VEGETABLE OIL
VEGETABLE OIL is a broad designation for an oil obtained from plant material and made mainly of fatty-acid triglycerides. Rather than identifying one plant, the name groups plant-derived oils with that oily base in common; on its own, it is not the same thing as sunflower, olive, coconut, or another specifically named oil.
VEGETABLE OIL: what it is
VEGETABLE OIL is a broad designation for an oil obtained from plant material and made mainly of fatty-acid triglycerides. Rather than identifying one plant, the name groups plant-derived oils with that oily base in common; on its own, it is not the same thing as sunflower, olive, coconut, or another specifically named oil.
The composition of a vegetable oil changes with the plant and the part used, such as a seed, fruit, or pulp. The Codex Alimentarius lists named vegetable oils from very different raw materials, from sunflower seeds to the fleshy mesocarp of the oil-palm fruit. When a label says only VEGETABLE OIL, the plant species and the precise fatty-acid profile cannot be identified from that name.
VEGETABLE OIL: what it does in cosmetics
In skin products, VEGETABLE OIL can act as an occlusive conditioning ingredient: its oily portion leaves a film at the surface and helps slow water loss to the environment. In everyday terms, that can support a softer, less rough feel and add body and slip to creams, balms, and body oils.
In hair products, the same oily character accounts for its conditioning use, contributing to the feel and lubrication of the strands. Research on topical plant oils examines particular oils, not the generic ingredient VEGETABLE OIL; outcomes vary with the species, composition, and finished formula. This label name therefore cannot promise an effect reported for one specific plant oil.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
