Tucked away inside the small seeds of this humble flower is a potent oil that has been gaining attention in the skincare world.
When extracted through cold pressing, this skincare marvel is rich in beneficial fatty acids and numerous plant compounds, providing a comprehensive blend to nourish and care for your skin.
But, just what are those skincare benefits? And can they transform your skincare experience?
Let’s take a peek.
The Powerhouse Ingredient: What Sets Evening Primrose Oil Apart?
Calling evening primrose oil a star ingredient would be an understatement.
The secret to its immense skin benefits? It boasts many, many powerful compounds.
Both unusual and powerful, evening primrose oil is one of the rare sources of the omega-6 fatty acid, Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA), a nutrient known to have significant anti-inflammatory effects. On top of that, it’s loaded with natural omega-9, linoleic acid, and oleic acid, all of which can help support firm, smooth, and healthy-looking skin.
This bounty of fatty acids work synergistically, making an ideal recipe for comprehensive skin nourishment and care.
Let’s take a look at some of the most significant benefits evening primrose oil has to offer your skin.
The Top Evening Primrose Oil Benefits for Skin
1. Provides Hydration & Nourishment for Skin
Evening primrose oil has a natural ability to help hydrate and soften skin.
Studies have shown that oral intake can help boost skin moisture levels, and its high GLA content has been found to help strengthen and rejuvenate the skin’s natural moisture barrier. This means evening primrose oil can be beneficial for combating dryness and protecting against excess transepidermal water loss— something that makes your skin dry out more quickly.
Though studies have only focused on using the oil as an oral supplement, its rich fatty acid content gives it a lot of potential for moisturizing and nourishing skin through topical application, too.
2. Can Help Enhance Elasticity
A little-known fact about evening primrose oil is that it has shown potential to help improve skin elasticity. Elasticity refers to your skin’s ability to bounce back into place after being stretched, and is especially important for fending off “saggy-looking” skin.
According to one published study, overall elasticity and hydration levels increased noticeably when participants added evening primrose oil into their daily supplement regime. It remains to be seen whether these results can be achieved with topical use as well, but this is already a positive result.
3. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Thanks to GLA’s well-known anti-inflammatory effects, evidence suggests that consuming evening primrose oil may be beneficial for those dealing with irritating sensitive skin concerns, like atopic dermatitis — a form of eczema.
Additionally, the high concentrations of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have been linked to helping alleviate both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne. One study even found that GLA helped reduce mild to moderate acne breakouts when consumed for a period of 10 weeks— with no adverse side effects.
Although more research is needed, these positive outcomes from oral intake of evening primrose oil could mean that it’s just as beneficial when used topically as well.
4. Anti-Aging Antioxidants
Evening primrose oil is rich, not only in fatty acids, but also in antioxidants that come in the form of polyphenols and tocopherols (a form of vitamin E).
This is important because, though many people don’t know it, free radical damage is a big accelerator of the aging process within your skin.
Essentially, primrose oil provides your skin with some key tools it needs to potentially slow down this process and keep your complexion looking youthful.
The Best Way to Use Evening Primrose Oil for Your Skin
To get the most out of your evening primrose oil routine and to experience its full potential, it’s essential to keep in mind some key tips.
First, when purchasing topical skincare oils of any kind, remember to seek out organic and unrefined options. Looking for the USDA Organic seal is the best way to ensure the plants used to make the product have not been sprayed with pesticides, while unrefined means the oil hasn’t undergone excessive heating, bleaching, or deodorization — which significantly reduces its nutritional value.
For the best results, use evening primrose oil consistently in your skincare regimen, preferably applying it at night. This is because your skin undergoes powerful rejuvenation and repair as you sleep, making it an ideal time to apply such a nourishing oil. After cleansing, evening primrose oil can be gently massaged into your skin on its own or mixed with other carrier oils.
That said, while evening primrose oil works wonders by itself, it can have an even greater impact when combined with other beneficial ingredients. To enhance its effectiveness, consider using it alongside antioxidants like, tremella extract, green tea, or vitamin C ingredients. You might also want to consider combining it with another hydrator— aloe vera, for example— to boost its moisturizing power even more.
Age-Defying Skincare with Evening Primrose Oil
Now that you’ve discovered the range of skin benefits evening primrose oil offers, you can experience them for yourself through the Age-Defying Night Cream from Purity Woods.
This exceptional cream is fortified with not just nourishing evening primrose oil (and several other key botanical hydrators) but also antioxidant-rich tremella and maple leaf extracts to boost your skin’s natural elasticity.
This potent formula is further enriched with over 20 other pure botanical ingredients that work to deeply moisturize your skin and effectively erase the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, and other signs of aging.