The Ingredient Library
Strawberry
Fragaria × ananassa
Strawberry seed oil is pressed from the tiny seeds on the outside of the garden strawberry, sieved out of pulp left over from juice and purée making, so it takes a great deal of fruit to fill a bottle.
Get to know strawberry seed oil
- Source
- Seeds (achenes)
- Origin
- Fruit processing regions
- Extraction
- Cold-pressed
- Texture
- Light, dry, silky
What it is
Strawberry is a botanical carrier oil used in hair and skin care.
Why it belongs in your routine
Pale green seed oil pressed from the tiny seeds of strawberries.
How to use
Warm a few drops between your palms and smooth over hair or skin. Patch test before use.
Where does strawberry seed oil come from?
The garden strawberry is a low perennial of the rose family, a hybrid bred in 18th-century France from two American wild species. It is now grown across temperate regions worldwide, from Spain and Poland to the United States and China. The small yellow specks on the outside of each berry are the true fruits, called achenes, and each holds a single tiny seed.
Strawberry seed oil is pale green to golden with a faint fresh, green scent. It is rich in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids and naturally contains tocopherols (vitamin E) and phytosterols. It feels light and dry and absorbs quickly, so it is used in face oils, serums, lip products and light body lotions.
Sourcing & extraction
How strawberry seed oil is sourced and extracted
Why it is rare
Each strawberry carries only around 200 seeds, each smaller than a pinhead. The seeds must be separated from pulp, washed and dried before pressing, and they hold a limited amount of oil, so large volumes of fruit waste are needed for a small amount of oil.
How it is gathered
Strawberry seed oil is made from what is left after fruit processing. Strawberries are picked by hand in late spring and summer, then sent to factories that make juice, purée, jam and concentrate. The pressed pulp and skins, called pomace, are typically sieved and washed to recover the seeds, which are then dried. The dried seeds are sold to oil pressers, often in the same fruit-growing regions.
How it is made
Cold-pressed from the seeds
- Strawberry pomace left from juice and purée making is washed and sieved to separate the tiny seeds from pulp and skin.
- The seeds are dried at low temperature until they hold very little moisture, so they keep and press well.
- The dried seeds are cold-pressed in an expeller, which releases a thin stream of pale green oil.
- The oil is settled and finely filtered, then bottled in dark glass to protect its polyunsaturated fats from light.
How to use strawberry 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 Strawberry
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Questions about Strawberry
Where does Strawberry come from?
Strawberry seed oil is made from what is left after fruit processing. Strawberries are picked by hand in late spring and summer, then sent to factories that make juice, purée, jam and concentrate. The pressed pulp and skins, called pomace, are typically sieved and washed to recover the seeds, which are then dried. The dried seeds are sold to oil pressers, often in the same fruit-growing regions.
How is Strawberry extracted?
Cold-pressed from the seeds. Strawberry pomace left from juice and purée making is washed and sieved to separate the tiny seeds from pulp and skin. The seeds are dried at low temperature until they hold very little moisture, so they keep and press well. The dried seeds are cold-pressed in an expeller, which releases a thin stream of pale green oil. The oil is settled and finely filtered, then bottled in dark glass to protect its polyunsaturated fats from light.
Why is Strawberry considered rare?
Each strawberry carries only around 200 seeds, each smaller than a pinhead. The seeds must be separated from pulp, washed and dried before pressing, and they hold a limited amount of oil, so large volumes of fruit waste are needed for a small amount of oil.
