Whether you cook with it, add it to your salads or use it topically, macadamia oil offers beautifying benefits for your skin. In addition to its moisturizing benefits, this nutrient-dense oil is packed with antioxidants and essential fatty acids that protect your skin and promote healing following sunburn or other types of skin damage. As an added bonus, macadamia oil mimics your skin’s natural oils, making it an ideal match for maintaining your glow.

Background on Macadamia Oil

Much as its name implies, macadamia oil comes from the macadamia nut, which is native to Australia and frequently grown in the temperate climates of Hawaii and California 7. The nuts have long been part the diet of the Aborigines of Australia. Macadamia nuts are nutrient-rich with high levels of selenium, zinc and heart-healthy fatty acids that trigger your body to burn fat more efficiently. Aboriginal tribes used the oil for cosmetics and body decorations.

Beautifying Skin From the Inside

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Anytime you consume macadamia nut oil with its rich in essential fatty acids, you benefit your entire body, including your skin 7. Macadamia nuts contain approximately 80 percent monounsaturated fats, including oleic acid, which protects your heart from disease and reduces cholesterol levels. The oil is also a rich source of palmitoleic acid, which is a powerful antioxidant that supports healthy cell membranes, hydrates the skin and supports skin healing. By consuming essential fatty acids, you can minimize skin conditions such as dandruff, dry skin, dry hair and brittle nails.

Topical Benefits of Macadamia Oil

Although the oil is relatively thick and feels oily to the touch, it's readily absorbed into the skin, and it doesn't leave you feeling greasy or slimy. In addition to infusing your skin with moisture, using macadamia nut oil topically firms your skin while maintaining a youthful glow 7. The amount of palmitoleic acid that naturally occurs in your skin decreases as you age. By using macadamia oil, you restore your skin's palmitoleic acid levels and decrease your skin's rate of deterioration while keeping your skin taut and discouraging wrinkle formation.

How to Use Macadamia Oil on Skin

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This versatile oil can be rubbed directly onto problem areas such as scars, sunburns or dry patches, where it soothes and moisturizes your skin. It can also be used in facial masks and oil blends. For example, mix 1 part macadamia oil with an equal part of grapeseed oil, 2 parts almond and apricot kernel oils and a few drops of jojoba and carrot oils to make your own revitalizing body oil. Macadamia oil adds an enticingly nutty aroma to the mix, but you can also mix in a few drops of your favorite essential oil to make a fragrant concoction to nourish and protect your skin.