Are there benefits to using moringa oil on oily skin?

The moringa vegetable oil, extracted from the seeds of Moringa oleifera, is recognised for its nutritional and cosmetic properties. Rich in fatty acids, particularly in oleic acid (≈ 70%), it is primarily used for its moisturising and nourishing virtues. The moringa oil also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, stemming from its high oleic acid content, but also from the various phytosterols included in its composition. A friend to sensitive and dry skin, is moringa oil also suitable for oily skin? Several elements affirm this.

• The vegetable oil of moringa is minimally comedogenic.

  One of the criteria commonly used to determine whether a vegetable oil is suitable for individuals with oily skin is the comedogenicity index, which ranges from 0 to 5 and assesses the ability of an ingredient to clog skin pores. The moringa oil has a comedogenicity index of 2, which means it is low in comedogenicity. It is recommended for individuals with oily skin not to use vegetable oil with an index of 3 or higher. Therefore, moringa oil is theoretically suitable for oily skin.

• Moringa oil could potentially reduce inflammation of the sebaceous glands.

  An in vitro study conducted on human sebocytes, the cells that synthesise sebum, suggests that moringa oil could be beneficial in cases of hyperseborrhea. Indeed, it has been shown that the addition of moringa oil to the culture medium of sebocytes helps to reduce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-8...) and inflammation mediators (TGF-β, TNF-β...). Inflammation of the sebaceous glands is a common issue in oily skin. Indeed, when produced in excess, sebum can clog the pores, thereby preventing the natural release of subsequently produced sebum. This vicious cycle can lead to local inflammation, which may result in the appearance of blemishes.

• Moringa oil could potentially protect the components of sebum.

  It can also be hypothesised that the presence of vitamin E in moringa oil is beneficial for oily skin, as hyperseborrhea can sometimes result from a lack of vitamin E in the sebum. This antioxidant plays a protective role for squalene, one of the first skin lipids affected by oxidative stress. When free radicals react with squalene, it is oxidised into squalene peroxide, a comedogenic compound. Thanks to its chemical structure, vitamin E can stabilise free radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation, thereby protecting the sebum. However, it is not certain that moringa oil contains enough vitamin E to have this effect.

• Moringa oil appears to have a sebostatic effect.

  A clinical trial, conducted with 11 volunteers with oily skin over a 3-month period, examined the effect of applying a cream containing 3% moringa oil and compared it to the same cream without moringa oil. Unlike the control, the treatment containing moringa oil managed to reduce sebum production by 25% over 12 weeks. The sebostatic effect of moringa oil could be attributed to its phenolic compounds. These compounds are indeed capable of inhibiting 5α-reductase, the enzyme that allows the conversion of testosterone into dihydroxytestosterone (DHT). When DHT binds to a specific receptor in the sebaceous glands, it stimulates sebum production. However, this study does have some limitations, starting with its small number of participants. Additionally, it was conducted in winter, a time of year when sebum production naturally tends to decrease. Therefore, a degree of caution is advised.

The key takeaway : Although more studies are still needed, moringa oil appears to be a promising vegetable oil for oily skin.

• SAKUMA T. & MAIBACH H. Oily Skin: An Overview. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology (2011).

• SHAH M. I. & al. The impact of Moringa oleifera on undesirable skin sebum secretions of sebaceous glands observed during the winter season in humans. Biomedical Research (2013).

• ENDLY D. & MILLER R. Oily Skin: A Review of Treatment Options. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (2017).

• PIETZNER A. & et al. Effects of Moringa oleifera Seed Oil on Cultured Human Sebocytes In Vitro and Comparison with Other Oil Types. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).