Safflower Seed Oil & Collagen Production — The Science Behind The Connection

When we talk about aging skin, much of the discussion circles around collagen—for good reason. The structural protein is what keeps our skin looking firm, lifted, and ultimately, youthful. But like many of the elements of our skin structure, it declines with age. 

Our bodies naturally make the protein, but eventually the amount we lose starts outweighing the amount we produce. Collagen decline starts at some point in our 20s (the pivot point is different for everyone and mostly has to do with genetics and lifestyle) and then continues at about a 1% drop every year1 thereafter. This can be exacerbated by environmental and lifestyle factors such as diet, sun exposure, stress, and so on. 

It also contains a very special active compound called acacetin, a flavonoid. A 2020 study found that safflower seed oil and this compound can reduce damage caused by UVB exposure, specifically blocking damage to collagen. 

The research found that acacetin was able to inhibit an enzyme in the skin that's responsible for the "collapse [of] connective proteins such as collagen and elastin, leading to wrinkles." The specific pathway is MMP12, or collagenase-1, which degrades collagen types 1 and 3.

Collagen types 1 and 3 are the most abundant in the skin and the most critical for skin health. Essentially UVB rays stimulate an enzyme in the skin's epidermal and dermal layers that then breaks down our structural proteins. Read: collagen loss. 

However, the acacetin in safflower seed oil was able to block this process. As the study notes, "SSO and its active compound acacetin can regulate MMP-1 expression." In regulating this enzyme, the flavonoid is able to reduce the changes in collagen type 1 and type 3 breakdown. 

This research is impressive, to say the least, and makes a strong case for looking for safflower seed oil in your products. mindbodygreen's dry body oil uses an organic safflower seed oil, alongside sunflower seed oil, squalane, vitamin E, and prickly pear seed oil for a robust, antioxidant-rich body oil that supports your skin barrier.