How Topical Oils Absorb and Work in Your Body
You apply oil to your skin. It absorbs. Something happens.
But what, exactly? How do compounds on your skin surface end up affecting the tissue beneath? And why does this matter for choosing and using topical products?
Let's follow the journey.
Your Skin: Not a Wall, But a Gate
We often think of skin as a barrier--and it is. It protects you from pathogens, toxins, UV radiation, and physical damage.
But skin is also selectively permeable. Certain compounds can pass through, particularly:
- Lipid-soluble (fat-soluble) molecules
- Small molecules
- Substances that can dissolve in the skin's natural oils
This isn't a design flaw--it's a feature. Your skin can absorb beneficial compounds from the environment (like vitamin D from sunlight) while blocking harmful ones.
The Layers
To understand absorption, you need to know the terrain:
Stratum Corneum (Outer Layer)
The outermost layer consists of dead skin cells embedded in a lipid matrix--often compared to "bricks and mortar." This is the primary barrier.
Lipid-soluble compounds can dissolve into the lipid matrix and pass through. Water-soluble compounds generally cannot.
Epidermis (Living Outer Skin)
Below the stratum corneum, living cells continue the barrier function while beginning to process absorbed compounds.
Dermis (Deep Skin)
The dermis contains blood vessels, nerve endings, and connective tissue. Compounds reaching this layer can affect local circulation and may enter the bloodstream (though topical absorption into blood is generally minimal).
Subcutaneous Tissue
Beneath the dermis lies fat and connective tissue, including muscle. Compounds with sufficient penetration can reach these deeper tissues.
How Oil-Based Compounds Absorb
When you apply a fatty acid-rich oil to your skin:
Step 1: Surface Contact
The oil spreads across the skin surface. Massage and warmth help distribute it evenly.
Step 2: Lipid Matrix Integration
Because the stratum corneum's barrier is lipid-based, lipid-soluble compounds (like fatty acids) integrate into it readily. They dissolve into the "mortar" between skin cells.
Step 3: Diffusion
Compounds move from higher concentration (the oil on your skin) to lower concentration (the tissue beneath) through passive diffusion.
Step 4: Local Distribution
Once past the stratum corneum, compounds distribute through the epidermis and dermis. Fatty acids can integrate into local cell membranes. Anti-inflammatory compounds can affect local tissue.
Step 5: Tissue Depot
Some compounds accumulate in local tissue, creating a "depot" effect--they remain in the area for extended periods rather than immediately dispersing.
What Affects Absorption?
Several factors influence how well topical compounds penetrate:
Compound Properties
- Lipid solubility: More soluble = better absorption
- Molecular size: Smaller molecules penetrate more easily
- Polarity: Non-polar (oily) compounds absorb better than polar (water-soluble) ones
Fatty acids, terpenes, and vitamin E are all lipid-soluble and appropriate-sized for skin absorption.
Skin Condition
- Hydration: Moist skin absorbs better than dry skin
- Temperature: Warm skin has increased permeability
- Integrity: Damaged skin absorbs more (but may be sensitive)
- Location: Thin-skinned areas (wrist, neck) absorb more than thick-skinned areas (palms, soles)
Application Method
- Occlusion: Covering the area after application increases absorption
- Massage: Physical manipulation increases penetration
- Repeat application: Multiple applications build concentration
Product Formulation
- Carrier oil quality: Some oils enhance penetration more than others
- Compound concentration: Higher concentration = more available for absorption
- Synergistic compounds: Some ingredients enhance others' absorption
Why Topical Delivery Makes Sense
For certain goals, topical application offers advantages over oral:
Targeted Delivery
When you swallow a supplement, it goes everywhere. When you apply a topical, it concentrates where you put it.
For localised issues--a sore joint, a specific muscle, irritated skin--topical delivery puts the compounds where they're needed most.
Bypass Metabolism
Oral supplements pass through the digestive system and liver before reaching target tissues. Much is lost to metabolism along the way.
Topical application bypasses this "first-pass metabolism," delivering compounds directly to local tissue.
Reduced Systemic Exposure
Because minimal compound enters the bloodstream, systemic side effects and drug interactions are unlikely with topical products.
Practical Control
You can apply topicals when and where needed, adjusting based on response. There's no fixed dosing schedule.
What Topical Oils Can Do
Based on absorption science, well-formulated topical oils can:
Deliver Fatty Acids to Local Tissue
Omega-3, omega-6, and GLA fatty acids absorb into local cell membranes, providing building blocks for tissue health and inflammatory regulation.
Provide Antioxidant Protection
Vitamin E and other antioxidants absorb into skin and underlying tissue, protecting against oxidative damage.
Modulate Local Inflammation
GLA and omega-3s produce anti-inflammatory compounds at the application site. Terpenes like beta-caryophyllene add additional anti-inflammatory effects.
Support Skin Health
Fatty acids nourish the skin itself, supporting barrier function, hydration, and flexibility.
Affect Underlying Muscle and Joint
With adequate application and massage, compounds can reach muscle and joint tissue beneath the skin, providing local support.
What Topical Oils Can't Do
It's equally important to understand limitations:
Systemic Effects
Topical oils don't significantly affect the whole body. They work locally. For systemic benefits, dietary intake is necessary.
Replace Medical Treatment
Topical support complements, but doesn't replace, appropriate medical care for significant conditions.
Work Instantly
Absorption and effects take time. Expect gradual benefits with consistent use rather than immediate dramatic results.
Penetrate Deeply to Internal Organs
Topicals affect skin, subcutaneous tissue, and superficial muscles and joints. They don't reach internal organs or deep tissue.
Optimizing Your Topical Use
Based on absorption science:
Apply to Clean Skin
Remove barriers that might impede absorption.
Use Warm Skin
After a shower or with gentle warming, skin absorbs better.
Massage Gently
Work the oil into the skin rather than just leaving it on the surface.
Apply Consistently
Regular use builds tissue concentration and maintains effects.
Target Appropriately
Apply to the specific area you want to affect, not random locations.
Allow Time
Don't wipe off immediately. Give compounds time to absorb.
The Bottom Line
Skin is a sophisticated organ that selectively admits beneficial compounds while blocking harmful ones. Lipid-soluble substances like fatty acids, vitamin E, and terpenes are well-suited for transdermal absorption.
When you apply a quality botanical oil, you're not just coating your skin--you're delivering nutrients directly to local tissue, bypassing the digestive system to concentrate benefits exactly where you want them.
The science of topical absorption is well-established. The question is simply whether you're using products with the right compounds, delivered effectively.
References
- Prausnitz, M.R., & Langer, R. (2008). Transdermal drug delivery. Nature Biotechnology, 26(11), 1261-1268.
- Paudel, K.S., et al. (2010). Challenges and opportunities in dermal/transdermal delivery. Therapeutic Delivery, 1(1), 109-131.
- Benson, H.A. (2012). Transdermal drug delivery: penetration enhancement techniques. Current Drug Delivery, 2(1), 23-33.
- Williams, A.C., & Barry, B.W. (2012). Penetration enhancers. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 64, 128-137.
- Herkenne, C., et al. (2008). Effect of the vehicle on the skin absorption of terpenes. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 70(1), 301-306.
- Hadgraft, J., & Lane, M.E. (2005). Skin permeation: the years of enlightenment. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 305(1-2), 2-12.
