Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil

Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil is the cold-pressed oil from sesame seeds.

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent made up of roughly 82-85% unsaturated fatty acids, mostly linoleic (~41%) and oleic acid (~39%).

This pairing gives it barrier-supporting and moisturizing properties. Linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid, can be incorporated into complex skin lipids. Topical application has shown barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects in cell and animal studies.

Beyond fatty acids, sesame oil brings something more distinctive to the table:

It contains natural antioxidants sesamol, sesamolin, and gamma-tocopherol. These also give the oil notably high oxidative stability.

One of the oil's key lignans, sesamin, has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in preclinical models.

A 2023 clinical study found that a single application of sesame seed oil to the forearms of 35 healthy women improved stratum corneum hydration (though it didn't outperform raspberry seed oil).

The comedogenic rating of 1-3 depends on the type of sesame oil; unrefined carries a rating of 3 while refined sesame oil drops to a 1.

Human testing has proved that any finished product with a comedogenic ingredient won't automatically make you break out; it really comes down to concentration, formula, and your skin.

This ingredient may not be safe for fungal acne as it contains fatty acids that can feed Malassezia.