Prickly pear oil is a vegetable oil cold-pressed from the seeds of the prickly pear, a cactus with the Latin name Opuntia ficus-indica, and thanks to its high vitamin E content it is among the rarest and most expensive oils in cosmetics. With us you will find its more affordable form with a flower extract, this macerate, which also suits dry skin.
What prickly pear oil is and where it comes from
The prickly pear is a hardy cactus that originates in Mexico and the dry regions of the south-western United States, but today it is also grown in North Africa, for example in Morocco, where both its fruits and seeds are harvested. The oil is obtained by cold pressing the tiny seeds hidden in the flesh of the fruit, the so-called prickly pear fig. The fig itself is commonly eaten as a fruit in its countries of origin, and the seeds remain its small but valuable by-product, which would otherwise be thrown away. Unsaturated fatty acids prevail in its composition, above all linoleic acid, together with a relatively high content of vitamin E, one of the common antioxidants in vegetable oils. It is precisely this combination of fatty acids and vitamin E that makes prickly pear oil a popular, if rare, ingredient in natural cosmetics focused on skin and hair care.
Why is prickly pear oil so expensive?
Prickly pear oil is among the most expensive vegetable oils in the world, and the reason is above all its yield. Prickly pear seeds are tiny and contain only a small percentage of oil, so to obtain one litre of pure pressed oil you need to process approximately a tonne of fruit, which means around 25 to 30 kilograms of seeds. On top of that comes demanding and time-consuming harvesting, as prickly pear fruits grow covered in tiny thorns that must be carefully removed before processing. This combination of low yield and demanding harvest work explains why the pure oil is sold in small bottles at a relatively high price. The composition and properties of prickly pear oil are also described in more detail in studies on the composition of prickly pear oil available in the PubMed database.
What effects prickly pear oil has on the skin and hair
Thanks to its high content of vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids, this oil is most often associated in cosmetics with hydration and the care of drier or tired-looking skin. Its light texture absorbs almost without residue and gives the skin a feeling of greater suppleness and softness. The antioxidants contained in the oil help the skin look more even and fresh, which is used mainly in products designed for mature or tired skin in our range of facial cosmetics. It suits both a morning and an evening routine, depending on what texture your skin likes at the time. The same composition also suits hair and scalp, where it acts as a light conditioner, helping to soften the ends and give hair shine without weighing it down.
Prickly pear oil or prickly pear macerate? What is the difference
Pure cold-pressed oil from prickly pear seeds appears in shops only rarely and costs accordingly. Much more common is its more affordable relative, the so-called macerate, that is, a carrier oil into which an extract of the prickly pear flower is infused. Our macerate is made in exactly this way, with sunflower oil and an extract of the prickly pear flower, Opuntia ficus-indica, in its composition. It is therefore not a pure seed oil but an honestly labelled macerate, which offers a delicate scent and a feeling of silky skin at a much friendlier price. You will find the same prickly pear flower extract in the composition of our facial oil serum Kopaničiarska žehlička, together with argan oil, rosehip oil and squalane.
How to use prickly pear oil
It can be added to your routine in several ways, depending on whether you use it on the face, hair or hands. For the skin, it is enough to apply a small amount to damp skin and gently massage it in, ideally in the evening, when it has plenty of time to absorb overnight. In the hair, it is applied to the lengths and ends, not the roots, so that it does not weigh them down with fat. On the hands and nails it suits as a nourishing treatment for dry cuticles and brittle nails; just rub a few drops into the skin around the nails. You can also combine it with other oils or creams by adding one or two drops to your usual cream and spreading it over the skin of the face or body together with it.
| Use | How to |
|---|---|
| Face | A few drops on damp skin, ideally in the evening |
| Hair | On the lengths and ends, not on the roots |
| Hands and nails | Rub into the skin around the nails |
| In combination | 1 to 2 drops mixed into your cream |
If this care works well for you, you can read further tips on choosing an oil serum in the article why use a quality facial oil serum.
The oil and its macerate keep best in a cool, dark place, ideally out of direct sunlight and away from the heat of radiators. Air and light gradually oxidise the unsaturated fatty acids in the oil, which shortens its shelf life and also changes the scent, which can turn rancid over time. After each use, close the bottle properly and keep it away from the window, for example in a bathroom cabinet or in a drawer away from the radiator. Once opened, the oil is worth using within a few months; you will find the exact time on the packaging next to the open jar symbol. If you notice that the oil has changed colour or has started to smell different from when you bought it, rather do not use it any more.
Did you know…
Did you know that about a tonne of prickly pear fruit has to be processed for one litre of pure prickly pear oil, which is why it is among the most expensive vegetable oils in the world?