PLANT OIL
Plum Seed Oil
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
A silky oil pressed from the kernels inside plum stones, rich in oleic acid and natural tocopherols, used to help skin feel soft, smooth and conditioned.
Source
The kernels inside plum stones (Prunus domestica)
Used for
Softness and a silky feel, dry skin
How it works
Silky oil from the plum stone.
Plum seed oil comes from the small kernel inside the hard stone of the plum, Prunus domestica. Kernels left over from fruit processing are cold pressed or extracted to give a light, silky plant oil.
The oil is mostly oleic acid, followed by linoleic acid, with a low share of saturated fats. It also carries natural minor compounds, including tocopherols (vitamin E), plant sterols, squalene and carotenoids, and studies have found it has good oxidative stability.
In cosmetics its listed function is skin conditioning. It gives facial oils and creams a silky, cushioned feel and helps leave skin soft and smooth, morning or night.
The oil is mostly oleic acid, followed by linoleic acid, with a low share of saturated fats. It also carries natural minor compounds, including tocopherols (vitamin E), plant sterols, squalene and carotenoids, and studies have found it has good oxidative stability.
In cosmetics its listed function is skin conditioning. It gives facial oils and creams a silky, cushioned feel and helps leave skin soft and smooth, morning or night.
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01
Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and conditioned
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02
Rich in oleic acid, with natural tocopherols and plant sterols
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03
A silky, cushioned feel in oils and creams
Questions
Is plum seed oil the same as plum fruit extract?
No. Plum seed oil is the fixed oil pressed from the kernels inside plum stones, while plum fruit extract is made from the flesh of the fruit. They do different jobs. (CosIng; COSMILE Europe)
What is plum seed oil made of?
Oleic acid is the main fatty acid, followed by linoleic acid, with relatively little saturated fat. The oil also contains natural tocopherols, plant sterols such as beta-sitosterol, squalene and small amounts of carotenoids. (Vladić et al., 2020; Górnaś et al., 2016)
How does plum seed oil feel on skin?
It is a light, silky oil. Like other plant oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids, it stays liquid and is used in cosmetics for skin conditioning, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth. (COSMILE Europe)
Is plum seed oil stable?
Yes. Plum seed oil holds up well, helped by its natural antioxidant phenolic compounds. As with any plant oil, keep it somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight. (Savic et al., 2020)
About the plant
Inside each plum stone sits a kernel, and the kernels are a good source of oil, which can be obtained by cold pressing or supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. (Vladić et al., 2020; Savic et al., 2020)
Good to know
Plum seed oil is pressed from the kernel inside the plum stone. If you have a nut allergy, check with your doctor or allergy specialist before using it, and patch test first if your skin is sensitive.
The research
- Vladić J, Gavarić A, Jokić S, Pavlović N, Moslavac T, Popović L, Matias A, Agostinho A, Banožić M, Vidović S. Alternative to Conventional Edible Oil Sources: Cold Pressing and Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Plum (Prunus domestica L.) Kernel Seed. Acta Chimica Slovenica. 2020;67(3):778-784. PMID: 33533440. (opens in a new tab)
- Savic I, Savic Gajic I, Gajic D. Physico-Chemical Properties and Oxidative Stability of Fixed Oil from Plum Seeds (Prunus domestica Linn.). Biomolecules. 2020;10(2):294. PMID: 32069964. (opens in a new tab)
- Górnaś P, Rudzińska M, Raczyk M, Mišina I, Soliven A, Lācis G, Segliņa D. Impact of Species and Variety on Concentrations of Minor Lipophilic Bioactive Compounds in Oils Recovered from Plum Kernels. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2016;64(4):898-905. PMID: 26730611. (opens in a new tab)
- COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe) cosmetic ingredient database: Prunus Domestica Seed Oil (plant: plum, prune; part: seeds (kernels); fat or oil; function: skin conditioning) (opens in a new tab)
- European Commission CosIng database: Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, the fixed oil expressed from the seeds of the plum, Prunus domestica L., Rosaceae (function: skin conditioning) (opens in a new tab)
