8 Flaxseed Oil Benefits For Skin and Hair
Flaxseed oil might not be the first oil that comes to your mind for skin or hair care but wait till you read about its incredible benefits and properties. Natural Flaxseed Oil provides a powerful dose of moisturization to the skin with its high omega-6 content. It deeply nourishes the scalp and prevents hair fall. You will be shocked to know that flaxseed, aka linseed or alsi, is not just a great addition to your smoothies, granolas and acai bowls but to your skin care and hair care regime too.
What Is Flaxseed Oil?
Flaxseed oil is a cold-pressed carrier oil obtained from the seeds of Linum usitatissimum. These seeds are small, brown, and drop shaped with a bitter taste.
Native to Southeast Asia, particularly India, flaxseed oil has gained immense popularity in the wellness, cosmetics and personal care industries.
While it has been a staple in traditional Asian medicines, the world has now started recognizing flaxseed oil benefits leading to an expected market size worth USD 7681.58 million by 2028*
Top 8 Benefits Of Flaxseed Oil
The internet is filled with recipes and pros of using flaxseed oil in your diet, especially vegan and vegetarian diets. While that’s something we would leave to your nutritionist to decide, there’s another way of using flaxseed oil that has stood the test of time - topical application. From reducing flaky skin to preventing hair fall, let’s discuss the numerous flaxseed oil benefits for skin, hair, and overall wellness.
1. Alpha-linolenic acid in flaxseed oil prevents UV damage
Flaxseed oil contains natural compounds like alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which are proven beneficial for protecting the skin against harmful UV rays. Collagen is the protein responsible for our youthful appearance. Continuous exposure to sunlight can diminish collagen production and make the skin look dull and lifeless.
ALA works with Vitamin E to ensure skin’s collagen is not harmed. Continuous usage of flaxseed oil for face care can prevent wrinkles and fine lines.
Vitamin E also shows anti-oxidant properties and neutralizes the free radicals. This makes for a great shield against the sun and pollution.
2. Omega 6 in flaxseed oil strengthens skin’s protective layer
Regularly using flaxseed oil on skin benefits the outer layer and improves its barrier. Our cell’s outer layer is formed of lipids called ceramides which guard it against external agents. Omega 6 fatty acids play a crucial role in synthesizing ceramides and strengthening skin cells.
By making our skin cells strong, flaxseed oil prevents the loss of water and moisture from the skin making it soft, supple, and dewy. It is a fantastic base oil to use in serums, body oils, moisturizers, and make-up removers. Use flaxseed oil for face and body care to make your skin resilient even in the driest regions.
3. Flaxseed Oil soothes irritated skin
Redness and irritation on skin is often a sign of some underlying cause. While figuring that out could take some time, using flaxseed oil to soothe and calm that irritation is an instant fix.
Along with omega 6 fatty acids, flaxseed oil also contains omega 3 - its better cousin! Numerous studies and researches have shown omega 3 to be responsible for calming redness and agitation in skin. Conditions like eczema, and psoriasis can also benefit from the soothing touch of omega 3.
4. Flaxseed oil improves scalp’s biodiversity
Our scalp holds a diverse range of microorganisms that are responsible for maintaining scalp and hair health. Excessive shampooing and dryness can remove these microbes, thus deteriorating hair quality.
Flaxseed oil provides essential environment for these microbes to grow and have a good biodiversity which results in nourished and healthy scalp. At the same time, flaxseed oil also gets rid of any unwanted fungus or bacteria growth giving hair follicles the perfect environment to grow.
By promoting a healthy biodiversity, flaxseed oil offers a probable solution to anyone looking for a natural solution for itchiness and dandruff.
5. Using flaxseed oil for hair growth and breakage
In all these great talks about flaxseed oil benefits for skin and hair, we forgot to mention that it doesn’t easily absorb.
Does that mean you should put it away?
Au contaire, it is all the more reason for you to use it in your hair care regime.
Since it doesn’t absorb, it forms a protective layer around hair and works as a great leave in natural conditioner. After shampooing your hair, you can apply 2-3 drops of flaxseed on your hair and rinse it after 10-15 mins. This will not only add a superior shine but will also prevent your hair from breakage.
6. Softens dry and rough skin
Emollients are substances that fill in the gap between cells to replenish the moisture. Their absence causes the skin to become dry and rough. Omega 3 present inside flaxseed oil is a highly recognized emollient and prevents the skin from getting rough in the harshest of weather conditions. Adding a few drops of flaxseed oil to your moisturizer or serum can help make your skin softer and more supple. Since it is a neutral base oil, you can also combine it with other oils for skin like Rose Essential Oil, lavender essential oil, cardamom oil, chamomile essential oil etc.
7. A choice that’s easy on mother Earth
Simply put, flaxseed oil is an environment friendly option and doesn’t require vast amounts of water or raw material to produce. Sustainable and ethical products are not just a trend but a choice we ought to make with every purchase. Opting to craft skin and hair products with planet-conscious ingredients like flaxseed should be our priority.
8. Reduces muscle tension
Using flaxseed oil on skin benefits not just the outer layer but inner layers too. It penetrates deep into the skin and relaxes muscles. Regular massage with flaxseed or linseed oil might also reduce joint pain to some extent. Put together a pain relief massage oil blend by combining flaxseed oil with cinnamon oil and wintergreen essential oil.
Flaxseed Oil Uses for Skin and Hair
Incorporating flaxseed oil in skin care and hair care regime is more simple than it looks. The easiest way is to buy a skincare product that has it on the ingrecient list. Look for flaxseed oil’s INCI name - Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil at the back of the label. If you are into DIY projects and like to get your hands dirty, you can use flaxseed oil for soap making or for bath scrubs.
Another hack is to add a tablespoon of it to your body lotion or body oil for enhanced skin care benefits. Avoid stepping out after applying it topically on skin as it may clog pores and trap dirt.
Conclusion
The many benefits of flaxseed oil for skin and hair are rooted in its natural compounds like ALA, omega 6 and omega 3. These compounds work in synergy with each other to protect the skin from moisture loss and UV rays. Its soothes irritation and prevents symptoms of dry and damaged skin. Using flaxseed oil can be an answer to get soft, moisturized and resilient skin.
Flaxseed oil might be new in the skincare and cosmetic industry but its efficiency prove that it is here to stay and slay!
