Sold by weight. Meadowfoam oil (Limnanthes alba) was developed as an agricultural crop for its oil in the late 1950s. The common name "meadowfoam" is due to the appearance, at full bloom, of the plants solid canopy of creamy white flowers that resembles, in the wind, sea foam on the surf.
Meadowfoam seeds (nutlets) contain 20 to 30 percent oil. The oil from meadowfoam seed has unique chemical properties that make it one of the most stable vegetable oils known. The oil extracted from meadowfoam seeds is recognized for its outstanding oxidative stability and contains over 98 percent long-chain fatty acids. Meadowfoam oil is highly resistant to oxidation and heat, and is a valuable material for personal-care products.
The beneficial properties of the oil in these applications include moisturizing, ultraviolet protection (sunscreen applications), a non-greasy feel and excellent properties for blending with other cosmetic oils to enhance their function and reduce the cost of their use.
Additionally, the oil is one of the most shelf-stable lipids known and remains liquid at room temperature despite its molecular weight. These characteristics make meadowfoam oil very stable, even when heated or exposed to the air. This outstanding stability can be conferred to other oils when meadowfoam oil is blended with them, making it ideal as a carrier in applications with less stable, but very high-value oils, for example, almond, borage and evening primrose oil. For this reason, meadowfoam oil is a potentially very high value shelf-life extender for the cosmetics industry. SAP value: 168. INCI:Limnanthes alba.
