Safflower oil is one of the six plant oils in our Hawaiian Black Lava Body Caviar, and it is there for a practical reason. It is a light oil, rich in linoleic acid, that spreads easily and sinks in without a heavy film. In a scrub of sea salt and sugar, that means the crystals glide over wet skin and leave it feeling soft and moisturized rather than tight. Body Caviar is the one product we make with safflower oil, and it shows what the oil does best.
What safflower oil is
Safflower, Carthamus tinctorius, is a thistle-like plant with orange-yellow flower heads, grown for thousands of years across Persia, Egypt, India and the Mediterranean, first for dye and then for oil. The oil is pressed from its seeds. On an ingredient list it appears as Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil.
There are two kinds. High-oleic safflower was bred for cooking, where stability in the pan matters most. High-linoleic safflower, usually around 70 to 80 percent linoleic acid, is the kind that matters for skin. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid, one the body cannot make for itself, and it is part of the lipids that help the outer layer of skin hold water.
Why a scrub needs a light oil
A salt and sugar scrub is only as pleasant as the oil that carries it. Too little oil and the crystals drag. Too heavy an oil and you step out of the shower feeling coated. Safflower sits in a useful middle: fluid enough to loosen the crystals and spread them across the skin, light enough to rinse away cleanly while leaving a soft layer behind.
Linoleic-rich oils tend to feel thinner and drier on skin than oils high in oleic acid, which is why safflower suits a product used on the whole body, from shoulders to shins.
The other oils in the jar
Safflower does not work alone. In Hawaiian Black Lava Body Caviar Body Scrub with Charcoal it is joined by five more oils, each with its own feel:
- Coconut oil, which leaves skin feeling soft and conditioned.
- Macadamia and kukui oils, which join the others in leaving skin soft and moisturized.
- Passion fruit seed oil, a light, linoleic-rich oil with a soft, non-greasy finish.
- Kalahari melon seed oil, the featherlight oil our brand is built on, which helps skin hold moisture without feeling greasy.
Together they turn sea salt and organic sugar into a thick, luxurious paste. The salt and sugar buff away dull surface skin so it looks radiant; the oils leave it soft.
How Body Caviar is put together
Open the jar and it looks like volcanic sand: black, glistening with oil, flecked with coffee bean. Charcoal powder gives it the deep black color of Hawaiian Black Lava, and coffee bean adds an aromatic, invigorating texture. The scent is our Hawaiian Black Lava, musky and woodsy.
Because the oils and crystals settle apart in the jar, the label asks you to stir it first. A few turns with a spoon bring them back together as a thick paste.
Massage it over wet skin from the neck down, rinse with warm water and pat dry. Skin feels polished and cushioned, never tight. It is for the body only, never the face.
What comes after the scrub
The oils in Body Caviar leave a soft layer, and a body oil on still-damp skin builds on it. Our Imperial Jade Body Oil, a short list of mongongo, Kalahari melon seed, marula, grapeseed and argan oils, is the natural next step. The Imperial Body Glow Bundle pairs the scrub with our Rosewood and Litsea Cubeba Imperial Jade Body Oil, so the smoky scrub and the bright rosewood oil make a quiet contrast. For the full routine of scrub, oil and cream, The Indulgent Body Box adds our Rejuvenating Body Cream.
Why freshness matters with this oil
Linoleic acid is polyunsaturated, which is what makes safflower oil light, and also what makes it react with air over time. Oil that sat for years in a warehouse is not the same oil that was pressed. We make Body Caviar by hand in our Williamsburg workshop in batches of 50 to 100, so the jar you open was made recently. Keep the lid on between uses and the jar out of standing water.
Questions about safflower oil in Body Caviar
Which Marianella products contain safflower oil?
Hawaiian Black Lava Body Caviar Body Scrub with Charcoal, along with the sets that include it: the Imperial Body Glow Bundle and The Indulgent Body Box.
Why do the oil and crystals separate in the jar?
The oils are lighter than the salt and sugar, so they settle apart while the jar sits. Stir it before each use and they come back together as a paste.
Will safflower oil leave my skin greasy after the shower?
It should not. Safflower is a light, quick-absorbing oil, and the scrub rinses away with warm water, leaving skin soft rather than coated.
Can I use Body Caviar on my face?
No. It is made for the body only, from the neck down. For the face, use a gentle cleanser such as our Rose Face Wash Cream.
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.