It took me a minute to get back but here I am. Now back to the topic at hand so we can discuss the chemistry of butters and oils. I can't cover the complete chemistry of all oils but we will discuss some major components.
First let's recap to discuss the difference between saturated and unsaturated oils. Saturated oils have single carbon bonds which are hard to break which leads to them being more stable and not very susceptible to oxidation. Unsaturated oils have double bonds which can be easily broken causing oxidation to occur. Many times the shelf life on an oil is stated which gives you an idea of when oxidation could start to occur. In chemical terms an oil may be identified as C18:1 identifying it as having 18 carbon bonds and 1 double bond.letting you know the one double bond will last longer than more double bonds that can be easily broken.
Oils and butters (triglycerides) are composed of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and a couple of other elements. Lets focus on essential fatty acids since they contribute to the health of hair and skin.
Fatty Essential Acids include the following:
- Lauric Acid is mainly found coconut and palm oil. It is helpful for the body overall due to it's ability to be converted into monolaurin whic known to destroy the lipid membranes of bacteria, fungus and viruses. Breast milk has a high percentage of lauric acid which is said to contribute to the decrease of infection in breast fed babies. As for hair and skin one of the most responsible reasons behind hair fall and hair loss is microbial action on the scalp and hair roots. So, to protect hair against them, what we need is an antimicrobial agent which Lauric Acid is known to do.
- Palmatic Acid forms a fatty layer on the hair and skin to protect it from the outside elements. It's useful when making soaps and can be found in palm oil, cottonseed oil, and ricebran oil.
- Stearic Acid is a very familiar ingredient for people who make lotions or other cosmetic products. It lends hardness to cold processed soaps and are found in many natural butters and oils. Stearic acid is known to provide moisture retention, increase the flexibility of the skin and hair, and help with repairing damaged hair and skin.
- Oleic Acid is very useful for our health since our bodies produces it. Triglycerides containing oleic acid are normally moisturizing, regenerating properties for the skin, and some such as olive oil are comparable to the sebum of the skin. Most oils and butters with higher levels of oleic acid are great emollients and have a moisturizing effect on the akin and hair.
- Linoleic Acid is vital to create a barrier for skin and hair. A lack of linoleic acid can cause hair loss as well as poor healing from scars and wounds. It increases the skin's ability to keep water in and other things out.
I hope this helps when looking for oils to use. This is just a brief description of each because this could turn into a chemistry lesson if I keep going. Normally the chemistry of oils and butters can be found online when a description of them is given.
Naturally You
