Will Prickly Pear Seed Oil Be the Next Big Skin Care Craze?

The beautiful almost alien-like prickly pear fruit crowning cactus paddles are like rare gems. To the desert-bound wanderer, they are like a gift from God, filled with succulent and sweet hydrating juices. Today, they are touted as a superfood, filled with potent vitamins. In fact, one serving of prickly pear fruit contains up to 24% of the daily recommended vitamin C intake alongside high doses of nutritional copper, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. What’s more, they are achieving savior-status among skincare gurus as well! Prickly pear, also known as fig opuntia, nopak, or barbary fig, is the most widespread and commercially grown cactus species globally. It’s a culinary treasure praised for its sweet, juicy, fuschia-colored flesh. Though they have been eaten and used in traditional medicine for hundreds of years, they are now considered a superfood and even a super skincare product. Prickly pear oil, a concentrated botanical oil derived from the seeds of this cactus, contains triple the vitamin E than argan oil among other allstar ingredients. Prickly pear oil, a concentrated botanical oil derived from the seeds of this cactus, contains triple the vitamin E than argan oil among other allstar ingredients. This gentle oil is suitable for all skin types and boasts a number of impressive benefits. Though research on prickly pear oil is still underway, preliminary studies show that this natural ingredient may be what’s missing from your skincare regimen. Here’s everything you need to know! Is Prickly Pear Seed Oil the Perfect Pairing to Your Skincare Regimen? How was prickly pear used in the past? Nearly every part of the prickly pear plant can be used. It’s quite a versatile plant! Prickly pear is native to North Americas and has long been a valued ingredient in Mexican and Southwestern cuisines. The cactus resin can be used to stiffen clothes. The flowers are made into essential oils and sweet-smelling perfumes. It’s a natural dye that can be used in food products and natural fibers alike. The seeds (as we’ll find out more below) can be made into an oil and used on the skin for a number of benefits. Not only that, it has many medicinal properties as well. Historically, on top of being a food source, Native Americans used prickly pear juice to treat burns and whooping cough and manage asthma. It was also applied to the skin to decrease inflammation from bug bites and other injuries. After being introduced to China, it was used to dress abscesses. In Mexican folk medicine, it’s used to treat diabetes. The fruit, the stems, and even the flowers are used to treat high cholesterol, abdominal pain, high blood pressure, ulcers, fatigue, glaucoma, liver conditions, and even indigestion. All of that, from one unsuspecting cactus! From a culinary standpoint, both the green paddles and the “pears” or fruit that crowns each one can be used in the kitchen. Once you slice into the fruit and extract the jelly-like innards (think aloe vera), they can be used to make jams and jellies, teas, candies, and can even be made into a syrup that adds a dash of vibrance and sweetness to your favorite cocktails or mocktails. You might see it on the menu at a local smoothie shop or juicery or incorporated into savory dishes on the menus of Mexican and Central American restaurants.