Can nigella seed oil enhance eyebrow appearance?

Key points to remember.

Proper maintenance of the eyebrows helps to keep them supple and comfortable.
Nigella oil can soften and coat eyebrow hairs thanks to its richness in fatty acids.
No study has demonstrated that black seed oil stimulates eyebrow growth, although certain mechanisms observed on the scalp give rise to a theoretical interest.
The antifungal properties of the thymoquinone contained in black cumin suggest that it might be of relevance in cases of seborrhoeic dermatitis of the eyebrows, although this still needs to be confirmed experimentally.

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Nigella seed oil for eyebrow care: a good idea?

As with hair or beard, eyebrows require regular maintenance to maintain a uniform and well-groomed appearance. Beyond waxing or daily brushing, some individuals choose to apply a vegetable oil to coat the hairs and visually improve the appearance of their eyebrows. The nigella oil, extracted from the seeds of Nigella sativa, is sometimes used for this purpose owing to its high lipid content and biological properties. In practice, it is applied with a clean spoolie, typically in the evening, in very small amounts to avoid weighing down the eyebrows, the nigella oil remaining naturally rather greasy.

Nigella oil can soften and nourish eyebrows.

Black seed oil primarily offers cosmetic benefits through its ability to soften and sheath eyebrow hairs. Its enveloping texture arises from its high content of mainly unsaturated fatty acids, which form a lipid film on the hair surface. This film helps to reduce the sensation of dryness and protects the eyebrows from daily environmental stressors, such as friction, make-up or the make-up removal repeated.

The nigella oil also contains a fraction of saturated fatty acids, notably palmitic acid, whose structure closely resembles that of certain lipids naturally present in the hair cuticle. By analogy with findings for other vegetable oils, these lipids could partially integrate into the hair surface and enhance cuticle cohesion. A more uniform cuticle limits porosity of the hair and contributes to improved protection of the cortex, the central keratin-rich region that provides strength and flexibility to the hair. Although these mechanisms still need confirmation in dedicated scientific studies, they could explain why nigella oil can improve the appearance of rough or weakened eyebrows.

Can nigella oil promote eyebrow growth?

Nigella oil is sometimes associated with a beneficial effect on hair growth, which can lead to extrapolating its use to the eyebrows. Indeed, its antioxidant properties could help to protect the hair follicle from oxidative stress, a recognised factor in the gradual weakening of the bulb and in certain forms of hair loss. Furthermore, thymoquinone, one of nigella’s main bioactive compounds, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties that may influence follicular dynamics. Experimental studies suggest that it could inhibit the expression of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) and reduce the synthesis of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), a molecule found at high concentrations in bald scalp regions. PGD2, via its receptor GPR44, is involved in the miniaturisation of follicles, a process that leads to the production of progressively finer hairs. By modulating this pathway, nigella could theoretically limit certain mechanisms associated with hair shedding.

These hypotheses are partially supported by a clinical study conducted in twenty patients with telogen effluvium, a hair loss condition characterised by a premature shift of follicles into the telogen phase. After three months of daily application of a lotion containing 0.5% nigella seed oil, participants displayed a significant increase in hair density and thickness compared with the control group using the same lotion but without the nigella seed oil.

90%

Participants in the nigella oil group exhibited an increase in hair density.

30%

Participants in the placebo group exhibited an increase in hair density.

However, these findings pertain to the scalp. No study has yet evaluated the effect of pure nigella sativa oil on eyebrow growth, so caution is advised.

Could Nigella sativa seed oil prevent eyebrow dandruff?

4.38%

Estimated global prevalence of seborrhoeic dermatitis (meta-analysis comprising 121 studies covering more than one million clinically diagnosed individuals).

60%

Patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis exhibited eyebrow involvement (study conducted on 30 patients).

Like the beard and the scalp, eyebrows can provide a favourable environment for fungal and bacterial overgrowth, ultimately leading to irritation, itching or the formation of dandruff. This localized flaking is often linked to an imbalance of the skin microbiota and to the proliferation of yeasts of the genus Malassezia, naturally present on the skin. Black seed oil is sometimes cited for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which could theoretically help to sanitise this area.

The antifungal properties of nigella are primarily attributed to the thymoquinone it contains, a compound capable of disrupting the integrity of the cell membranes of certain microorganisms, leading to the leakage of their essential components and their demise. A study in vitro thus compared various oils of Nigella sativa containing variable levels of thymoquinone and free fatty acids to assess their antimicrobial activity against several agents, including Malassezia furfur. The results show that inhibition of the growth of Malassezia is maximal when the oil contains a high concentration of thymoquinone (around 3%) combined with a low proportion of free fatty acids, whereas oils with lower thymoquinone content exhibit markedly reduced antifungal activity.

Zone d'inhibition de Malassezia furfur pour différentes huiles de nigelle contenant différentes concentrations de thymoquinone (TQ) et d'acides gras libres (FFA). Le pyrithione de zinc est ici utilisé comme contrôle positif. — Inhibition zones against Malassezia furfur for various nigella oils containing varying concentrations of thymoquinone (TQ) and free fatty acids (FFA). Zinc pyrithione is used here as the positive control.
Source: VON OPPEN-BEZALEL L. & al. Antimicrobial activity by a unique composition of cold pressed Nigella sativa seed (black cumin) oil. Food Science and Nutrition Research (2021).

However, cold-pressed Nigella sativa oils commonly used in cosmetics generally contain less than 1% thymoquinone, which greatly limits the extrapolation of these findings. Thus, although thymoquinone has proven antifungal activity, it remains uncertain whether Nigella oil, as it is usually applied to the eyebrows, can exert any significant effect on Malassezia and effectively prevent dandruff.