Prickly Pear Oil Uses and Benefits

The prickly pear cactus is an edible cactus with a great number of nutritional benefits. The oil and extracts made from the prickly pear have other great benefits for skin and hair health, as well. Let us take a look at the many different benefits and uses for prickly pear cactus oil.

Prickly Pear Oil Benefits

What is a prickly pear oil? Prickly pear oil is taken from the fruit (prickly pear) of the prickly pear cactus. There is also super-concentrated prickly pear extract, particularly rich in the antioxidants from the prickly pear cactus. 

Prickly pear is also sometimes called barbary fig or Indian fig. While it grows in many regions, it is said that the Moroccan prickly pear is the superior one, as far as health and beauty benefits. This is because the nutrients found in the Moroccan prickly pear are of a higher concentration than other varieties. 

The Moroccan prickly pear cactus has many health and beauty benefits. One of these benefits is that the cactus has many different vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids to offer. All of these compounds can be found in prickly pear oil. 

For vitamins, prickly pear cactus contains Vitamin A, Vitamin B, and Vitamin E. For minerals, the cactus offers copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and potassium. The essential fatty acids include linoleic acid (also known as Omega-6), oleic acid (or Omega-9), palmitic acid, and stearic acid. 

As you can see, prickly pear benefits are numerous. To get the benefits of prickly pear oil, simply get your hands on some natural organic Moroccan prickly pear cactus oil. Then, use it as directed, dependent on your intended outcome. Some ways to use this beneficial cactus involve ingesting it. Others will involve applying it topically, especially when using the oil. 

Prickly Pear Benefits for Skin

Should you use prickly pear for skin? What about a prickly pear face mask? How is prickly pear cactus for skin? Should you use prickly pear facial oil? 

Prickly pear skin care is widely growing in popularity. While prickly pear cactus grows in other areas, the Moroccan variety is the most powerful. You can use cactus oil for skin conditions, as well as your daily beauty regimen. 

Is cactus oil good for your skin? Yes! 

Cactus oil benefits for skin include the following: 

• Restoring elasticity.
• A brighter, more even-toned skin.
• Softer, healthier skin. 
• Tightens pores. 
• Reduces the appearance of circles under the eyes.
• Reduces fine lines.
• Helps to prevent premature wrinkles. 

Cactus Benefits for Hair

There are definitely some benefits to prickly pear oil for hair. For greasy hair, prickly pear cactus oil can make a great serum. Many other oils can leave hair oily or heavy, but prickly pear oil gives hair a glossy and tangle-free sheen. Additionally, you can use prickly pear cactus oil for hair growth.

Prickly pear oil also makes a great hair conditioner due to its high concentration of Vitamin E, which is one-and-a-half times as much as the very popular argan oil. The fatty acids and proteins are what allow you to get the shiny, full hair that you are looking for, too.

To make a natural hair conditioner with the prickly pear cactus, you can actually use the fruit itself. All you have to do is peel the fruit and cut it into small pieces. Then, put those pieces into water. After covering it and shaking it well, just strain it and use the liquid as a leave-in conditioner.

This natural conditioner not only makes your hair look great. It can also protect your hair from the sun while rejuvenating damaged hair. Healthier hair means it will grow fuller and longer.

Prickly Pear Oil Reviews

It’s no doubt that prickly pear oil is something to have in your beauty regimen; however, sometimes hearing from others can help with the decision making. Below are a variety of reviews provided by people who use this oil for a variety of health and beauty reasons:

“Prickly pear oil delivers results that are promised. It feels great on the skin, and pores are noticeably smaller. Used once a day (at night) as a moisturizer, the skin feels so much smoother.”

Some people have reported mixing it with other oils such as: sea buckthorn oil, carrot seed essential oil, and rose oil. The results seem to be the same.

Best Prickly Pear Oil Products

The best prickly pear oil to buy is going to be 100 percent pure and unrefined cactus seed oil. Natural and organic pure oils are always the best to buy in order to experience the full benefits of the oil. As with many oils, prickly pear oil is often mixed with other products by many beauty suppliers. But you really want only the real thing.

So, where do you buy the best prickly pear oil? Oftentimes, the best place to buy certified organic natural cactus seed oil is online. 

Here are some products that you can consider:

• Fatima’s Garden (this is my favorite product!)
• Leven Rose Store
• Ecla Skincare
• Gya Labs
• Arade
• Naissance

A few other trusted retailers are:

• Edens Garden
• True Botanicals
• Earthy Skin Essentials
• Essential Wholesale
• Natural Elephant

Keep in mind that prickly pear oil is one of the more expensive oils on the market due to its high demand and difficulty to produce.

When shopping around, it’s good to remember prickly pear oil is sometimes called Barbary fig seed oil, as well. There is an Indian variety of the oil, as well as the Moroccan variety. Know that while the Indian variety is good the Moroccan variety is significantly more potent.

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