You’re all familiar with sunflower oil as one of your go-to cooking oils. But did you know it can also be used as a skincare oil to enhance your skin? Discover all its benefits at a glance!
Benefit no1 of sunflower oil: maintaining skin suppleness and cohesion
As mentioned above, sunflower oil stands out for its exceptionally high omega-6 content. But what acid lies behind this term? Linoleic acid! And this one is essential: the body cannot produce it on its own. Yet it plays a key role at the skin level: it strengthens cell membranes and helps prevent inflammation. Skin deprived of it can become dry, rough, flaky, and lose its elasticity. Applying sunflower oil therefore helps maintain skin cohesion by boosting cellular regeneration, while soothing it in case of irritation. The skin is left more supple and resilient.
Benefit no2: strengthening the hydrolipidic film
To stay healthy, the skin relies on its natural protective mechanisms. The hydrolipidic film is one of them. A blend of water and sweat, this epidermal barrier helps maintain proper hydration in the deeper skin layers, while shielding the skin from external aggressors: sun, wind, cold, pollution, bacteria and germs. Sunflower oil is rich in oleic acid, an omega-9. Sebum is also composed of it, at around 30%. Applying sunflower oil therefore helps reinforce the skin barrier, and in doing so, maintain the skin’s optimal hydration. It retains all its strength and elasticity.
Benefit no3: fighting oxidative stress
Another strength of sunflower oil lies in its anti-ageing properties. Indeed, it stands out for its exceptionally high tocopherol (vitamin E) content, a powerful antioxidant that helps counteract the damaging effects of free radicals on skin cells. It also contains sterols, which contribute to maintaining the structure and function of cell membranes. As a result, the skin is strengthened: it is less prone to wrinkling, better defended against external aggressors and, above all, regenerates more easily, as the epithelia (cellular tissues) are reinforced. This is all the more true given that the omega-6 fatty acids in sunflower oil have an anti-inflammatory action.
Benefit no4: a multi-purpose oil
The lightweight texture, the excellent absorption, the dry finish, the pleasant scent and the affordable price of sunflower oil make it a true bathroom essential. It can be used as a nourishing oil to combat dry skin and hair, as a makeup remover, as a base for a bath oil, or as a massage oil. In this regard, it makes an excellent carrier for essential oils, which dissolve into it perfectly.
Benefit no5: preventing and treating stretch marks
It’s often overlooked, but sunflower oil is an excellent oil for preventing and treating stretch marks. It helps soften, nourish and maintain skin hydration. When properly nourished and hydrated, the skin is far less likely to develop stretch marks. Moreover, if stretch marks do appear, sunflower oil is a worthwhile option for treating them. It won’t make them disappear entirely, but:
- it will soothe the inflammation of new stretch marks (often coloured, red or purple);
- it will restore elasticity to the skin, helping to prevent stretch marks from spreading further;
- it will encourage skin regeneration – fibroblasts, the cells that produce collagen, will then form new elastic fibres to “fill in” the localised loss.
How to use sunflower oil on stretch marks?
It can be used on its own or in synergy with other oils and/or essential oils.
- On its own, it can be applied with a daily massage to areas prone to stretch marks – typically the stomach, the thighs and hips, the buttocks, and even the bust.
- It can also be blended with another natural plant oil with a different fatty acid profile. Particularly worth considering: macadamia oil, perilla oil, shea olein or marula oil.
- It makes an excellent carrier for essential oils, and can be used to create a homemade anti-stretch mark oil.
- Finally, it features in many anti-stretch mark cosmetics, including our Huile Prévention Anti-Vergetures. Cellublue has combined 5 natural plant oils to create this protective elixir: sesame, avocado, jojoba, sunflower and olive. It lets you enjoy the benefits of all these oils in one simple step. This oil is 100% compatible with pregnancy and breastfeeding, suitable for all skin types (stretch marks on young skin, dark and mixed-race skin) and all types of stretch marks (inflammatory, mature).