Understanding Fatty Acids in Skin and Hair Care

Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are the building blocks of many plant oils, butters, and waxes. They are crucial not only in nutrition but also in topical cosmetic formulations, where they play a major role in skin barrier repair, moisture retention, and hair softness. Knowing the different fatty acids and their benefits can help formulators choose the right plant oils and butters for targeted results. In our post Is Tallow Good for Your Skin, we highlighted the primary fatty acids found in tallow and discussed comparable plant butter alternatives.

What is a Fatty Acid?

A fatty acid is an organic molecule made up of a hydrocarbon chain and a carboxyl group (-COOH) at one end. In skin and hair care, fatty acids are essential components of lipids that help:

Maintain the skin barrier
Retain moisture
Improve softness, elasticity, and texture
Protect against environmental damage

Types of Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are classified based on their saturation level and structure.

1. Saturated Fatty Acids

No double bonds in their carbon chain.
Solid at room temperature.
Provide richness, occlusiveness, and stability to formulations.

2. Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs)

One double bond in the chain.
Typically liquid at room temperature.
Highly moisturizing and easily absorbed.

3. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs)

Two or more double bonds.
Lightweight, quick-absorbing oils.
Often rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs) that the body cannot produce.

Fatty Acid Profiles and Topical Benefits

Main fatty acids in plant oils and butters.

Fatty Acid	Type	Skin Benefits	Hair Benefits	Examples in Plant Oils/Butters
Lauric Acid (C12:0)	Saturated	Antimicrobial, cleansing	Reduces dandruff, conditions scalp	Coconut oil, Babassu oil, Murumuru butter
Myristic Acid (C14:0)	Saturated	Emollient, conditioning	Improves hair slip, adds shine	Coconut oil, Palm kernel oil
Palmitic Acid (C16:0)	Saturated	Occlusive, softening	Protects from breakage	Cocoa butter, Palm kernel oil, Shea butter
Stearic Acid (C18:0)	Saturated	Skin barrier support, thickener	Strengthens hair shaft	Cocoa butter, Mango butter
Oleic Acid (C18:1)	MUFA	Deep hydration, anti-inflammatory	Adds softness, manages frizz	Olive oil, Avocado oil, Marula oil, Sesame oil, Sunflower oil, Safflower oil
Palmitoleic Acid (C16:1)	MUFA	Promotes healing, anti-aging	Protects scalp health	Macadamia oil, Sea buckthorn oil
Linoleic Acid (C18:2)	PUFA	Restores barrier, reduces acne	Light, non-greasy conditioning	Rosehip seed oil, Sunflower oil, Grapeseed oil, Safflower oil
Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA, C18:3)	PUFA	Anti-inflammatory, soothes irritation	Improves scalp comfort	Flaxseed oil, Rosehip seed oil, Chia seed oil
Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA, C18:3)	PUFA	Reduces redness, boosts elasticity	Helps with scalp eczema	Evening primrose oil, Borage oil, Black current oil
Arachidic Acid (C20:0)	Saturated	Rich emollient, protective	Coats hair shaft	Peanut oil, Cupuaçu butter
Behenic Acid (C22:0)	Saturated	Velvet feel, barrier support	Improves combability	Moringa oil, Pequi oil
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)	PUFA	Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant	Reduces scalp inflammation	Found in algae oils

Learn more with our article on Understanding Fatty Acid Chains in Skin and Hair Care Formulations.

Best Fatty Acids for Skin and Hair (Topical Use)

For Skin

Dry skin: Oleic Acid, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid
Oily/acne-prone skin: Linoleic Acid, Alpha-Linolenic Acid
Sensitive skin: Gamma-Linolenic Acid, Palmitoleic Acid

For Hair

Dry/damaged hair: Oleic Acid, Stearic Acid, Behenic Acid
Fine hair: Linoleic Acid, Palmitoleic Acid
Scalp health: Lauric Acid, Gamma-Linolenic Acid, Alpha-Linolenic Acid

Fatty Acids in Common Plant Butters and Oils

Main fatty acids in plant oils and butters.

Oil/Butter	Main Fatty Acids
Cocoa Butter	Stearic, Palmitic, Oleic
Cupuaçu Butter	Stearic, Oleic, Arachidic
Illipe Butter	Stearic, Oleic, Palmitic
Kokum Butter	Stearic, Oleic
Mango Butter	Stearic, Oleic
Murumuru Butter	Lauric, Myristic, Oleic
Sal Butter	Stearic, Oleic, Palmitic
Shea Butter	Oleic, Stearic
Almond Oil	Oleic, Linoleic, Palmitic
Avocado Oil	Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Palmitoleic
Apricot Oil	Oleic, Linoleic, Palmitic
Babassu Oil	Lauric, Myristic, Oleic
Castor Oil	Ricinoleic, Oleic, Linoleic
Coconut Oil	Lauric, Myristic, Palmitic
Evening Primrose Oil	Linoleic, GLA, Oleic
Flaxseed Oil	Alpha-Linolenic, Oleic, Linoleic
Grapeseed Oil	Linoleic, Oleic, Palmitic
Marula Oil	Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Stearic
Moringa Oil	Oleic, Behenic, Palmitic, Stearic
Olive Oil	Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic
Rice Bran Oil	Oleic, Linoleic, Palmitic
Rosehip Seed Oil	Linoleic, Alpha-Linolenic, Oleic
Safflower Oil	Linoleic, Oleic, Palmitic
Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil	Palmitoleic, Palmitic, Linoleic, Oleic
Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil	Linoleic, Alpha-Linoleic, Palmitic, Palmitoleic,
Sesame Oil	Oleic, Linoleic, Palmitic
Sunflower Oil	Linoleic, Oleic, Palmitic

Key Notes

Lauric & Myristic → Light, fast-absorbing, antimicrobial (Murumuru butter, coconut oil).
Stearic & Palmitic → Rich, protective, occlusive (Cocoa, Illipe, Shea, Sal butter).
Oleic → Deeply moisturizing, helps with softness (Almond, Marula, Sesame, Sunflower, Safflower oil).
Linoleic & Alpha-Linolenic → Barrier-repairing, soothing, lightweight (Rosehip, Safflower oil).
Palmitoleic → Skin-regenerative, anti-aging (Sea Buckthorn oil).
Ricinoleic → Highly conditioning, humectant-like (Castor oil).

Download our Fatty Acid Profiles Chart

Skin and Hair Heroes

Fatty acids are the unsung heroes of natural skin and hair care. Each one offers unique properties, from sealing in moisture to calming irritation and boosting softness. By understanding the fatty acid profile of your plant oils and butters, you can create targeted, effective, and luxurious formulations that truly deliver results.

Learn How to Formulate Professional Natural Hair and Skin Care at Joan Morais Cosmetics School