The Ingredient Library
Blackberry
Rubus fruticosus
Blackberry seed oil is pressed from the tiny seeds left behind when European blackberries are juiced, a light oil where many kilos of fruit give only a small bottle.
Get to know blackberry seed oil
- Source
- Fruit seed (pip)
- Origin
- Europe and North America
- Extraction
- Cold-pressed
- Texture
- Light, dry finish
What it is
Blackberry is a botanical carrier oil used in hair and skin care.
Why it belongs in your routine
Light seed oil pressed from the pips left after blackberries are juiced.
How to use
Warm a few drops between your palms and smooth over hair or skin. Patch test before use.
Where does blackberry seed oil come from?
Blackberry seed oil comes from Rubus fruticosus, the thorny bramble that scrambles through hedgerows and woodland edges across Europe. The plant sends up arching canes that fruit in their second year, carrying clusters of glossy black drupelets from late summer into autumn. Each berry holds dozens of hard little pips. Cultivated thornless varieties are now grown widely in Europe and North America for juice, jam and purée.
The oil is pale yellow to light green with a faint green, fruity smell. It is dominated by linoleic acid, with a good share of alpha-linolenic acid and naturally occurring vitamin E. It feels thin and absorbs quickly, so it is used in face oils, serums and light body oils where a heavier oil would sit on the surface.
Sourcing & extraction
How blackberry seed oil is sourced and extracted
Why it is rare
Blackberry pips are small and only around a tenth of their weight is oil, so a large volume of fruit pulp must be cleaned and dried to fill one drum. Supply depends on the juice and seedless jam industry, which limits how much seed is available each year.
How it is gathered
Blackberries are usually picked by hand or by machine harvester in late summer and early autumn, then sent to processors who make juice, purée and seedless preserves. The seeds are sieved out of the leftover pulp, which is known as pomace. They are washed, dried at low temperature to stop mould and stored until pressing. Most blackberry seed oil therefore starts as a by-product of fruit processing in Europe and North America, rather than from berries grown for oil.
How it is made
Cold-pressed from the seed
- Seeds are separated from the juice pomace with sieves and water, removing skin and pulp fragments.
- The clean seeds are dried at low temperature until their moisture is low enough for stable storage and pressing.
- Dried seeds are fed through a screw press without added heat, squeezing out the oil slowly under pressure.
- The fresh oil is left to settle, then filtered to remove fine seed particles before bottling in dark containers.
How to use blackberry seed oil
- Start with a few drops and warm them between your palms.
- Massage into clean skin, or work through the lengths of damp or dry hair.
- Use on its own, or add a few drops to your moisturizer or conditioner.
For external use only. Patch test on a small area before first use and stop if irritation occurs. If you are pregnant, nursing or have a medical condition, ask a healthcare professional before use.
From ingredient to routine
Products with Blackberry
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Questions about Blackberry
Where does Blackberry come from?
Blackberries are usually picked by hand or by machine harvester in late summer and early autumn, then sent to processors who make juice, purée and seedless preserves. The seeds are sieved out of the leftover pulp, which is known as pomace. They are washed, dried at low temperature to stop mould and stored until pressing. Most blackberry seed oil therefore starts as a by-product of fruit processing in Europe and North America, rather than from berries grown for oil.
How is Blackberry extracted?
Cold-pressed from the seed. Seeds are separated from the juice pomace with sieves and water, removing skin and pulp fragments. The clean seeds are dried at low temperature until their moisture is low enough for stable storage and pressing. Dried seeds are fed through a screw press without added heat, squeezing out the oil slowly under pressure. The fresh oil is left to settle, then filtered to remove fine seed particles before bottling in dark containers.
Why is Blackberry considered rare?
Blackberry pips are small and only around a tenth of their weight is oil, so a large volume of fruit pulp must be cleaned and dried to fill one drum. Supply depends on the juice and seedless jam industry, which limits how much seed is available each year.
