What Are The Benefits Of Prickly Pear Seed Oil?

Prickly pear seed oil isn’t just another trend — it’s packed with skin care benefits that cater to various skin needs. Here’s why this oil is creating such a buzz:

1. Antioxidants Galore

Prickly pear seed oil is brimming with antioxidants, particularly vitamin E. In fact, it boasts 150% more vitamin E than argan oil. This powerful antioxidant helps protect your skin from harmful UV rays and environmental pollutants, which can cause premature aging​ like fine lines and wrinkles. Prickly pear seed oil is renowned for its high concentration of betalains, a potent form of antioxidants that combat wrinkles and other aging signs caused by environmental stress. These compounds are highly effective in protecting and rejuvenating the look of the skin.

2. Essential Fatty Acids

Prickly pear seed oil is loaded with essential fatty acids, including linoleic acid, oleic acid and palmitic acid. These fatty acids are crucial for maintaining the skin’s moisture barrier, keeping it hydrated and preventing the look of dryness and flakiness​. The fatty acid profile of these acids replenish lost lipids which helps moisturise and restore the look of skin elasticity.

3. Deep Moisturization

Prickly pear seed oil’s high content of linoleic acid helps the skin retain water, providing deep hydration and a plump, smooth texture. This is especially beneficial for dry and mature skin types.

4 Minimizes Sun Damage

Thanks to its rich antioxidant profile, prickly pear seed oil aids in minimizing skin damage from sun exposure. It helps fade the look of sun spots, reduce redness and restore the skin’s natural glow.

Prickly pear seed oil can help to reduce the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Prickly pear oil is rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids, namely omega-6 and omega-9. These nutrients contribute to visibly minimizing the look of dark spots (or age spots) while also smoothing out the look of fine lines.

Prickly pear seed oil is derived from the seeds of the prickly pear cactus, scientifically known as Opuntia ficus-indica. This cactus is native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States but has been introduced to arid and semi-arid regions worldwide. 

The oil extraction process is labor-intensive, typically taking three to four days. The seeds, which are tiny, must be carefully hand-gathered from the fruit. The seeds are then cleaned, dried and cold-pressed to extract the valuable oil. Given that only about 18-20% of the peeled fruits are seeds, and these seeds contain just 3-5% oil, it requires approximately one ton of cactus fruits to produce a single liter of oil. Furthermore, the harvest season for these fruits is limited, lasting only a few weeks to a couple of months depending on the region. These factors contribute to the premium price of prickly pear seed oil.

Additional Benefits of Prickly Pear Seed Oil

Hair Revitalization

Prickly pear seed oil is an excellent remedy for dry, dull and lackluster hair. To use it as a hair treatment, simply apply one or two drops to your hair at night, massaging it in and leaving it for 15 minutes before washing. This oil helps to revitalize hair, adding shine and volume.

Nail Strengthening

Regular application of cold-pressed prickly pear oil to the nail cuticles can help strengthen nails, making them less prone to breakage. Just a few drops massaged into the cuticles can improve nail health and resilience.