Prickly pear oil – properties, application, opinions. Effect of fig opuntia oil on the skin

Proven content

Prickly pear oil is a highly moisturizing and softening the skin, extracted from the cactus. Prickly pear oil works on the skin thanks to its unique moisturizing and anti-aging properties. The prickly pear is known as the “miracle plant” because of its many medicinal uses over the centuries. What is the characteristic of prickly pear oil? How can we use fig prickly pear oil?

Prickly pear oil – what is it?

Opuntia fig oil, also known as Berber fig oil or Indian fig oil, comes from the beautiful fig opuntia (Opuntia ficus-indica, Latin), a member of the cactus family. The oil is obtained by squeezing the seeds, what is interesting, to produce 1 liter of the oil you need about a ton of prickly pear fruit.

Prickly pear oil has been used for centuries for medicinal and culinary purposes. The versatility of the prickly pear is truly remarkable: the Aztecs used it to treat burns, the Chinese used it to treat abscesses, and the Native Americans consumed its fruit and made it into a syrup for whooping cough and bronchial asthma.

In traditional Mexican medicine, fig opuntia oil has also been used to treat diabetes and high cholesterol. Mexicans even used it to paint churches and houses, as well as to delimit property boundaries. Recently, prickly pear oil has become popular in skin care.

Although the prickly pear fruit contains an average of about 150-300 seeds each, the seeds themselves are tiny and contain only about 5% of the oil. To produce just 1 liter of oil, you need 1 ton of prickly pear.

Read: Essential oils – properties, application, types of oils

Prickly pear oil – origin

Generally, the prickly pear is native to parts of the United States, Mexico and South America, and also thrives in Africa, Australia and around the Mediterranean Sea. However, the best prickly pear oil for skin care comes from Morocco. In order to obtain the precious oil, the prickly pear seeds are extracted by hand and then passed through machines specially designed for the purpose.

You can buy 100% cold-pressed fig opuntia oil at a favorable price on Medonet Market. Check out the Plant Botox offer in a fig opuntia roll from Herbal Island.

Prickly pear oil – the method of obtaining

Prickly pear trees grow in arid countries like Morocco (as we already know). In order to obtain this precious oil, the prickly pear fruit is first harvested to extract the seeds from them. To extract 1 liter of the oil, you need almost 30 kilograms of seeds contained in 1 ton of prickly pear. Each seed contains approximately 5% pure oil.

In order to obtain prickly pear oil, you must first carry out a meticulous selection of fruits. The spikes around the prickly pear make it difficult to work and slow down the process of extracting the seeds. Therefore, the prickly pear fruit is carefully picked and opened to reveal the seeds. After the seeds are extracted, they are dried. Then, they are transferred to a special machine where they are cold pressed.

In fact, high-quality fig prickly pear oil is usually green or yellow and its smell is more or less noticeable. In order to preserve its cosmetic properties, it is packed in glass bottles.

See: Oregano oil and its properties

Prickly pear oil – composition

All vegetable oils – prickly pear oil is both vegetable and fruit – contain essential fatty acids. When human skin does not get enough essential fatty acids, its outer barrier is severely compromised, increasing the risk of developing dry and irritated skin.

Among all the cosmetics that we can find on the market, prickly pear oil has the highest content of unsaturated fatty acids. These acids are necessary for our skin to stimulate the production and regeneration of cells.

Below are the main ingredients of Prickly Pear Oil and how they influence the condition of our skin.

Fatty acids in fig opuntia oil

Prickly pear oil in its composition contains a very large amount of unsaturated fatty acids and linoleic acid, i.e. essential omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids, which nourish and regenerate our skin. These ingredients also strengthen the skin’s outer barrier, allowing it to retain moisture / hydration for longer.

The fatty acids also fight inflammation and have strong anti-acne properties that help keep the skin smooth and beautiful. Linoleic acid also helps treat minor burns and cold sores.

1. Bioherba Prickly Pear Serum for mature skin, as well as Bioherba Oil Serum with vitamin C, you can order at Medonet Market.

Polyphenols in fig opuntia oil

Polyphenols have strong antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Thanks to this, polyphenols are crucial for maintaining the proper condition of our skin.

Polyphenols also help in the fight against oxidative stress, which occurs as a result of an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body’s ability to effectively defend against them. These compounds also help in reducing skin redness and irritation. They also soothe sunburn.

Vitamin E (tocopherols) in fig opuntia oil

Prickly pear oil contains almost 150% more vitamin E than any other cosmetic on the market. Vitamin E is found in tocopherols, a group of eight different organic chemicals found in prickly pear.

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that destroys free radicals in the body. The compound also exhibits strong anti-inflammatory properties that accelerate, for example, the wound healing process.

Phytosterols in fig opuntia oil

The main advantage of phytosterols is that they bind to water. This is great news for our skin because the water-binding phytosterols help keep the skin moisturized for a long time. These compounds also play a key role in the production of collagen, which helps keep skin looking young and soft.

Prickly Pear Oil also contains other effective and powerful antioxidants known as betalainswhich are red and yellow pigments found in plants. Prickly pear contains the most betalain than any other plant, including beetroot, Goji berries, and Acai. These super antioxidant pigments help protect the skin from aging.

In addition to betalain, fig opuntia oil contains amino acids that can stimulate collagen production. With vitamin K, fig Prickly Pear Oil helps to lighten areas of discoloration on the skin.

Prickly pear seed oil is also found in zinc. This ingredient is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that helps heal wounds, from local abrasions to acne, and helps protect the body from free radicals and protect collagen-producing cells.

Read also: A sponge is a bag of bacteria. Do not use it for washing – recommends a dermatologist

Prickly pear oil – properties and application

The prickly pear oil is absorbed almost instantly, leaving little or no residue behind, and therefore it can be used in the morning and in the evening, on its own or before applying moisturizer for an extra dose of mega-nutrients.

Prickly pear oil has strong anti-aging properties that rejuvenate the skin, making it look smooth, young and moisturized. This is partly due to the amino acid content of the oil. Thanks to its antioxidant effect, it stimulates cell renewal, ensuring a fresh and radiant skin. It reduces discoloration and redness.

Prickly pear oil contains essential fatty acids that moisturize the collagen layer of the skin and cause the pores to narrow.

Thanks to prickly pear oil, you will say goodbye to dry and irritated skin and welcome smooth and moisturized skin. Moisturizing is one of the best-known properties of fig opuntia oil. Not only does it moisturize the skin, it does so in a unique way that makes it glow. In addition to moisturizing, the oil acts as a powerful anti-wrinkle serum that smoothes the outer layer of the skin, preventing the appearance of signs of aging.

Prickly pear oil – effect on the skin

Most of the vegetable oils available on the cosmetic market are not adapted to the skin under the eyes. Our skin under the eyes is very thin and therefore requires special care. Vegetable oils are perfect for the care of the skin under the eyes, but for this sensitive area you need to choose the right one. Thanks to its light and non-greasy texture, prickly pear oil is quickly absorbed into the skin. And most of all, without the feeling of heaviness under the eyes.

Used under the eyes, fig opuntia oil naturally removes dark circles, wrinkles and bags under the eyes! Pat one drop of Prickly Pear Oil into your eyes without pulling on the skin. Gently massage in circles from the outer corner to the inner corner of the eyes.

At Medonet Market, you can order Sylveco regenerating serum for all skin types with the addition of fig opuntia oil, which moisturizes and firms the skin. The serum also has anti-aging properties.

See: Are dark circles under the eyes a symptom of a disease?

Opuntia fig oil – is it suitable for men?

Prickly pear oil is perfectly suitable for men’s skin care. This oil can be a fantastic option for any man looking for an aftershave / moisturizer. Since prickly pear oil is light, the Lord will never have to worry about greasy residue on the skin or too “shiny” appearance when applying it.

The oil will soothe any irritation caused by shaving, moisturize and soothe dry, flaky spots. Prickly Pear Oil can be used on the face and chin to provide a simple, hassle-free addition to your daily skincare routine.

Prickly pear oil – substitutes

If you have decided that prickly pear oil is not suitable for you, and at the same time you would like to find a natural oil with the same properties, here are some other suggestions:

1. coconut oil – antibacterial, ultra moisturizes the skin,
2. argan oil – perfectly moisturizes every day, even for people with acne-prone skin,
3. rosehip seed oil – moisturizes and prevents skin damage,
4. marula oil – has antibacterial properties and prevents skin damage while moisturizing it,
5. jojoba oil – helps fight acne, moisturizes and protects the skin against sun damage.

See: Face oils – how to use?

Fig opuntia oil – reviews

Natural care is gaining more and more popularity in Poland, we use cosmetics more and more consciously. Often, instead of ready-made specifics available in drugstores, we buy natural ingredients and create mixtures in our own bathrooms. This is greatly influenced by the greater availability of various intermediates and easy access to knowledge about natural cosmetics used in different parts of the world. On various internet forums you can find opinions about fig opuntia oil, the vast majority of which are positive.

The oil is praised for its efficiency. 2-3 drops of the oil are enough for one application on the entire face. This oil is pleasant and easy to distribute, and does not leave a greasy layer on the skin and does not cause an unsightly shine. Despite the high price of the oil, one package lasts for a long time, and the users of online forums, delighted with the effects of using the oil, declare their willingness to buy the product again.

Try the Prickly Pear Flower as a base for making tea. You can buy a dried flower at Medonet Market.