If you are scouring the internet for natural ingredients that can help your finicky, complicated skin look and feel better, borage oil may be one botanical to get on your radar. You see, borage oil contains a very special fatty acid that is known to soothe complicated skin. Let’s dive in and learn more about the benefits of borage oil.
The Origin and Extraction of Borage Oil
Borage oil—also known as starflower oil—hails from the humble borage plant. This beautiful flowering herb is native to the Mediterranean region but has since spread to other parts of the world. It's the seeds of this plant that are of interest to us, as they're chock-full of the good stuff our skin craves.
So how do we get from borage seeds to the golden oil you're keen to learn about? It's quite a process:
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Harvesting: The borage plant's small, dark seeds are harvested once their flowers have bloomed and withered.
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Cold pressing: The seeds are then cold-pressed, a method that preserves all their natural goodness without the use of heat or chemicals.
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Refinement: Finally, the oil is refined to remove any impurities, leaving a pure, nutrient-rich oil ready for your skincare routine.
The result? A powerful, natural oil that's rich in Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA), a fatty acid that's a superstar when it comes to skin health. Borage oil has benefits for all skin types, including acne-prone skin, redness-prone skin, dry skin, and aging skin. Calming Borage oil might be the ingredient that lets your skin begin to shine.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's take a closer look at how borage oil can tackle each of these skin issues one by one, shall we?
Is Borage Oil Okay for Acne-prone Skin?
If you are struggling to get your head around putting an oil on your Acne-prone skin, you are not alone. It is a common fear that leads many people to starve their skin of necessary nutrients and helpful fatty acids that naturally occur in oils. Oil avoidance can leave the skin dry and even more susceptible to more irritation. Just remember, oil in moderation can soothe irritations, and help keep your acne-prone skin healthy and moisturized. My advice is -- Don’t fear oils, just learn which ones are helpful for your skin type, like your new bestie, borage oil.
Packed with Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA), borage oil has a lipid profile that is proven to have a soothing effect on skin. GLA is a type of fatty acid that helps skin to look and feel healthy by calming irritations and revitalizing skin. Imagine the high GLA content as the gatekeeper of your skin, keeping those undesirable breakouts from having a party on your face, and those post-acne marks that follow to look better much sooner. In addition, borage oil can keep your skin from looking like an oil slick because it helps balance your natural skin oils, leaving the skin moisturized, but not too greasy.
Check out more on how certain oils and oil-based ingredients can benefit acne-prone skin on our blog
Let’s move on to another common skin issue—redness. Luckily, borage oil benefits for skin extend to redness-prone skin too. Let's explore how.
Borage Oil's Impact on Redness Due to Dryness
Ever looked in the mirror and wished that your skin tone was a little more even? That the redness would just take a hike? Well, borage oil might just be what redness-prone skin needs.
The redness we experience on our skin is sometimes due to dryness and is often accompanied by a dry/compromised skin barrier. What I mean by this is that the skin may be thin and have tiny imperceptible holes in the skin barrier that get very irritated by skin products, pollution, and other factors. If this is the case, borage oil may be your savior. Borage oil can help to soothe the dryness and give the skin a nourishing layer of oil to build up that defensive skin barrier again, keeping irritants out and skin looking and feeling healthy and strong.
Sometimes there may be an underlying skin condition that may be causing a redness flare. Skin redness can also be caused by broken capillaries from sun damage and other factors. I want to be clear, in the case of broken capillaries, borage oil will not alleviate that type of redness, but it will still help to moisturize and revitalize the skin. Broken capillaries need to be treated with a laser in a medical setting.
Again, for those of you who missed the first few times I mentioned it, the magic of borage oil is GLA! Borage is rich in this omega-6 fatty acid that when applied to skin, works its magic by reducing the look of skin redness and moisturizing your skin. Often, dry skin can appear red and irritated. By providing your skin with much-needed moisture, borage oil helps to reduce redness and gives your skin a healthier appearance.
So, if skin redness has been your constant companion, perhaps it's time to introduce it to borage oil. The two might not get along, and that's exactly what we want!
The Benefits of Borage Oil for Dry Skin
Let’s get real, dry skin can be more than just an itchy, uncomfortable, and even painful condition, it can lead to other complicated skin issues and premature aging. Not only that, skin looks so much better and more youthful when it is hydrated. And on a superficial level, dry skin can look older than it needs to. But there's good news for those of us who've been battling dry skin — borage oil is here to bring the dry skin relief you've been longing for.
Can you guess what makes borage oil so amazing for dry skin? GLA! GLA helps your skin retain moisture, preventing it from drying out.
And the best part? It's not just us saying it. Customer reviews for our best selling borage-infused Salvation Facial Oil are filled with praise for how it has transformed their dry skin into a smooth and glowing canvas.
Dry skin, like redness-prone skin (as noted above), often has a compromised skin barrier, allowing moisture to escape and irritants to get in. Borage oil benefits for skin include reinforcing and conditioning this skin barrier, restoring your skin's natural ability to keep itself hydrated and healthy.
So, if you're tired of dry, itchy skin and looking for a natural, effective solution, borage oil might just be your new skincare bestie. Now, how about those fine lines and wrinkles that come with aging skin? Let’s see how borage oil benefits for skin extend to combat signs of aging in the next section, shall we?
Borage Oil Helps Combat the Visible Signs of Aging
Ah, aging — it's a natural part of life, but that doesn't mean we have to like the wrinkles and fine lines it brings along. If you're someone who's been searching for ways to maintain youthful looking skin, borage oil’s benefits will be sure to please you.
Not only will borage oil hydrate and soften the skin, making those fine lines less visible and the surface of your skin glow, but the rejuvenating benefits provided by borage oil are real. Packed full of antioxidants, borage oil fights off free radicals – you know, those invisible, yet damaging little molecules that can silently cause our skin cells to age faster. Before you realize it, the free radical damage has accelerated the visible aging process of your skin. So yeah, slather on the borage oil and preserve your youthful look before it’s too late.
One last thing about GLA, I promise. GLA promotes skin bounciness and recovery, another factor in youthful looking skin. When your skin is stretched, does it bounce back? Aging skin is in constant battle with gravity, and the GLA in borage can help your skin look light, lifted, and smooth.
So, now that we've covered aging skin, dry skin, redness-prone skin, and acne-prone skin, let's move on to some practical tips on how to use borage oil safely and effectively.
Using Borage Oil Safely and Effectively
Now that you're well-versed in the borage oil benefits for skin, it's time to learn how to use it safely and effectively. After all, the best skincare products are only as good as how you use them. Here are some practical guidelines to help you get the most out of your borage oil:
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Start Slow: If you're new to borage oil, start with a small amount. A drop or two is enough, especially for sensitive or acne-prone skin. It's always better to start slow and increase gradually.
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Patch Test: Before applying borage oil all over your face, do a patch test first. Apply a small amount on your neck and wait for 24 hours. If there's no adverse reaction, you're good to go!
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Massage Gently: When applying borage oil, don't just slather it on. Massage it gently into your skin, using upward strokes. This can help stimulate blood circulation and aid absorption.
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Nighttime is the Right Time: Borage oil can feel a bit heavy for some, so it's best used at night. Apply it before bed, and let it work its magic while you sleep. If you are super dry, daytime is double the skin benefits and might be necessary.
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Store Properly: Keep your borage oil in a cool, dark place. Light and heat can degrade the oil over time, reducing its effectiveness.
Lastly, who’s your favorite fatty acid? GLA of course! Gamma Linolenic Acid contributes to the overall calming/soothing and skin rejuvenating properties of borage oil. I hope you learned why borage oil will make a valuable addition to your skincare routine, no matter what your skin type. Happy hydrating!