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Babassu oil is our latest obsession and here’s why!

Babassu oil is our latest obsession and here’s why!

Babassu oil 🌰 is the new ‘it’ ingredient that natural skincare makers are going nutty for! Babassu oil is a tropical oil made from the seeds of the babassu palm, a tree native to the Amazon rainforest of South America. Like coconut oil, it is extracted from the kernels of the tree’s produce. Within Brazil, the Babassu tree is known as the ‘Tree of Life’ due to the healing properties of the oil. The benefits of Babassu oil are endless. Its potent in fatty acids and vitamin E, which are immune-boosting and have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

Babassu oil is incredibly moisturizing and doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy. This is because it’s virtually non-comedogenic so it’s not going to clog your skins pores. Babassu oil is lightweight, absorbs easily and it’s totally scentless, so it’s the perfect complimentary oil to other oils that carry a natural scent. However, the most common (and most exciting) use of babassu oil is within skincare. It has a melting point similar to that of human skin, and so it is solid at room temperature, but melts upon contact with skin.

Unlike coconut oil, babassu oil is lightweight and not greasy, making it an excellent addition to your skincare routine, as it does not block your pores or cause your skin to clog up. Instead, babassu oil moisturises and increases skin elasticity, but is quickly and easily absorbed and barely noticeable to the touch. It also produces a refreshing, cooling sensation, and so adding babassu oil to both your body and face moisturising routine might be the perfect way to start the day. 

For those of us that have dry skin babassu oil is recommended due to its anti-inflammatory and moisturising properties. Packed with plant based oils and made from up to 70% lipids, it has restorative oils to heal skin irritations, and can even reduce cellular damage caused by harmful chemicals. 

WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

The Babassu palm tree grows wild in tropical areas of Brazil. The tree produces hard-shelled nuts that display in bunches of as many as 600. The nuts are collected and broken open by local Brazilian women known as Babassu breakers. The nuts contain kernels comprised mostly of oil.

WHAT’S IN IT THAT MAKES IT SO GOOD?

Babassu oil is packed with vitamin E, antioxidants and fatty acids with a high concentration of lauric acid which offers anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to lauric acid, it is also composed of other fatty acids including myristic, oleic, stearic and palmitic acids.