INCI: Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Botanical source: Seeds of the borage plant, Borago officinalis L.
Also known as: Borage oil, starflower seed oil
Source: United Kingdom and certified organic

Borage seed oil is pressed from the seeds of Borago officinalis, a flowering plant native to the western and central Mediterranean region and now cultivated more widely. The oil is especially valued in skincare because it is one of the richest botanical sources of gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid. Kew lists Borago officinalis as native to the western and central Mediterranean, and COSMILE lists Borago Officinalis Seed Oil as a plant-derived oil with skin-conditioning and emollient functions.

Its fatty-acid profile makes borage seed oil particularly interesting for dry, mature, sensitive or easily unsettled skin. Alongside linoleic acid and oleic acid, borage seed oil contains a naturally high level of GLA, a fatty acid associated with skin barrier support and comfort. Published analyses report GLA levels around 20% in some borage seed oils, although the exact composition varies by cultivar, origin and processing.

In SKAAI formulas, we choose borage seed oil for its rich, quietly comforting quality. It helps support a soft, supple skin feel and is especially valuable in formulas designed for skin that feels dry, fragile or out of balance. It fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach beautifully: gentle support for the skin barrier, without forcing or overstimulating the skin.

Rich in gamma-linolenic acid, borage seed oil brings a deeply comforting, barrier-supportive quality to formulas for dry, inflamed and sensitive or mature skin