5 Reasons Why Seed-Oil Free Matters in Skincare

(And How Cutting Seed Oils Helps Your Skin Look Younger, Longer)

Most guys don't realize how many men's skincare products rely on seed oils. They're in face washes, moisturizers, serums, and almost anything marketed as "natural." Seed oils make products feel smooth and "clean," but that doesn't mean they're the best thing for your face.

For men who care about healthier-looking skin, better barrier support, and long-term results, avoiding seed oils is one of the smartest upgrades you can make.

This guide breaks down what seed oils actually do on your skin, what the science says, and what RAWDOG uses instead.

What Seed Oils Are (And Why They're Everywhere)

Seed oils are highly processed oils extracted from the seeds of plants. Usually using heat, pressure, and chemical solvents to pull the oil out of the seed.

Because they're inexpensive and easy to formulate with, most men's skincare brands rely on them as the base of their products.

Common seed oils to look for on men's skincare labels:

These are some of the most frequently used oils across drugstore as well as "clean" or "premium" men's skincare:

• Sunflower Seed Oil (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)
• Grapeseed Oil (Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil)
• Safflower Seed Oil (Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil)
• Soybean Oil (Glycine Soja Oil)
• Canola / Rapeseed Oil (Brassica Napus Seed Oil / Brassica Campestris Seed Oil)
• Rosehip Seed Oil (Rosa Canina Seed Oil)
• Pumpkin Seed Oil (Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Oil)
• Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil)

You'll find these oils in everything from "premium" anti-aging serums to viral men's moisturizers and natural grooming products.

Why men should care:

Reading labels is the easiest way to avoid cheap filler oils. If a men's product lists sunflower, grapeseed, or safflower oil, it's built for margin, not performance.

1. Seed Oils Oxidize Easily (And Oxidation Ages Your Skin Faster)

Most seed oils are loaded with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). According to a 2014 scientific review on lipid oxidation from the National Institutes of Health, oils high in PUFAs are chemically unstable and break down quickly when exposed to heat, oxygen, or sunlight. This is everything your skin experiences on a normal day.

When seed oils oxidize on your skin, they generate lipid peroxides, which may contribute to:

• faster visible aging
• irritation
• redness
• a weakened skin barrier

Why men should care:

Men sweat more, shave more, and spend more time outdoors. Oxidized oils make irritation and aging worse.

RAWDOG's alternative:

Rawdog uses stable, skin-identical lipids like:

• Squalane
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
• Tallow lipids
• Ceramide NP
• Amino acids (NMFs)

They stay stable, supporting your skin instead of stressing it.

2. Seed Oils Don't Mimic Human Skin (So They Don't Absorb Well)

Human skin naturally produces oils composed of:

• squalene/squalane
• ceramides
• cholesterol
• wax esters
• monounsaturated fats

Seed oils have a completely different structure. They don't "fit" into the skin barrier the same way, which often leads to:

• greasy film
• poor absorption
• increased shininess
• surface-level hydration that doesn't last

Why men should care:

Men naturally produce more oil than women. Products that don't absorb well can make your skin look shiny, uneven, or clogged.

RAWDOG's alternative:

The formulas use biomimetic lipids that mimic skin structure:

• Tallow
• Squalane
• Ceramide NP
• Olivate emulsifiers
• Amino acids

These integrate into the skin barrier and hydrate deeper. No grease, no shine.

3. Seed Oils Carry Endocrine-Active Compounds (Not Great If You're Optimizing Testosterone)

Some plant seed oils contain phytoestrogens, which are natural compounds that can interact with estrogen receptors in laboratory settings.

According to a 2019 peer-reviewed environmental health journal, certain plant-derived phytoestrogens were shown to bind to estrogen receptors and exhibit endocrine activity in vitro.

This doesn't mean seed oils alter hormones in the body, but it does place them in a category that many health-focused men prefer to limit when better alternatives exist.

Why men should care:

Men naturally produce small amounts of estrogen, and that's normal. But when phytoestrogens bind to estrogen receptors in lab settings, they can:

• compete with your own hormones for receptor spots
• send weak estrogen-like signals to cells

For guys who care about testosterone balance, training, recovery, or simply minimizing unnecessary endocrine-active inputs, choosing skincare that avoids phytoestrogen-rich seed oils is a smart, long-term move.

RAWDOG's alternative:

Rawdog avoids seed oils entirely and uses a low-PUFA, biomimetic lipid system including:

• tallow lipids
• squalane
• caprylic/capric triglycerides
• ceramide NP
• peptides
• low-PUFA fruit oils (like avocado oil)

These ingredients support whole-body, health-conscious skincare without introducing endocrine-active seed-oil compounds.

4. Most Brands Use Seed Oils as Cheap Fillers (Not for Real Performance)

Seed oils are extremely inexpensive. In some cases costing 20-50x less than high-performance lipids like squalane, ceramides, peptides, or biomimetic fats. That's why so many men's skincare products rely on them.

Brands use seed oils because they:

• Improve texture without real performance
• Market well as "natural" or "plant-based"
• Significantly increase profit margins
• Mask weak formulations

Seed oils make a formula feel soft, but they don't deliver long-lasting results.

Why men should care:

If a product leads with seed oils, you're paying for softness (not actual skin improvement).

RAWDOG's alternative:

Rawdog uses performance-first, biomimetic ingredients designed to strengthen the skin barrier, improve texture, and support long-term skin health.

• Ceramide NP - Helps support the skin barrier for smoother, stronger-looking skin.
• Niacinamide - Promotes a more even, healthier-looking complexion.
• NMFs (Sodium PCA, Lactate, Amino Acids) - Attract and hold moisture for long-lasting hydration.
• Peptides - Help support the proteins that keep skin firm and smooth, improving the look of fine lines and dark under eye bags.
• Squalane - Provides lightweight, non-greasy hydration that mimics your skin's natural oils.
• Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5) - Helps soothe and hydrate dry, stressed skin.
• Allantoin - Promotes calmer, smoother-feeling skin.

5. Seed-Oil Free Is the Future of Men's Skincare

Men's skincare is evolving. The next wave is built around stability, barrier support, and clean performance, not cheap plant oils.

Barrier-first skincare

Better barrier = better skin.

Men's skincare that matches a lifestyle

If you're optimizing nutrition, training, sleep, stress then your skincare should match that standard.

Low-inflammatory, stable lipid systems

Seed oils don't offer that stability.

Whole-body-health choices

Men want ingredients that feel intentional, not random.

Why men should care:

Your skin deserves more than generic seed-oil bases. Seed-oil-free is simply smarter skincare.

RAWDOG leads the shift:

• First skincare brand to be completely seed-oil free
• Biomimetic tallow moisturizer
• Peptide-loaded eye cream
• pH-balanced cleanser
• No added microplastics
• No added forever chemicals
• Premium glass packaging