Ingredient Spotlight: Camelina Oil

I'm always on the lookout for locally produced ingredients that can be incorporated into my skincare, and one such find has been camelina oil, not seen all that commonly in skincare, so in this article I thought I'd tell you a bit about it. 

Camelina sativa, also known by the evocative name gold-of-pleasure, is native to Europe and parts of Asia, and has been cultivated in these areas for at least 3,000 years. It's similarity to flax has earned it the name false flax, although it isn't actually related. It grows particularly well in colder climates and poor soil, but is very adaptable, and so has now colonised every continent except Antarctica. It grows incredibly fast, so makes an easy crop to farm commercially, and has excellent potential as a cover crop to prevent erosion as part of sustainable agriculture. 

Until the 1940s, camelina oil was heavily used in Europe for oil lamps, as well as a dressing for culinary use. It has rather fallen out of use subsequently, although its application as biofuel is now being investigated by the US air force, as well as its culinary use being reexamined due to its high omega-3 content. It's its potential for skincare that I've particularly focused my research on though. 

Camelina oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as mentioned, but it also contains exceptionally high levels of tocopherols (Vitamin E), which makes it much more stable than most oils high in polyunsaturated fats. This means that it is not prone to rancidity and can be heated, unlike many similar oils. It is also rich in eicosenoic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid which can help to balance the skin's natural sebum production. Both jojoba oil and meadowfoam oil are touted as wonder ingredients for this reason - their eicosenoic acid content - but the locally produced camelina oil can do this too. It's also known to have anti-inflammatory properties, so can reduce redness from sensitivity or ageing. 

The camelina seed oil I buy is cold-pressed in Yorkshire, from camelina grown in the UK. Cold-pressing means the oil has had no artificial processing and is 100% pure. The camelina is also certified organic. 

You'll find camelina oil in the following products: 
Luscious Lipstick
Empress Luxury Serum

Note that camelina oil, should not be confused with camellia oil, the oil from the tea plant, commonly used in skincare.