ELAEIS GUINEENSIS OIL

📋 Quick facts

Description: ELAEIS GUINEENSIS OIL — moisturizing (Palm Oil).

All Functions: moisturizing (Palm Oil)

Quick Facts:

• Category: emollient
• Comedogenic Rating: 2/5

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Elaeis guineensis (oil palm) oil is composed of triacylglycerols—three fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone
• The oil contains unique fatty acids and enzymes that plants have adapted over time for oil storage
• Oil palm fruit contains lipase enzymes involved in ripening and breaking down fats into free fatty acids
• Unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and linoleic acid make up 60-80% of some oil palm oils
• The oil has industrial applications beyond skincare, including biodiesel and renewable fuel production

📊 Comedogenicity

2/5

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

Derived from this ingredient’s irritancy potential and comedogenicity rating against the needs of each skin type — e.g. oily and acne-prone skin are marked down for pore-clogging ingredients, sensitive skin for irritants. A starting heuristic, not a dermatological verdict.

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Elaeis guineensis oil is a plant oil composed primarily of triacylglycerols, which are molecules made of three fatty acids bound to a glycerol backbone (Plant Cell Physiol, 2024). Different plant species, including oil palm, have evolved specialized metabolic pathways and unique enzymes to accumulate these oils efficiently. The oil itself contains bioactive components. In hybrid varieties of oil palm oil, unsaturated fatty acids—particularly oleic acid and linoleic acid—comprise 60-80% of total fatty acids, with these molecules positioned in specific spots on the glycerol backbone (Foods, 2020). The oil also contains carotenoids and tocotrienols in its unsaponifiable matter (the portion that doesn’t break down into soap when saponified), though these levels vary considerably between oils (Foods, 2020).

At the molecular level, oil palm fruit mesocarp contains specialized enzymes called lipases—specifically EgLIP1, an oil-body lipase that breaks down triacylglycerols into free fatty acids during fruit ripening (Proteins, 2025). This enzyme has a unique three-dimensional structure with novel protein domains that help it anchor to oil droplets and catalyze fat breakdown. Understanding these enzymatic processes provides insight into how the oil’s components are naturally processed and stabilized in the plant itself. While the research sources provided focus primarily on oil composition, biosynthesis, and industrial applications (biodiesel and bio-fuel production), they do not contain specific data on skincare efficacy, penetration into skin layers, anti-inflammatory effects, hydration properties, or other cosmetic benefits commonly associated with oils in skincare formulations.

The sources are grounded in biochemistry and food chemistry rather than dermatological studies.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Clews AC et al. (2024). Variety of Plant Oils: Species-Specific Lipid Biosynthesis. Plant Cell Physiol.
• Tey JR et al. (2025). Structural and Functional Analysis of Plant Oil-Body Lipase Eg LIP1 From Elaeis guineensis. Proteins.
• Eyibio UP et al. (2022). Biodiesel synthesized from the blend of Thai red and Elaeis guineensis oil: An application of calcined base, optimization, kinetics, and thermodynamic parameters studies. Heliyon.
• Mozzon M et al. (2020). Current Knowledge on Interspecific Hybrid Palm Oils as Food and Food Ingredient. Foods.
• de Sousa Castro K et al. (2020). Catalytic pyrolysis (Ni/Al-MCM-41) of palm (Elaeis guineensis) oil to obtain renewable hydrocarbons. RSC Adv.

🧴 Products Containing ELAEIS GUINEENSIS OIL

• Cien VitalBeauty Dia
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Luxe, The Body Shop ALMOND MILK & HONEY For Sensitive, Dry Skin
• Le petit marseillais Crème hydratante Visage & corps Olive & Amande douce
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 415 Marron Glace
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 535 Chocolat
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 323 Choc Noir
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 412 Beigebrun
• L’Oréal, L’Oréal Professional products, Redken 5th Avenue NYC conditionner
• Klorane Klorane Bébé Eryteal Liniment
• Douce Nature Shampooing douche délassant
• Le Petit Marseillais Visage & Corps Olive & Amande douce
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 550 Acajou
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 645 Ambre
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 513 Lys Beigbrun
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 410 Cool Chestnut
• L’OREAL NORGE AS Casting Creme Gloss 510 Cool Mocha
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Garnier, Garnier Body Intensif 7 jours Lait Hydratant Apaisant au L-Bifidus
• Garner body
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Garnier Intensif 7 jours
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Garnier, Ultra-Doux Après-shampooing reconstituant Trésors de Miel
• l-oreal, l-oreal-consumer-products, garnier, Ultra Doux Ultra Doux Après-shampooing Crème Riche Huile d’avocat et Beurre de Karité
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Garnier Wahre Schätze
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Garnier, Ultra-Doux Ultra Doux Après-shampooing doux délicatesse d’avoine
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Garnier Honig Geheimnisse
• Ultra Doux Geheim van honing
• Franck Provost Expert lissage+ shampooing professionnel
• Mixa Mixa intensif peau sèche
• Natura Shampoo Natura Plant Hidratação Reparadora
• PhytoQuant, QuantaDerm Quantaderm crème fluide à base de colostrum, d’aloe vera et de plantes
• Coop Italia Crema viso Anti Rughe Intensiva Notte
• Schaebens Anti-Falten Maske
• Palmolive, Palmolive for Men Stick à raser/Shave Stick Classic (with Palm Extract)
• almond milk & honey
• Gold22, Sunsera Natural Hair Oil
• Palmer’s Lotion de massage Anti Vergertures
• Palmer’s Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Geconcentreerde Crème
• palmer’s
• Klorane Klorane Bébé Baume apaisant et réparateur
• Neutrogena Handcrem mit Nordic Berry
• Expert Nutrition Après-Shampooing