In the past few years there has been a mad dash to find natural options for lash & brow hair health. There is no doubt that castor oil can help to grow lashes & brows. Castor Oil is high in essential fatty acids and vitamin E, which are known to promote hair growth and repair damaged hair follicles respectively. Castor Oil is made up of a number of other vitamins and minerals that benefit hair and skin. The most important ingredient in castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an ingredient that has been said to improve blood circulation. More circulation results in more nutrition to your hair follicles, which leads to stronger strands and less breakage. Castor oil alone can help with hair growth and damage prevention but we take the power of castor oil and mix it with other select organic ingredients that increase overall effectiveness.
When your hair isn’t growing, it’s either resting or well, dead. If it’s dead, there’s no bringing it back. If it’s resting, we have a chance to stimulate the follicle back into the growing phase.. but how?
Research shows that it all starts with essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids have been found to increase prostaglandin/prostaglanoid production in individuals with a deficiency (Medical Hypotheses, 1980). Prostaglandins stimulate eyelashes to enter and prolong the growth (anagen) stage. This means, if you supplement your eyelash and eyebrow follicles with essential fatty acids, you may be stimulating prostaglanoid production naturally, which would result in fuller, longer lashes as well as fuller brows. But one caveat: Back to the research about EFAs and Prostaglandins: Who has a deficiency? Actually, it turns out, our prostaglandin production declines as we age (source). Since prostaglandins are produced locally (source), essential fatty acids produce prostaglandins, and prostaglandins help grow lashes and brows.
Let’s get into the actual ingredients in WINK and how they work together to give you results like no other.
ORGANIC CASTOR OIL (India)
The oil of the castor nut is used in Jamaica for anything from burns, cuts, and wounds to hair growth. It’s composed of 90% Ricinoleic acid, an Omega 9 fatty acid, and up to 6% Oleic Acid (Omega 9) (source). Castor oil has been used for centuries to treat inflammation and acne. But why ricinoleic acid? Why does it work? Given that fellow omega-9 fatty acid eicosenoic acid (C20:H1) is the precursor to lash and brow growing prostaglandins (source), it might stand to reason that structurally similar ricinoleic acid (C18:H1) provides a similar prostaglandin-boosting properties.
2. ORGANIC RASPBERRY SEED OIL (Argentina)
You may know raspberries because of their delicious taste, but these tiny seeds pack a big punch! Aside from their properties as a protectant against UVA and UVB rays, raspberry seeds also have anti-oxidant vitamin E. The oil’s composition is 55% Linoleic acid (Omega 6), 33% alpha-linoleic acid (Omega 3), and 19% oleic acid (Omega 9) (Bushman, Phillips, Isbell, Ou, Crane, Knapp). The modern western diet is extremely deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids–or at least the ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3s is way too high, currently at 16:1 instead of closer to 4:1. Given that balance is necessary for proper functioning in the body and that prostaglandin production is local, rather than global, raspberry seed oil may provide the much-needed balance our lashes and brows need for healthy growth.
3. ORGANIC ARGAN OIL (Morocco)
Argan Oil is native to Morocco, and used for everything from beauty to cooking. You might recognize the name, because of it’s recent popularity in the US market as a hair oil. It’s rich in fatty acids–essential and non-essential–and contains 3x as much Vitamin E as olive oil! Argan Oil is composed of 42% Oleic Acid (Omega 9) and 37% Linoleic (Omega 6), with trace amounts of Linolenic acid (source). Argan oil is extremely moisturizing and decadent, and best of all: a 0 out of 5 on the comedogenic rating scale (meaning it won’t cause comedonal acne).
4. ORGANIC KUKUI SEED OIL (Hawaii)
Also known as the Candlenut tree, the kukui is the state tree of Hawaii. Research on the unique seed is lacking, but Hawaiians use kukui seed oil for anything from stretch marks, to burns, eczema and even healing wounds. It’s comprised of 20% Oleic acid (Omega 9), 42% Linoleic acid (Omega 6), and less than 29% Linolenic acid (Omega 3). We chose Kukui Nut Oil for it’s moisturizing properties, Hawaiin roots, and low Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio.
5. ORGANIC BORAGE OIL (New Zealand)
A plant that grows like a weed, Borage is a rather under-appreciated superstar. Borage is high in GLA–gamma-linoleic acid–known for it’s soothing properties during menopause and for pain reduction in those with arthritis (source). Although evening primrose is a more popular version of GLA, Borage has 2x more GLA. Given that GLA is almost completely eradicated from the western diet, but an important part of many bodily processes, Borage Oil may be some of the best food you can supply to your lashes and brows for proper, healthy growth.
6. ORGANIC SQUALANE (Italy)
Squalene occurs naturally in human sebum and also in many marine animals. Squalane on the other hand – the saturated form of squalene – can be found in olives, which is how we derive it. Squalane has an very silky, oily texture and penetrates skin at a rate of 2mm/second, making squalane literally the best penetrator and “drug carrier” that nature can make (source).
7. ORGANIC BAOBAB OIL (Africa)
Though the word “baobab” might give you memories of the weedy plant on the tiny planet of the Little Prince, Baobab oil is made from baobab seeds, found inside of large capsule-like fruits produced by the the magnificent baobab trees of the African savannas. The Baobab tree is found in very remote areas of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and other tropical African countries where suitable habitat occurs. High in sterols, Omega-9 fatty acids (42%) and Omega-6 fatty acids (21%), Baobab oil also provides a healthy dose of Palmitic Acid (27%), making it’s composition extremely similar to human skin, thereby increasing the penetration abilities of the entire formulation. (source)
8. ORGANIC JOJOBA OIL (Israel)
A rich golden oil with a slightly nutty flavor, Jojoba Oil is very similar to our skin’s natural oil composition, making it a great “balancing” agent for skin oil. It’s composition is 66% Oleic acid and 24% Palmitoleic acid (source). Weird but fun fact: Jojoba oil is non-caloric and non-digestible, meaning if you eat it as or with food, it will pass through your body without being recognized as food.
9. ORGANIC TAMANU OIL (Vietnam)
If you thought Jojoba oil had a rich nutty smell, try Tamanu oil. Dark greenish brown in color, Tamanu oil’s thick liquid has an overpowering nutty smell is both soothing and luxurious, giving WINK’s new formulation a specific dry, rich smell. Tamanu oil is high in Omega-9 (38%) and Omega-6 fatty acids (29%), with a pointed boost in both Stearic Acid (16%) and Palmitic Acid (16%), bringing the overall WINK formulation closer to our skin’s natural oil composition, for increased penetration.
10. ORGANIC POMEGRANATE SEED OIL (India)
The pomegranate was revered in ancient cultures for it’s amazing properties. Pomegranate seed oil can be used medicinally or cosmetically, and is known for its high anti-oxidant contents, used to fight off free radicals and aging of the skin. Recently, pomegranate seed oil has been shown to be high in PA (punicic acid), an Omega 5 fatty acid, which has been shown to help with inflammatory diseases (de Melo, de Carvalho, Mancini-Filho).
11. ELDERBERRY PHYTOCIDE OS
Elderberry Phytocide has replaced our previous natural preservative system of sodium anisate and sodium levinulate. Instead, we have harnessed the natural anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties of eldberries to protect and enhance WINK’s organic oil formulation (source/TDS). To sweeten the deal, elderberry phytocide on it’s own is a great skin conditioner, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and is GMO-free. What’s cooler than saying that your preservative is a beauty product in and of itself?
In summary, WINK Lash & Brow Oil combines the power of numerous organic oils that are packed with a variety of fatty acids, vitamins and organic oils that help to stimulate hair follicles while healing and nourishing skin and existing hair. If your ready to give WINK a try we are offering new comers a 20% discount, just use promotions code NEWBIE. We’d love to hear your story about WINK or other organic lash & brow growth options.
Gentle Reminders: If you liked this type of content and want to see more, scroll to the top of the page, enter your email in the right hand column, and click “subscribe.” To share with friends, use the social sharing icons below. This blog contains affiliate links; both clicking on and purchasing through links help pay for this content.
