Emu oil and ostrich oil: what is the difference, and what can they do for your skin?

The answer is simple - the difference is in their fatty acid profile.

Fatty acids are the essential building blocks of the skin's surface layers. They reinforce and strengthen the skin's surface, helping to enhance hydration by sealing in moisture and reducing evaporation into the surrounding atmosphere. This promotes smoother, younger-looking skin and a healthier complexion.

When comparing different oils for cosmetics, we compare their natural fatty acid profiles. As each fatty acid has a different role and ability, the type and amount of fatty acids in each oil are the key to their performance on your skincare.

So, although emu oil and ostrich oil are similar, their fatty acid profile is slightly different, which leads to different results when applied to the skin.

So, let's talk more about these two fascinating oils.

Ostrich oil

Ostrich oil contains over 70% oleic and palmitic acids and has the highest transdermal ability of all-natural oils. Research shows it contains approximately ten times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids than emu oil, which makes it more potent.

When applied topically, the antioxidants in the ostrich oil are absorbed into the skin, healing the skin on the surface and fighting free radicals once they are absorbed by the body. It supports and rejuvenates the skin by promoting the growth of new skin cells while refreshing the skin with essential vitamins, resulting in a youthful, healthy feeling. It can also reduce common aging symptoms, such as wrinkles and bags under the eyes.

Why do we use Ostrich oil in our tallow-based products:

Ostrich oil is unparalleled in its skin benefits and is much superior in its abilities than any plant oil. Ostrich oil effectively reduces inflammation while aiding skin regeneration and promotes collagen proliferation and synthesis while accelerating dermal wound maturation. It also aids with severe itching, dryness, and cracked skin.

When creating our PURE and Nurture ranges, we carefully chose which oils to incorporate with our grass-fed beef tallow to create the most optimal products for babies, sensitive skin, various skin issues, and salicylate allergies.

The combination of ostrich oil and tallow works wonderfully on all skin layers for a prolonged time. This means your skin will stay soft and moisturised for longer, even in extreme temperatures and dry climates.

Our current products containing ostrich oil are: 
PURE Tallow & Ostrich Oil Moisturiser (Sal-Free)
Baby's Tallow Healing Cream and Baby's Tallow Healing Cream Sal-free

Emu oil

Analysis of fatty acids in emu oil reveals that it contains approximately 70% unsaturated fatty acids. The major fatty acid in emu oil is oleic acid, which is mono-unsaturated and comprises over 40% of the total fatty acid contents. Emu oil also contains both of the two essential fatty acids (EFA's), which are important to human health: 20% linoleic and 1-2% alpha-linolenic acid.

We source therapeutic-grade emu oil (which can be ingested and used topically) for our products from a groundbreaking Australian company that renders it using a unique, patented rendering system. The rendering is done at lower temperatures, retaining the synergistic activity of all aspects of emu oil, including its temperature-sensitive omega-essential fatty acids. This process produces a stable, 100% pure, unrefined oil that maintains the same natural molecular structure as the raw, natural product (emu fat).

Why do we use emu oil in our tallow-based products:

Emu oil has a unique ability to improve the regeneration of thinning skin and wound regeneration, reduce inflammation, support collagen production, and aid with severe itching and dryness while protecting against oxidative damage. Emu oil is also found to be super beneficial when treating burns. It also improves keratinisation* disorder and fibrillogenesis*. It is especially beneficial for individuals with salicylate intolerance or allergy and those with dry, sensitive skin prone to dermatitis, eczema, and allergies. It promotes hair and nail growth and increases mature hair follicles around wounds, preventing bold spots.

It has anti-rheumatic properties and effectively reduces osteoarthritis pain.

* keratinisation disorder: Keratin is a tough, fibrous protein found in fingernails, hair, and skin. The body may produce extra keratin due to inflammation, as a protective response to pressure, or due to a genetic condition.

*Fibrillogenesis: the development of fine fibrils normally present in collagen fibres of connective tissue.

When creating our PURE and Nurture ranges, we included therapeutic-grade emu oil with our grass-fed beef tallow to create a powerful anti-inflammatory powerhouse for babies and individuals with sensitive skin, various skin issues, and salicylate allergies.

Emu oil is fantastic, especially for raw, red, scraped skin with tough, dry, and bumpy patches.

Our current products containing Emu oil are: 
Emu Oil (Therapeutic Grade) 
PURE Tallow & Emu Oil Day & Night Cream 
PURE Tallow & Ostrich Oil Moisturiser (Sal-Free)
Baby's Tallow Healing Cream and Baby's Tallow Healing Cream Sal-free
Calming Baby Oil

So which oil is better? Emu oil or ostrich oil?

Both are magnificent and do wonders for sensitive, dry, and allergy-prone skin. Both aid in healing many skin conditions, such as eczema, dermatitis, rosacea, and acne.

Emu and ostrich oil differ in skin permeability. Ostrich oil has a higher level of skin permeability, meaning that if you're looking for a deeper, more moisturising effect, then ostrich oil is your best option.

Emu oil still has the same omega-9 benefits as ostrich oil but has a more lasting topical effect. This means it stays on the skin as a protective layer for much longer, aiding in the healing of common skin issues and sensitivities, as well as cuts and burns.

So, if you're looking for an incredibly deeply moisturising product that heals even the deepest cuts, ostrich oil would suit you best. However, if you're looking for a product that will remain on your skin for a long time and aid not only with skin sensitivities and issues but also with grazes, burns, and inflammation, then emu oil will be the best choice.