Grapeseed oil is a very light and thin oil extracted from the seeds of the delicious little fruit we call grapes. This oil is a clear light yellow-green oil with little to no odor (aroma is slightly nutty when present).
Grapes have been foraged for thousands of years for both its medicinal and nutritional value. It is only in recent years, however, that we have began extracting the oils from the seeds. Because there is so little oil in each seed, extraction would have been difficult without modern methods. Seeds for grapeseed oil are typically obtained as side products in wine production, bringing new life to what would otherwise simply be waste. I love this about grapeseed oil because it helps to reduces waste in an ever increasingly wasteful world. Also, it has been shown that many of the beneficial qualities of consuming grapes actually come from the seeds! Keep that in mind next time you think about buying seedless grapes.
Most grapeseed oil is obtained via chemical extraction, a process that involves hexane to draw the oil out, then high heat to evaporate the unwanted hexane. This heating process destroys much of the valuable nutrients the seed has to offer. Our grape seed oil, however, is expeller pressed, meaning the oil is squeezed out mechanically instead of chemically. This method avoids additional heating, whereby preserving much more of the nutritional content.
The benefits of grapeseed oil are numerous. We use this oil mainly for its amazing ability to easily penetrate the skin, absorbing quickly, leaving no greasy residue. Grapeseed oil is an excellent emollient, meaning it softens skin and helps it to retain moisture. High in antioxidant vitamin E and polyunsaturated fats, this oil is believed to help preserve the natural moisture in aging skin. Grapeseed oil has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and is mildly astringent, helping to tighten and tone skin. This makes it a wonderful candidate for a facial moisturizer (coming soon) and for all over skin toning.
Products that use grapeseed oil: