ESSENTIAL OIL OVERVIEW

Domesticated at least by 3000BC. As a folk remedy almond were used to treat cancers, tumors, and ulcers and many other afflictions for thousands of years.

Almond oil is obtained from the dried kernel of the almond plant. It is rich in unsaturated fats and essential fatty acids which are easily absorbed into the skin.  Almond oil is one of the least greasy oils. It is a clear, pale yellow, odorless liquid, with a bland, nutty taste.

The main constituents of almond oil are fatty acids (mostly of gycerides of oleic acid and linoleic acid), plant fatty alcohols (phytosterols), and vitamins and antioxidants (mostly Vitamin E and Vitamin K).

Almond oil is a rich source of vitamin E. Alpha-tocopherol is the kind of vitamin E the human body absorbs best, and it is considered the most important antioxidant and free-radical scavenger. Studies indicate that vitamin E in almond oil performs all these functions when applied topically. It improves the skin’s water-binding ability and reduces water loss thereby improving the appearance of rough, dry and
damaged skin.

Almond oil also contains vitamin K, which has been shown to reduce the appearance of dark circles,
improve skin discoloration due to the ability of vitamin K to help improve blood clotting.

Fatty Acids in almond oil are essential to cellular membranes. Therefore if the skin’s fatty acid content declines, so will elasticity and at the same time water loss will increase resulting in skin roughness and
scaliness. Topically applied fatty acids are metabolized in the skin, normalizing the cell lipid layer and improving the water-retention capability.

Plant fatty alcohols in almond oil when applied to skin form an occlusive film to keep skin moisture from evaporating, and they impart a velvety feel to the skin.

In conclusion almond oil is an extremely beneficial natural ingredient in skin care. It does not leave the skin oily, does not clog the pores, but moisturizes the skin leaving it soft and radiant. And if used regularly improves the complexion and restores the health of the skin.

Walk down the skin care aisle of your local drug store, grocery store, salon or spa and you will see that almond oil is a common ingredient in many skin care products and is often proudly displayed as a primary ingredient.  So what is all the fuss about almond oil, why is it so common and what are the benefits of having almond oil in your skin care products?

Almond Oil Pampers The Skin

Almond oil is an excellent emollient and moisturizer.  As an emollient it nourishes and softens the skin helping to keep it smooth to the touch.  Almond oil is similar in composition to the oil baby’s excrete to keep their skin and hair healthy.  This composition is beneficial to protecting and conditioning your skin no matter your age.  By helping the skin stay healthy it promotes a youthful skin complexion.

A Treatment For Dry Skin

Almond oil is frequently used to treat dry skin.  As a dry skin treatment, almond oil relieves itchiness, soreness, rashes, dryness, irritation and burns.  Almond oil aides the skin in keeping the proper balance of moisture in the skin which is critical when treating dry skin.  It is often mixed with an exfoliant for body scrubs as well as mixed with moisturizers to provide benefits the moisturizer may not have.  Almond oil can also be used  on the delicate skin under the eye to prevent “crow’s feet”

You can get a lot of Argan Oil Benefits due to its medicinal properties. The product is excellent for our skin, as well as our hair and because of its highly moisturizing nature, it is easily absorbed by our skin. One of the main reasons why you can get several Argan Oil benefits is because it is rich in alpha tocopherols, or commonly called as Vitamin E, which is good for our skin. It is also an excellent anti-oxidant and it is rich in beta carotene. The Argan Oil is also anti-inflammatory and it is rich in essential fatty acids, and contains squalene which can help to protect against any damage caused by free radicals, and therefore, it helps to prevent the occurrence of skin cancer.

Argan oil has a myriad of benefits for beauty.

Argan oil is an antioxidant– known as nature’s answer to botox, it is a Vitamin C and E packed oil perfect for combating free-radicals and works as an anti-aging.

Softens dry skin – Argan oils high concentration of vitamin E and essential fatty acids alleviates skin complications like dry skin or dry patches.

Reduces the appearance of wrinkles–Applying under the eye results in the reduced appearance of crinkly lines under the eye.

Reduces skin imperfections – with regular use Argan oil for skin has been shown to heal acne blemishes and prevent new breakouts.

Argan Oil or Moroccan green gold is the rarest oil in the world. Six Argania Spinosa trees must be cut to produce a small amount of this natural wonder. It is extremely abundant in unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid, vitamin E and sterols, therefore its benefits for the skin care are obvious.

Carrot Oil is a golden colored extract from carrots with extraordinary skin protection and conditioning benefits derived from the high quantities of oil soluble carotenoids that it contains. Carotenoids are a class of easily assimilated antioxidants, which are present in a wide range of fruits and vegetables but most abundant in carrots. Antioxidants protect human cells from harmful free-radical attack. Free-radicals are stray oxygen molecules that attack healthy cell walls and react with polyunsaturated fats to create a chain reaction of unlimited free-radical regeneration. Free-radicals are produced by a wide range of environmental pollutants, including UVR. If left unchecked by antioxidants, free-radicals damage both the structure and function of cell membranes, resulting in premature aging, cancer and an array of degenerative diseases.

Carotenoids, when either topically applied or ingested, directly reduce the damaging effects of UVR. Specifically, carotenoids have been found to enhance the body’s immune response to UVR, decreasing skin damage from ultraviolet exposure. Carotenoids have even been proven to inhibit the proliferation of various types of cancer cells. Carrots contain over 600 identified carotenoids, making them an unparalleled source of antioxidants. Carrot Oil, derived from pure carrot extract, is the most potent source of the highest concentration of carotenoids available. Suncare products with only Beta-carotene (a single carotenoid), although possibly beneficial, do not contain the wide range of antioxidants contained in Carrot Oil.

In addition to carotenoids, Carrot Oil contains other powerful antioxidants such as tocopheryl, or vitamin E. Studies have shown that topical application of vitamin E may directly reduce many harmful effects of UVR, enhance skin immunity and help heal a sunburn.

Carrot Oil also acts as a natural tanning enhancer, producing a visibly golden tan in a short amount of time. The natural color of Carrot Oil is deep gold and will appear so in solutions containing effective concentrations (between 2% to 10%). Either alone or when combined with other tanning enhancers, such as tyrosine or riboflavin, suncare products containing effective concentrations of Carrot Oil provide a noticeably golden, even tan without any unwanted orange coloration.

It must be noted that the beneficial effects of Carrot Oil may be diminished if placed in a mineral oil base. Mineral oil, commonly known as baby oil, is a petroleum derivative that decreases the absorption of and depletes the body’s reserves of vitamins, especially vitamin E. During exposure to UVR, this is of special concern. Of even greater concern, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have published findings that mineral oil has been determined to cause cancer in humans. Unfortunately for the consumer, most suncare products are almost wholly comprised of mineral oil because it serves as an inexpensive base. However, there are Carrot Oil suncare products available that do not contain mineral oil.

In summary, Carrot Oil used in combination with topical sunscreens provides more optimal protection against skin cancer and photo aging than chemical sunscreens alone. In order to maximize the positive effects, look for Carrot Oil products that expressly do not contain mineral oil and that have a deep golden color upon application to the skin. Analysis of the Florida suncare market shows that there is widespread demand for products containing Carrot Oil. Although price points for Carrot Oil products are higher than traditional suncare products, consumers appear more than willing to pay for the added benefits.