What is it? |
Passionfruit Oil (also known as Maracuja oil) is the liquid oil from the seeds of the passionfruit. In terms of fatty acid composition, it’s very simple: 73% linoleic acid, 13% oleic acid, and 14% palmitic acid (according to Modern Cosmetics) |
INCI |
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil |
Appearance |
Pale yellow transparent liquid |
Usage rate |
Up to 100% |
Texture |
Ultralightweight oil, smooth |
Scent |
Nothing strong; slightly fresh/fruity |
Absorbency Speed |
Very fast |
Approximate Melting Point |
Liquid at room temperature & straight out of the fridge |
Solubility |
Oil |
Why do we use it in formulations? |
Passionfruit Oil is a lovely, lightweight emollient—brilliant for applications where you don’t want something to be greasy, but still want to use lots of oils. It also has wonderful label appeal, sounding very exotic and expensive. |
Do you need it? |
No; I’d call it a nice-to-have luxury oil. |
Refined or unrefined? |
I have virgin passionfruit oil and I like it. |
Strengths |
Lightweight, fast-absorbing, great skin feel, very market-able. |
Weaknesses |
Passionfruit oil can be a bit tricky to find, depending on where you live. |
Alternatives & Substitutions |
Another lightweight carrier oil would be a good choice—perhaps a blend of rosehip oil and argan oil? Safflower and grapeseed oil would also be good options. Poppyseed oil is very close to passionfruit oil in terms of fatty acid makeup, and would also be a good choice. |
How to Work with It |
Include Passionfruit Oil in the oil phase of your formulations; it can be hot or cold processed. |
Storage & Shelf Life |
Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, passionfruit oil should last about one year. |
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks |
You can buy ~50mL (1.69fl oz) of passionfruit oil for $63CAD at Sephora… or get 125mL from a DIY supplier for ~10CAD. |
Recommended starter amount |
100mL (3.3fl oz) |
Where to Buy it |
Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon. |