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Borago officinalis seed oil
AKA “Borage Oil, Borage Seed Oil, Starflower Oil”
Oil
Ingredient Facts
Borago officinalis seed oil
AKA: Borage Oil, Borage Seed Oil, Starflower Oil
Oil · Emollient · EWG: 4
Plant-Derived
Emollient
Skin Conditioner
Not Clean
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil is the fixed oil obtained from the seeds of Borago officinalis L., Boraginaceae
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.
Locks In Moisture
Traditional Use
Borage has been used in European herbal medicine and traditional skincare since the Middle Ages for its high content of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and linoleic acid. Historically used to soothe irritated skin, reduce inflammation, and support skin barrier function.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Dryness
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
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 Seed Oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
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 Jun 2026
Data: Kew POWO · CosIng · EWG · CIR