Find out why this hormone-balancing oil needs to be a part of your natural beauty care routine with these 10 beauty benefits of evening primrose oil.
What is Evening Primrose Oil
The evening primrose (scientific name: Oenothera biennis) is a small flowering plant that produces delicate yellow flowers, blooming from late spring to early summer.
Evening primrose oil (where to get it) is a therapeutic oil extracted from the seeds of the plant. The oil has a translucent golden yellow color and a slightly nutty scent.
It is also most popularly known for its labor-inducing effects and is often used by those wishing to induce labor naturally.
Evening Primrose Oil Profile
♥ Scientific Name:
Oenothera biennis
♥ Other Names:
Evening primrose oil is also known as EPO, Primrose Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Seed Oil, Cis-Linoleic Acid, Oil of Evening Primrose, Primrose Oil, Huile de Primrose and more
♥ Origin:
Grapes are native to the Mediterranean, Southwestern Asia, Europe and North America
♥ Color and Smell:
The oil is a yellow color with a heavy odor. Consider adding essential oils to improve its scent before using.
♥ Texture:
Evening primrose oil has a thick and heavy consistency. It absorbs slowly onto the skin.
♥ Shelf Life:
6 months (please refrigerate it after purchase to lengthen shelf life)
♥ Comedogenic Rating:
2
♥ Precaution & Tips:
- Refrigerate evening primrose oil to lengthen its shelf life. When using it to make your own DIY products, you can combine it with Vitamin E oil to extend its shelf life.
- Since it has a thick consistency, blend it with argan oil or pomegranate seed oil to make it easily applicable onto skin & hair.
- Add essential oils to evening primrose oil to improve its heavy oily scent.
- Pregnant.nursing women should avoid evening primrose oil or consult a doctor before use.
- Before using it, do a patch test by applying a drop of evening primrose oil on your inner arm. If there’s irritation within 1-2 hours, do not use the oil.
Where to Buy Evening Primrose Oil
Make sure to buy 100% pure high quality evening primrose oil. One of my best choices is this 4 oz organic cold pressed evening primrose oil from Renewalize.
For supplements, I love the popular brand Now Foods 500 mg Evening Primrose Oil soft gels.
But did you know this beautiful medicinal oil has many beauty benefits too? Let’s look at some of the beauty benefits of evening primrose oil below:
10 Beauty Benefits of Evening Primrose Oil
1. Heals eczema
Eczema is a skin condition characterized by dry, rough and inflamed patches of skin. It can be extremely itchy and uncomfortable. Unfortunately the cause of eczema is still unknown and modern medicine does not offer a cure.
Evening primrose oil has actually been found to be helpful in treating and healing eczema. Those who took evening primrose oil in the form of capsules found improvement in their eczema within week.s
2. Hormonal imbalances
So many people, young and old are suffering from hormonal imbalances today. This is due to the synthetic hormones found in meat products, food products laden with synthetic preservatives and pesticides as well as toxic self-care products. These toxins mimic estrogen in the body and cause hormonal imbalances.
Hormonal imbalances can wreak havoc on the state of your skin and hair. It can cause hair thinning and balding. It can also make the skin appear dull, lifeless and dry. Hormonal disruptions can also cause acne, psoriasis and eczema.
Evening primrose oil is the best supplement that can help treat hormonal imbalances. By helping to set the delicate equilibrium of the endocrine system, evening primrose oil balances the hormones and promote beautiful hair and skin.
Read more:
- Evening Primrose Oil for Hormone Balance: Why it Works & How to Use it
- How to Use Evening Primrose Oil for PCOS – 5 Ways
- Evening Primrose Oil for Fertility – Benefits & Dosage
3. Treats acne
Evening primrose oil is renowned for treating hormonal acne and reducing acne flare-ups. Taking primrose oil helps to tackle the root cause of hormonal acne, which is hormonal imbalance.
You can apply evening primrose oil onto your face daily (just 1-2 drops). This will greatly help reduce inflammation, reduce the size of the acne and pimples, promote faster healing of acne and prevent the formation of acne scars.
Take one evening one evening primrose oil capsule (500mg) twice a day, 1 in the morning and 1 at night, to supplement your body with the nutrients to clear up acne.
4. Fights hair loss
Taken internally, evening primrose oil can supply your body with omega-6 fatty acids, which are often lacking in the diets of those suffering from hair loss.
Consume one evening primrose oil capsule (500mg) twice a day, 1 in the morning and 1 at night, to supplement your body with the nutrients that your hair needs. Buy organic evening primrose oil capsules here.
Evening primrose oil can be applied topically on the hair to stimulate hair growth. Combine 2 drops of cedarwood oil, 2 drops of vetiver oil and 2 drops of peppermint oil to ¼ cup of evening primrose oil in a 4 oz amber glass dropper bottle. Apply this to your hair every night before bed. Wash off in the morning with natural sulfate-free shampoo.
5. Moisturizes
If you are looking for a good moisturizer with a low comedogenic rating, evening primrose oil is a great choice. Not only does it smell breath-taking, but it also nourishes your skin with essential fatty acids. The oil leaves your skin feeling supple and youthful.
For a light face and body moisturizing lotion, whip ¼ cup of shea butter and ¼ cup of evening primrose oil with 2 – 3 teaspoons of lavender hydrosol. Add 4 – 6 drops of essential oils such as geranium essential oil for extra skin-enhancing benefits. Store in an 8 oz amber glass jar.
6. Reduces redness
Evening primrose oil is very effective at reducing redness on the skin, from the inside out. Its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce inflammation, swelling and soreness on the skin. This helps to reduce redness, itching, rashes and hives, which may be brought about due to eczema, psoriasis or other skin conditions.
7. Psoriasis relief
Psoriasis is an auto-immune disorder that manifests in the skin as large welts on the skin that may be red, white and peeling. In psoriasis, the skin cells reproduce at an extremely fast rate, causing dryness, itchiness, discomfort and pain.
Thanks to the omega 6 gamma linoleic acid found in evening primrose oil, conditions like psoriasis whose cause and cure is unknown, can be relieved and healed. Evening primrose oil is very helpful in reducing inflammation and excessive cell turnover. It helps to reduce and manage the symptoms of psoriasis.
8. Reduces hyper-pigmentation
Evening primrose oil is also effective in reducing hyper-pigmentation. Hyper-pigmentation usually occurs on the face, neck and other areas such as elbows and knees. It occurs where there is excess melanin production in only some areas of the skin. This results in some areas of the skin looking darker, while other areas of the skin appear lighter.
The toning qualities in evening primrose oil can help to even out the skin tone and reduce hyper-pigmentation.
Taken internally as evening primrose oil capsules, this amazing oil helps correct hyper-pigmentation brought about due to hormonal malfunction.
9. Lightens skin
If you are looking to lighten your skin naturally, evening primrose oil is one remedy you definitely should consider. Unlike other oils such as coconut oil, evening primrose oil does not have a reputation of tanning skin or darkening the skin.
Blend 2 tbsp of evening primrose oil with 2 tbsp of argan oil. Now add 8 drops of lemon oil, 8 drops of lavender oil and 5 drops of carrot seed oil. Combine together in a 4 oz amber glass dropper bottle. Apply on your skin every night for a skin lightening effect.
Read more: Evening Primrose Oil for Skin Lightening
10. Anti-aging properties
One of the best oils for anti-aging is evening primrose oil. It has ultra-moisturizing qualities that can help keep the skin supple, smooth and soft. It also has vitamins and other nutrients that help maintain the normal function of skin to prevent premature aging.
Evening primrose oil also has strong antioxidant properties that help prevent free radical damage on the skin, which in turn helps prevent the formation of wrinkles and fine lines.
Consider adding evening primrose oil to your moisturizer or make an anti-aging with it to promote glowing youthful skin! In a 4 oz amber glass dropper bottle, add 2 tbsp argan oil, 1 tsp evening primrose oil, 1 tsp watermelon seed oil, 5 drops lavender essential oil, 5 drops geranium essential oil and 6 drops frankincense essential oil. Massage 2-3 drops on your face at night time.
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