Oleanolic Acid
A plant triterpenoid from the olive family. It reduced inflammation in cells and in mice; there are no human studies on sebum or acne
Evidence by route
Topical application
Soothing has been studied only in cells and mice, where oleanolic acid reduced inflammatory signals in keratinocytes and in a model of atopic dermatitis. There are no human studies on acne or sebum, so the sebum-regulating claim has no evidence behind it
- C
Soothing
Anti-inflammatory data come from keratinocytes and from mice with atopic-like dermatitis (Kang 2021, Vasarri 2025); no study has tested the effect on human skin
- D
Acne
There are no studies of oleanolic acid in people with acne
- D
Sebum control
Its effect on sebum production has not been studied
- Kang YM et al. Oleanolic Acid Alleviates Atopic Dermatitis-like Responses In Vivo and In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(21). PMID 34769428
- Vasarri M et al. Protective Effects of Oleanolic Acid on Human Keratinocytes: A Defense Against Exogenous Damage. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2025;18(2). PMID 40006051
- Lee HK et al. Phytocomponents of triterpenoids, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, regulated differently the processing of epidermal keratinocytes via PPAR-alpha pathway. Exp Dermatol. 2006;15(1):66-73. PMID 16364033
How to read tiers A–F
- CWeak evidence. In vitro data, open-label studies, or expert consensus
- DNo data, or very weak or conflicting data
Tolerability and safety
- Irritation potential
- Low
- Allergen risk
- Low
- Pregnancy
- Unknown
- Suitable for
- Normal, Dry, Combination, Oily, Sensitive
About this ingredient
Oleanolic acid (INCI Oleanolic Acid) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid. Plants of the olive family, Oleaceae, contain a lot of it (Kang 2021). In cosmetics it is added to products for oily and acne-prone skin. There are no studies of oleanolic acid in people with acne or on sebum production. The sebum-regulating effect attributed to it has no published data behind it. The available data come from cells and animals. In mice with DNCB-induced atopic-like dermatitis and in HaCaT keratinocytes, oleanolic acid reduced skin lesions and Th2 cytokines and blocked Akt, NF-κB and STAT1 activation (Kang 2021). In HaCaT cells under oxidative stress it improved cell survival and lowered reactive oxygen species, iNOS and nitric oxide (Vasarri 2025). It also promoted keratinocyte differentiation, probably through PPAR-alpha. After topical application in an experimental model, it sped up barrier recovery and raised epidermal ceramides (Lee 2006). None of these effects has been tested on human skin. There are no patch tests or sensitization studies in people, and tolerability on sensitive skin has not been studied. There are no data on use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oleanolic Acid safe during pregnancy?
Safety data for Oleanolic Acid during pregnancy is insufficient. Best avoided when in doubt.
What skin types is Oleanolic Acid for?
Oleanolic Acid suits: normal, dry, combination, oily, sensitive.
What is Oleanolic Acid and what does it do in cosmetics?
A plant triterpenoid from the olive family.
What's the INCI name for Oleanolic Acid?
The INCI name is Oleanolic Acid.
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