Papaya Seed Oil

A natural history

The papaya is a treasured tropical fruit of southern Mexico and Central America, so sweet and golden that early explorers are said to have called it the fruit of the angels. Tucked inside the fruit is a cluster of glossy black seeds, long treated as kitchen scraps, that hold a quiet gift of their own.

Pressed gently, those little seeds give up a soft golden oil, an elegant way of honoring the whole fruit, seeds and all. There is even a surprise in them: the shining black seeds taste genuinely peppery, sharp as cracked pepper, and were once dried and used in its place. Crushed instead, they yield a nourishing oil for the skin.

What it does for your skin

Papaya seed oil is a nourishing emollient rich in skin softening oleic acid, the same cushioning fat that fills olive oil, along with antioxidant vitamin E and carotenoids.^[1] A study of the oil confirms it carries antioxidant compounds, sterols, tocopherols, and polyphenols, best preserved when the oil is gently pressed.^[2] In a formula it is a soft, conditioning oil that helps dry skin feel comforted and look defended. Those benefits come straight from its oleic-rich makeup and natural antioxidant vitamin E.

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