Wheat Germ Oil

If you are here right now, you probably know Vitamin E is really good for your skin. But did you know wheat germ oil contains really high levels of Vitamin E? Or that its Vitamin E content is one of the highest among carrier oils?

It really does. But what does that mean? Well, that means there are loads of wheat germ oil benefits for skin and hair... your skin and your hair!

So let's see some of these wheat germ oil benefits along with properties and uses of this amazing carrier oil.

Quick Glance at Wheat Germ Oil

Pros:
Wheat germ oil is perfect for dry skin and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. That definitely helps wheat germ oil repair skin, reduce wrinkles, and even improve circulation.

Cons:
As much as I love the oil, I have to admit it's pretty thick. Plus it has a strong scent and doesn't absorb quickly. But the saddest part is, wheat germ oil may cause you to break out if you have acne prone skin.

Precautions:
There are not a lot of warnings about wheat germ oil. I mean people eat the stuff! But if you have Celiac disease or you are sensitive to wheat or gluten, don't use wheat germ oil. Also, you should use with caution if you have acne prone skin.

Properties of Wheat Germ Oil

Here are a few properties you should know about wheat germ oil.

Name

Its botanical name is Triticum vulgare. Like all essential and carrier oils, double check this name when buying wheat germ oil just to make sure you're getting exactly what you're asking for.

Color & Smell

Wheat germ oil has a beautiful dark yellow to almost brown color. It also has a strong, wheat-like smell. The smell isn't to everyone's liking, so test it before buying.

Texture

Like I said before, wheat germ oil has a really thick consistency. That makes it perfect for dry and dehydrated skin! But it's not so great for normal to oily skin types. It sometimes feels heavy especially since your skin doesn't absorb it quickly.

Look: there's a quick solution for this. If you mix wheat germ with a much lighter carrier and maybe even some of your favorite essential oils (like ylang ylang or German chamomile), you can lighten up the texture (and smell) of this awesome oil. I've added a few blend ideas below to help!

[New: 30 Ways You Shouldn't Use Essential Oils]

Components

Wheat germ oil has a lot of fatty acids in it, along with proteins, lecithin, vitamins (A, D, and E), and minerals. The fatty acids here are: linoleic or omega-6 (which makes up about 50% of the oil); palmitic (15%); oleic (15%); linolenic or omega-3 (7%). These fatty acids each have amazing benefits for skin and hair as you'll see in a bit.

As I said before, wheat germ oil has one of the highest Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) levels among all the carrier oils (and all vegetable oils too). You'll find tocopherol in a lot of beauty products you own. It's the bomb when it comes to having great skin and hair!

Wheat Germ Oil Benefits

I can rant and rave about what wheat germ oil is good for, but you're not going to believe me without proof. No worries! There are a lot of studies that prove its benefits for your insides and out. Here are the wheat germ oil benefits for your skin and hair.

1. It's moisturizes

Remember the fatty acids in wheat germ? They make the oil thick and slow to absorb which means wheat germ oil is perfect for moisturizing dry, irritated, and dehydrated skin. Plus it works well for rough, cracking skin too. So you can use it for smooth elbows, knees, heels and anywhere else that needs a little extra moisturizing like dry, brittle hair. Yup! Wheat germ moisturizes hair too!

2. It neutralizes free radicals

Free radicals are little chemicals that form when you're exposed to sunlight and other harsh environments (new evidence: your skin makes free radicals too!). These chemicals can damage skin cells, collagen, and elastin. And besides damaging them, they slow down collagen and elastin re-generation.

Translation: wrinkles!

Free radicals actually cause wrinkles and can increase your chance of getting skin cancer.

Before you start freaking out, you should know wheat germ oil has got your back! Remember, the oil has the highest levels of Vitamin E? Well, the vitamin is a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger which means it can neutralize free radicals. That also means you can use wheat germ oil to prevent wrinkles!

[Related: Basil oil also fights free radicals]

3. It repairs skin

Your body needs Vitamin E to repair and regenerate cells and tissue. That's a primary function of Vitamin E.

So when you use wheat germ oil, you are feeding your skin with the vitamin it needs to repair itself. That means you can heal cuts, wounds, burns, skin ulcers, sun burn, scars, stretch marks and dermatitis with wheat germ oil.

4. It reduces inflammation

Vitamin E also has anti-inflammatory properties. So you can use wheat germ oil to reduce redness, irritation and dermatitis. Skin conditions caused by inflammation like psoriasis and eczema can also be eased with wheat germ oil.

5. It boosts collagen and elastin production

Not only can Vitamin E stop free radicals from damaging collagen and elastin, but it can also repair and regenerate them. You may know collagen helps skin stay firm, strong and elastic while elastin helps maintain skin's shape even after contorting or stretching. These are really important for reducing stretch marks, wrinkles, and sagging.

But there's a problem.

Several studies show when Vitamin E is applied onto your skin, it penetrates pretty quickly but doesn't get very far into the skin. The highest concentrations of Vitamin E are within the first 0.005 millimeters of your skin. So lots of Vitamin E molecules can't get to the collagen and elastin layers deep inside your skin.

It's ok though!

You can feed the collagen and elastin layers by eating wheat germ oil. You only need one tablespoon to meet your daily Vitamin E requirements. If you can't stomach it, no worries. Just add almonds, spinach, pumpkin seeds, avocados, or fish to your diet. These foods are rich in Vitamin E so they'll definitely help keep your skin firm, strong and beautiful.

6. It improves circulation

Quite a few studies show wheat germ oil improves blood circulation to your skin. Improved blood flow ensures more nutrients and oxygen get to your skin and more toxins and waste are removed from the it. That means your skin will look healthy, nourished and radiant.

You will also experience improved blood flow if you apply the oil to your scalp. Here, more blood flow causes healthier and stronger hair follicles. And who doesn't want strong, healthy hair?

7. It works better with aloe vera

A small 2010 study tested the hydrating effects of herbal moisturizers on six volunteers and found wheat germ oil is very moisturizing on its own. But when it's added to aloe vera, it has a synergistic effect; meaning the two are more moisturizing and hydrating together than apart.

This is incredibly useful for badly damaged, dry skin, sun burn, stretch marks, and wrinkles.

8. It works with Vitamin C too

Remember Vitamin E in wheat germ oil is a powerful antioxidant? When it reacts with free radicals it can form its own radical and requires another antioxidant to reduce it.

Vitamin C has been shown to do this job very well. That's why so many skin care and beauty products contain both ingredients. They're better together!

Isn't this oil impressive? Here's a quick summary of a few wheat germ oil benefits:

Where to Buy Wheat Germ Oil

You've seen wheat germ oil's amazing properties and benefits. But now you're probably wondering where can I buy wheat germ oil? Well, you can find it in most health stores and there are tons of options on Amazon.

But why buy wheat germ oil when you can ... make it yourself! It's a great DIY project and you're sure to get pure, unadulterated oil. Here's how to do it:

How to make wheat germ oil

You'll need:

1. wheat germ, which you can get from any health store
2. an oil press (there are a few on Amazon)
3. bowl for waste
4. clean glass bottle and cover
5. funnel (optional)
6. cloth to strain any particles in the oil (optional)

With these

• Simply add the wheat germ to the oil press hopper and flip the switch (or move the handle, if it's a manual press).
• Position the bottle to collect oil exiting the press. You can use the funnel here to make sure there aren't any spills and, if you believe you'll get bits of wheat germ in the oil, cover the funnel with the cloth.
• Place the bowl to collect the waste material from the spent wheat germ.
• Once you're done, cover the bottle and store it in the fridge or in a dark area to make sure it lasts.

That's it! Oil recovery is about 30%. So if you use 3 parts of wheat germ (e.g. 3 cups), you should get close to 1 part of wheat germ oil (about 1 cup).

Wheat germ oil (either DIY or store bought) will last for about six to eight months provided it is not over exposed to light, heat and air.

Just a quick note: there is no such thing as wheat germ essential oil. Essential oils have light, volatile compounds. But this oil has large, heavy, non-volatile compounds like fatty acids and vitamins.

Uses of Wheat Germ Oil

Very early on in this post, I promised you massage blend and skin care recipes. But before you get started, do a skin patch test to make sure you're not allergic or sensitive to wheat germ oil. This is really important!

When that's done, here are a few blends to try.

1. For dry and mature skin: You can use the oil as is or mix it in a 1:1 ratio with another thick, moisturizing oil like avocado oil. While avocado is thick, it gets absorbed really quickly into the skin and so it won't leave you feeling overly greasy.


2. For combination and oily skin: Use a lighter oil like jojoba or sunflower oil in a 6:1 ratio with wheat germ oil i.e. 6 tablespoons of jojoba oil to 1 tablespoon of wheat germ oil. You can use this mix on your skin and hair


3. Can't stand the smell? Mask it with another strong scent that you actually like. Five drops of essential oils to any of the above blends would work. My favorites are lavender, sandalwood, ylang ylang and orange.


4. For a moisturizing face mask: A 1:1 ratio of honey and wheat germ oil makes a super moisturizing face and skin mask. This is perfect to add to your natural skin care regime. Simply apply the mix to your face and let it sit for 15 - 20 minutes before rinsing off.
   Remember, wheat germ has a high comedogenic rating, meaning it can cause acne. So you should use this mask with caution if you have acne prone skin.


5. For strengthening hair: Using a 1:1:1 ratio, mix one part coconut oil with one part pure aloe vera and one part wheat germ oil. Massage this mix on your scalp for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off.


6. For stretch marks: Use wheat germ oil directly on your marks. You can also use a 1:1 ratio of wheat germ oil and calendula oil or an 8:1 ratio of cocoa butter to wheat germ oil (i.e. 1/2 cup of cocoa butter to 1/16 cup or 1 tbsp of wheat germ oil).

What's next?

Return to:
- Carrier Oils Listing
- Essential Oils Listing