Olive oil unsaponifiables are a portion of the processed oil derived from the whole, ripe fruit of the olive (Olea europaea) tree. These evergreen trees grow up to 15 meters tall and are widely cultivated in the Mediterranean Basin. Harvested olives are ground and then cold pressed to extract the oil.

Using hydrogen gas, a catalyst such as nickel, and high pressure, plant oils can undergo a hydrogenation process whereby they change from a liquid into a solid or semi-solid state - becoming hydrogenated oils. The hydrogenation process allows oils to remain solid at room temperature - an everyday example of which is margarine. Unsaponifiables are the components of an oil that fail to become saponified (turned into soap) in the refining recovery of fatty acids. Unsaponifiables can be useful in balancing a formulation, as an emollient, or as a moisturising ingredient.

Olive oil unsaponifiables are typically rich in squalane, a compound in the skin that requires replenishment. They are useful in skincare formulations as an emollient, readily absorbed while helping moisturise and soften skin.

Other names: Olea Europaea Unsaponifiables, Unsaponifiable Olive Oil

Main constituents: Squalane, Squalene, Glycolipids, Phytosterols