Borage Seed Oil

Borago officinalis

Borage Seed Oil is a prized oil in skin care for its noteworthy essential fatty acid content, consisting primarily of the omega-6 EFA gamma linolenic acid.

Borage Seed Oil has been used in aromatherapy and natural skin care to aid many skin conditions including eczema.

Borage Seed Oil is expensive and is usually blended in a small (often 10%) dilution with other carrier oils. By their nature, essential fatty acids deteriorate quickly. Borage Seed Oil, therefore, goes rancid rather quickly.

Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage by Len Price mentions that Borage Seed Oil contains approximately 15% saturated fat, 15% oleic acid (an omega-9 fatty acid), 38% linoleic acid (an omega-6 essential fatty acid), 21% gamma linolenic acid (GLA, an omega-6 essential fatty acid) and less than 1% alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 essential fatty acid). [Len Price with Ian Smith and Shirley Price, Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage (United Kingdom: Riverhead, 1999), 43.]

Botanical Name

Borago officinalis

Aroma

Light and Sweet

Viscosity

Thin to Medium

Absorption/Feel

Penetrates Well, But Leaves a Somewhat Oily Feel to the Skin.

Color

Light Yellow

Shelf Life

6 Months

Important Information

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General Safety Information

Use caution when trying any new ingredient, including carrier oils on the skin or in the hair. Those with nut allergies should consult their medical practitioner before coming into contact with nut oils, butters or other nut products. Do not take any oils internally without consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Safety information can be found by visiting the Safety Information page. For very in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand.

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