Prickly pear seed oil is known for its incredible benefits and its price.

But do you know what's behind this one?

In this article, we explain why prickly pear seed oil is among the most expensive vegetable oils and how to ensure you pay the right price.

A long, artisanal manufacturing process

Prickly pear seed oil is produced from the seeds present in the fig. To go from fruit to oil, a lot of artisanal know-how is necessary.

The first step, harvesting the figs, is done by hand. Here, there are no machines to pick the fruit quickly and mechanically. The pickers (usually women who harvest the figs) pick the figs by hand. This work is tedious and requires real dexterity. Indeed, if it is not done well, picking can cause small wounds caused by the prickles contained in the skin of the figs.

The seeds are then transformed into oil by cold pressing. This production method takes longer than other methods but allows all the benefits of the oil to be respected. To learn more about the manufacturing process of our oil, see our article: https://biocosma-paris.com/blogs/infos/comment-est-produite-l-huile-de-pepins-de-figue-de-barbarie-bio-regene 

At Bio Cosma, we have also chosen to produce on demand in order to guarantee the freshness of our oil by avoiding stocks and limiting waste. Indeed, where large industries produce in very large quantities and store the oil to lower prices, quality production in small quantities has a direct impact on the sale price.

A valuable product

Do you know how many figs are used to produce 1 liter of oil?

1 ton of fruit, or around 50 kg of seeds!

The large amount of raw material required to make prickly pear seed oil is reflected in its price.

But what makes this oil so rich are above all all the active ingredients that it contains in large quantities:

• unsaturated fatty acids (notably linoleic acid, from the omega 6 family, at levels of around 60%
• oleic acid, or omega 9, for a little less than 20%
• high levels of tocopherol (or vitamin E, antioxidant)
• sterols .

Compared to argan oil, another oil known for its anti-aging benefits, prickly pear seed oil contains 3x more essential fatty acids.

What are the criteria for choosing your prickly pear seed oil (and not just based on its price)?

Here are some guidelines to ensure you are paying the right price for your prickly pear seed oil.

• Check the ingredient list: your oil should only contain prickly pear seed oil. An oil with an abnormally low price may indicate that the oil has been mixed with other, less expensive oils and therefore lower its final price.

• Look for the term “ prickly pear seed oil ”: Prickly pear oil is available on the market, which is very different from prickly pear seed oil . Prickly pear oil is obtained by macerating the figs in a low-cost oil mixture with poor nutritional qualities (such as sunflower). The final product is a blended oil that is very poor in active ingredients.

• Contact the brand: There is nothing better than contacting the brand directly to get information about their manufacturing process or product selection. When you buy a product, you are also investing in a brand, there is nothing better than talking to the creators to get to know them.

When looking for a product, the price criterion can be a decisive element in your choice. But to choose well, it is important to understand what is behind a price.

Prickly pear seed oil can be described as an expensive oil, but this price reflects the artisanal know-how that guarantees an exceptional product.

Is price a decisive factor in choosing your cosmetic products?

Discover our pure and certified organic prickly pear seed oil: https://biocosma-paris.com/collections/frontpage