Using evening primrose oil to ease your PMS?
Don’t bother. Science says it doesn’t work. Bummer, I know.
But this oil is far from useless. It does wonders for your skin. Listen up (or read on… whatever…):
What Is Evening Primrose Oil?
Evening primrose (or oenothera biennia, to use its full scientific name) is a beautiful plant with yellow, phosphorescent blossoms that grows in dry and sunny meadows.
The oil derived from the plant is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, including linoleic acid (LA) and gamma linoleic acid (GLA). They’re super moisturising and have soothing properties to boot.
Struggling to put together a skincare routine that banishes dryness and makes your skin soft and supple? Download your FREE “Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin” cheat sheet to get started (it includes product recommendations + right application order):
Evening Primrose Oil Benefits: What Does It Do For Skin?
Like all natural oils, evening primrose oil is a multitasker. Here are its two main jobs:
1. Evening Primrose Oil Is An Excellent Moisturiser
It’s the fatty acids in evening primrose oil that make it so moisturising. They strengthen the skin’s natural protective barrier, preventing water from evaporating into thin air. Trapped inside, water has no choice but to hydrate your skin and make it soft and smooth.
This protective barrier has another job. It keeps germs, bacteria, pollutants, and anything else that can harm the skin out. If you have sensitive skin, a stronger barrier helps to heal the redness and irritation faster.
The catch?
It works only in water-in-oil emulsions, not amphiphilic emulsions (amphiphilic molecules love both water and fat).
P.S. There are studies showing that evening primrose oil can also soothe atopic dermatitis and irritation – when taken orally.
Related: How To Strengthen Your Skin’s Protective Barrier (And Why It Matters)
2. Evening Primrose Oil Helps Prevent Wrinkles
Evening Primrose Oil has its fair share of antioxidants to help fight free radicals, the nasty buggers that give you wrinkles.
But… (come on, you knew this was coming…)
We don’t know how powerful the antiaging properties of evening primrose oil are compared to those of other oils. I’m not saying don’t use it. I’m saying, for now, use it with other antioxidants.
The more, the merrier, remember?
Related: The Most Common Antioxidants Used In Skincare Products
What Are The Best Products With Evening Primrose Oil?
- Paula’s Choice Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster ($36.00): available at Dermstore, Nordstrom and Paula’s Choice.
- Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturiser ($29.00): available at Dermstore, Nordstrom and Paula’s Choice.
- Jordan Samuel Skin Retinol Treatment Oil ($38.00): available at Cult Beauty
The Bottom Line
The few studies on evening primrose oil prove what we’ve known all along: it’s super moisturising and helps to keep wrinkles at bay, too.
Another thing learned! Thank you 🙂
Kiss & Make-up, you’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I have evening primrose in my spring garden, though it’s still so cold here it will be about a month until it comes up. There’s a common name for it that I just can’t remember. I have exfoliative keratolysis which may be related to eczema. I will try evening primrose oil when the condition returns as it does every year around late May or June to see if it works. Don’t know whether I could take the flowers and soak them in oil and use that, do you?
Allison, I’m sorry to hear about your condition. I haven’t been able to find any studies about how effective evening primrose oil is for exfoliative keratolysis, but hopefully its moisturizing properties will be able to relieve at least the symptoms. Evening primrose oil is made from the seeds, so, unfortunately, it’s unlikely that soaking the flowers in oil will work. 🙁