Borage seed oil (Borago officinalis), commonly known as borage seed oil, is derived from the seeds of the Borago officinalis plant. This oil is highly valued in the cosmetic and personal care industry for its high content of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid known for its anti-inflammatory and skin-nourishing properties, making it a beneficial ingredient in various skincare and haircare products.

Chemical Composition and Structure

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil contains a variety of bioactive compounds, including essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. The most notable component is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which contributes significantly to its therapeutic effects. The specific composition includes:

• Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA): An omega-6 fatty acid known for its anti-inflammatory and skin-nourishing properties.
• Linoleic Acid: An essential fatty acid that helps maintain the skin's barrier function.
• Oleic Acid: Provides moisturizing benefits.
• Palmitic Acid: Aids in skin protection and moisturization.
• Stearic Acid: Contributes to skin smoothness.
• Vitamins (such as Vitamin E): Provide antioxidant benefits.

Physical Properties

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil typically appears as a light yellow to golden oil with a mild, characteristic odor. It is lipid-soluble, making it easy to incorporate into various oil-based and emulsion formulations.

Cosmetic and Personal Care Applications

Moisturizing: Borago Officinalis Seed Oil has excellent moisturizing properties, helping to maintain skin hydration and prevent dryness.

Anti-Inflammatory: The high GLA content provides strong anti-inflammatory effects, helping to soothe and calm irritated skin.

Skin Barrier Support: The essential fatty acids help to reinforce the skin's barrier function, protecting it from environmental stressors and preventing moisture loss.

Anti-Aging: The antioxidant properties of the vitamins and fatty acids in the oil help to protect the skin from free radical damage, reducing the signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.

Nourishing: Rich in bioactive compounds, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil nourishes the skin and hair, improving overall health and appearance.

Hair Care: In haircare products, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil helps to condition and protect the hair, improving its texture, manageability, and shine.

Environmental and Safety Considerations

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil is generally considered safe for use in cosmetic and personal care products. It is non-irritating and suitable for all skin types. As a naturally derived ingredient, it poses minimal risk to the environment when sourced and disposed of responsibly. Utilizing Borago Officinalis Seed Oil supports sustainable practices by promoting the use of plant-based ingredients.

Effectiveness and Usage

Many useful properties of this oil are attributed to its high gamma-linolenic acid content. 

Cosmetics - INCI Functions

Skin conditioning agent - Emollient. Emollients have the characteristic of enhancing the skin barrier through a source of exogenous lipids that adhere to the skin, improving barrier properties by filling gaps in intercorneocyte clusters to improve hydration while protecting against inflammation. In practice, they have the ability to create a barrier that prevents transepidermal water loss.  Emollients are described as degreasing or refreshing additives that improve the lipid content of the upper layers of the skin by preventing degreasing and drying of the skin. The problem with emollients is that many have a strong lipophilic character and are identified as occlusive ingredients; they are oily and fatty materials that remain on the skin surface and reduce transepidermal water loss. In cosmetics, emollients and moisturisers are often considered synonymous with humectants and occlusives.

Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

CAS   225234-12-8

Studies

Borage seed oil protects DNA (1) and has been shown to attenuate induced memory deficit by preventing the hippocampus from decreasing its antioxidant status (2).

References_______________________________________________________________________

(1) Tasset-Cuevas I, Fernández-Bedmar Z, Lozano-Baena MD, Campos-Sánchez J, de Haro-Bailón A, Muñoz-Serrano A, Alonso-Moraga A. Protective effect of borage seed oil and gamma linolenic acid on DNA: in vivo and in vitro studies. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e56986. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056986. 

Abstract. Borage (Borago officinalis L.) seed oil has been used as a treatment for various degenerative diseases. Many useful properties of this oil are attributed to its high gamma linolenic acid content (GLA, 18:3 ω-6). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the safety and suitability of the use of borage seed oil, along with one of its active components, GLA, with respect to DNA integrity, and to establish possible in vivo toxic and in vitro cytotoxic effects. In order to measure these properties, five types of assays were carried out: toxicity, genotoxicity, antigenotoxicity, cytotoxicity (using the promyelocytic leukaemia HL60 cell line), and life span (in vivo analysis using the Drosophila model). Results showed that i) Borage seed oil is not toxic to D. melanogaster at physiological concentrations below 125 µl/ml and the studies on GLA indicated non-toxicity at the lowest concentration analyzed ii) Borage seed oil and GLA are DNA safe (non-genotoxic) and antimutagenic compared to hydrogen peroxide, thereby confirming its antioxidant capacity; iii) Borage seed oil and GLA exhibited cytotoxic activity in low doses (IC50 of 1 µl/ml and 0.087 mM, respectively) iv) Low doses of borage seed oil (0.19%) increased the health span of D. melanogaster; and v) GLA significantly decreased the life span of D. melanogaster.Based on the antimutagenic and cytotoxic effects along with the ability to increase the health span, we propose supplementation with borage seed oil rather than GLA, because it protects DNA by modulating oxidative genetic damage in D. melanogaster, increases the health span and exerts cytotoxic activity towards promyelocytic HL60 cells.

(2) Ghahremanitamadon F, Shahidi S, Zargooshnia S, Nikkhah A, Ranjbar A, Soleimani Asl S. Protective effects of Borago officinalis extract on amyloid β-peptide(25-35)-induced memory impairment in male rats: a behavioral study. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:798535. doi: 10.1155/2014/798535. 

Abstract. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and most common form of dementia that leads to memory impairment. In the present study we have examined the protective effects of Borago officinalis (borage) extract on Amyloid β (A β)-Induced memory impairment. Wistar male rats received intrahippocampal (IHP) injection of the A β (25-35) and borage extract throughout gestation (100 mg/kg). Learning and memory functions in the rats were examined by the passive avoidance and the Morris water maze (MWM) tasks. Finally, the antioxidant capacity of hippocampus was measured using ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The results showed that A β (25-35) impaired step-through latency and time in dark compartment in passive avoidance task. In the MWM, A β (25-35) significantly increased escape latency and traveled distance. Borage administration attenuated the A β-induced memory impairment in both the passive avoidance and the MWM tasks. A β induced a remarkable decrease in antioxidant power (FRAP value) of hippocampus and borage prevented the decrease of the hippocampal antioxidant status. This data suggests that borage could improve the learning impairment and oxidative damage in the hippocampal tissue following A β treatment and that borage consumption may lead to an improvement of AD-induced cognitive dysfunction.