Canola Oil

Oil pressed from rapeseed, bred for low erucic acid. It is high in oleic acid, with useful amounts of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid, and naturally contains some vitamin E. In skincare it is an emollient — a plain, inexpensive, well-tolerated oil used to soften skin and give a formula body. It carries none of the cachet of argan or rosehip, and it does not need to: for conditioning the skin's surface it does the same job.

Hydration. Anti-Aging

Like other plant oils, canola works at the surface. The fatty acids sit between skin cells, filling the gaps, which makes the surface feel smoother and slows water loss. Its oleic acid content makes it a relatively rich, cushioning oil. Oleic-heavy oils suit dry skin well but can feel heavy on oily or congestion-prone skin, so where it appears in a formula matters more than whether it appears at all.