Prickly Pear Seed Oil - Organic & Unrefined

Opuntia ficus-indica oil is known as Prickly Pear Seed oil, Barbary Fig Seed oil, Indian Fig oil, and Cactus oil. It contains more natural Vitamin E than any other plant oil – even more than Argan oil – and is non-irritating and ideal for sensitive skin.

Prickly pear seed oil is a thorny cactus that grows in arid and semi-arid regions. It most likely originated in Mexico, yet more recently has become a critical crop important to the agricultural economies of many other countries, including South Africa, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey among others. Our current varieties are from Mexico and South Africa.

Extracting the fruit from the seeds is a lengthy operation, which can take three to four days. It is a manual operation and is worth noting that half a ton of these cactus fruits only produce one liter of Prickly Pear Seed oil. The seeds contain only 5 percent oil, making extraction difficult with low yields per batch. Thus, it is one of the most expensive oils available. This oil has been around for over a thousand years thanks to its antioxidant, regenerative, moisturizing, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Prickly Pear Seed Oil contains 65% polyunsaturated fatty acids (compared to Argan with 33%), thus containing 2 times more vitamin E than Argan Oil.

Prickly Pear Seed oil has a very high linoleic acid content ensuring the most dehydrated skin is soothed. The fatty acid profile of linoleic acid and oleic acid replenish lost lipids within the skin, which helps moisturize and restore skin elasticity. Additionally, its high linoleic acid content helps to prevent sebum from hardening, thus helping to prevent blocked pores, leading to acne and spots. It calms inflammation and rehydrates your skin. Its high linoleic acid content allows the oil to absorb quickly and penetrate deeply without leaving a greasy residue.

Using prickly pear seed oil in skin care products has many benefits. It is a natural antioxidant and has properties that make it ideal for use as an anti-aging treatment. Here are some wonderful benefits of adding prickly pear seed oil to your daily skincare routine:

- Prickly Pear Seed oil is rich in vitamin E, which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Vitamin E is also an excellent antioxidant that helps fight the signs of aging. Use it on your face and body to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
- It can be used to soothe the skin and treat acne. It is also used to treat minor cuts, bruises, and sunburn.
- It has been known for years that the oil from the cactus is an effective natural deodorant.
- It intensely hydrates the skin and is suitable for all skin types, but works particularly well on dry, mature skin.
It is a highly effective moisturizer, easily absorbed into the skin, and does not clog your pores.
- It brightens skin and gets rid of dark spots, reduces wrinkles and adds firmness.
- Calms down any inflammation and redness, especially for those prone to rosacea.
- People with arthritis and rheumatism have used Prickly Pear Seed oil. It is thought to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
- Prickly Pear Seed oil is also used to treat hair loss. It is believed to encourage hair growth and prevent baldness.
- It is excellent for dry, dull, and lackluster hair. For hair treatment, use one or two drops and massage into hair every night; leave for 15 minutes before washing.
- Prickly pear seed oil treats cuts, bites and wounds. It has a soothing effect on the skin and helps to promote healing.
- Extremely rich in essential fatty acids, including omega 6 and 9, antioxidants, polyphenols, amino acids and vitamin K.
- When applied regularly to the nail cuticles, this oil strengthens nails, making them less prone to breakage.

• Palmitic Acid (C16:0) - 11.91 %
• Palmitoleic Acid (C16:1) - 0.38 %
• Stearic Acid (C18:0) - 2.99 %
• Oleic Acid (C18:1) - 21.9 %
• Linoleic Acid (C18:2) - 62.12 %
• Linolenic Acid (C18:3) - 0.27 %
• Arachidic Acid (C20:0) - 0.21 %

All Wild Harvest Botanical (WHB) products are for external use only. Information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration, USA). Our products are not intended to prescribe, treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose any disease or condition and is not a substitute for an in-person consultation with a health care provider, and should not be construed as medical advice. Please refer to our policies for further details, and our disclaimer below.