Camellia Seed Oil

Camellia seed oil is pressed from the seeds of plants in the Camellia genus, most often Camellia oleifera or Camellia japonica. It has a long history of use in Japan, Korea and China for both skin and hair, where it is sometimes known as tsubaki oil.

It is worth distinguishing it from green tea. Camellia sinensis is the tea plant, and green tea extract is a quite different ingredient with its own antioxidant profile. Camellia seed oil comes from the seeds of related species and is an emollient oil, not a tea extract.

On an ingredients list it appears as Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil or simply Camellia Seed Oil. Its composition is dominated by oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fatty acid that makes up most of olive oil, along with smaller amounts of linoleic and palmitic acids and naturally occurring vitamin E and polyphenols.

That fatty acid profile determines how it behaves. Oleic-rich oils feel silky and absorb reasonably well, but they are also more likely to feel heavy on skin that produces a lot of its own oil, and oleic acid has a mild disruptive effect on the skin barrier at high concentrations. It is an excellent choice for dry or normal skin and a less obvious one for skin that is oily or prone to congestion.

You will find it in facial oils, cleansing oils, moisturisers, hair oils and body products, used anywhere from a small supporting percentage to a single-ingredient oil.

Camellia seed oil works as an emollient and a partial occlusive. It fills the microscopic gaps between cells at the surface of the skin, which is what makes skin feel smooth and look more even, and it forms a light layer that slows the rate at which water evaporates. It does not add water to the skin, so like all oils it performs best applied over something hydrating rather than onto dry skin in a dry room.

Its naturally occurring vitamin E and polyphenols contribute a degree of antioxidant activity, and they also help the oil itself resist going rancid. This is a genuine but modest contribution; an oil is not a substitute for a formulated antioxidant serum.

The oleic acid content is the detail worth understanding. Oleic acid is a good emollient and gives the oil its characteristic silky feel, but at high concentrations it can loosen the packing of the skin’s own lipids slightly. For dry skin this is usually irrelevant and the conditioning benefit dominates. For skin that is already reactive, or prone to congestion, a linoleic-rich oil such as rosehip or squalane tends to be a better fit.

Camellia seed oil is used like any facial oil, which means last and sparingly.

• Apply it last among your skincare steps, after serums and moisturiser, before sunscreen in the morning.
• Use it over hydration. A hydrating serum or slightly damp skin first, then the oil to hold that water in.
• A few drops is enough. Warm it between the palms and press it in rather than rubbing.
• Best suited to dry, normal or mature-looking skin. If your skin is oily or congestion-prone, try squalane or a linoleic-rich oil first.
• As a cleansing oil it works well for removing sunscreen and makeup before a second, water-based cleanse.
• On hair and body too. It is a traditional hair oil and works well on dry ends and on the body.
• Store it cool and dark and use it within a reasonable period. Plant oils do eventually go rancid; a sharp or stale smell means it is time to replace it.
• Patch test if you have reactive skin, as with any botanical ingredient.