Teaching Tuesday-

I just put in my order for this months oil supplies, and finally got Meadowfoam seed oil again! I am so excited, and looking forward to making some great products with this oil. I especilly am anxious to whip up my facial serum, with this oil as a base, and some great, skin-loving essential oils to further enhance the skin and reduce wrinkles. can you say carrots? Lol Anyway, with this oil coming in, I thought that we would review Meadowfoam seed oil in today's Teaching Tuesday.


Meadowfoam Oil is pressed from the seeds of Meadowfoam plant, botanically known as Limnanthes alba.  It is an herbaceous, annual plant, native to northern California, southern Oregon, Vancouver Island, and British Columbia. Meadowfoam Seed Oil was developed in the 1970's as a way to save the whales. It was to be an ecologically responsible replacement for sperm whale oil, and did, in fact, succeeded as such.


Meadowfoam seed oil protects the skin from moisture loss, adds shine and moisture to the hair and the scalp,  offers ultra-violet protection (sunscreen applications), reduces wrinkles and signs of aging, moisturizes and revitalizes dry, cracked lips, provides good slip in massage oils and creams, and is highly valued as a lubricant type of oil. In also provides adhesion in lipsticks and other makeup formulations, providing them with lasting endurance.  Actually, this oil is suitable for a wide range of applications, so experiment away!




 Meadowfoam seed oil has an unique chemical profile. Even though it has a high molecular weight, it remains liquid at room temperature.  On the skin, meadowfoam seed oil feels distinctly different than many other natural oils. It has a non-greasy feeling and  soaks into the skin very easily. It is chemically different than most oils, as it contains over 98% fatty acids that have over 20 carbon atoms. It also  possesses outstanding oxidative stability.due to its high vitamin E content. In fact, meadowfoam 
Seed Oil is one of the most stable fats known and it will lend that 
stability to other oils that it is combined with. So, if you have a recipe that has some less stable oils, you can extend their shelf life by adding this oil to the formulation.  This oil also is often used as a binder, as it helps to extend fragrances better than other oils when used in bath salts, soaps and massage oils.  



















Meadowfoam seed oil received its name because when it is in bloom it resembles the foam blowing on the ocean, and it is quite a sight to behold. This oil has proven itself to be invaluable to the
body care and cosmetic industries. And currently it is being studied for potential pharmaceutical and industrial applications.


This plant is truly a modern marvel of human ingenuity. Not only does it protect the whale species, and provide a comparable oil for us to use, but the pressed seeds are then fed to cattle and other livestock, and are a good source of nutrients for these animals. Of course, while growing in the fields, birds, insects, mice, and all manner of critters also eat the nutritious plant seeds. Additionally, the meadowfoam plants themselves are a renewable crop, and are usually grown as a rotation crop for grass seed farmers. This eliminates the need to burn the fields in between grass seed plantings, and has the added benefit of providing farmers with additional income. Meadowfoam also requires less fertilizer and less pesticides than most other crops, so farmers, the environment, and all of us by extension, benefit. Meadowfoam oil is a versatile and amazing oil! 

Frankly Speaking Friday- Exotic Oils cont.- Meadowfoam Oil

Sorry, once again flooding in Ohio makes for spotty internet coverage! Here is Friday's post, a continuation of our exotic oils series. this oil, Meadowfoam seed oil, is primarily grown right here in the USA, but it is rather hard to find now, thanks to the Oregon growers collation break up a few years back. If you can find it for less than 5$ an ounce, consider that a good deal! Still, it is quite a nice oil and well worth the money to get it!




Meadowfoam seed oil, botanically known as Limnanthes Alba, is cold expellar pressed from the seeds (which contain 20-30% oil) of the meadowfoam flower. It is a herbaceous, winter annual plant, native to the pacific Northwest, mainly northern California, southern Oregon, Vancouver Island, and British Columbia. The meadowfoam plant received its name because when it is in bloom, it looks like the white foam found blowing on the ocean.



Meadowfoam Seed Oil was actually developed in the 1970s as a replacement for sperm whale oil, when  the sperm whales began to be monitored against endangerment.  In fact, the oil from the Meadowfoam plant closely resembles that of sperm whale oil, and it is recognized for its outstanding oxidative stability. It has since proven to be invaluable in the body care and cosmetic industries, and is also being studied for pharmaceutical and industrial use. It is quite an unique oil, in that it contains over 98% fatty acids that have over 20 carbon atoms, meaning that they are long-chain fatty acids. It also has higher quality triglyceride levels than other vegetable oils, and it has three long chain fatty acids that were previously unknown before its discovery. Another unique feature of this oil is that, despite its high molecular weight, Meadowfoam Oil remains liquid at room temperature, unlike its counterparts. 


Meadowfoam Seed oil is highly emollient, yet it is absorbed very quickly, leaves a lighter feel on the skin than many other oils, and does not feel greasy.  It has amazing rejuvenating capabilities, and is very stable, making it a wonderful oil of choice for a wide variety of applications.

Meadowfoam Seed Oil is said to moisturize the skin and hair better than most oils, and, when applied to the skin, it forms a moisture barrier which will assist the skin in preventing moisture loss. In shampoos and hair care products, it helps to add shine and moisture to the hair and scalp. In lipsticks and lip balms, Meadowfoam Seed Oil helps to revitalize dry, cracked lips and keeps them moist for a longer period of time. It is valued as a lubricating oil, providing good slip in creams and massage oils.  In lipsticks and other makeup this oil provides adhesion, making them stay on for a longer time.  It has a high tolerance for heat, and is suitable for a wide range of applications.

Meadowfoam Seed Oil is one of the most stable lipids (fats) known, having a shelf life of two to three years, and it will lend stability to other oils that are combined with it. Therefore, this oil is quite useful in recipes where you are using less stable oils, such as sweet almond, kukui nut, evening primrose, borage, and hemp seed oil. Use Meadowfoam Seed Oil in lotion bars, lip balms, and other products where you wish to extend shelf life. It is often used as a binder, and is credited with extending fragrances, or helping them perform better than other oils, especially when used in bath salts, soaps and massage oils. Meadowfoam oil creates a very moisturizing bar of soap, when used as a superfatting agent, or when used as part of the base oils, from 10-30%.