Few year ago, I used to go to Casablanca, Morocco, both for my work and vacations... I love this country, rich of history, culture, color and of course its people that are so kind and generous. And the food, Tajines, Couscous etc.. So delicious !

When I first heard about prickly pear seed oil or cactus oil, I used to spend my time in souks looking for interesting things.
I, like everyone else, had heard and tested Argan Oil, but I realized that many tourists came here solely to buy it because they adore it as an anti-aging oil.

Of course, I was skeptical, but...
So I decided to purchase one.
There were basically two kinds of prices, one very expensive and the other very cheap...
I chose the cheapest one, tried it, and... big mistake... bad smell, bad feeling... sooo greasy...

I had forgotten about it until I read about the benefits of prickly pear seed oil.
I recall not purchasing the most expensive one... what if?
... One of my French colleagues suggested that I visit Agadir, a city in southern Morocco near the Sahara Desert.
It is said to be the Prickly Pear Seed Oil capital of the world.

So I spent the last weekend of my vacation in Agadir, which is a lovely city.
I met a colleague there, a doctor who was eager to show me around the city.
In addition, she works in a pharmacy lab that... specializes in prickly pear pear seed oil.
She and I traveled to a small village near the sea where they extract exceptional prickly pear fruit and supply premium prickly pear seed oil to her lab.

I met women who were working on seed extraction and cold pressure.

It was a joy to see them; they are so happy, smiling and laughing.

And, despite their tanned skin, they had smooth, wrinkle-free skin on their faces!

Clearly, their beauty secret is based on prickly pear seed oil...

First I'd like to share with you what is Prickly Pear Seed Oil or Cactus Oil, and why is Cactus Skincare So Popular ?

Prickly pear seed oil is the main ingredient in Cactus Skincare.
Moroccans and Native Americans have used it to treat skin conditions for centuries.
Because this cactus is grown in desert areas, it stands to reason that Cactus oil can be found in various parts of the world (Central America, Mediterranean countries, India ....).
However, as its original name Opuntia Ficus Indica suggests, not all cactus in the same family have the same properties...

We have Prickly Pear in Thailand, for example, and we can extract oil from its fruit seeds.
However, it would not be as beneficial as those from Morocco.
It's the same with fruits and vegetables: those grown in one location will have more flavor, vitamins, and nutrients than those grown in another.
Everything depends on the environment, such as soil and humidity.
And the ones in the Agadir region are quite exceptional.
According to laboratory results, the Moroccan ones contain more Omega 3, 6, and 9 (fatty acids) than the others.
The same goes for the other properties. And they are all good for skin !

Prickly Pear Seed oil, as a carrier oil, can be combined with other ingredients to help them penetrate your skin or hair more effectively.
As a result, Cactus Skincare can create a wide range of products, from cleanser to masks!

Cactus Skincare is becoming increasingly popular due to its effective ingredients and diverse product options.

Prickly Pear is an excellent natural anti-aging ingredient that is also suitable for sensitive skin types such as eczema and psoriasis.

It can be applied to your face, body, hair, and nails.

Well, I believe that growing up in an arid and desert environment forces the cactus to gather and produce all of the best elements in order to survive and protect itself from harsh elements (sun, wind, dry...).
Doesn't it appear to be the same thing your skin needs to be protected from?

However, it takes up to 1 Ton of prickly pear fruit to obtain approximately 30 kg of seeds, which will yield only 1 liter of pure and cold extracted (the best) oil.
That is why pure prickly pear seed oil from this region is quite pricey...
A liter can cost up to $1,000 USD...

Some people are not afraid to use macerate (fruit and seed mixture) or to combine it with sunflower oil (known to be odorless)...
That is why you can find cheaper prickly pear seed oil on the market, but it is inefficient or worse, you don't know what the additional ingredient is that may cause you an allergic reaction...
Even if premium and certified organic prickly pear seed oil is quite expensive, you only need a few drops per day to improve your skin. So it is a good investment for your skin.

I returned to Thailand with my 30 ml bottle of Prickly Pear Seed oil, eager to see what other products we could create and start a new line of Cactus Skincare:

After two years of research and development, my French and Thai team of lab researchers and I discovered a great combination of prickly pear seed oil and mangosteen to create a new exclusive ingredient we named CactaXanthone...
However, this will be the subject of another blog. :-)