Of all of the non-comedogenic oils used in our skincare formulations, evening primrose oil is definitely one of our favorites. If you aren’t using evening primrose oil daily, you’re missing out on a lot of benefits for your hair, nails, and skin.
Why? Funny you should ask. We’re going to deconstruct and share what we know and how to incorporate this powerful ingredient into your skincare arsenal.
Evening Primrose oil or Primrose Oil, (aka night willow herb), is a lightweight, fast absorbing oil extracted from the seeds of the evening primrose flower (Oenothera biennis). It’s a small, night-blooming flower which is native to North and South America. Native peoples have used it for centuries to heal inflammation caused by rashes, dermatitis, bruising, and other skin irritations. Around the 1600’s, it was brought back to Europe and quickly mainstreamed as a cure for many different skin conditions. Combats dryness and inflammation. Research supports evening primrose oil for relieving many skin concerns, including dryness and inflammation. This is due to the oil’s high concentration of essential fatty acids, (EFA’s-Omega 3 and 6) including gamma-linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is the most abundant fatty acid in the skin barrier and is responsible for helping maintain the skin’s structure and function. A lack of linoleic acid in the barrier can result in visible premature aging. Evening primrose oil also contains flavonoids and other antioxidants that helps protect the skin from environmental stressors including the impact of free radicals on the skin.
It is highly emollient, to soften and smooth the skin – including reducing the appearance of fine lines and improving the look of skin texture. It also helps lock in moisture to minimize loss of moisture, which keeps the skin barrier functioning properly.
Many research studies show that evening primrose oil is an effective treatment for atopic dermatitis and eczema as it reduces inflammation and relieves flakiness and itching.
Evens skin tone. Skin discoloration is caused by several things including over exposure to sun, inflammation (especially related to blemish or acne conditions) and photo aging (age spots). Vitamin C is often used to help brighten and even out skin tone, but studies show that evening primrose oil helps reduce the appearance of skin discolorations, as well. due to its high concentration of linoleic acid.
Helps heal blemish prone skin conditions. Due to its rich omega 6 fatty acid content, evening primrose oil is recommended to reduce redness, inflammation and irritation caused by blemishes. It is non-comedogenic, lightweight and fast absorbing so it moisturizes and hydrates oily skin without clogging while helping to diminish p-acnes bacteria.
It's good for your nails. Biotin is an important protein for skin, hair, and nail health. A deficiency leads to brittle nails that split, peel, or crack easily. Evening primrose oil is a good source of biotin. When applied topically to nails or cuticles, it helps improve nail strength and health.
Evening primrose oil is a treasure chest of skincare benefits. It deserves a front row spot in your skincare lineup! Our Euro Botanicals Evening Primrose Oil is 100% pure botanical oil with Vitamin E ($18). It’s just the repair – restore – rejuvenate solution you need for end of summer skin.
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