Evening Primrose Oil

A carrier oil pressed from the seeds of the evening primrose flower.

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Yellow liquid oil.

Up to 100%

A thick, heavy oil.

It smells very distinctly oily/fishy; I recommend blending it with other carrier oils and perhaps some essential oils to dilute/mask the scent.

Sloooooow.

Oil

It’s an amazing serum ingredient that is incredible at battling acne thanks to its high percentages of linoleic and gamma linolenic acid.

I can’t recommend it enough if you struggle with acne.

I have the unrefined stuff, but if you are quite scent sensitive you might prefer the refined variety.

It’s amazing for battling acne and tacking problematic skin.

It’s pretty heavy and doesn’t smell amazing, so if your skin is already really well behaved you can probably skip it.

Black Currant Seed and borage oils have a similar fatty acid profile. They are also similarly heavy and oily-smelling.

Include it in the oil phase of your recipes; avoid extended exposure to heat where possible. I typically aim to dilute it with a lighter oil or in an emulsion.

Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, Evening Primrose Oil should last a year, if not more. It tends to have a pretty short shelf life. I’d store it in the fridge to extend it as much as possible.

Try blending it with a faster absorbing oil, like argan or pomegranate seed, to help it sink into the skin faster.

100mL (3.3fl oz) or less

 Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon.