Moisturizing is an important part of every skincare regimen, even for those with oily and combination skin types. There’s evidence that many natural oils, like soybean oil, have rejuvenating properties, fights wrinkles and stretch marks, soothes sunburn skin and helps to prevent sunburn. Oils are a little different than lotions, and you might find that certain oils make your skin look and feel better.

Soybean oil contains linoleic acid which helps strengthen the skin's moisture barrier (helps deliver essential fatty acids that can help maintain the skin barrier, decrease water loss, and aid skin hydration). Soybean oil is rich in vitamin E, a nutrient that can help promote skin health. Applying it topically may protect against inflammation and help the skin retain moisture, and also provides antioxidants.

Soybean (Glycine Soja)

Soybean annual legume of the pea family (Fabaceae) and its edible seed. The soybean is economically the most important bean in the world, providing vegetable protein for millions of people and ingredients for hundreds of chemical products. The soybean is a leguminous plant native to China. Its botanical name was given by Linnaeus based on its supposed sweet taste (Glycine) and the large nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots (max). The species name of “max” may also be a version of the Portuguese inscription of the Persian name “moot” for the bean. 

The INCI (International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients) name for the oil extracted from Glycine max is Glycine soja oil. The bean also goes by the names Phaseola max, Soja max and Glycine hispida. The common name ‘soybean’ is a corrupted form of the Chinese ‘chiyou’ or Japanese ‘shoyu’ which refer to soy sauce.

The soybean is often called ‘gold from the soil’ in several South East Asian countries where it has been a staple food for centuries. Large scale cultivation and use of soybeans started in the Western hemisphere only in the 20th century. The USA is now the leading producer of soybean, followed by Brazil, Argentina, China, and India.

Benefits and Uses

Soybean oil is used as a cosmetics, moisturising, protects the skin barrier thanks to the effect of phytosterols, and acts as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial. Soybean oil is also able to protect the skin from erythema caused by the sun. Soybean oil brings vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant and fatty acids such as linoleic acid, present in a percentage of about 50%, oleic acids 25%, and in smaller quantities palmitic acid. Some of the documented advantages of using soybean oil are this.

Moisturising Effect: Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid which is used in the synthesis of skin ceramides. Topical application increases the level of ceramides and creates a natural trans-epidermal barrier that prevents dehydration of the skin.

Antioxidant Effect: Tocopherol (vitamin E) in soybean oil is an effective antioxidant and decreases free-radical formation. This prevents lipid peroxidation, damage of cells and tissues.

Rejuvenation of Skin: Soybean oil makes a good carrier oil due to its deep penetration properties. This ensures that smaller molecules with skin-regeneration activity reach both the dermal and epidermal layers of the skin .

Anti-ageing Effects: The combined effects of enhanced hydration and effective delivery of lecithin, vitamin E and sterols contained in the oil makes it an effective anti-ageing agent.