Sustainable Ingredients Science: Natural Oils

Most natural oils are formulated in skin or hair care for feel, consistency and emolliency; however, their added value on skin physiology due to their chemical characteristics (from their fatty acid profile to their content of vitamins, phytosterols, etc.) is often underestimated. Their use in personal care has been limited not only by their stability against oxidation, with possible oxidation leading to rancidity and instability of the final formulation, but also by their color, smell and cost. To appreciate a sensorial difference, high amounts of these oils may have to be utilized, with the aforementioned limitations considered. These limitations, together with the common problems of lacking skin safety profiles and unrefined materials, have pushed the industry to invest in more stable, inert and less costly synthetic oils—many of which demonstrate excellent sensorial properties. However, the growing market demand for natural alternatives to synthetic is pushing brands to continue to consider the use of natural oils in their formulations.

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