Essential vitamins supply the needed strength for your skin to function normally; when you fail to give necessary nutrients it becomes dry and prone to ailments. Benefits of palm oil for skin can’t be ignored because of its nutritional ability.
Vitamin E, A and carotenes housed in this tropical oil can help to treat various health and skin ailments. Also known as red palm oil, it earned the attention of scientific researchers due to its high concentration of saturated fat.
What is Palm Oil and How it is Used?
Don’t confuse with palm kernel oil used for cooking, which is derived from kernel seed of oil palm, whereas red palm oil is extracted from oil palm fruit.
Researchers state that palm oil has been consumed by the indigenous population for over 5000 years.
Processed or refined palm oil will be colorless or can be called white palm oil, which lacks nutritional ability.
Red palm oil can be used in cooking, to moisturize skin, biofuel, as a sunscreen lotion, to enhance taste, n personal care products and as a dietary supplement.
Amazing Benefits of Palm Oil for Skin and Hair
Due to rich in nutrients and balance between saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid, palm oil can help to improve cardiovascular health. Now, let’s dwell into uses of red palm oil for skin.
- Moisturize your dry and sensitive skin. Most skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis and stretch marks can be prevented by hydrating your skin. Re-fattening agents in palm oil help to restore lost natural moisture over the skin and hair.
- Oleic acid – According to researchers, red palm oil contains 50% of saturated fat, majority of which contains oleic acid. It can seal the moisture over the skin.
- Antioxidant activity exhibited by palm oil can help to thwart free radicals that can boost the immune system, postpone wrinkles and protect cell membrane. (source)
- Vitamin A and E residing in this tropical oil can nourish skin and dry scalp.
- The antibacterial ability of the oil can restrain infectious bacteria and may prevent acne break-outs.
- Vitamin A and carotenes packed in this oil penetrate deep into the skin to improve the elasticity of the skin.
- Protects your skin from harmful UV rays. Topical application of palm oil for skin will act as a sunscreen with SPF15.
- Cleansing property of this oil can help to remove impurities and dead cells piled over the skin and hair.
- The Rich concentration of vitamin E in the oil enhances overall functioning of the skin, hair, and brain. Tocotrienol, which is a form of vitamin E present in red palm oil help to improve blood circulation, heal minor burns, avoid wrinkles, cell regeneration and lighten the appearance of dark spots.
You can also use palm kernel oil for skin by slightly heating the oil.
How to Use Palm Oil for Skin?
To reap its nutritional ability, beauty experts recommend using this oil topically. Internal consumption of red palm will improve health, skin, and hair.
- Wash your skin with water to cleanse accumulated impurities.
- Pat dry with a soft cloth.
- Take red palm oil and gently rub over the skin.
- Leave it to dry naturally and rinse it off.
Note: Red palm oil may leave stains on your clothes and blankets. So, use old clothes and blanket while applying it to the skin.
Palm Oil for Skin Lightening
Dark patches, hyperpigmentation and dark complexion over the skin are due to various factors. One of them can be melanin, a pigment responsible for your skin color. UV rays, cosmetic creams, and internal factors promote the excess production of melanin resulting in dark patches at various parts of the body.
Natural remedies like palm oil, which is filled with essential vitamins slow down melanin production and cleanse impurities.
To make this mask more effective, beauty experts recommend blending other natural ingredients with it.
- Clay powder – 2 tablespoons
- Red palm oil – 2 tablespoons
- Egg – 1
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Wash your face or cleanse it with water.
Apply the mask evenly all over the face and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Rinse it off with water and optionally apply a natural oil to moisturize your skin.
How to Use Palm Oil for Hair?
Simply wash your hair/scalp to cleanse impurities and pat dry. Apply red palm oil when the hair is still damp.
To make it effective, you can try below recipes.
Honey, Coconut Oil and Red Palm Oil Mask
Moisturizing and healing ability of this recipe will elevate healthy functioning of skin and hair. Issues like dryness, itching and hair fall can be reduced by this natural remedy. (Recipe source)
- Take red palm oil (4 tablespoons) and melt it to some extent.
- Add 2 tablespoons of raw honey to it.
- Also, add ¼ cup of coconut oil or hair conditioner.
- Mix thoroughly and massage evenly all over the scalp.
- Leave for few minutes and then rinse it off.
Pre-Shampoo Treatment
For a deeper conditioning, try this recipe and shampoo as usual. (Recipe source)
- Mix ¼ cup of red palm oil, ¼ cup of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and few drops of lavender essential oil for aroma.
- Slightly heat these ingredients for 20 minutes; you can use a microwave
- Wash your hair to remove impurities and dry with a towel.
- After cooling the oil solution, apply it over hair and leave it to dry naturally.
Palm Oil Side Effects
There are no serious side-effects associated with its internal or topical application.
It’s safe to ingest red palm oil, but large consumption may result in abdominal issues and yellowing of the skin.
Topical application leaves yellowish stains on the skin, which can be washed away.
Nutrients in Red Palm Oil
Though I listed its benefits and nutrients, here you can go through the composition of palm oil.
This oil contains 50% of saturated fat, 40% monounsaturated fatty acid, 10 % polyunsaturated fatty acid, carotenoids, sterols, vitamin E, A, antioxidants, flavonoids and phenolic acids.
Conclusion
To reap all these benefits of palm oil for skin and hair, you must simply apply red palm oil over the skin and massage on the scalp. Apart from this, you must practice a healthy lifestyle, drink enough water, ingest vitamin rich diet and stay away from computer screens. 🙂
thanx for so much information about palm oil…one thing u did not mention that in handmade soap making ,what is the best oil? red palm oil or white palm oil or kernal palm oil?…plz rply me
Saturated fat in Palm oil and palm kernel oil is 50% and 80% respectively. Oil you choose will have different properties that brings to the recipe. I recommend you to try palm oil. You can check different recipes here http://simplelifemom.com/2014/04/07/8-homemade-palm-oil-soap-recipes/
Great write up.One thing that amazes me is the fact that the internet is trolled with “warnings” on how to avoid palm oil Just because of the destruction of the forests.What these people fail to understand,is that here in Africa especially, we have been tapping the palm trees for years knowing our limit without any issues.Every part of the palm tree is useful for us. Western researches,discovered the awesomeness of palm oil and have been Over-doing it.I wonder what same people would do if they are told to avoid carrots or tomatoes for one reason or the other.