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Prickly-Pear

INCI: Opuntia Ficus Indica Seed Oil CAS N°: 90082-21-6EINECS N°: 290-109-1
picture of Prickly-Pear

PRICKLY PEAR, also called OPUNTIA, is part of the cactus family. This species comes originatelly from Mexico and has been widespread in various arid and semiarid parts of the world.
Today the cactus is cultivated in northern Africa. The fruit pulp has a high nutritional value and is used in the food industry for its sweet and flavorful taste.
The seeds, which contain only 5% of oil, are cold pressed to give the rich and precious PRICKLY PEAR SEED OIL. Its exceptional composition : 75% to 85% unsaturated fatty acids (65% linoleic acid, omega 6), and a high rate of tocopherol (1085 mg/kg on average) have made the prickly pear oil the new trend oil in cosmetics. Furthermore, the oil contains more than 6% Delta7 sterols, a component rarely found in vegetable oils and recognized for its performance mainly in the revitalization field and antiradical protection.
The beautiful golden color and the nice quickly absorbed texture makes it easy to use in all kind of cosmetic formulation.

Technical Information
Characteristics
Appearance (20°C) Yellow to green oil
Odor Mild characteristic
FFA (%) Max 5
Peroxyde Value (meq O²/kg) Max 15
Average Fatty Acid Composition (%)
Saturated fatty acids 20% Unsaturated Fatty Acids 80%
Palmitic Acid C16:0 10-14 Oleic Acid C18:1 20-30
Stearic Acid C18:0 2-6 Linoleic Acid C18:2 55-65

Properties and Cosmetic Applications

PRICKLY PEAR SEED OIL is recommended for :
- skin care : creams, milks.... 1-5%
- lipsticks, lipbalms, color cosmetic 5-10%
- Anti-aging products 3-6%
- hair care creams, conditioners 3-10%
- Body oils, massage oils etc... 5-20%

Packaging and Storage

Storage: Store in cool conditions (below 25°C) away from light and humidity in unopened containers.
Shelf Life: 18 months in original unopened packaging.
Safety: Refer to MSDS. Not considered hazardous.