Beauty Benefits Of Nut Oils

As well as gracing our palates as a nutrient-rich snack, nuts have a bounty of beauty benefits for your skin, body and hair.

- Carrol Baker

Nutritious nut oils are food for the skin. Some contain agents that nurture and heal, helping to lock in the skin’s moisture or add shine and fullness to hair. Depending on the type of nut, many can offer natural healing properties for dermatological conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

Humans have been using nut oils in a variety of applications for thousands of years. An early Greek physician said walnuts combined with onion, salt and honey could heal bites from dogs or men. It’s said that King Tutankhamun went to the afterlife with a handful of almonds. In Roman times, newly married couples were liberally sprinkled with nuts (and dried fruits) and the bride would remove her veil as part of a ceremony.

Nowadays, nuts are nibbled raw, added to sweet and savoury dishes and used as oils in a range of natural health and cosmetic products. The beauty of many nut oils is you probably already have some on your pantry shelf.

Macadamia oil

With its delicious buttery texture, you’ve probably used macadamia oil in dressings and cooking. It’s high in mono-unsaturated fats, which are known to lower blood cholesterol. Did you also know it’s a versatile skincare product?

This light nutrient-dense oil is found in the fruits of the macadamia tree nut (Macadamia integrifolia) and it’s native to the east coast of Australia. They’re now grown in parts of Asia and the USA. Macadamia nuts are chockfull of heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats and antioxidants.

When extracted, the amber-coloured oil is rich in palmitoleic acid, an omega-7 mono-unsaturated fatty acid, oleic and linoleic acids, and also phytosterols. It nourishes the skin and is also a non-comedogenic, meaning it doesn’t clog pores.