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 Meadowfoam Oil 
Meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba Benth.) is a low growing
herbaceous winter annual. The common name "Meadowfoam" is due to it's
appearance at full bloom. A field of white flowers blowing in
the wind resembles sea foam on the ocean surf. Meadowfoam is
native to northern California, southern Oregon, and Vancouver Island,
British Columbia.
Meadowfoam is becoming widely used in cosmetic and
hair-care
applications. Its desirability is due to its long chain of
fatty acids and its stability as an oil. Meadowfoam oil is
highly resistant to oxidation and heat. It has been found to also
extend the shelf like of other oils with which it is combined in a
product. It's lubricity and ability to stay on the skin make
it wonderful for massage oils and lotions. It is
also used in salon-quality hair-care products. The beneficial
properties of the oil in these applications include moisturizing,
ultra-violet protection (sun-screen 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, e.g., almond, borage, and evening
primrose oil. For this reason meadowfoam oil is a potentially very
high-value shelf-life extender for the cosmetics industry. The
oil’s long-chain fatty acids (20- and 22-carbon), unique due
to very high levels of mono-unsaturation and very low levels of
poly-unsaturation, although immediately recognized for cosmetic and
other personal care applications."
The oil extracted from meadowfoam seeds is recognized
for its
outstanding oxidative stability and contains over 98 percent long-chain
fatty acids. It has higher quality triglyceride levels compared to
other vegetable oils. Meadowfoam oil contains three previously unknown
long chain fatty acids."
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