[Talking about Ingredients] About not-so-boring grape seed oil

We see grape seed oil in grocery stores and health food stores. Some of us cook with this oil. But did you know that grape seed oil is also an excellent skin care ingredient, especially for anti-aging products? 

In this post, we’ll delve into what grape seed oil is composed of, what its benefits are, and what to look out for when choosing a product with grape seed oil.

What is grape seed oil?

Grape seed oil is derived from - as the name suggests - from the seeds of grapes. It is a by-product of the winery and grape juice industry. 

This botanical oil is extremely high in these components:

• Vitamin E (Tocopherol): Vitamin E found in grape seed oil is much higher in amount than soy oil and olive oil.
• Omega-6 fatty acid: Grape seed oil is especially high in linoleic acid, which is said to be anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.
• Phenolic compounds (antioxidants): Including resveratrol and proanthocyanidins, which are said to be 20 times higher in antioxidant power than Vitamin E. 

Benefits of grape seed oil

There are many botanical oils that are high in Vitamin E. But what sets grape seed oil apart is that it is also high in phenolic compounds. And unlike other oils that are high in Vitamin E, such as coconut oil, that are only good for certain types of skin, grape seed oil - like its good friend jojoba oil - is suitable for most skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin. That is because grape seed oil is lightweight and is non-comedogenic, meaning it does not clog pores - clogged pores lead to acne and breakouts. 

And what’s so great about grape seed oil is that it helps improve multiple skin concerns, eliminating the need to use different ingredients to tackle multiple skin issues - this is one of the reasons why so many of DrLOUIE products are formulated with this very ingredient, the multi-functionality of grape seed oil. 

There are many other key benefits of grape seed oil:

• Helps manage acne
  It may sound strange that oil helps manage acne because we automatically think that oily skin equals breakouts and acne. Grape seed contains a high level of linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid, the most abundant omega-6 fatty acid in the skin. And because it is an essential fatty acid, our body does not naturally produce it, unlike omega-9 fatty acid, such as oleic acid. This essential omega-6 fatty acid plays a key role in managing acne because acne-prone skin is found to be deficient in linoleic acid. That is because a deficiency in linoleic acid causes more production of oleic acid, which clogs pores, stimulates inflammation, and causes acne. 
• Protects against aging caused by free radical damage
  As mentioned earlier, grape seed oil is high in tocopherol, commonly known as Vitamin E, and phenolic compounds, especially proanthocyanidins. The amount of Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, found in grape seed oil is much higher than that found in olive oil. Coupled with another strong antioxidant proanthocyanidins, grape seed oil is a powerful free-radical fighter, which helps prevent pollution- and UV-induced free radical damage, which causes the skin to age faster. In addition, grape seed oil, when formulated with potent Vitamin C, such as ascorbic acid or ascorbyl glucoside, is much more efficient and effective in fighting free radicals that damage our skin cells because it boosts the antioxidant power of Vitamin C. 
• Strengthens the skin barrier and makes the skin more elastic
  Just above, I mentioned that grape seed oil is high in linoleic acid. This omega-6 fatty acid not only helps manage acne, but it also plays a direct role in keeping the skin barrier intact: It integrates into skin cells to strengthen it while reducing transepidermal water loss, meaning it prevents water from being evaporated into the surrounding environment. In addition, Vitamin E helps replenish this protective barrier and hold onto moisture. And because the skin is better at maintaining water level, it is more elastic and looks firmer. 

What to watch out for when choosing a product with grape seed oil

But as with every wonderful ingredient, if you are allergic to the ingredient, it won’t offer any of the benefits mentioned above. So before using any product with grape seed oil, make sure to do a patch test and see whether you react to it or not. After doing a patch test, wait about 24 hours to see if you react to the product. If your skin doesn’t show any reaction, then you are okay to use grape seed oil.

And when choosing a product with grape seed oil, make sure to purchase a product with cold-pressed, unrefined grape seed oil. The reason is that cold-pressed oils have not been heated - hence COLD-pressed - distilled or gone under chemical treatment. As such, the components that make grape seed oil so effective remain intact. And because there has been no chemical treatment, there is no concern about chemical solvent residue that could irritate the skin. 

Our products with grape seed oil 

Our products use cold-pressed, food-grade grape seed oil so that the benefits of grape seed oil can be maximized and be used safely. 

These are some of our products with grape seed oil. And many of them are formulated with potent forms of Vitamin C to boost its antioxidant power. 

Exfoliating Cleansing Cream	Hair Treatment
Age Defying Night Cream	Age Defying Day Cream
Protection Cream	All-in-One Essence for Dry Skin
All-in-One Essence Light

Sources: 

Downing DT, Stewart ME, Wertz PW, Strauss JS. Essential fatty acids and acne. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1986 Feb;14(2 Pt 1):221-5. doi: 10.1016/s0190-9622(86)70025-x. PMID: 2936775

Garavaglia, J., Markoski, M. M., Oliveira, A., & Marcadenti, A. (2016). Grape Seed Oil Compounds: Biological and Chemical Actions for Health. Nutrition and metabolic insights, 9, 59–64. https://doi.org/10.4137/NMI.S32910

Korać, R. R., & Khambholja, K. M. (2011). Potential of herbs in skin protection from ultraviolet radiation. Pharmacognosy reviews, 5(10), 164–173. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.91114

Lin, T.-K., Zhong, L., & Santiago, J. (2017). Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(1), 70. doi:10.3390/ijms19010070

Shi J, Yu J, Pohorly JE, Kakuda Y. Polyphenolics in grape seeds-biochemistry and functionality. J Med Food. 2003;6(4):291-299. doi:10.1089/109662003772519831