INGREDIENT · PLANT OIL
Sunflower seed oil on skin: barrier, babies and trials
Sunflower seed oil is the oil that held up when olive oil didn't. It also has a famous newborn trial attached, which comes with limits.
You may see it written as
- Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
The forearm comparison with olive oil
In the second of two forearm studies that together enrolled 19 adults, with and without a history of eczema, sunflower seed oil applied twice daily for four weeks preserved the integrity of the stratum corneum, did not cause redness and improved hydration. Olive oil, on the other arm, significantly reduced integrity and caused mild erythema.1
It is a small study. It is a good reason to prefer sunflower oil if you are choosing between the two for dry skin.
The preterm trial in Egypt
A randomised trial in Egypt applied sunflower seed oil three times a day to preterm infants. The 51 treated babies had significantly better skin condition and a much lower rate of hospital-acquired infections than the 52 who got no topical treatment (adjusted incidence ratio 0.46), and no adverse events were reported. The authors called for a larger trial.2
The full-term newborn pilot in the UK
A UK pilot of 115 healthy full-term newborns compared olive oil, sunflower oil and no oil for four weeks. Both oils improved hydration but both showed less improvement in the lipid layers than no oil. The trial was not powered for clinical outcomes, and the authors advise caution about recommending oils for newborn skin.3
The two results do not contradict each other: one was fragile preterm babies in a hospital, the other healthy full-term babies at home. Neither says what is best for your baby.
Sunflower seed oil in pregnancy and breastfeeding
We found no pregnancy- or lactation-specific evidence for this ingredient.
Evidence on cosmetic products in pregnancy is limited overall, so ask your doctor or midwife about the specific product you use.4
What you will see on the label
The names to look for are Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil. In Snifff, it reads as Low risk. For the rest of the formula, see what the score means and how to read the list.
As Snifff shows itHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Pregnancy and nursing
We found no pregnancy- or lactation-specific evidence for this ingredient.
Wording as it appears in the extension, which can change between releases.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Common questions about sunflower seed oil
Is sunflower oil good for the skin barrier?
In a 2013 forearm study in adults it preserved the integrity of the outer skin layer and improved hydration, where olive oil damaged it.1
Is sunflower oil safe for newborns?
A trial in preterm babies in Egypt reported no adverse events,2 but a UK pilot in full-term babies advised caution about recommending any oil for newborn skin.3 Ask your paediatrician.
Is sunflower oil better than olive oil for skin?
In the forearm comparison, yes: sunflower oil preserved the barrier and olive oil weakened it.1 It is one small study.
Is sunflower seed oil safe in pregnancy?
Snifff found no pregnancy-specific evidence for Sunflower seed oil. Ask your doctor or midwife about the product you use.
WHERE THIS COMES FROM
Sources
- Effect of olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier: implications for neonatal skin careDanby SG, et al. · Pediatric Dermatology · 2013
- Topically applied sunflower seed oil prevents invasive bacterial infections in preterm infants in Egypt: a randomized, controlled clinical trialDarmstadt GL, et al. · Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal · 2004
- Olive oil, sunflower oil or no oil for baby dry skin or massage: a pilot, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial (the Oil in Baby SkincaRE [OBSeRvE] study)Cooke A, et al. · Acta Dermato-Venereologica · 2016
- Cosmetic dermatology in pregnancy and lactation: a risk-benefit framework for clinical practiceKovacs T, et al. · International Journal of Dermatology · 2026
This page explains an ingredient. It is not medical advice, and it is not an assessment of any product. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a skin condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist.