Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil

Elaeis guineensis oil is a fatty oil expressed from the pulp of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) fruit. This is not to be confused with palm kernel oil, which is extracted from the kernel of the same fruit (rather than the pulp).

Palm oil is a good base oil for skincare products. It is emollient and occlusive moisturizing (although a bit on the heavier side due to its content of saturated fatty acids), and crude red palm oil is a fantastic source of antioxidant carotenoids.

Palm oil is composed mostly of saturated fatty acids, notably palmitic acid (which was also named after palm oil itself), as well as monounsaturated oleic acid, although to a lesser extent (around 35%). Crude palm oil contains unusually large amounts of carotenoids (pro-vitamin A) which give it a muddy red color. Refined palm oil does not contain these beneficial antioxidant compounds.

Palm oil is one of the most globally important oil crops and has one of the highest oil yields among the oil crops - which makes it very profitable.

The current controversy around palm oil plantations points towards a very serious problem: the environmental impact of vast oil palm plantations. It is always a good idea to check if the manufacturer of your skincare product uses palm oil from sustainable sources.