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Borago officinalis (Borage) seed oil
AKA “Borage Seed Oil”
Essential Oil
Ingredient Facts
Borago officinalis (Borage) seed oil
AKA: Borage Seed Oil
Essential Oil · Antioxidant · EWG: 1
Plant-Derived
Antioxidant
Emollient
Skin Conditioner
Essential Oil
Clean
Cold-pressed borage seed oil from the Mediterranean brings a natural fragrance to the formula while nourishing skin with its rich, botanical essence.
Family
Boraginaceae (Borage family)
Plant Part
Seed
Lifeform
Annual
Climate
Temperate
CAS #
225234-12-8
Form
Oil
See origin →
Functions
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Emollient
Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.
Antioxidant
Fights free radicals — the unstable molecules from UV, pollution, and stress that break down collagen and cause premature aging.
Locks In Moisture
Traditional Use
Used in medieval European herbalism and traditional medicine for inflammation and skin conditions. Borage oil has been recognized since antiquity for its gamma-linolenic acid content and was traditionally applied for eczema and sensitive skin.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types, gentle
Best For
Dryness
Melanin-Rich Skin
Suitable
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
1
CIR
Safe
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
ewg-1
pregnancy-nursing-safe
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Gamma-linolenic acid in borage oil reverses epidermal hyperproliferation in guinea pigs.
Chung S, Kong S, Seong K, Cho Y
The Journal of nutrition, 2002
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Borage Seed Oil PEG-8 Esters
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Borage Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-4 Esters
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Borage Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Borago officinalis (borage) seed oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Dimethiconol Borageate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Potassium Borageate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Borago Officinalis (Borage) Oil
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Borago officinalis (borage) seed oil
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Borage oil in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.
Foster RH, Hardy G, Alany RG
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2010
→
Borage oil in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.
Foster RH, Hardy G, Alany RG
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2010
→
Borage oil restores acidic skin pH by up-regulating the activity or expression of filaggrin and enzymes involved in epidermal lactate, free fatty acid
Kim KP, Jeon S, Kim MJ, Cho Y
Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.), 2018
→
Borage oil restores acidic skin pH by up-regulating the activity or expression of filaggrin and enzymes involved in epidermal lactate, free fatty acid
Kim KP, Jeon S, Kim MJ, Cho Y
Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.), 2018
→
Verified Feb 2026
Data: Kew POWO · CosIng · EWG · CIR
Borago officinalis (Borage) seed oil — Duck Heart Ghost