An oil rich in oleic acid
ReviewOleic acid makes up 65 to 69% of total fatty acids. The expert panel judges that no toxicological study is needed for the proposed food use and concludes that the oil is safe under these conditions1.
Tiger nut oil
Tiger nut oil is the fixed oil of the tubers of the tiger nut, Cyperus esculentus7. It contains 65 to 69% oleic acid1. It is much sought after to slow hair regrowth, but we did not find any peer-reviewed study showing this for this species.
Tiger nut oil at a glance
Entry from our cosmetic ingredient glossary. Regulatory data from the European Commission's CosIng database7. Copy the identifiers in one click for your files.
- INCI name
- CYPERUS ESCULENTUS ROOT OILThe INCI name says "root", but CosIng describes a fixed oil obtained from the tubers of Cyperus esculentus L. (Cyperaceae)7
- Other names
- Edible tiger nut oilChufa oil. Not to be confused with nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus), a different species56
- CAS number
- 223748-92-3
- EC number
- Not assignedCosIng gives no EC number for this ingredient7
- Botanical origin
- Tiger nut (Cyperaceae)Fixed oil of the tubers; the plant is native to the Mediterranean region27
- Composition
- About 65 to 69% oleic acidOleic acid: 65 to 69% of total fatty acids according to EFSA (cold-pressed oil)1. An analysis of an oil from China gives 691.4 g/kg oleic, 107.0 g/kg linoleic and 158.0 g/kg palmitic acid3
- CosIng functions
- FragranceCosIng lists only the "Fragrance" function for this INCI name. It gives it no skin conditioning function7
- EU status
- No restriction specific to the ingredientAbsent from annexes II to VI of Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 as consolidated on May 1, 2025; only the general mention of ozone-depleting substances appears in CosIng78
- Allergen to declare
- NoAbsent from Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 and from consolidated annex III8
- Safety
- No CIR or SCCS assessment keptEFSA assessed the oil as a novel food (2024): it considers it safe under the proposed conditions of use1. This assessment concerns ingestion, not application on the skin
What the research says
Each result shows the protocol and the level of evidence. The higher the level, the better the result carries over to a finished formula.
Clinical trialReview or consensusLaboratory
Composition and raw materialChemistry
An oil comparable to olive oil
ReviewThe authors describe a nutritious oil comparable to olive oil, drawn from a tuber native to the Mediterranean region. They note that little work focuses on the oil itself2.
More than 800 g/kg of unsaturated fatty acids
LaboratoryThe oil contains more than 800 g/kg of unsaturated fatty acids: 691.4 g/kg oleic acid, 107.0 g/kg linoleic acid, 158.0 g/kg palmitic acid. It shows antioxidant power in the laboratory and in animals; this result does not transfer to the skin3.
A tuber studied mostly as food
ReviewThe review describes the nutritional composition of the tuber and the oil extraction methods (mechanical pressing, alkaline route, among others). Uses are food-related: milk (horchata), snacks, drinks, gluten-free bread4.
Hair and regrowthHair removal
No study found on Cyperus esculentus and hair
ReviewOur searches found no peer-reviewed study testing edible tiger nut oil (Cyperus esculentus) on hair regrowth. This page therefore promises no regrowth-slowing effect.
A trial on another species: nutgrass
Clinical trialCyperus rotundus essential oil did not differ from the Alexandrite laser on the reduction of hair growth (except for white hairs, where it did better). It is a different species, an essential oil and not the fixed oil of tubers, in an open-label, single-author study, with level of evidence 35.
On the same genus, an opposite result in the laboratory
LaboratoryAn extract of Cyperus rotundus rhizome promoted hair growth, prolonged the anagen phase and increased follicle density in mice. Results on this type of plant are therefore contradictory and do not concern edible tiger nut oil6.
This page summarizes published literature on a cosmetic ingredient. It does not describe the effect of a finished product, which depends on its formula, and it is not medical advice. Any industry funding is shown in the sources. The literature on tiger nut oil is mostly about food. We found no peer-reviewed study on its application on the skin or on its effect on hair regrowth.
Which products can use tiger nut oil?
No formula in our white label catalog features tiger nut oil yet. Our formulation lab can add it to a custom formula or to a catalog formula. Its common uses:
Face
Supporting plant oil in face care for dry skin, blended with other oils.
Body
Massage or body care oil, pure or blended.
Hair
Supporting oil in hair care, for example oils for lengths.
Frequently asked questions about tiger nut oil
What is tiger nut oil?
What are the benefits of tiger nut oil?
Does tiger nut oil stop hair from growing back?
No peer-reviewed study we found shows it for edible tiger nut oil. The only trial we found on hair concerns the essential oil of another species, Cyperus rotundus: open-label study, single author, level of evidence 35. Another piece of work on that species points the other way (hair growth in the laboratory)6. We cannot promise this effect, and we will not do so for your product.
Can you use it after hair removal?
We found no study on this topic. A plant oil can be formulated in an after-hair-removal care product as an emollient, but the effect on regrowth is not shown5. Tolerance is checked with tests on the final formula.
Cyperus esculentus or Cyperus rotundus: what is the difference?
Is tiger nut oil regulated in cosmetics?
Can you manufacture a tiger nut oil product for my brand?
Yes, we can add it to an oil or a care product. Our ISO 22716 certified lab adapts a catalog formula or develops a custom formula. Free samples are included. We help you write compliant claims, with no regrowth-slowing promise.
Sources
Peer-reviewed studies and official regulatory sources, checked on November 3, 2026.
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). Safety of Tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus) oil as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 EFSA J. 2024;22(11):e9102. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9102
- Zhang Y, Sun S. Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) oil: A review of bioactive compounds, extraction technologies, potential hazards and applications Food Chem X. 2023;19:100868. doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2023.100868
- Jing S, Ouyang W, Ren Z, et al.. The in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties of Cyperus esculentus oil from Xinjiang, China J Sci Food Agric. 2013;93(6):1505-9. doi:10.1002/jsfa.5927
- Yu Y, Lu X, Zhang T, et al.. Tiger Nut (Cyperus esculentus L.): Nutrition, Processing, Function and Applications Foods. 2022;11(4):601. doi:10.3390/foods11040601
- Mohammed GF. Topical Cyperus rotundus oil: a new therapeutic modality with comparable efficacy to Alexandrite laser photo-epilation Aesthet Surg J. 2014;34(2):298-305. doi:10.1177/1090820X13518801
- Hu Y, Hu K, Liang J, et al.. The extract of Cyperus rotundus rhizome promotes hair growth and modulates hair cycle in vivo and in vitro Chin J Nat Med. 2026;24(2):203-214. doi:10.1016/S1875-5364(26)61091-6
- European Commission. CosIng, entry CYPERUS ESCULENTUS ROOT OIL (CAS 223748-92-3). ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products, consolidated version of May 1, 2025. eur-lex.europa.eu
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