Seed Oil, or oil from seeds, is an oil derived from the seeds of a plant. The term Seed Oil is often listed in the ingredients of a skincare product. What should we understand when we see the term "seed oil" on packaging?What is its purpose? We provide some explanations.
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What is "Seed Oil" and what is its utility?
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Published November 5, 2021,
updated on February 1, 2024,
by
Stéphanie, PhD, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences
—
2 min read
What is Seed Oil?
Seed Oil is the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) term for seed oil used on skincare packaging. Most vegetable oils are derived from seeds. On the ingredient list, a vegetable oil is represented by its Latin name followed by the INCI designation "seed oil" or "extract". Therefore, on packaging, you may find terms such as Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil to denote sunflower vegetable oil, or Argania Spinosa Seed Oil for argan vegetable oil.
What should we understand by the term "Seed Oil" on packaging?
The term "seed oil" indicates that the oil used in the formulation is a virgin vegetable oil, not an esterified oil. The latter is referred to by names such as "ethylhexyl palmitate" or "coco caprylate caprate". Due to the treatments they have undergone, esterified oils are concentrated in vitamins, essential fatty acids, and phytosterols (plant actives). Indeed, esterified oils have been enhanced at the fatty acid level to stabilise them and make them penetrative. On the other hand, a virgin vegetable oil retains all the properties of the seeds used.
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