Preterm babies: better skin hydration with sunflower or almond oil than no oil; no difference between the oils
Caglar 2020 · Source
Sunflower Seed Oil
Helianthus annuus seed oil · certified organic
Light and fast-absorbing, and rich in linoleic acid, a fatty acid skin uses to build its barrier. It's the base of the Organic Body Oil.
497premature babies in a trial of daily sunflower oil massage
Barrier-friendlykept skin's outer layer intact where olive oil didn't
Linoleic acida building block of the skin barrier
Why we love it
Sunflower oil is light and sinks in quickly, so the Body Oil doesn't sit heavy on skin. In a head-to-head study it left the skin barrier intact where olive oil weakened it, which is why we chose it as the base.
What does the research show?
The skin barrier
In a study of 19 adults who put sunflower oil on one forearm and olive oil on the other for four weeks, sunflower oil kept the skin's outer layer intact and improved hydration. Olive oil weakened it and caused mild redness.
Newborn skin
In a hospital trial in Bangladesh of 497 premature babies, those massaged daily with sunflower seed oil were 41% less likely to develop a bloodstream infection than babies given usual care. In a trial of 90 preterm babies, sunflower and almond oil both improved skin hydration.
Studies
Human study tested in people Lab study a starting point, not proof
Healthy newborns: hydration improved with oil, but skin lipid structure developed less than with no oil
Cooke 2016, Acta Derm Venereol · Source
Adults: sunflower oil kept the skin barrier intact and improved hydration; olive oil weakened it
Danby 2013, Pediatr Dermatol · Source
Premature babies: 41% fewer hospital bloodstream infections with daily sunflower oil
Darmstadt 2005, Lancet · Source
How has it been used traditionally?
Sunflower oil is a common food oil and one of the most widely used emollients in skin care.
Is sunflower seed oil safe on my skin?
Sunflower oil is one of the most widely used skin oils and is gentle for most people. It's in the daisy family, like calendula, so if you have a daisy-family allergy, patch test first. Oils, including sunflower oil, can weaken latex condoms.
Last reviewed: November 2026.
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Reviewed by the Momotaro Apotheca medical team, including OB-GYNs and naturopathic doctors. Educational information, not medical advice. All ingredient research