Borage oil: the benefits for skin and hair

Do you know borage oil? Known for a long time for its benefits on the skin, hair and nails, it has now become the natural beauty product impossible to circumvent. Used in cosmetics, but also as a dietary supplement, this oil is extremely rich in essential fatty acids, known for their countless benefits. In this article, zoom on the incredible virtues of Borage and the usefulness of consuming it in cure or external application!

What is borage oil?

Extracted from the seeds of Borage, Borage oil is an oil obtained by cold pressing in order to preserve its qualities. Rich in gamma-linolenic acid (omega-6), it is often used to fight against skin ageing and for dry hair that lacks vitality.

What is the origin of Borage?

Borage is a plant that belongs to the family Boraginaceae. Originally from Syria, Borage leaves were once used for their depurative and sudorific properties. The word Borage is also an Arabic word "taboo rach", which means "father of sweat".

As for the ancient Greeks, they called it "Euphrosine" and said it made people happy. Indeed, its aerial parts are rich in alkaloids which have euphoric effects.

In the Middle Ages, Borage was considered a magical, aphrodisiac and energizing plant. Indeed, it gave assurance to men who were envious of being successful with women. Borage was also traditionally harvested for salads, for its sweet cucumber-like taste and beautiful colours.

Boragehas also been used for centuries in the Middle East in the Mediterranean basin by women seeking natural beauty for their skin and hair. Today, gardeners also cultivate borage because it scares off slugs and is able to adapt to all soils.

What does Borage look like?

Borage is easily recognizable by its pretty blue/purple flowers in the shape of a five-pointed star, as well as its large crumpled leaves, rough hairs and strong stem. From its blue flowers appear seeds, which contain an oil rich in essential fatty acids. It is an annual plant, easy to grow and has a high honey content. It requires very little maintenance and can occupy your garden from year to year.

Borage oil: two types of applications

Borage oil can be used in many ways according to your needs in terms of beauty but also health. Indeed, Borage oil has many benefits on the body! It has been used for more than 30 years in France orally and on the skin.

• Externally: Borage oil is applied locally on the skin, hair and nails. However, this oil is often reproached for having an unpleasant smell. It is in fact the smell of the seeds, when they are badly preserved, wet or when there is a presence of insects and mites.
  
  To soften the smell, it is possible to add a few drops of pleasantly scented essential oils. However, you should not encounter this odor problem with Daniel Rouillard's Borage oil, because it is kept in a cold room, thus keeping the good smell of borage seeds, slightly herbaceous.

• Internally, in the form of capsules: Borage oil can be consumed as a dietary supplement in order to act in depth on a problem. It can also be proposed in association with Evening Primrose oil, with a complementary profile. Discover Daniel Rouillard's virgin borage oil, whose virtues are preserved in the long term thanks to its use in capsules directly after the first cold pressing. The oil is also protected from oxidation.
  
  

What is the composition of Borage ?

As stated above, Borage is known for its richness in fatty acids and vitamins. Thus, it is composed of many beneficial elements to the body:

• Monounsaturated fatty acids with 18 to 19% oleic (Omega-9).
• Saturated fatty acids with 12 to 22% palmitic and 77 to 88% stearic.
• Vitamins A, D, E and K.
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids with 35 to 40% linolenic, 18 to 30% linoleic gamma (Omega-6), and 0.2% linolenic alpha (Omega-3).
• Phytosterol.
• Pyrrolizidinic.
• Alkaloid.
  
  

What are the benefits of borage oil?

Borage oil has many health benefits for both men and women. It is known for its benefits on the skin, hair, nails, and also has the ability to prevent cardiovascular disease and reduce rheumatic pain.

The benefits of Borage oil on the skin

Borage oil has many benefits on the skin. First of all, it has softening, nourishing and regenerating qualities. People with mature, wrinkled, fragile or marked skin (stretch marks, scars, etc.) will be surprised by its effectiveness!

With its fatty acids, vitamins, phytosterols and antioxidants, borage oil is also the best ally for dry skin. Indeed, it helps the skin to rehydrate by providing it with all the necessary elements. More precisely, it helps to limit the skin's water loss. It makes it firmer and more elastic, and reinforces its lipidic barrier.

Borage oil is also known for its ability to relieve dermatoses and sensitive skin. Several studies have shown that the gamma-linoleic acid present in this magical oil acts to prevent eczema, and also reduces the effects of atopic dermatitis (for the less advanced forms). Calming, it soothes sensitive skin that is prone to irritation/itching.

Finally, Borage oil is an excellent anti-ageing agent. It prevents the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines by contributing to the renewal of skin cells. Thus, it limits skin aging and the signs of aging.

Borage oil, anti-stretch mark oil

Borage oil is also an excellent natural remedy for the prevention of stretch marks. This faculty comes simply from its repairing and regenerative properties, as well as its ability to help the skin rehydrate and make it more elastic.

It is recommended to use Borage oil even before stretch marks appear on the body, as a preventive measure. However, this does not mean that it can make stretch marks that have already appeared disappear. This is the whole point of using it as a preventive measure or as soon as the first stretch marks appear. You can anticipate the appearance of stretch marks, for example when taking medication known to cause weight gain or loss, or if you suffer from dry skin.

The benefits of Borage oil on hair

Borage oil is known to restore strength, shine and radiance to dry, brittle, dull and tired hair. Its composition also makes it very effective to boost hair growth and fight against hair loss.

Borage oil can be applied as a hair care product on the ends and lengths of the hair. You can massage the scalp with it, in order to make the essential elements penetrate well.

It also helps to tighten the scales of the hair to make them more flexible and resistant. Once a week, perform a treatment with borage oil to deeply moisturize your hair and limit hair loss.

Strengthen your nails with borage oil

Borage oil can be used internally to strengthen brittle and fragile nails. It can also be used in external application directly on the nails, in oil bath or massage. Thanks to its repairing virtues, you will finally be able to say goodbye to your brittle and damaged nails!

Other health benefits of Borage oil

In addition to its virtues on beauty, borage oil also has many health benefits. It provides anti-inflammatory properties, able to reduce periodontal and gum inflammation.

The anti-inflammatory properties of borage oil are also of interest in rheumatic pain, caused for example by arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Indeed, a study conducted in 2011 has shown that treatments based on plants and especially borage oil were effective on this type of chronic disease. It helps to improve pain, stiffness and sensitivity of the joints.

Borage oil is also a treatment against cardiovascular problems. This is due to its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. It has a preventive action against heart disease.

Finally, borage oil can be used as a remedy against cough, in infusion for example. It helps to heal more quickly from the flu and eliminates toxins from your body.

Is borage eaten?

Borage flowers and young leaves are edible and can be eaten fresh. They are also used as a spice. The taste of Borage is sweet, which makes it very pleasant to eat. Indeed, the flowers are reminiscent of the taste of oysters, while the leaves are reminiscent of cucumbers.

The flowers can decorate salads, accompany a vinaigrette or be used to decorate desserts or summer drinks. If you don't want to take up gardening and grow borage plants, the simplest solution is of course to eat it as a food supplement!

For this purpose, it can be consumed in its classic form (virgin oil), or swallowed in the form of capsules or capsules. Daniel Rouillard's capsules can be used orally, but can also be applied to the skin by piercing the capsule. For your well-being, you can consume borage oil as a cure, several times a year.

Make a cure with borage oil capsules as a dietary supplement.

Taken as a dietary supplement, Borage oil allows you to take care of your skin, hair and nails on a daily basis. In the form of capsules or capsules, it gives you the benefit of its moisturizing, antioxidant and anti-aging properties.

When to take a borage oil cure?

It is recommended to make a cure of borage oil for 3 weeks, 2 to 3 times a year. Borage oil supplements should be taken in the middle of meals.

You can make a cure of borage oil when your skin appears dehydrated despite the use of moisturizing creams, your hair and nails are brittle, to prevent stretch marks, to fight against skin aging, to prevent cardiovascular disease or relieve rheumatic pain.

Can borage oil facilitate weight loss?

If you want to lose weight, Borage oil can help reduce fat accumulation. It could act in the prevention of weight gain and help to refine your silhouette.

However, no study exists to date. What we do know is that borage oil is the most versatile oil there is! It is also known that y-linolenic acid in the form of borage oil generates less body fat accumulation compared to other vegetable oils available on the market.

Side effects and contraindications of a Borage cure

Borage oil is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under 6 years. People suffering from liver disorders or bleeding (and / or taking anticoagulants) should not consume borage oil.

It is also recommended to stop consuming borage oil at least two weeks before surgery. Indeed, it could increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery.

Which borage oil to choose?

It is advisable to choose a 100% natural borage oil, from seeds extracted from first cold pressing to be sure that it brings you all the benefits of essential fatty acids (EFA). It is necessary to make sure of the quality of borage oil and for that, it is necessary to pay attention to certain details: harvest, conservation, treatment etc.

Indeed, borage oil must be without added dangerous chemicals. By chemicals, we mean substances that have no reason to be in borage oil and that do not bring anything good to your body.

We advise you Daniel Rouillard's borage oil in capsulesThe seeds are pressed without heating. They do not undergo any refining, treatment or addition of preservatives. You can also find pure borage oilThis is convenient for external use.

It is a virgin oil obtained from first cold pressing, 100% natural and contains all the benefits of fatty acids. Borage plants are grown and harvested on Daniel Rouillard's family farm in France.

This content is the property of the Sybarel company.