Ev
Evening Primrose Oil
Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil · Oenothera Biennis Oil · Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Seed OilBarrier
Linoleic-acid-rich oil with notable gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Good fatty-acid match for the skin barrier.
What it does
Evening primrose oil is one of the better fatty-acid matches for skin barrier lipids — high linoleic acid (around 70%) and gamma-linolenic acid (around 10%). Linoleic-dominant oils are friendlier to acne-prone and fungal-acne-prone skin than oleic-dominant oils. EPO oxidizes faster than more stable oils, so storage matters.
The evidence, graded
strongThe skin's barrier is built from ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids in a roughly 1:1:1 to 3:1:1 ratio. Moisturizers formulated to mimic that ratio support barrier repair more than any one lipid alone.Man 1996 · Journal of Investigative Dermatology ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
epo, oenothera biennis oil
Pairs worth knowing
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