Tamanu oil

Studying the INCI, the label that, by law, should report all the ingredients used in a cosmetic formula, has made possible to observe that, unfortunately, a lot of substances contained in creams, serums, shampoos and conditioners are really useless to the skin, sometimes they are even dangerous. These ingredients are inserted in the cosmetics in order to make the products creamy, thick or to give the impression that the skin becomes smooth but, actually, they don’t bring any nourishment at all, they clog the pores and the skin reacts by producing more sebum and becoming irritated. This creates the conditions for acne, pimples but also wrinkles. To take care of your beauty in a natural way you often need just a few products chosen according to your needs. Today we will see the properties of tamanu oil, scientific name Calophyllum inophyllum, an evergreen plant native from East Africa, India and Australia. The oil that is extracted from this plant is an amazing product, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols and vitamins, characterized by a well demonstrated healing action, able to regenerate the skin and to activate the collagen production (Ansel et al, Planta Med, 2016). Moreover, tamanu oil shows also an antibacterial and anti inflammatory effect (Leguillier et al, PLoS One, 2015 or also Van-Linh Nguyen et al, PLoS One, 2017). Thanks to these properties tamanu oil can be used to treat sensitive skin with couperose, dermatitis, eczema and wrinkles by giving it elasticity. But this product is suitable also for acne prone skin thanks to its healing and antibiotic action. You can apply a few drops of oil on clean and damp face skin in order to let an optimal absorption, alternatively you can insert this oil in your DIY cosmetic formulations. Tamanu oil is a good choice also for the area around the eyes and to counteract eye bags, in this case you can apply a drop of oil under the eyes and massage gently by pressing from the nose to the temples. For what concerns the body, tamanu oil is beneficial also to prevent stretch marks. To sum up, tamanu oil has been studied by science and results a powerful ally for our natural beauty.