Nigella seed oil has a deep amber colour and a warm, slightly peppery scent. It’s one of the oils we come back to again and again in our formulas, valued for the way it feels on dry, depleted skin.

What is nigella seed oil?

Nigella seed oil, also known as black seed oil or black cumin seed oil, is pressed from the small black seeds of the Nigella sativa plant. It has a long history in traditional skin and hair care across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

The oil has a distinctive character, both in colour and scent. It contains a naturally occurring blend of fatty acids and plant compounds that make it a particularly interesting oil for nourishing and supporting the skin.

Nigella seed oil benefits for skin

Nigella seed oil is rich in essential fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid, along with naturally occurring antioxidant compounds. It helps soften and moisturize dry skin while supporting the skin’s natural barrier and helping to calm the appearance of dryness and redness.

It has a relatively light, easily absorbed feel compared with some richer plant oils, making it useful in facial, body and scalp formulations. It’s especially lovely when skin feels dry, tight or depleted and needs nourishing without a heavy finish.

Nigella seed oil for scalp and hair

Nigella seed oil is also a wonderful oil for hair and scalp care. It can help soften dry-feeling skin on the scalp and condition the hair, leaving it feeling smoother and more supple.

Worked through the lengths and ends, it adds softness and shine without requiring a large amount of oil. Its nourishing qualities also make it a useful addition to beard oils and treatments designed for dry facial skin beneath the beard.

How to use nigella seed oil

Nigella seed oil can be used on its own, but it’s most often blended with other plant oils, as its scent is quite distinctive. Massage a few drops into damp skin after bathing, work a small amount into the scalp before washing, or smooth a drop through the ends of dry hair.

Because it is a concentrated botanical oil with a strong natural character, a little goes a long way.

Nigella seed oil in Twigroot skin care

Nigella seed oil is one of those ingredients that has earned a permanent place on our formulation shelf. We love it for the way it brings nourishment and comfort to skin that feels dry, depleted or in need of extra care.

It helps calm and restore the feel of dry skin in our Shinrin Yoku Body Oil, where it is blended with other deeply nourishing botanical oils, and adds richness to our Night Balm for overnight care.

We also use it in our Adonis Beard & Scalp Oil, where its conditioning qualities make it especially well suited to the skin beneath the beard as well as the beard and scalp itself.

Of all the oils on my shelf, this is the one I’d keep if I could only have one.