Long before "moringa" appeared on skincare labels, its oil had another name: ben oil. For centuries it was valued not as a beauty trend but as a practical material, prized by perfumers and by the makers of fine clocks and watches for one quality above all: it did not go rancid easily. Modern laboratory tests now explain why.
Quick Answer
- Ben oil is moringa oil: the oil pressed from the seeds of Moringa oleifera (and historically also Moringa peregrina).
- It gave its name to behenic acid, a fatty acid it contains at 3.7 to 6.7%.
- It was used in perfumery and to lubricate delicate mechanisms because it resists rancidity, which lab tests confirm today.
Where the Name "Ben Oil" Comes From
The seeds of the moringa tree were long traded as "ben nuts", from bān, the Arabic name of the tree. The oil pressed from them became "ben oil", listed as oleum moringae in old pharmacy books.
In 1848, the chemist who isolated a new saturated fatty acid from this oil named it after its source: behenic acid, from ben. Today behenic acid is used throughout the cosmetics industry, yet few people know it is named after moringa oil.
All the Names of Moringa Oil
The same oil is sold and searched under many names. If you see any of these on a label, they all refer to oil pressed from moringa seeds:
| Name | Where it is used |
|---|---|
| Moringa oil | Common name in English and French (huile de moringa) |
| Ben oil, behen oil | Traditional name in perfumery, pharmacy and history books |
| Moringa oleifera seed oil | Scientific name, used in ingredient lists (INCI) |
| Moringa seed oil | Common name on product labels |
| Benzolive oil (benzoliv) | Caribbean Creole name of the moringa tree |
| Malunggay oil | Philippines, from the Filipino name of the tree |
| Drumstick tree oil | India and South Asia, after the long "drumstick" pods |
| Horseradish tree oil | Older English name, after the taste of the root |
| Miracle tree oil | Popular nickname of moringa |
Note: horseradish tree oil and drumstick tree oil are moringa oil; they have nothing to do with the horseradish root sold in grocery stores. See all the names of the tree in our guide Malunggay, Drumstick Tree, Benzolive: All the Names of Moringa.
Why Perfumers and Watchmakers Valued It
A base for fragrance
Ben oil has little scent of its own and holds fragrance well. That made it a classic carrier for capturing and preserving delicate floral scents in traditional perfumery.
A lubricant for fine mechanisms
Clock and watch makers needed an oil that would not thicken, gum up or turn sour inside a mechanism for years. Ben oil was one of the oils used for this purpose, precisely because it stays stable.
A reputation recorded in 1918
The 1918 edition of the United States Dispensatory, a standard reference for American pharmacists, described ben oil as an oil that "keeps long without becoming rancid", and noted that it was "used in the arts rather than in medicine".
What Modern Science Shows
The old reputation holds up in the laboratory. Oils turn rancid when their polyunsaturated fats react with oxygen. Moringa oil is about three quarters oleic acid, a stable monounsaturated fat, and contains only about 1 to 4% linoleic acid and traces of linolenic acid.
In a standard oxidation test (Rancimat, 120 °C), cold-pressed moringa oil lasted 34 hours before oxidizing, versus 7.9 hours for virgin olive oil in the same study (Tsaknis et al., 1999). Other studies of solvent-extracted moringa oil report 8 to 10 hours at the same temperature (Anwar et al., 2006): results vary with the seed, the extraction and the processing, but all place moringa among the most oxidation-resistant liquid plant oils.
A 2024 study also found that moringa oil pressed at lower temperatures oxidized less, and that its peroxide value stayed low after a year of storage (Cervera-Chiner et al., 2024). This supports what traditional users knew: a carefully cold-pressed ben oil keeps its quality.
How Ben Oil Compares With Today's Popular Face Oils
Here is how cold-pressed moringa oil compares with the five face oils people ask us about most.
| Compared on | Moringa (cold-pressed) | Argan | Jojoba | Rosehip | Grapeseed | Olive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behenic acidA rare fatty acid, named after ben (moringa) oil | 3.7 to 6.7%Moringa leads | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 0.5% max | 0.2% max |
| Oleic acid (omega-9)The nourishing, skin-softening fatty acid | 72 to 78% | 41 to 55% | Liquid wax, about 14% | 15 to 22% | 12 to 28% | 55 to 83% |
| Resistance to rancidityLab oxidation test (Rancimat) | 34 h at 120 °C (8 to 10 h in other tests) | More fragile: 27 to 37% omega-6 | 9.5 h at 130 °C | 3.5 h at 110 °C | 4.1 h at 110 °C | 7.9 h at 120 °C |
| Vitamin ETotal tocopherols, mg/kg | 200 to 280 | 324 to 667 | Not verified | 786 | 140 (tocopherols); 240 to 410 incl. tocotrienols | Varies widely |
| Human skin studyPublished, topical use | +85% hydration (32 people, 4 weeks) | Elasticity (60 women, 60 days) | Hydration (32 people, 2 weeks) | Limited data | Little human data | Mixed results |
Values vary with origin and processing. Oxidation tests run at different temperatures are not directly comparable. Sources: Tsaknis 1999; Anwar 2006; Athikomkulchai 2021; Azizi 2022; Zaanoun 2014; Codex Stan 210 and 33; Kiralan 2019; Turan 2018; Boucetta 2015; Vaughn 2018.
Stable Does Not Mean Forever
You will sometimes read that moringa oil "never goes rancid". That is an exaggeration. It is very stable, not immortal, and no peer-reviewed study has set a precise shelf life for cosmetic moringa oil. Store it closed, away from heat and direct sunlight, and use your senses: a sharp or paint-like smell means any oil has started to oxidize.
Ben oil can also turn cloudy or partly solid in the cold, because of its saturated fatty acids such as behenic acid. This is normal, and it becomes clear again at room temperature.
Ben Oil on the Skin Today
The qualities that made ben oil valuable to perfumers also make it a practical face oil. It stays fresh in a warm bathroom, it has a rich, cushioning feel thanks to its oleic and behenic acids, and it contains about 200 to 280 mg/kg of vitamin E. In a 4-week study on 32 volunteers, a cream with 25% moringa seed oil raised skin hydration by 85%, versus 48% for the same cream without it, with no irritation reported (Athikomkulchai et al., 2021).
How to Use Ben (Moringa) Oil on Your Face
- Cleanse and apply your usual water-based serum or moisturizer.
- Warm 2 to 3 drops of oil between your fingertips.
- Press gently onto the face and neck rather than rubbing.
- Use it at night, or in the morning under sunscreen if your skin is dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ben oil the same as moringa oil?
Yes. Ben oil is the traditional name of the oil pressed from moringa seeds, mainly Moringa oleifera.
What are the other names of moringa oil?
Moringa oil is also called ben oil or behen oil, moringa seed oil, Moringa oleifera seed oil (its scientific and ingredient-list name), benzolive oil in the Caribbean, malunggay oil in the Philippines, and drumstick tree, horseradish tree or miracle tree oil.
Why is it called ben oil?
Moringa seeds were traded as "ben nuts", and the oil pressed from them was called ben oil. Behenic acid was later named after it.
Does ben oil go rancid?
Very slowly. It contains little polyunsaturated fat, and in a lab test cold-pressed moringa oil resisted oxidation about four times longer than virgin olive oil. It is very stable, but not everlasting.
What was ben oil used for?
Historically, as a carrier for perfumes and as a lubricant for clocks and watches. Today it is used mainly in skin and hair care.
How much behenic acid does ben oil contain?
Published analyses report 3.7 to 6.7% behenic acid in moringa seed oil, one of the highest levels among plant oils.
The Bottom Line
Ben oil earned its reputation long before modern skincare: perfumers and watchmakers chose it because it lasted. Today, laboratory tests confirm that cold-pressed moringa oil is one of the most oxidation-resistant liquid plant oils, and it still carries the fatty acid named after it. A good face oil should stay as good on the last drop as on the first; ben oil has been doing that for centuries.
Our Moringa Golden Face Oil is a single-ingredient, cold-pressed moringa seed oil, available in five sizes. See how it compares in our series: vs Argan, vs Jojoba, vs Rosehip, vs Olive Oil and vs Marula.
Sources
- The Dispensatory of the United States of America (1918). Oleum Moringae (ben oil).
- Tsaknis J. et al. (1999). Characterization of Moringa oleifera variety Mbololo seed oil of Kenya. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 47, 4495 to 4499.
- Anwar F., Zafar S.N., Rashid U. (2006). Characterization of Moringa oleifera seed oil from drought and irrigated regions of Punjab, Pakistan. Grasas y Aceites, 57(2), 160 to 168.
- Cervera-Chiner L. et al. (2024). Fatty acid profile and physicochemical properties of Moringa oleifera seed oil extracted at different temperatures. Foods, 13(17), 2733.
- Athikomkulchai S. et al. (2021). Moringa oleifera seed oil formulation physical stability and chemical constituents for enhancing skin hydration and antioxidant activity. Cosmetics, 8(1), 2.
- Burkill I.H. (1966). A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula (traditional uses of ben oil).
Cosmetic product. This article is for general information and is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any condition.
0 Comments