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Focus on Ingredients: Sunflowers Part Two

Focus on Ingredients: Sunflowers Part Two

As we talked about in the last blog, people have had a relationship with sunflowers for thousands of years. In addition to the seeds being a tasty treat, sunflower oil has so many benefits for the body and for the skin. 

There are a few methods for extracting the sunflower oil from the seeds, by pressing and through chemical extraction. The sunflower oil we use in our products is extracted through the cold press method.

Sunflowers in bloom against a blue sky Image by Nowaja from Pixabay 

Because it is so beneficial, sunflower oil is popular for its uses in skin care. It is also neutral enough to be a carrier oil which means it is able to bring supportive herbal and other ingredients below the skin’s surface and into the cells. 

Sunflower oil is great for all skin types because it is non-comedogenic -  meaning that it will not clog pores - and won’t trigger breakouts. In fact, this oil may help to clear dead skin cells from the surface of the skin which can improve the clarity of the skin. The Five-Oil Eye Makeup Remover works well to gently remove the sometimes tough to take off eye makeup like mascara and it can be used on the rest of the face to dissolve makeup and/or sunscreen. 

Small bowl with shelled sunflower seeds surrounded by unhulled seeds below on the table        Image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay

Gentle, with anti-inflammatory properties, sunflower oil soothes irritated skin and can help to relieve temporary redness due to sun exposure and other causes. Sunflower oil contains a high amount of linoleic acid, which is a fatty acid that’s found in the skin’s sebum so it’s great to use all over the body. In our Five-Oil Moisturizing Blend, sunflower oil is blended with 4 other healing oils - avocado, shea, sweet almond and sesame seed oi. Both our Aloe, Olive & Avocado Lotion  and our Jojoba & Shea Butter Hydrating Lotion are formulas that utilize sunflower oil for body soothing hydration.

Sunflower oil is especially rich in vitamin E, and contains a high amount of other antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamin A, C, K and D. Antioxidants like these vitamins, act to protect the skin from environmental damage by stabilizing free radicals. Environmental stressors can contribute to signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles. Our Cucumber & Botanical Healing Serum and Rose & Nettle Daytime Serum are both lighter face moisturizers that combine the healing and antioxidant properties of sunflower oil with other beneficial botanicals to create a gentle yet powerful hydration. 

Sunflower bloom with a sunflower full of seeds and a clear bottle with sunflower oil  Image by congerdesign from Pixabay 

One of the main benefits is its ability to increase hydration. Sunflower oil is an emollient so it helps to improve the strength of the skin barrier. The skin barrier is important for skin health because it helps moisture stay inside of the cells. Properly hydrated skin cells minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles.  Our Olive Leaf & Neroli Moisturizer is great for sensitive skin and is rich yet gentle and deeply hydrating  for the skin. The Frankincense & Rose Geranium Serum is an oil based serum combining needed fatty acids with antioxidants to bring long lasting and deeply penetrating hydration to the skin. 

As the days grow longer, and we emerge into spring, sunflowers connect us to the seasonal cycles and to the force that powers it all - the Sun.

The people of the Ukraine are in our thoughts. May all refugees find peace, a safe home and recovery.

 Bright yellow Sunflower bloom agains a blue sky           Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay 

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