Better Nutrition February 2019

naturalBEAUTY/PURE INGREDIENTS FOR SKIN & BODY
Exotic Oils for Your Face & Body
Infused with hydrating, antiaging nutrients, exotic oils such as black seed
and marula help enhance all skin types /// BY SHERRIE STRAUSFOGEL
Exotic oils from the far corners of the world are fueling the beauty
oil craze. They’re highly versatile—you can mix a few drops into your
regular moisturizer or hair conditioner, add them to a bath, or simply
use them as-is. And they’re concentrated, so you need only a few drops.
To ensure that you’re purchasing high-quality oils, Tammie Umbel,
founder of Shea Terra Organics, says, “Look for oils that are unrefined
to maximize their benefits. They should have color and an herbal aroma.
Expensive oils are often cut with inferior-quality oils. Argan oil, for
example, is often cut with sunflower oil. Choose oils from companies that
buy straight from the source and can provide information about the origins
and production of their oil.”
Soothe dry and
irritated skin
and improve
hair growth
with Shea Terra
Organics
Egyptian Black
Seed Cold-
Pressed Oil.
Replenish
parched skin
with Derma E
Rejuvenating
Sage & Lavender
Face Oil.
A key ingredient,
marula oil,
helps improve
elasticity and
hydrate skin.
Seal in moisture
for silky skin
with Badger
Damascus Rose
Body Oil, which
features jojoba,
pomegranate,
and olive oils.
Calm rashes and
sun damage,
treat acne and
scars, and
prevent
wrinkles with
Aura Cacia
Nourishing
Organic
Tamanu Oil.
Did You
Know?
An added benefit to many of
these beauty oils is that their
harvesting provides economic
opportunities for struggling
communities in remote
villages.
Soften and
smooth skin,
hair, and
cuticles with
Acure The
Essentials
Moroccan
Argan Oil.
Black Seed Oil: Made
from the Nigella sativa plant
and revered by ancient
Egyptians, this spicy oil is
used both topically and
internally. It’s packed with
antibacterial and antifungal
phytochemicals, as well as
essential fatty acids that promote
skin healing. Massage into irritated skin
to soften and decrease inflammation.
Rub a few drops into your scalp to
stimulate hair growth.
Tamanu Oil: A medicine cabinet in a
bottle, this multipurpose oil comes from
the nuts of the Calophyllum inophyllum
tree, native to Africa, Asia, and the South
Pacific. It’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial,
and antifungal, and is effective for
sunburns, rashes, insect bites, wounds,
acne, scars, wrinkles, and dry skin.
Marula seed oil: Collected from the
nuts of the African marula tree, the lycheelike
marula fruit produces pink oil that is
rich in fatty acid and antioxidants. This oil
helps repair sun-damaged and aging skin.
Pomegranate seed oil: Native to
the Middle East and Mediterranean,
pomegranate seed oil has powerful
anti-inflammatory powers. Studies
suggest it may help prevent skin
cancer by inhibiting enzymes that
assist in cancer cell formation.
Argan Oil: The argan plant is found
only in a small region of Morocco. A
close relative of the shea tree, argan fruit
kernels produce an oil that is high in
vitamin E and other antioxidants, plus
hydrating fatty acids. Argan helps
moisturize and nourish skin, nails, and hair.
Sherrie Strausfogel is the author of Hawaii’s Spa
Experience: Rejuvenating Secrets of the Islands (the first
book to feature aromatherapy in its pages). Based in
Honolulu, she writes about beauty, spas, health, cuisine,
and travel. Her work has appeared in more than 100
magazines, newspapers, guidebooks, and websites.
26 • FEBRUARY 2019