Ingredient
Organic Evening Primrose Oil
Oenothera biennis
Benefit:
Natural
Organic evening primrose oil is rich in gamma-linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that promotes skin’s tone and elasticity, as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory.
Organic Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose belongs to the Onagraceae family, native to North America. The plant can grow up to 90-150cm (3-5 feet) tall, with bright yellow flowers that only open at dusk, hence the folk name ‘evening star’. The flowers only last for a couple of days and are then replaced by red hairy pods containing the seeds for the next blossoming.
The evening primrose root was commonly applied to the skin by the Cherokee and Iroquois tribes of North America to soothe irritation. Introduced to Europeans in 1619 thanks to the Botanical Garden of Padua, Italy, the flower was quickly nicknamed ‘King’s cure-all’ by herbalists for its ability to treat a wide variety of ailments.
Organic evening primrose oil is obtained from the red seeds of the plant. Sticking to its historical fame, it is a highly sought-after ingredient in skincare as it helps soothe and balance the skin, as well as symptoms of eczema and psoriasis.