(Sclerocarya birrea · INCI: Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil)
Biomimetic lipid · Oleic-rich · Antioxidant · Exceptionally stable · Wild-harvested in southern Africa
6 min read · A desert lipid in the Bio-Lipid Concentrate
Marula oil for menopausal skin is one of the desert lipids at the heart of our anhydrous formulas. Pressed from the kernels of the marula tree of southern Africa, it is a rich, cushioning oil, remarkable for its oleic acid content and an antioxidant profile so high that it resists going rancid far longer than most oils. It is one of the reasons a Philogeni oil feels nourishing without feeling heavy.
The lipid gap, and why we build with oils
As estrogen declines, skin makes fewer of its own barrier lipids, the fatty acids, ceramides and cholesterol that hold moisture in and keep the surface comfortable. We call this the lipid gap, and it is why skin that once felt fine can start to feel dry, tight and reactive in perimenopause. Our formulas are anhydrous, water-free, which means every drop is working lipids rather than water, chosen for what their fatty acids bring to that gap. Marula is our stabiliser and softener. Read more in The Lipid Gap.
The fatty-acid profile
Marula is dominated by oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that typically makes up around 70 to 78% of the oil, with smaller amounts of linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids. Oleic-rich oils are the softening, emollient members of the oil family: they cushion, they smooth, and they help other ingredients glide. What sets marula apart is its stability. A high level of natural antioxidants, including tocopherols and phenolic compounds, gives it exceptional resistance to oxidation, which is why it helps protect the freshness of the whole anhydrous blend, not just the skin.
What marula does for skin
- Replenishes and softens: its oleic acid is deeply emollient, helping skin feel supple and cushioned.
- Antioxidant defence: rich in tocopherols and phenolics that help defend against environmental stress.
- Stabilising: its oxidative stability helps keep the formula fresh over its life.
- Comfortable on dry, mature skin: a richer oil suited to skin that has lost its own lipids.
Where it comes from
The marula tree grows across southern Africa, drought-hardy and long-revered, its fruit part of the region's culture for centuries. The oil is traditionally pressed from kernels gathered by rural communities, much of it through women's cooperatives, and it is wild-harvested rather than plantation-grown, so its production supports local livelihoods and leaves the trees standing. For a brand with southern African roots, marula is not an exotic addition but a homecoming, an ingredient chosen as much for its story as its chemistry.
What the research shows
The science here is about fatty acids and the barrier rather than marula specifically. Reviews of plant oils in dermatology describe how the skin's barrier is built partly from fatty acids, and how an oil's balance of oleic and linoleic acid shapes its effect: oleic-rich oils like marula are the softening, occlusive emollients, best on dry and mature skin, while lighter linoleic-rich oils do more of the barrier-feeding work (Vaughn and Sivamani, 2018; vegetable oils review, 2022). This is why we pair marula with lighter desert oils rather than relying on it alone.
Ingredient profile
- INCI: Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
- Common name: Marula oil
- Key fatty acids: oleic (omega-9, ~70 to 78%), with linoleic, palmitic and stearic
- Also rich in: tocopherols and phenolic antioxidants
- Character: rich, softening, exceptionally stable
- Origin: southern Africa, wild-harvested
- In Philogeni: in the Bio-Lipid Concentrate
Featured in
Marula is one of the desert lipids in the Bio-Lipid Concentrate, our anhydrous facial oil, where it sits alongside kalahari melon, baobab and the M-Veil active complex.
Common questions
Is marula oil good for menopausal skin?
Yes. Its oleic acid makes it a softening, cushioning oil well suited to the drier, lipid-depleted skin of perimenopause and beyond.
Will marula oil feel greasy?
It is a richer oil, but in a balanced anhydrous blend with lighter oils it absorbs comfortably rather than sitting heavy.
Is it sustainable?
The marula we value is wild-harvested by southern African communities, often women's cooperatives, leaving the trees standing.
References and further reading
- Vaughn AR, Sivamani RK, et al. (2018). Natural oils for skin-barrier repair. PubMed
- Vegetable butters and oils as cosmetically active ingredients: a review of clinical studies (2022). PubMed Central
At a glance
- Common name: Marula oil
- INCI: Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
- Key fatty acid: oleic (omega-9)
- Cosmetic function: emollient, antioxidant, replenishing
- Sourcing: wild-harvested, southern Africa
- Found in: Bio-Lipid Concentrate
- Status: vegan, plant-derived
A desert lipid with southern African roots, marula softens and stabilises the Philogeni ritual. Explore the Bio-Lipid Concentrate.