What is Prickly Pear Seed Oil?

Prickly pear seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica), also called prickly pear or Indian fig. This special cactus grows in dry areas of Morocco, Tunisia and Mexico, and can survive extreme drought while still producing juicy, healthy fruits. Our prickly pear seed oil is cold-pressed and unrefined, with a golden yellow color and a distinctive scent that is floral, fruity and slightly resinous.

How is Prickly Pear Seed Oil made?

The prickly pear contains numerous small black seeds, and these seeds are precisely the source of the oil. But the seeds contain only 5% oil. This means that approximately 1 million seeds, or 30 kilos of fruit, are needed to make 1 liter of prickly pear seed oil. The seeds are removed from the fruits, washed, dried and then cold-pressed. With cold-pressed oil, no heat above 30 degrees is used during pressing, which preserves all natural vitamins and fatty acids.

Due to this labor-intensive process, prickly pear seed oil is one of the most precious plant oils in the world.

Why is Prickly Pear Seed Oil so special?

Prickly pear seed oil has the highest vitamin E content of all plant oils, with approximately 1000 mg tocopherols per kilo. That's almost twice as much as argan oil and makes prickly pear seed oil one of the most powerful plant antioxidants in cosmetics.

Additionally, the oil consists of 60 to 65% linoleic acid (omega 6) and 20 to 25% oleic acid (omega 9). That high content of linoleic acid makes prickly pear seed oil particularly suitable for restoring the skin barrier and soothing dry or irritated skin.

Benefits of Prickly Pear Seed Oil for your skin

Powerful pro-age effect
Due to the exceptionally high vitamin E content, prickly pear seed oil helps protect the skin against free radicals and contributes to supple, elastic skin. A real recommendation for mature skin.

Supports the skin barrier
The high content of linoleic acid supports the natural skin barrier and helps with dry, thirsty or sensitive skin.

Light texture, absorbs quickly
Despite the rich composition, prickly pear seed oil feels surprisingly light and absorbs quickly, without leaving a greasy film. This makes it also suitable for combination skin.

Great as an eye serum
Due to its light texture and high antioxidant content, prickly pear seed oil is a popular choice as an eye serum. With regular use, the skin around the eyes can look smoother and fresher.

How do you use Prickly Pear Seed Oil?

For your face, take a few drops between your hands, warm the oil briefly and gently distribute it over your face and neck. Prickly pear seed oil is suitable for daily use, both morning and evening. For the eye contour, apply a very small amount with your ring finger, using gentle patting movements. Due to the high price, a few drops at a time is more than sufficient.

Tips when using Prickly Pear Seed Oil

• Prickly pear seed oil has a distinctive, floral-resinous scent. This is simply part of this pure, unrefined oil.
• Due to the high vitamin E content, prickly pear seed oil has a relatively long shelf life, despite its high content of unsaturated fatty acids. Store the bottle in a cool and dark place.
• A few drops are often enough. A 30 ml bottle will last a long time with daily use.
• Prickly pear seed oil blends excellently with other oils such as squalane or jojoba oil to make it even lighter.