PLANT OIL
Evening Primrose
A wildflower seed oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), used to soften and nourish skin and support its natural barrier.
Source
Evening primrose seeds
Used for
Emollient, soft-feeling skin
How it works
Oenothera biennis, evening primrose, is a wildflower whose seeds are pressed for oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential omega-6 fatty acid the skin cannot make on its own. Applied topically, oils like this sit among the skin's own surface lipids, helping to soften and nourish and to support the skin barrier's ability to hold onto moisture.
In practice, evening primrose oil is used as a rich, fast-absorbing facial oil, often layered with other skincare in the evening as part of a wider routine.
In practice, evening primrose oil is used as a rich, fast-absorbing facial oil, often layered with other skincare in the evening as part of a wider routine.
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01
Rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid the skin cannot produce itself
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02
Helps soften and nourish, sitting among the skin's own surface lipids
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03
A rich, fast-absorbing facial oil for evening use
Questions
What is evening primrose oil?
It is the oil from the seeds of the evening primrose, Oenothera biennis, generally obtained by cold pressing. In skincare it is used as a softening, skin-conditioning emollient. (Timoszuk et al., 2018; European Commission CosIng)
What is GLA?
GLA, or gamma-linolenic acid, is an omega-6 fatty acid. Evening primrose oil is very rich in linoleic acid and is also a notable source of GLA, with small amounts of tocopherols (vitamin E) and polyphenols. (Timoszuk et al., 2018)
About the plant
Evening primrose is an upright biennial of the Onagraceae family, native to eastern and central North America. In its first year it forms a low rosette of leaves; in its second it sends up a stiff flowering stem roughly one to one and a half metres tall. (Missouri Botanical Garden; Timoszuk et al., 2018)
Its bowl-shaped, lemon-yellow, four-petalled flowers open at dusk and close again in the morning when the sun reaches them, which gives the plant its common name. It was taken to Europe in the 1600s and has since naturalised across the continent. (Missouri Botanical Garden)
Its bowl-shaped, lemon-yellow, four-petalled flowers open at dusk and close again in the morning when the sun reaches them, which gives the plant its common name. It was taken to Europe in the 1600s and has since naturalised across the continent. (Missouri Botanical Garden)
The research
- Ceccacci S. et al., "An Oenothera biennis Cell Cultures Extract Endowed with Skin Anti-Ageing Activity Improves Cell Mechanical Properties," Metabolites, 2021, 11(8), 527 (opens in a new tab)
- European Commission CosIng database: Oenothera Biennis Oil (function: skin conditioning - emollient) (opens in a new tab)
- Timoszuk M, Bielawska K, Skrzydlewska E. Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) biological activity dependent on chemical composition. Antioxidants, 2018;7(8):108 (opens in a new tab)
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder: Oenothera biennis (opens in a new tab)
