Sunflower oil - underestimated beauty oil

This week I will tell you everything I know about sunflower oil🌻

For most of us sunflower oil will be recognised from our kitchen - it is very commonly used for frying. Cooking sunflower oil is highly refined and doesn't posses any beauty or therapeutic properties. For cosmetic purposes and to use in your beauty products you want to buy organic, unrefined sunflower oil which contains all the compounds.

People often forget about sunflower oil and its great properties. I would like to remind you that anyone can benefit from it😁

Sunflower oil is pressed from the sunflower seeds ( Helianthus annuus ). There are few different types: high-linoleic, high-oleic, mid-oleic and high-stearic with high-oleic. The difference is in the concentration of the main fatty acid. Organic, unrefined sunflower oil is high-linoleic. These differences can be achieved trough plant breeding and industrial processes. Ukraine and Russia are the main producers.

Interesting facts about sunflower oil:

🌻 keeps dry skin nourish and oily skin acne-free ( noncomedogenic )

🌻 doesn't clog pores and allows skin to breathe - is it then suitable for most people

🌻 it is absorbed with moderate speed - great for massage oil🥰

🌻 has anti-inflammatory properties, helps to maintain natural skin's barrier in tact - more here

🌻 it is liquid in room temperature, it has golden colour and faint scent

 

 

Fatty acids

  • Linoleic acid ( known as Omega 6 or Vitamin F )

Has anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties, helps to lock the moisture in the skin, has soothing and healing characteristics.

 
  • Oleic acid ( also known as Omega 9)

Helps to maintain softness of the skin and hair, has anti-ageing and antioxidant properties - both very desirable, especially after you turn 30😉

 
  • Palmitic acid

The most common saturated fatty acid, it has emollient characteristics.

 
  • Stearic acid

Helps to soften the skin and protect the hair form damage.

 
  • Behenic acid

Has antioxidant and anti-ageing properties.

 
  • Alpha - linolenic acid (Omega 3)

Enhances skin's overall appearance, human's body doesn't synthesize this essential fatty acid.

 
  • Myristic acid ( tetracosanoic acid )

It has anti-inflammatory properties, it can help with skin regeneration.

 
  • Arachidic acid

It has an emollient properties.

 
  • Eicosenoic acid ( Gadoleic acid )

It has an emollient properties, doesn't clog pores and balances the level of skin oils.

 
  • Gamma-linolenic acid

Soothes irritated skin, has anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties.

 
  • Palmitoleic acid

It has moisturising, brightening and anti-ageing properties, gives shine to hair and strength to nails.

 

Sunflower oil has quite high amount of Vitamin E - you can find an article in our blog about this vitamin🔍

 

Formula for moisturising lip balm

It is for 50 grams of lip balm, it filled 3 big lip balm tubes.

If you want to use beeswax instead of soya wax you need to use approximately 15% more of it, so adjust percentage of sunflower oil accordingly.

 

Place the lip balm tubes in a bowl with cold water - pour a little water first so the empty tubes kind of float but don't tip over. Cold water will speed the cooling down.

Pour the mix slowly in tubes and wait until it hardens a little, then place the tubes in the freezer for 3-5mins. After this time your lip balm is ready to use 🌻 ❤️

I used peppermint essential oil because of its refreshing smell, it also gives you this cool, tingling sensation when applied💋❄️

I have searched the internet for a definite answer whether or not you can use peppermint essential oil during pregnancy and I could not find it. Some websites claim that you should not use it, the other that you could use it after the first trimester. I cannot stress enough about being careful with essential oils, especially if you are pregnant. Ask your midwife or your doctor for their professional opinion.

 

Enjoy your moisturising and cooling lip balm🌻 💚

 

You can download the formula from our website and write down your own calculations if you are planning to make more lip balm 📝

 

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