavour.
Fatty acids are formed from carbon chains linked to varying numbers of hydrogen atoms and the different arrangements of the carbon chains and hydrogen molecules create the properties of each type of fatty acid, and the resultant oils.
You have probably heard of fats and oils being described as either ‘saturated’, ‘unsaturated’ or ‘mono-unsaturated’ and this is based on the fatty acid components of each oil. acids are essential for skin health, both when taken orally and used topically.
They are building blocks of skin cells and contribute to maintaining skin hydration, protecting the skin barrier, maintaining skin elasticity, reducing inflammation, and anti-aging.
Why is it important to know about Fatty Acids?
Formulating, and using, skincare products made with natural oils and butters requires knowing how the different fatty acids affect the skin, and which oils will provide the desired outcome. Having had an interest in product formulation for over 20 years, I am a mad label reader (not helped by also having coeliac disease LOL). I enjoy looking at products and seeing what ingredients were chosen by the formulator, and what they aim to achieve.
When I first started learning how to create body butters and lotions, I did some workshops that taught you how to manufacture products from set recipes. Once I was comfortable creating these ‘recipes’ I wanted to explore other ingredients. What about swapping shea butter with another butter, or subbing in different oils? How will this affect the lotion - smell, texture, skin feel and skin outcome.
I discovered that shea butter can go grainy in balms, and that my skin did not respond well to it in a cleanser, and enjoyed the moisturising benefits when I subbed rice bran oil into a body butter recipe. This piqued my interest in studying the benefits of different oils and thus the properties of fatty acids.
If this has also interested you, read on as we explore some properties of the three main omega fatty acids of interest in skincare - oleic, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, and why we chose certain oils over others in our products.
Oleic Acid
Oleic acid is the principle fatty acid in olive oil (and thus how it was named). It is a monounsaturated Omega 9 fatty acid, and is the most abundant fatty acid - found in most plant oils. Being an unsaturated oil, it is considered to be of benefit to the heart when included in a healthy diet. However I am more interested in its topical use.
Oleic acid has emollient properties, supporting skin flexibility, softness and keeping skin supple - all highly desirable when considering promoting skin stretching in pregnancy. Being highly compatible with sebum in skin, it helps other ingredients and nutrients to penetrate more deeply into the skin layers.
I was taught may years ago that olive oil was great for using on newborns - for baby massage, in baths and for cradle cap - and there have been several baby skincare ranges throughout the years that were founded on, and advertised around, the ‘skin benefits’ of olive oil. Thus I was interested to read several studies that indicated that topical olive oil, and other oils high in oleic acid, could actually damage the newborn’s immature skin barrier, and even that of adults.
In her book “Power of the Seed” Susan M. Parker explains that oils rich in oleic acid are more likely to have an adverse effect on the skin’s barrier where this is a deficiency of the essential fatty acids linoleic and alpha-linolenic. When you use oils, or a mix of oils, that provide a balanced fatty acid profile, then the oleic acid can really shine for its deeply moisturising and nourishing benefits. Thus we have used baobab and ricebran oils for their balanced ratio of oleic and linoleic acids.
Linoleic Acid
Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated omega 6 fatty acid and is known as an ‘essential fatty acids’ - it is not produced by the body and has to be consumed. Oils that are high in linoleic acid are safflower (there is also high oleic safflower designed for heart health available in supermarkets), sunflower, grape-seed, cucumber, passionfruit seed and watermelon seed - all of which are used in our products - are quickly absorbed and don’t leave a greasy after-feel.
Linoleic acid is important for maintaining the skin barrier, which then reduces moisture loss. A strong skin barrier helps nutrients cross whilst protecting against harmful organisms., there are some suggestions that these fatty acids may help with conditions like eczema, however that is a huge topic all of its own.
In facial skincare, oils high in linoleic acid are used in products for acne as it doesn’t clog pores and may help control oily skin. It balances oleic acid to help prevent irritation.
Alpha-linolenic Acid
Another essential polyunsaturated fatty acid, alpha-linolenic is an omega-3 acid, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is thought to relieve itching, irritation, redness and hyperpigmentation, again excellent properties for pregnancy skincare. It, like linoleic acid, is light and easily absorbed whilst still being nourishing.
The oils in our products with significant amounts of alpha-linolenic acid are blueberry, chia and rose-hip oils.
This is just an introduction to omega fatty acids, and they are not the only constituents of plant oils with amazing skin-loving properties. If you are interested in finding out more, of the best resources that I have found is ‘Power of the Seed’, a book by Susan M Parker. Susan also has an excellent website full of information about the properties and benefits of a great variety of oils and butters.
In future articles we will be looking further into the beautiful oils and botanical extracts and why they were selected for our products.
References
Barron, B. (2023, November 20). Omega fatty acids for skin: benefits & Uses. Paula’s Choice Skincare. https://www.paulaschoice.com.au/expert-advice/skincare-advice/ingredient-spotlight/how-omega-fatty-acids-help-skin.html
Danby, S. G., AlEnezi, T., Sultan, A., Lavender, T., Chittock, J., Brown, K., & Cork, M. J. (2012). Effect of olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier: Implications for neonatal skin care. Pediatric Dermatology, 30(1), 42–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1470.2012.01865.x
de Meza T. Should we use olive oil or sunflower oil on a preterm infant’s skin? Infant 2013;9(5):170–72.
Miller, S. (2024, May 30). Discover the beauty benefits of linoleic acid for skin | The Naked Chemist. The Naked Chemist. https://thenakedchemist.com/linoleic-acid-essential-beauty-nutrient/
Parker, S. M. (2014). Power of the Seed: Your guide to oil for health & beauty. Process Media.
