What are PUFAs and why are we avoiding putting them on our skin?
Poly unsaturated fatty acids, otherwise known as PUFAs, have multiple double bonds within their fatty acid chains. The more double bonds within a fatty acid chain, the more unstable a fat is. What does this mean? When a fatty acid is unstable, it will rapidly oxidize (undergoing a chemical reaction when exposed to oxygen), causing free radicals (highly reactive and unstable molecules) to bond with cell molecules, damaging the cellular DNA (replicating over time and spreading the damage). Furthermore, when these highly unstable oils are exposed to UV rays from the sun, the oxidation process rapidly increases.
This basically means that applying higher PUFA containing oils on your skin can be irritating and will, over time, show signs of damaged skin (dark spots, loss of collagen, sagging, fine lines, etc). This process is sped up when your skin is exposed to UV rays while lathered in PUFAs.
So, what can ya do?
Make some changes with your skincare. Read the list of ingredients. Find products that have very few ingredients and house oils and fats that are saturated or monounsaturated (only one double bond), rich in nutrients (like tallow and emu oil) and contain no essential oils. Don't worry, SLOW has you covered. All of our potions are guaranteed low PUFA and infused with whole herbs and resins, making them safe for every body.
Here is a list of high PUFA oils that you'll see in most modern skincare:
sunflower oil
safflower oil
hemp seed oil
rosehip seed oil
grape seed oil
pomegranate seed oil
almond oil
and so many more...
HERE is a list of monounsaturated and SATURATED fats/butters/oils you should be putting on your skin!
tallow
lard
ghee
emu oil
squalane
macadamia nut oil
marula oil
sea buckthorn berry oil
castor oil
mango butter
shea butter
cocoa butter
tucuma butter
and many more... this is a list of fats and oils we use here at SLOW and put on our skin.
Please feel free to reach out with any further questions!