Alpha linoleic acid (C18:3) is an unsaturated fatty acid with 18 carbon atoms in the chain and three double bonds, located at positions 3, 6, and 9 on the chain, counting from the end. This makes it an omega-3 fatty acid.
It helps dry or damaged skin return to normal faster, and speeds up skin’s barrier repair mechanisms.
Oils that contain this fatty acid will have shorter shelf lives because those three double bonds are easier to break when exposed to heat or light, so you’ll want to add an anti-oxidant, like 0.05% to 0.1% T-50 mixed tocopherols to your formulas to slow down rancidity.