Ingredient Spotlight: Barbary Fig Seed Oil

barbary fig seed oil

There are botanical oils for skincare, and then there are super botanical oils for skincare. Barbary fig seed oil is just that — a super food for your skin. You could call it the kale of botanical oils. Rich in essential fatty acids (particularly omega 3), active minerals, amino acids and powerful antioxidants like betalains, Barbary fig seed oil is lightweight and absorbs readily but performs like heavy hitter. This oil is packed with antioxidants and contains some of the highest levels of vitamin E you’ll find, much more than argan oil, so it conditions while combating free radicals like a boss. Barbary fig seed oil also contains significant amounts of linoleic acid, which helps to soften and heal skin. Studies have found that acne prone skin is deficient in linoleic acid, so yes — Barbary fig seed oil benefits the acne prone as much as the person who wants to benefit from its anti-aging prowess. It also protects skin from environmental damage, speeds cell regeneration and acts as an anti-inflammatory. Want to plump skin and help address hyperpigmentation? Call on Barbary fig seed oil. It’s truly a multipurpose oil that benefits many skin types — an example of nature’s finest.

Not all Barbary fig seed oil is created equally, however, and as with all natural ingredients proper sourcing is critical to getting the results you want. Cold pressed, organic oil is a must, but it’s also important to know what goes into the making of the oil. Barbary fig seed oil comes from a thorny cactus that produces fruit, and from this fruit the seeds are extracted and pressed for their oil, with each seed yielding about 5% pure oil. That means it takes a lot of seeds to produce pure Barbary fig seed oil, which is why it is one of the more expensive botanical oils on the market. Many producers actually include the oily macerated fruit and flowers as part of their production process, which makes for a less pure and less potent oil but allows them to offer it a cheaper price. The best Barbary fig seed oil is pressed exclusively from the tiny seeds of the fruit, nothing else.

Whether you are looking to reduce dark under eye circles, plump skin and deter wrinkles, or fight acne and inflammation — look for products with pure, cold pressed Barbary fig seed oil in the ingredients or try introducing the oil on its own as part of your routine. Here are some products to look for that feature Barbary fig seed oil:

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About Susannah Compton

Susannah Compton is the founder and formulator behind Florescent, a line of 100% botanical perfumes she blends in small batches from organic and wild crafted aromatics. Plant-based skincare and cosmetics are a way of life for Susannah, who writes about clean beauty and the benefits of botanical ingredients for No More Dirty Looks, Thoughtfully Magazine and Integrity Botanicals. Florescent, however, is Susannah’s personal expression of healthy beauty. Susannah has been working with botanical aromatics for years, blending first for therapeutic purposes before delving into the art of perfumery. Having rarely experienced the depth and complexity of true botanicals in conventional perfume, she learned the art of blending and created what her heart desired — a scent that would move her the way perfume should. In search of those elevating, ethereal bouquets of scent, Susannah honed her skills behind the perfume bench. She launched Florescent in the spring of 2015 to share the lush experience and pleasing ritual of real perfume.