Sacha Inchi Oil in Our Skin Care

Sacha inchi is part of the Euphorbiaceae family, a cohort that consists of over 6000

species which are known for the diversity of the secondary compounds they produce. Secondary compounds are those that a plant produces to help it compete, but are not directly involved in growth, development, or reproduction.

For instance, caffeine is a secondary compound. A high concentration of caffeine in young seedlings makes them toxic to insect predators, and also makes growing conditioners undesirable for nearby competitors.

Characteristics of secondary compounds produced by members of the Euphorbiaceae family range from antiproliferative, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory, to name a few. As humans, we can often harness these benefits.

Antioxidants for Your Skin

The antioxidant power of sacha inchi oil has been scientifically verified. Antioxidants work against free-radical damage, helping your skin fight off cancer and protect itself from sun damage. It’s important to eat foods rich in antioxidants as well as using them topically.

Two of the antioxidants found in sacha inchi are vitamins A and E, hot shots in the skin care world. Topically, these nutrients help speed up skin repair and can reduce the appearance of scarring and wrinkles.

High Linoleic Acid Content for Reduced Breakouts

One thing that makes sacha inchi oil special is its high linoleic acid content – 85%. Compare this to 10% in coconut oil and 1-2% in avocado oil.

A study done in 1998 looked at the effect that linoleic acid has on the skin, particularly for people who suffer from mild acne breakouts. Half of the participants received topical treatments of linoleic acid for a month, then had their skin examined using digital imaging software. After just a month, the treatment group showed a 25% decrease in the size of their pimples, whereas the non-treatment group showed no improvement.

This is pretty monumental when you consider how many people who think they can’t use oil on their skin because they are prone to pimples. Not only can oils give your skin moisture without clogging your pores, certain ones like sacha inchi oil can actually help minimize acne breakouts.

Additionally, linoleic acid promotes wound healing and is anti-inflammatory, helping to even out skin tone, fade scars and reduce redness. If you’re dealing with active acne as well as acne scars, or if you want to reduce facial redness while also giving yours some moisture, sacha inchi oil is a great ingredient for you.

Omega-3 Content Like No Other

A quick lesson: omega-6’s and omega-3’s are both types of linoleic acid. So when we say sacha inchi oil is 85% linoleic acid, that 85% is a combination of omega-6 and omega-3. Most oils have more omega-6 than omega-3.

Take grapeseed oil for example. It has 70% linoleic acid (uniquely high, though not quite as much as sacha inchi) with 696 times as much omega-6 as omega-3. Compare that to olive oil, which has 12x as much omega-6 than omega-3, and sesame oil with 137x as much omega-6 as omega-3.

Sacha inchi is an exception here. With 48% omega-3 and 36% omega-6, this oil is unique.

The omega-3 content of sacha inchi has made it really popular among health enthusiasts, since the balance of these two omegas is uber important, and our diets skew us heavily towards omega-6.

So sacha inchi oil is a really rich source of something you’re probably not getting enough of.

One benefit of omega-3 is its apparent ability to increase our resistance to solar radiation. 

The study focused on omega-3 taken internally, but I wouldn’t be so quick to denounce the topical potential. Think green tea, a powerful antioxidant that works both internally and topically.

Or, take a study done in 2005, which basically looked at what happens when you massage babies with oil. When massaged with an oil high in linoleic acid (safflower), their linoleic acid profile increased, internally.

Your skin absorbs 60% of what you put on it, so we shouldn’t be surprised.

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