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Prickly Pear Vegetable Oil
Commonly known as:
Prickly Pear Oil, Nopal Oil, Opuntia Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil (I.N.C.I.)
Botanical name:
Opuntia ficus indica.
Extraction process:
First cold pressing.
Family:
Cactaceae.
Part of the plant extracted:
Pips / Seeds.
Location:
Originally from Mexico but also found around the Mediterranean basin.
Flowering:
From spring to summer.
Provenance, origin:
Morocco.
Phytochemical composition:
Tocopherol (Vitamin E), polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid, linolenic acid), monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid, palmitoleic acid), saturated fatty acids (palmitic acid, stearic acid), sterols (beta-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol).
Sensorial properties:
Appearance: Oily liquid; Colour: Yellow to green depending on the harvest region; Scent: Natural (characteristic of cold pressing and dissipates very quickly after application), slightly acidic and pungent; Feel: Dry (absorbs very quickly into the skin).
Physical characteristics:
Quality: 100% pure, virgin and of natural origin ingredients; Density: 0.9 - 0.93 g/cm3; Insoluble in water; Comedogenicity index: 0 (non-comedogenic); Saponification index: 180 - 195 mgKOH/g; Oxidative potential: Stable with an induction time of 8.3 (110°C, 10 L/h).
Benefits:
Tightening, firming, softening, regenerating, antioxidant, toning, nourishing, revitalising, anti-ageing, emollient.
Concerns:
All skin types, but particularly recommended for mature, sensitive and dehydrated skin. Dark circles and bags under the eyes. Dry, brittle and weakened hair. Brittle nails.
Details
Usage
Face serums and creams, eye contour creams, face masks, shampoos, conditioners, stretch mark preventive treatments, after-sun care, restorative hair masks.
Means of Preservation
Stable vegetable oil. Store at room temperature between 10 - 25°C, protect from light and moisture in airtight containers. Do not leave near sources of heat and humidity. Keep in an opaque glass bottle which helps to slow down the oxidation of the vegetable oil and preserve its properties.
Contraindications, Usage Precautions
It is contraindicated for individuals allergic to Prickly Pear.
This is not a tanning oil. Do not apply this treatment before sun exposure.
It can be used by pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as babies under 3 years old.
Find out more
The extraction of a single litre of prickly pear oil requires 30 kilos of seeds, which equates to a tonne of prickly pears! Each seed contains approximately 5% pure oil. The sometimes high cost of prickly pear oil is therefore due to this low yield and the harvesting of the fruits, which can prove to be laborious due to the injurious thorns.
