Over a decade ago, I stood at the grocery store aisle holding a bottle of "heart-healthy" canola oil, wondering why something so highly processed was being marketed as natural. It didn’t sit right with me, so I started digging. What I found changed the way I eat… and as an herbalist and formulator, it made me dig even deeper into seed oils for the skin.
In my early years of research, I had just learned how these heavily processed oils, once touted as healthy, were actually contributing to inflammation, hormonal disruption, and even premature aging.
But what I’ve come to understand is that it’s not the seed oil itself that’s the problem—it’s the processing, the sourcing, and the context.
Our bodies need some omega-6 fatty acids. In regard to the skin, they help regulate hydration, strengthen the skin barrier, and even assist in wound healing.
Here’s the difference...
When seed oils are eaten in refined form (chemically processed - typically with hexane) like industrial canola, soybean, or corn oil, they’re oxidized, stripped of nutrients, and toxic, leading to systemic inflammation. Your body doesn’t recognize it as real nutrients.
When seed oils are eaten in refined form (chemically processed - typically with hexane) like industrial canola, soybean, or corn oil, they’re oxidized, stripped of nutrients, and toxic, leading to systemic inflammation. Your body doesn’t recognize it as real nutrients.
But when cold-pressed, unrefined seed oils are used topically in skincare, they can be incredibly therapeutic, delivering fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins directly to your skin’s surface where they’re needed most.
How to Avoid Harmful Seed Oils in Food:
Look out for these common culprits, especially in processed and packaged foods, including “natural” salad dressings:
Look out for these common culprits, especially in processed and packaged foods, including “natural” salad dressings:
- Canola oil
- Soybean oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Safflower oil
- Sunflower oil (unless organic, high oleic, and cold-pressed)
Better alternatives:
It’s best to steam our food than fry it or cook it in oil. Fruit oils should be consumed raw as the beneficial nutrients are changed to toxins when heated. If you must cook your oil, try tallow or butter. They are more stable when heated.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- Grass-fed butter or ghee
- Tallow
Now, let’s talk about the seed oils I love in skincare.
Here are a few oils I intentionally chose for their therapeutic properties and skin-loving benefits in our Blackberry Leaf Serum and Moss & Plum Serum:
Blackberry Leaf is for normal to oily skin with intense skin concerns such as moles, dark spots, melasma, etc.
Moss & Plum is for normal to dry/sensitive skin for extreme dryness, barrier protection, and restoration with tallow and farm-fresh beeswax.
If you are searching for raw-infused and cold-pressed skin remedies, I’ve linked them here.
The first three are Blackberry Leaf Serum, and the last three are Moss & Plum.
- Rosehip Seed Oil – Stimulates collagen, evens tone, and softens scarring.
- Pumpkin Seed Oil – High in zinc, supports elasticity and skin regeneration.
- Raspberry Seed Oil – Offers natural UV protection, full of vitamin E and linoleic acid.
- Chia Seed Oil – Boosts hydration and is packed with antioxidants.
- Plum Kernel Oil – Rich in oleic and linoleic acids, plus vitamins A and E, this luxurious oil deeply hydrates, soothes irritation, and leaves the skin silky-soft with a subtle, naturally sweet aroma. Ideal for sensitive or mature skin.
- Marula Oil – Lightweight yet rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and oleic acid, marula absorbs quickly to deeply moisturize, soften fine lines, and protect against environmental stress. Perfect for smoothing and nourishing dry or sun-exposed skin.
These are not filler ingredients—they’re plant intelligence. When pressed with care and blended with intention, they help the skin restore itself, naturally.
So yes, seed oils in their raw form, balanced with antioxidants, are beneficial!
