Ingredient Of The Week: Evening Primrose Oil
Hormone Balancing and Skincare Benefits – This oil can do it all!
Historically referred to as the ‘King’s Cure-All’ due to its regal and honourable properties that made it fit for Kings and Queen’s to use in medicinal applications, Evening Primrose Oil is reputed to have therapeutic properties in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. This small, yellow wildflower, native to some parts of Asia, North America, and Europe is arguably the most sought-after plant for its oil’s beauty and health benefits.
The oil is rich in an essential fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which has been shown to treat a variety of health issues most notably female reproductive tissues, the nervous system, as well as symptoms of difficult-to-treat and painful skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema.
Evening Primrose Oil Skin Benefits
Hormonal imbalances often lead to breakouts in both teenagers and adults.'This is especially true for women because they go through regular periods of hormone fluctuations — this includes the menstrual cycle and menopause.' Thanks to the high omega-6 fatty acid content of primrose oil, which when combined with coconut oil then applied topically every day can help tackle the root problem of acne, because the fatty acids promote skin elasticity consequently, improve your skin’s overall appearance. Dr Axe The linoleic acid, Oleic acid, Palmitic acid, and Stearic acid found in Evening Primrose oil have been identified to play a significant role in cell structure therefore, provides the skin with the following benefits:
- Nourishes the skin with essential fatty acids
- Provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Consequently, speed-up wound healing, soothe acne and reduce the risk of future outbreaks.
- Potentially alleviate symptoms of allergies and boost immunity thanks to its anti-oxidant properties.
- Enhance skin elasticity and suppleness, accordingly, reduce the appearance of premature aging, such as wrinkles, crow’s feet, and fine lines.
- Palmitic acid found in evening primrose oils is the most common saturated fatty acid and thanks to this, it has emollient properties that keep the skin moist which helps prevent dryness without leaving it feeling too greasy or sticky.
- Stearic acid in Evening Primrose oil is a great emulsifying agent that binds water and oil, therefore, provide cleansing capabilities to not only soften the skin, but also eliminates the build-up of dirt, sweat, and excess sebum from the skin
We use Evening Primrose oil in our Luna Goddess nourishing night serum so it gets to work over night leaving you with glowing skin to wake up to!
Evening Primrose Oil Hormone Balancing benefits
Taking about 500–1,300 mg capsule of EPO has been shown to help alleviate morning stiffness, most importantly, mitigate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome including pain and cramping, headaches, menopausal symptoms, breast pain due to the menstrual cycle. The Gamma-Linolenic acid in Evening primrose also encourages healthy brain activity and helps sustain the health and function of reproductive systems. Read more on this subject here.
The oil is derived from this yellow-flowering plant has been used to treat a variety of women conditions such as infertility by increasing the production of cervical mucus, and when taken as a supplement or applied topically it can ease labor pains and childbirth by promoting dilation of the cervix. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should never take evening Primrose oil because it contains hormone-like compounds that can trigger unsafe uterine contractions during pregnancy.
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