Borage seed oil comes from the seeds of the borage plant and contains one of the highest known concentrations of gamma linolenic acid, an omega 6 fatty acid the body uses to build compounds that calm inflammation.
Research feeding borage oil to older adults found it changed the balance of fatty acids in their skin, reduced water loss through the skin, and improved several measures of skin condition after several weeks. Separate animal research found that gamma linolenic acid from borage oil helped reverse excessive skin cell buildup.
Because pure gamma linolenic acid is fairly unstable, borage oil is often blended with more stable oils in finished products.
Borage Seed Oil References
Effect of Borage Oil Consumption on Fatty Acid Metabolism, Transepidermal Water Loss and Skin Parameters in Elderly People, Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2000
Gamma Linolenic Acid in Borage Oil Reverses Epidermal Hyperproliferation in Guinea Pigs, Journal of Nutrition, 2002
Our team reviews ingredient research and uses up-to-date evidence to rate ingredients based on the categories below.
Best
Ingredients with the most rigorous and convincing evidence. These are the standouts backed by consistent findings across independent, peer reviewed clinical research.. When we call an ingredient Best, it has earned that distinction through genuine, reproducible proof that it improves skin.
Good
Reliable, well tolerated ingredients that do their job without complaint. They may not carry the headline benefits of a Best rated active, but they hydrate, stabilize a formula, or support the ingredients around them in ways that make a real difference in how a product performs and feels.
Average
Ingredients that are perfectly safe and serve a clear function, typically as an emollient, thickener, or filler, but do not offer any meaningful skin benefit beyond that basic job. Not a red flag, just not a reason to choose one product over another.
Bad/Worst
Ingredients with documented potential to irritate skin, disrupt the barrier, or trigger sensitization in some users, often synthetic fragrance, drying forms of alcohol, or certain essential oils. Not automatically a dealbreaker for every skin type, but worth knowing about before you commit to a product.
