PLANT OIL
Borage Seed Oil
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
A light, silky oil pressed from the seeds of the starflower, one of the richest plant sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), used to help skin feel soft and supple.
Source
Borage (starflower) seeds
Used for
Dry-feeling skin, softness
How it works
One of the richest plant sources of GLA.
Borage (Borago officinalis), also called starflower for its bright blue star-shaped flowers, produces small dark seeds that are pressed for their oil. Borage seed oil is notable for its gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) content, typically around a fifth to a quarter of the oil, among the highest of any common plant oil, alongside linoleic acid.
A 2025 analysis of cold-pressed borage oil confirmed its GLA-rich fatty acid profile, and in cosmetics it is listed as a skin-conditioning emollient. In skin care it's valued as a soft, conditioning oil that helps skin feel supple and comfortable.
It's a light, non-greasy oil that suits most skin types and is often blended with other plant oils in facial oils, serums and eye care. As a polyunsaturated oil, it's best kept away from heat and light.
A 2025 analysis of cold-pressed borage oil confirmed its GLA-rich fatty acid profile, and in cosmetics it is listed as a skin-conditioning emollient. In skin care it's valued as a soft, conditioning oil that helps skin feel supple and comfortable.
It's a light, non-greasy oil that suits most skin types and is often blended with other plant oils in facial oils, serums and eye care. As a polyunsaturated oil, it's best kept away from heat and light.
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01
One of the richest plant sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)
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A soft, conditioning emollient that helps skin feel supple and comfortable
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03
Light and non-greasy, so it blends easily into facial oils and eye care
Questions
What is borage seed oil?
It is the oil from the seeds of borage, Borago officinalis. Its common names include starflower, beebread and talewort. In cosmetics it is listed as skin conditioning and as an emollient, softening and smoothing the skin. Like other vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids it is liquid, and it naturally carries small amounts of vitamins, carotenoids and free fatty acids. (USDA GRIN; COSMILE Europe)
Why is borage oil known for GLA?
Borage seed oil is notably rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid that typically makes up around a fifth to a quarter of the oil, and it also contains a large share of linoleic acid, another omega-6. Few common plant oils carry as much GLA. (Fratianni et al., 2025)
What does research on borage oil show?
Research has focused mainly on its composition, which is dominated by omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid and GLA, and cold-pressed borage oil has also shown antioxidant activity in laboratory testing. In everyday skincare its role is as a light, conditioning oil that softens and smooths the skin. (Fratianni et al., 2025; COSMILE Europe)
About the plant
Borage, Borago officinalis, belongs to the borage family (Boraginaceae). It is native to North Africa and the Mediterranean, from Morocco, Spain and Portugal east through Italy and Greece to Cyprus, Lebanon and Syria, and has since naturalised widely in temperate regions including North America, Australia and New Zealand. Its common names include starflower, beebread and talewort. (USDA GRIN)
The oil comes from the seeds (kernels) and, like other vegetable oils high in unsaturated fatty acids, it is liquid. It can be cold-pressed from the seeds without solvents. (COSMILE Europe; Fratianni et al., 2025)
The oil comes from the seeds (kernels) and, like other vegetable oils high in unsaturated fatty acids, it is liquid. It can be cold-pressed from the seeds without solvents. (COSMILE Europe; Fratianni et al., 2025)
The research
- Fratianni F, Coppola F, Tavaniello S, Ombra MN, De Giulio B, D'Agostino N, Zengin G, Coppola R, Nazzaro F. Fatty Acid Profile and Some Useful Biological Aspects of Borage, Calophyllum, and Prickly Pear Seed Oils: Implications for Health and Dietary Use. Antioxidants (Basel), 2025. PMID: 40563295 (opens in a new tab)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Global). Borago officinalis L. (borage, starflower), taxonomy and native distribution (opens in a new tab)
- COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe) cosmetic ingredient database: Borago Officinalis Seed Oil (plant part: seeds; functions: skin conditioning, emollient) (opens in a new tab)
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