There are so many beautiful carrier oils available, each with its own characteristics and benefits, and Sweet Almond Oil is a particulary popular one!
Did you know almonds belong to the same family of stone fruits as plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and cherries?
There are two types of almond oil - Bitter Almond Oil which is considered to be an essential oil and Sweet Almond Oil which comes from sweet edible almonds and is a carrier oil. Sweet Almond Oil is used predominantly in the beauty industry to enhance appearance, texture and health of both skin and hair.
Sweet Almond Oil is used as the base oil for our Rejuvenating Facial Oil for some very good reasons!
1. Helps even skin tone
Sweet almond oil contains vitamin E, a natural antioxidant that can help protect your skin against oxidative stress and UV radiation damage, maintaining smooth, blemish free skin
Tip: Use sweet almond oil regularly to keep your skin soft and supple, and to see the best results
2. Helps reduce acne
Dull lifeless skin, no one wants that! Dead skin cells, dirt and impurities build up on our skin due to everyday exposure to the elements, pollution, dirt, sweat, make up. By softening and moisturising the skin, sweet almond oil can help loosen these cells, dirt and other impurities that lodge in our pores so they can be easily removed.
Tip: Try adding sweet almond oil to fine sugar for a quick homemade scrub - or alternatively, mix a small amount of our Coffee & Coconut Scrub with a few pumps of Rejuvenating Facial Oil for the ultimate scrub for your face
3. Helps slow the signs of ageing
Ageing is a part of life, but do we ever actually feel our age? It can catch us by surprise when we notice those fine lines, crows feet, grey hairs! Premature ageing can be caused by stress, excess sun exposure, dehydration and poor protection of the skin. Whilst we certainly can't stop ageing, the vitamin E levels in sweet almond oil can help support the collagen layer and slow the signs of ageing. Applying to the skin before exposure to the elements can help reduce moisturise loss.
Tip: if you're out in the morning for a walk or run, apply some Sweet Almond Oil or our Rejuvenating Facial Oil to help protect your skin from the elements
4. Hair and scalp treatment
Sweet almond oil is rich in magnesium, calcium and zinc, all of which are important for healthy hair! Using this beautiful oil in your hair and on your scalp can help improve the condition of your scalp, reducing dryness and flakiness as well and improving the texture of your hair and even the amount of hair you lose. As with helping remove the dead skin cells from your face, the almond oil can also help with removing them from your scalp - which in effect is dandruff!
Tip: Warm a tablespoon of sweet almond oil in your hands and rub into your scalp. Best left on overnight. Wash out in the morning
Tip: When applying your Rejuvenating Facial Oil, rub any excess into the ends of your hair to reduce dry, flyaway hair and to enhance your hair's shine
5. Helps with muscle aches and pains
Traditionally bitter almond oil has been used to relieve muscle aches and pains, although there is a component of bitter almond oil called amygdalin (a cyanogenic compound found in the pits of nuts, apples, and other members of this same family) that turns toxic when it is being processed. The same benefits can be found in sweet almond oil but without the toxic risk. The oil is rich in proteins and can help ease tired and sore muscles, and is a popular oil used in the mass industry
Tip: massage sweet almond oil into your sore muscles and place a warm towel or hot water bottle over the tender area for 10-20 minutes
Recipe for Almond Oil
1 cup raw almonds
1-2 tsp olive oil
Starting your blender on low speed, process the almonds until they form a smooth paste. You will need to stop the blender every few minutes to scrape down the sides. As the almonds become finer, you can turn the speed up.
Once you have a smooth paste, add the olive oil and process until combined and pour into a glass jar, seal it and keep at room temperature for 2-3 weeks.
Once the oil has separated from the almond paste you can strain the oil and use it
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