Almond oil: A comprehensive review of chemical composition, extraction methods, preservation conditions, potential health benefits, and safety

Edible oil-based switchable-hydrophilicity solvent liquid-liquid microextraction prior to smartphone digital image colorimetry for the determination of total curcuminoids in food samples

Edible oil-based switchable-hydrophilicity solvent liquid-liquid microextraction was coupled with smartphone digital image colorimetry for the determination of total curcuminoids. Images of the colored extracts were captured in a laboratory-made colorimetric box, which were then split into their red-green-blue channels. Optimum extraction conditions were achieved using 550 μL of almond oil as the extraction solvent and 0.40 M sodium hydroxide for hydrolysis of the oil to the salt of its fatty acid. Phosphoric acid (2.0 mL, 4.0 M) was used as the hydrophilicity-switching trigger, while pH of the sample solution adjusted to 5.50 and extraction time of 1.0 min, were found to be optimum. Optimum detection conditions were achieved at a distance of 7.0 cm from the detection camera, a region of interest of 175 px2, a detection wavelength of 420 nm and 50.0% brightness of the light source. The limit of detection was found to be 0.020 μg mL-1. A good linearity was achieved as indicated by coefficients of determination above 0.9965. The proposed method was used for the determination of total curcuminoids in tea and turmeric samples with percentage relative recoveries of 95.0-105.0% and percentage relative standard deviations below 8.7%.

Inhibition of corrosion on API 5L X52 pipeline steel in acid media by Tradescantia spathacea

The concentration effect of Tradescantia spathacea (T. spathacea) as corrosion inhibitor of API 5L X52 steel in 0.5 M of H2SO4 was studied here through electrochemical and gravimetric techniques. To achieve it, samples of the material were prepared to be submitted to each of the tests. Results from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that there was an optimum concentration of the inhibitor in which is reached the maximum inhibition efficiency, displaying the best inhibition characteristics for this system with a maximum inhibition of 89% by using 400 ppm. However, the efficiency decreased until 40% when the temperature was increased to 60°C. Potentiodynamic polarization curves (PDP) revealed that some of the present compounds of T. spathacea may affect anodic and cathodic process, so it can be classified as a mix-type corrosion inhibitor for API 5L X52 in sulfuric acid. Also, this compound followed an adsorption mechanism; this can be described through a Frumkin isotherm with an adsorption standard free energy difference (ΔG°) of -56.59 kJmol-1. Metal surface was studied through scanning electron microscope, results revealed that by adding inhibitor, the metal surface is protected; also, they evidenced low damages compared with the surface with no inhibitor. Finally, Tradescantia spathacea inhibited the corrosion process with 82% efficiency.

Emollients in dermatological creams: Early evaluation for tailoring formulation and therapeutic performance

The targeted choice of the emollient of a cream determines its physicochemical properties and clinical effectiveness. This work researched the effects of emollient properties on the final characteristics and potential performance of oil-in-water dermatological creams. Seven emollients with different chemical characteristics and structures (alkane, triglyceride, ether, silicone, vegetable oils, and mineral oil) were tested in a model formulation. Early stability, pH, droplet size distribution, rheology, tackiness, adhesivity, spreadability, tribology, and release profile of a lipophilic substance model (in Franz cells, through a synthetic membrane, for six hours) were assessed. The creams had acid epicutaneous pH and a "shear-thinning" "solid-like" viscoelastic behavior. Among the seven emollients' properties, polarity, density, and viscosity were the most influential. Droplet parameters were the most impacted, pH and release were moderately affected, and the textural properties were lowly to moderately impacted. The emollient substitution in the model formulation affected the experimental parameters differently, allowing formulation optimization and tailoring its potential therapeutic performance regarding drug release, coadjutant effects, and dwell time on the skin. By looking at the creams' characteristics, it was possible to select the best-suited emollients for releasing a lipophilic drug, applying on painful skin, and formulation in wash-off products or leave-on protective barrier creams.

Pumpkin seed oil: a comprehensive review of extraction methods, nutritional constituents, and health benefits

Pumpkin seed oil (PSO), a rich source of nutrients, is extracted from the seeds of different pumpkin varieties for food and medicines. This article aims to provide an evidence-based review of the literature and to explore the extraction technologies, nutritional properties, and biological activity of PSO. From previous literature, PSO contains a large proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, with linoleic acid as the main component, and an amount of tocopherol, phytosterol, and phenolic acids. Some differences in the yield, composition, and physicochemical properties of PSO can be associated with the pumpkin's cultivars and the extraction methods. Some novel technologies involved in supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction, and ultrasound-assisted extraction have been replacing the conventional technologies gradually as promising methods for the safe, non-polluting, and effective recovery of PSO. This healthy vegetable oil was reported by several in vitro and in vivo studies to have potential protective roles in oxidative stress, inflammation, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Pharmacotherapeutic Approaches for Managing Labour Pain Using Synthetic Drugs and Natural Therapies

The birth of a child is a critical and potentially traumatic experience for women, entailing multiple physiological and psychosocial changes. The psychological effects of childbirth pain can have both immediate and long-term effects on the mother's health and her bond with her child. Many studies investigated the different ranges of synthetic drugs available for pain control in labour, inclusive of neuraxial analgesics, inhaled analgesics, and various opioids. The inadequate efficacy and unfavourable side effects of these synthetic drugs prevent appropriate pharmacotherapy, resulting in a quest for natural therapies for reducing labour pain. Herbal therapies (aromatherapy) using several essential oils obtained from various natural plants are another alternative that calms and manages the mind and body through aromatic compounds that have neurological and physiological effects. The review discussed the safety profile of various synthetic drugs with their dosage information and also deliberated on the mechanism and safety profile of various natural plants that are used in aromatherapy. The review also briefly highlighted the other non-pharmacological miscellaneous techniques such as TENS, hypnosis, immersion in water, acupuncture, massage, and different other tactics that aim to assist women in coping with pain in labour.

Plants with cosmetic uses

The use of plants as a source of active principles for cosmetics has significantly increased in the last few years. Safety, compatibility with all types of skin, fewer side effects, and availability are among the advantages of herbal cosmetics above synthetic ingredients. The present review aims to explore the most important plants used in cosmetics. A literature search was carried out in several electronic databases with the following phrases: skincare and plants; cosmetics and plants; natural and cosmetics; and natural and skincare. Furthermore, more detailed filters such as clinical studies, meta-analyses, and systemic reviews were applied to positive results. Various plants and plant extracts currently used in skin care, scaring, whitening, and aging, as well as in sun protection, acne, eczema, and others, have been included in this review. The effectiveness of these plants is based mainly on preclinical research, and to a lesser extent on clinical studies. Some plant extracts or oils have been tested clinically, such as onions, aloe, and tea tree oil, more than other plant extracts. Despite many studies on natural products to improve dermal needs, proper clinical cosmeceutical trials are much fewer than expected. Therefore, more clinical trials are needed to evaluate appropriate efficacy. Furthermore, new formulation technologies might enhance the cosmeceutical benefits, but more work is warranted.

Quality Standards and Pharmacological Interventions of Natural Oils: Current Scenario and Future Perspectives

Medicinal plants are rich sources of natural oils such as essential and fixed oils used traditionally for nutritive as well as medicinal purposes. Most of the traditional formulations or phytopharmaceutical formulations contain oil as the main ingredient due to their own therapeutic applications and thus mitigating several pathogeneses such as fungal/bacterial/viral infection, gout, psoriasis, analgesic, antioxidant, skin infection, etc. Due to the lack of quality standards and progressive adulteration in the natural oils, their therapeutic efficacy is continuously deteriorated. To develop quality standards and validate scientific aspects on essential oils, several chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques such as HPTLC, HPLC, NMR, LC-MS, and GC-MS have been termed as the choices of techniques for better exploration of metabolites, hence sustaining the authenticity of the essential oils. In this review, chemical profiling and quality control aspects of essential or fixed oils have been explored from previously reported literature in reputed journals. Methods of chemical profiling, possible identified metabolites in essential oils, and their therapeutic applications have been described. The outcome of the review reveals that GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, and NMR-based chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques are the most liable, economic, precise, and accurate techniques for determining the spuriousness or adulteration of oils based on their qualitative and quantitative chemical profiling studies. This review occupies the extensive information about the quality standards of several oils obtained from natural sources for their regulatory aspects via providing the detailed methods used in chemoprofiling techniques. Hence, this review helps researchers in further therapeutic exploration as well as quality-based standardization for their regulatory purpose.

Subcritical Water Extraction for Valorisation of Almond Skin from Almond Industrial Processing

Almond skin (AS) is an agro-industrial residue from almond processing that has a high potential for valorisation. In this study, subcritical water extraction (SWE) was applied at two temperatures (160 and 180 °C) to obtain phenolic-rich extracts (water-soluble fraction) and cellulose fibres (insoluble fraction) from AS. The extraction conditions affected the composition and properties of both valorised fractions. The dry extracts obtained at 180 °C were richer in phenolics (161 vs. 101 mg GAE. g-1 defatted almond skin (DAS)), with greater antioxidant potential (1.063 vs. 1.490 mg DAS.mg-1 DPPH) and showed greater antibacterial effect (lower MIC values) against L. innocua (34 vs. 90 mg·mL-1) and E. coli (48 vs. 90 mg·mL-1) than those obtained at 160 °C, despite the lower total solid yield (21 vs. 29%) obtained in the SWE process. The purification of cellulose from the SWE residues, using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), revealed that AS is not a good source of cellulose material since the bleached fractions showed low yields (20-21%) and low cellulose purity (40-50%), even after four bleaching cycles (1 h) at pH 12 and 8% H2O2. Nevertheless, the application of a green, scalable, and toxic solvent-free SWE process was highly useful for obtaining AS bioactive extracts for different food, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical applications.

Evaluation of Photocatalytic, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Efficacy of Almond Oil Capped Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

In this study, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized in the presence of almond oil at various molar ratios of zinc acetate and sodium hydroxide, including 0.5:1, 0.75:1, 1:1, 1.25:1, and 1.5:1, to obtain pH values of 11, 10, 9, 8, and 7, respectively. The XRD results revealed that ZnO NPs exhibit a hexagonal structure, with high crystallinity. SEM results showed that dense and large sized ZnO NPs were formed at pH 11, and relatively small (~30-40 nm) NPs were obtained at pH 9. The size distribution can be explained in terms of the presence of OH- ions at different pH levels. However, the larger size of the NPs at pH 7 compared to those at pH 8-11 were due to the coalescence of NPs suitable for antioxidant/antibacterial activities. ZnO NPs demonstrated a high degradation efficiency (~93%) in 90 min, with a high rate constant for Methyl Orange (MO), which is better than the previously reported rate. The larger sized almond oil capped ZnO NPs also showed excellent radical scavenging activity (94%) and are proven to be good carriers to resist Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria.

Phytochemistry and pharmacology of Armeniacae semen Amarum: A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Prunus armeniaca L. var. ansu Maxim., Ku xingren, bitter almond, ASA) is an important medicine in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is widely used because of its remarkable curative effect in relieving cough and asthma, moistening intestines and defecating.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to enlighten the deeper knowledge about ASA, giving a comprehensive overview of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology for future investigation of plant-based drugs and therapeutic applications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The databases used are Web of Science, PubMed, Baidu academic, Google academic, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP . In addition, detailed information on ASA was obtained from relevant monographs such as Chinese Pharmacopoeia.

RESULTS

The active components of ASA mainly include amygdalin, bitter almond oil, essential oil, protein, vitamin, trace elements and carbohydrates. The pharmacological studies have shown that ASA has beneficial effects such as antitussive, antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, antitumour, cardioprotective, antifibrotic, immune regulatory, bowel relaxation, insecticidal, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Many reports have been published on ASA's various active ingredients and biological uses. However, only a few reviews on its phytoconstituents and pharmacological uses. In addition, the exploration and development of ASA in other fields also deserve more attention in future research.

Apricot kernel characterization, oil extraction, and its utilization: a review

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) kernels, one of the economical stone fruit kernels, are utilized worldwide for edible, cosmetic, and medicinal purposes. Oil from the apricot kernel is valued by the richness of unsaturated fatty acids, the high proportion of oleic acids, phenols, and tocopherol content. Oil yield with quality from apricot kernel varies with region, variety, and adopted method of oil extraction. This review discusses apricot kernel characterization, different conventional and novel methods of oil extraction, their merits and demerits as reported in the literature. Novel technologies such as microwave-assisted oil extraction, ultrasound-assisted oil extraction, enzyme-assisted oil extraction, and supercritical fluid oil extraction have emerged as the most promising extraction methods that allow efficient oil recovery in very environment-friendly ways. Knowledge of the extraction technique aids in giving higher oil recovery with minimal nutritional losses while retaining the original organoleptic properties.

Graphical abstract

Effects of almond intake on oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that almonds can improve oxidative stress indices, but the results are controversial. Therefore, the goal of this research was to carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of all RCTs that evaluated the effect of almonds on selected oxidative stress indices.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted up to April 2022 on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. We have selected the studies that investigated the effects of almonds on malondialdehyde (MDA), and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) levels in adults. Data were pooled by using the random-effects model. The risk of bias in individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool.

RESULTS

Seven RCTs involving 424 participants were analyzed. The results indicated that almond intake led to a significant decrease in MDA levels (WMD: - 6.63 nmol/ml; 95 % CI: - 8.72 to - 4.54; P < 0.001). However, no significant effect was observed on Ox-LDL (Hedges' g: - 0.12; 95 % CI: - 0.34 to 0.10; P = 0.28). Sensitivity analysis showed that overall estimates were not affected by the elimination of any study. We did not observe any evidence regarding publication bias.

CONCLUSION

The present meta-analysis suggests that almond intake can improve MDA levels and might play a beneficial role in the reinforcement of the antioxidant defense system and amelioration of oxidative stress in adults. There is a need for more studies with larger groups to better estimate this effect.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Fat Content, Fatty Acids, Antioxidants and Oxidative Stability of Almonds, and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Study of Treated Nuts

Gamma irradiation has been applied as an efficient and inexpensive method for the sterilization of nuts for years. However, along with the benefits of such treatment, negative effects are possible because of the formation of reactive oxygen species with a toxic effect on important biologically active substances. Because of the scarce and contradictory information in the literature about gamma-irradiated almonds, the aim of our work was the examination of the lipid changes, antioxidant activity, and oxidative stability of almonds treated by 10 and 25 kGy gamma rays, as well as changes in intensity of the EPR spectra as an indicator for the stability of radiation-induced free radicals. The results revealed no significant differences in the EPR spectra of almonds treated at 10 and 25 kGy doses, neither in their intensity nor in kinetic behaviour. The EPR signals decayed exponentially over 250 days, with a decreasing of central line by 90%, with satellite lines by about 73%. No significant changes in the fat content, fatty acids composition, and acid value of irradiated almonds were observed. However, the amount of (alpha)tocopherols decreased from 292 to 175 mg/kg, whereas the conjugated dienes and trienes increased, K₂₃₂ from 1.3 to 3 and K₂₆₈ from 0.04 to 0.15, respectively, with the increasing of irradiation dose. The same was observed for total polyphenols in defatted almonds (1374 to 1520 mg/100 g), where in vitro antioxidant activity determined by ORAC and HORAC methods increased from 100 to 156 µmol TE/g and from 61 to 86 µmol GAE/g, respectively. The oxidative stability of oil decreased from 6 to 4 h at 120 °C and from 24.6 to 18.6 h at 100 °C (measured by Rancimat equipment). The kinetic parameters characterizing the oxidative stability of oil from 10 kGy irradiated almonds were studied before and after addition of different concentrations of ascorbyl palmitate as a synergist of tocopherols. Its effectiveness was concentration-dependent, and 0.75 mM ensured the same induction period as that of non-irradiated nut oil. Further enrichment with alpha-tocopherol in equimolar ratio with palmitate did not improve the oil stability. In conclusion, gamma irradiation is an appropriate method for the treatment of almonds without significant changes in fat content and fatty acids composition. The decreasing of oxidative stability after higher irradiation could be prevented by the addition of ascorbyl palmitate.

Microwave-assisted extraction of cellulose nanocrystals from almond (Prunus amygdalus) shell waste

Almond (Prunus amygdalus) is one of the most common tree nuts on a worldwide basis. This nut is highly regarded in the food and cosmetic industries. However, for all these applications, almonds are used without their shell protection, which is industrially removed contributing approximately 35-75% of the total fruit weight. This residue is normally incinerated or dumped, causing several environmental problems. In this study, a novel cellulose nanocrystal (CNCs) extraction procedure from almond shell (AS) waste by using microwave-assisted extraction was developed and compared with the conventional approach. A three-factor, three-level Box-Behnken design with five central points was used to evaluate the influence of extraction temperature, irradiation time, and NaOH concentration during the alkalization stage in crystallinity index (CI) values. A similar CI value (55.9 ± 0.7%) was obtained for the MAE process, comprising only three stages, compared with the conventional optimized procedure (55.5 ± 1.0%) with five stages. As a result, a greener and more environmentally friendly CNC extraction protocol was developed with a reduction in time, solvent, and energy consumption. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, X-ray diffractogram (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, and thermal stability studies of samples confirmed the removal of non-cellulosic components after the chemical treatments. TEM images revealed a spherical shape of CNCs with an average size of 21 ± 6 nm, showing great potential to be used in food packaging, biological, medical, and photoelectric materials. This study successfully applied MAE for the extraction of spherical-shaped CNCs from AS with several advantages compared with the conventional procedure, reducing costs for industry.

Almond oil restores blood parameters, liver function, blood and liver antioxidants and DNA, and liver histology more efficiently than olive oil in favism

OBJECTIVES

Favism is a metabolic disease and this study aimed to compare between olive oil and almond oil to ameliorate blood parameters, liver function, blood and liver antioxidants and DNA, and liver histology in favism rats.

METHODS

Animals were 36 male albino rats. They classified to 2 equal (normal and favism) groups. Normal group classified to 3 equal subgroups; Control, Olive oil, and Almond oil subgroups: normal rats orally administrated with 1 mL/100 g of saline, olive oil, and almond oil, respectively. Favism group was subdivided into 3 equal subgroup; favism, favism + olive oil, and favism + almond oil subgroups: favism rats orally administrated with no treatment, 1 mL/100 g olive oil, and 1 mL/100 g almond oil, respectively. All treatments were administrated orally by oral gavage once a day for 1 month.

RESULTS

The hemoglobin, hematocrite, the blood cells, glucose and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, total proteins, albumin, and globulin in serum were decreased in favism. The glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase in blood and liver were decreased in favism while alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin in serum were increased in favism. The blood and liver malondialdehyde was increased in favism. Furthermore, oral administration with both oils in favism rats restored all these parameters to be approached the control levels. Also, both oils preserved blood and liver DNA and liver histology.

CONCLUSIONS

Almond oil restored blood parameters, liver function, blood and liver antioxidants and DNA, and liver histology more efficiently than olive oil in favism.

The Effect of Changing Climatic Conditions on the Morphological Traits and Chemical Composition of Almond Kernels

This study evaluates the effect of two contrasting years, in terms of climatic parameters, on kernel morphology and content and on the composition of oil, tocopherols and the 11 macro- and micro-elements in almonds. Low precipitation and high temperatures increased the content of tocopherols, Cu and Zn but decreased the kernel ratio, the oil content, and the levels of macro-elements and of Cr, Fe, Mn and Mo. The obtained data indicate some statistically significant correlations among the kernel quality parameters and climate. A small variation in oil concentration with the highest value in ‘Texas’ (60.07%) was observed. The main tocopherol homologue was α-tocopherol (39.4 to 404.4 mg/100 g DW), representing more than 90% of the total tocopherols. Potassium was predominant (882.0 to 1104.5 mg/100 g), followed by phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and sodium. The most abundant micro-elements were iron (3.095 to 3.708 mg/100 g) and zinc (2.641 to 4.765 mg/100 g), followed by manganese, copper, molybdenum and chromium. The genotype 15/03 has the highest level of health-promoting compounds (α-tocopherol, potassium and zinc), so that, together with genotype 25/03 which showed the best response to changing climatic conditions, this genotype could be of interest for breeding programs.

Allelic Variation in Zmfatb Gene Defines Variability for Fatty Acids Composition Among Diverse Maize Genotypes

Edible oil with lower saturated fatty acids is desired for perceived quality and health benefits to humans and livestock. fatb gene encoding acyl-ACP thioesterase is a key player in the conversion of palmitic acid to oleic acid, thereby modifying the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids in maize kernels. The present investigation characterised the full-length sequence of the Zmfatb gene (4.63 kb) in two mutants (Zmfatb) and eight wild-types (ZmfatB) inbreds to study allelic variation, gene-based diversity, phylogenetic-relationship, protein-modelling, and molecular-docking to identify novel candidates for modification of fatty acid profile. Sequence alignment revealed wide genomic variability for Zmfatb among the inbreds; identified five novel SNPs and two InDels that clearly differentiated the wild-type and mutant genotypes. Gene-based diversity using 11-InDel markers categorised 48-diverse maize-inbreds into two-clusters. The majority of mutant and wild-type inbreds were grouped in separate clusters and led to the generation of 41 haplotypes. Genetic relationship of maize fatb gene with orthologues among 40 accessions of 12 oilseed-crops using both nucleotide and protein sequence clustered maize, soybean, sunflower, opium-poppy, Citrulus lanata, quinoa, and prunus species into one cluster; and brassica, camelina, and arabidopsis into the different cluster. The clustering pattern revealed that the plant oil with higher unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids grouped together in one cluster and higher proportions of other fractions like arachidic, eicosenoic, and erucic acids grouped in another cluster. Physico-chemical properties highlighted more similarity between maize and 29 orthologue proteins, but orthologues were found to have better thermostability. Homology models have been developed for maize mutant and wild-type inbreds using Umbellularia californica (PDB ID: 5x04) as a template. Predicted protein models possessed optimum confidence-score and RMSD values and validated stability via., Ramachandran plots. Molecular docking indicated most of the interactions of protein-ligand were having similar binding-affinity due to the broader specificity of fatty acyl-ACP thioesterases and the presence of conserved-domains across crops. This is the first report on the comprehensive molecular characterisation of the fatb gene in maize and various orthologues. The information generated here provided new insights into the genetic diversity of fatb gene which can be utilised for the enhanced nutritive value of oil in the breeding programme.

An updated review on efficacy and benefits of sweet almond, evening primrose and jojoba oils in skin care applications

Renewed consumer and industry interest in natural ingredients has led to a large growth of natural cosmetics. This has put pressure on formulation skills and product claims when it comes to using natural compounds. Taking a strategic and comprehensive approach in viewing natural ingredients, including natural oils, as 'active' ingredients rather than just providing for so-called 'natural' claims, aids both innovation and development. Given the ever-increasing consumer demand for natural ingredients, and more importantly the demand for effective natural ingredients including plant oils, it is important for the cosmetic industry to re-evaluate them in this context. The objectives of this review are to provide an update of three popular cosmetic plant oils - Sweet Almond, Evening Primrose, and Jojoba - in terms of their cosmetic applications as 'active' ingredients. This review highlights the activity of these oils, in the management of dry skin, ageing skin, juvenile skin, atopic dermatitis, scalp conditions, and their wider potential. Attention is given to formulation considerations where the content of these oils impacts product oxidation, skin penetration and stratum corneum homeostasis. Benefits of these oils have been well documented both pre-clinically and clinically. Historically, they have been used for hundreds if not thousands of years for their management and treatment of various skin and other ailments. Given the discrepancies in some clinical data presented for a variety of dermatoses, the importance of the choice of oil and how to formulate with them within the context of the epidermal barrier function, skin penetration, and toxicity, cannot be underestimated. Care should be taken in terms of the quality and stability of theses oils, as well as ensuring best formulation type, if the reported activities of these oils are to be achieved with consistency. Despite discrepancies in the literature and questionable study designs, it is clear, that Sweet Almond, Evening Primrose and Jojoba oils, do have skin care benefits for both adult and juvenile applications. They are effective ingredients for skin care preparations to strengthen stratum corneum integrity, recovery, and lipid ratio. Nevertheless, further experimental data are required concerning the impact on stratum corneum physiology and structure.