The wattle is an iconic Australian flower renowned for its beautiful golden foliage and ability to brighten any room. Yet, it is also incredibly beneficial for the skin with wattle seed oil quickly  becoming an active ingredient in many personal care products. The secret to its potential lies in its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities which nourish and protect the skin from oxidative stress. Aside from these benefits, wattle seed oil has an incredibly high concentration of gallic acid which is known for its anti-aging and protective qualities.

Gallic acid is a naturally occurring phenolic acid found in many different foods which are today considered superfoods. These foods, such as blueberries, witch hazel and flax seeds, were used by ancient cultures to treat a variety of maladies and are widely used and consumed still. Taken internally, foods containing phenolic acid have been shown to be beneficial for eradicating diseases as they are high in antioxidants. This benefit also extends topically to the skin, with antioxidants being a major buzzword in skin care for some time now. This is due to the ability of plant based compounds naturally rich in antioxidants to fight free radicals which are often the cause of skin ageing. Phenolic acid is also among one of the most studied plant compounds with studies concluding it has numerous benefits for the skin as a protective and anti-ageing nutrient.

Aside from being rich in antioxidants, phenolic acids also have a thin molecular consistency. This is important as it means they are able to easily penetrate the upper layers of the skin which increases their efficacy. Studies have also shown that phenolic acids in collaboration with other active ingredients such as oils can work as a humectant, meaning they are able to lock in moisture and increase the water content of the skin. Another bonus: due to their thin molecular consistency, phenolic acids are non-comedogenic, meaning they don’t clog pores.

Wattle seed oil is rich in naturally occurring gallic acid which has been shown to be incredibly nurturing and hydrating for the skin. Find it in our Lip Balm, Purifying Night Balm, Nourishing Shampoo and Nourishing Conditioner.