The Ingredient Library
Blueberry
Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus
Blueberry seed oil is pressed from the minute seeds of North American blueberries, saved from juice making. It is light, green-gold and naturally rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid.
Get to know Blueberry
- Source
- Berry seed
- Origin
- North America
- Extraction
- Cold-pressed
- Texture
- Very light
What it is
Blueberry is a botanical carrier oil used in hair and skin care.
Why it belongs in your routine
Green-gold oil from blueberry seeds, rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
How to use
Warm a few drops between your palms and smooth over hair or skin. Patch test before use.
Where Blueberry comes from
Blueberry seed oil comes from shrubs in the Cyanococcus section of Vaccinium, native to North America. Highbush blueberries grow to about two metres and are farmed across the United States and Canada, while lowbush wild blueberries form low carpets on the acidic barrens of Maine and eastern Canada. The bell-shaped white flowers turn into dusty blue berries in mid to late summer, each containing many soft, tiny seeds.
The oil is a green to golden liquid with a light, slightly grassy scent. It is high in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, so it naturally contains a large share of omega-3, along with tocopherols and plant sterols. It spreads easily and absorbs fast, which suits face oils, serums and lip products. Because of its omega-3 content it is best stored cool and away from light.
Sourcing & extraction
How Blueberry is sourced and extracted
Why it is rare
The seeds are so small that it takes a very large weight of berry pomace to gather enough for pressing, and their oil content is modest. Only a handful of pressers work with blueberry seed, so volumes are limited.
How it is gathered
Blueberries are harvested from July to September, highbush fruit mostly by machine shakers and wild lowbush berries often with hand rakes. The berries go to juice and concentrate plants, where pressing leaves a pomace of skins and seeds. Processors dry this pomace and separate the seeds by sieving and air flow. The cleaned seed is then sold on to specialist oil pressers, so the oil is typically a by-product of the juice trade in the United States and Canada.
How it is made
Cold-pressed from the seed
- Juice pomace is dried and the seeds are separated from skins and stems by sieving and air classification.
- Seeds are checked for moisture and cleaned again so that only sound, dry seed goes to the press.
- A screw press crushes the seeds at low temperature, pushing the oil out through a slotted barrel.
- The oil rests to let solids settle, then passes through a fine filter and is bottled away from light and air.
How to use Blueberry
- 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 Blueberry
Find this ingredient in our collection.
Questions about Blueberry
Where does Blueberry come from?
Blueberries are harvested from July to September, highbush fruit mostly by machine shakers and wild lowbush berries often with hand rakes. The berries go to juice and concentrate plants, where pressing leaves a pomace of skins and seeds. Processors dry this pomace and separate the seeds by sieving and air flow. The cleaned seed is then sold on to specialist oil pressers, so the oil is typically a by-product of the juice trade in the United States and Canada.
How is Blueberry extracted?
Cold-pressed from the seed. Juice pomace is dried and the seeds are separated from skins and stems by sieving and air classification. Seeds are checked for moisture and cleaned again so that only sound, dry seed goes to the press. A screw press crushes the seeds at low temperature, pushing the oil out through a slotted barrel. The oil rests to let solids settle, then passes through a fine filter and is bottled away from light and air.
Why is Blueberry considered rare?
The seeds are so small that it takes a very large weight of berry pomace to gather enough for pressing, and their oil content is modest. Only a handful of pressers work with blueberry seed, so volumes are limited.
