Pomegranate Seeds Oil: Benefits for the Skin and Hair

Well known for their unique taste, that is both tart and sweet, pomegranates are also a source of healthful oil. Why should you try pomegranate seeds oil? What benefits does it have? Can it be used internally? What fatty acids does it feature?

Read on, and you will find the answers to all these and numerous other questions.

Pomegranate Seed Oil: Benefits for Your Face & Skin

Oils that are derived from vegetable sources usually feature two and more fatty acids. Thus, the main component (around 65%) of pomegranate seeds oil is punicic acid. This omega-5 polyunsaturated fatty acid protects collagen fibers in the skin, speeds up wound healing, and heals scars. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and is believed to be promising for such conditions as psoriasis and eczema.

Linoleic acid makes up about 7% of this product. This omega-6 fatty acid is often added to beauty products because of its benefits for the skin. It can also be used as a treatment for acne, as a way to prevent skin dryness, and as a skin-lightening product.

Oleic acid constitutes about 6% of this oil. This omega-9 fatty acid can also be found in copious quantities in olive and avocado oils; when included in your diet, it was found to reduce blood pressure and help normalize body weight. When applied topically, it helps reduce inflammation and stimulates wound healing.

Another 5% of this product is palmitic acid. This fatty acid forms a protective layer on the skin that locks moisture in and helps keep the skin soft and smooth.

Finally, about 2% of this product is stearic acid which is widely used in the production of shampoos, soaps, and all kinds of beauty products. Just like palmitic acid, it protects the epidermis against the loss of moisture as well as softens and smooths the skin.

What’s more, pomegranate oil is very high in vitamin E and bioflavonoids, antioxidant compounds that offer such important benefits as promoting skin elasticity and delaying signs of aging.

Pomegranate Seed Oil: How to Use

You can use this beauty product in various ways. 

First, you can gently rub 2-3 drops of pure pomegranate seeds oil into your skin to diminish wrinkles and fine lines, address pigmentation, moisturize dry skin, reduce soreness, improve skin elasticity, and repair other types of skin damage. What’s more, it is one of those high-class oils that do not clog your pores or leave an unpleasant greasy residue.

This product that comes from a reliable brand will be a good choice:

Pomegranate Seed Oil by Leven Rose

• 30 ml (1 fl oz)
• 100% pure
• Unrefined & cold pressed

Still, pure pomegranate seeds oils can feel somewhat sticky and even remind soap in their consistency. So, here is how to use pomegranate seed oil for your face if you have difficulty rubbing it into the problem areas: simply dilute it using one or several other oils. Oils like frankincense, jojoba, lavender, sweet almond, rosehip, argan, carrot seed, and vitamin E will be an excellent choice. 

All you need to do is mix equal quantities of the oils (about 20 drops each) in a small vial and apply 4-5 drops of this serum to your face and problem skin before going to bed. The idea is to give your skin enough time to fully absorb the serum so that you won’t have to rinse it.

You can also use a ready-made mixture of oils like this one:

Awakening Body & Beauty Oil by Weleda

• 100 ml (3.4 fl oz)
• A mixture of pomegranate, jojoba, sesame, sunflower, wheat germ, macadamia, millet, and olive oils
• No synthetic fragrances and preservatives

Pomegranate Seed Oil: Benefits for Hair and Scalp

If your hair has lost its luster, lacks moisture, and got lank, you might try to add a few drops of pomegranate seeds oil (or about five to ten drops of the above-described mixture of oils) to your hair conditioner. If you have split ends, towel dry your hair and gently rub the mixture of oils into the ends.

It is also believed that this product has antifungal properties and can be used for such scalp conditions as damaged follicles and dandruff.  Add several drops of the mixture of oils to your anti-dandruff shampoo to boost its properties. 

Pomegranate Seed Oil: Internal Use

Although additional research is required, there are a number of food supplements that feature pomegranate seed oil in capsules. Health benefits of these products include:

• anti-diabetic properties: there are some animal studies that make it possible to hypothesize that punicic acid can help reduce cholesterol and improve insulin sensitivity;
• there is preliminary data that punicic acid has a strong anti-inflammatory effect;
• in some of the studies on obese mice, regular consumption of punicic acid led to a marked reduction in total body mass. Still, it is not reliably known whether pomegranate seed oil has any benefits for weight loss if used by humans: in a 2009 small-scale study that involved 30 healthy young people punicic acid (3 grams daily for 28 days) did not demonstrate any significant effects on body weight;
• there are in vitro (i.e., test tube) studies that suggest that punicic acid can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Still, additional studies on living organisms are required.

Here is one of the most popular products on iHerb that is designed for internal use:

Pomegranate Seed Oil by Terry Naturally

• 60 softgels
• 600 mg per softgel
• No artificial colors and preservatives

Pomegranate Seed Oil: Side Effects

While repeated applications of concentrated oleic acid are known to cause hyperplasia (inflamed bumps) of the skin in some people, concentrations of it up to 6% are believed to be totally safe and do not cause allergies. 

Still, any oils that you have never tried before require a so-called patch test. Apply a small quantity of the liquid on a small area (about a dime in its size) of skin on the inner arm. If there are no allergic reactions within the time period of 48 hours, you can safely use this beauty product.

When taken internally, pomegranate seeds oils are believed to be safe in daily doses up to 4.3 g per kilogram (2 g per pound) body weight. 

Why Is This Product Rare and Relatively Expensive? 

While some plants are rich in natural oils, others do not contain them in high quantities. Thus, you need to use about 200 pounds of fresh seeds to extract about a pound of oil. What’s more, to preserve vitamins and other bioactive compounds, all high-quality oils are mechanically (cold) pressed, which adds to the cost. Hence the rareness and the fairly high price of this beauty product.

What Color Does It Have?

Crude pomegranate seeds oils are yellow (with actual hue ranging from pale to rich golden). Refined oils can be colorless, amber, yellow, orange, and even dark red.

Can I Use It for My Skin Type?

It is one of those oils that are suitable for all skin types. Even if you suffer from acne or have oily skin, you can still use it.

I Am Pregnant or Going to Conceive, Can I Use It?

Although this product is believed to be very safe, it is still not sufficiently tested to guarantee that there will be absolutely no complications with pregnancies. Women who are pregnant (especially those who are in the early stages of pregnancy) or going to conceive are recommended to avoid this product.Now you know what pomegranate seeds oil is and what benefits it has. While additional research into its properties is still required, this beauty product is definitely worth a try.