•Mink oil is a natural oil derived from mink fat. It is commonly sold as a paste or cream for leather conditioning and is an ingredient in many cosmetics.
•Mink oil is made out of the thick layers of fat left over when minks are killed and skinned for their pelts.
Mink oil is a source of palmitoleic acid, which possesses physical properties similar to human sebum. Because of this, mink oil is used in several medical and cosmetic products. Mink oil is also used for treating/conditioning and preserving nearly all kinds of leather.
Botanical alternatives to mink oil as a source of palmitoleic acid include macadamia nut oil (Macadamia integrifolia) and sea buckthorn oil (Hippophae rhamnoides), both of which contain a larger percentage of palmitoleic acid (22 and 40% respectively) than does mink oil (17%).
"Trappers ( الصيادين ) were probably the first people to notice the benefits of mink oil, which helped to soften their hands. They also rubbed mink oil onto their shoes, to make the leather more flexible and make the shoes more waterproof."
"Mink oil and its fatty acids are unique among animal-derived fats and oils.
The total unsaturated fatty acids in mink oil account for more than 75% of the fatty acid content, but the oil, nevertheless, has a greater oxidative stability (resistance to rancidity)... than other animal or vegetable oils."