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If you’ve been cooking with almond and its products like almond flour and milk, you probably love how versatile this ‘King of Nuts’ is. But did you know that its versatility also extends to oil? Packed with nutrition and full of desirable ingredients, almond oil is not only great for cooking but is exceptionally good for the skin and hair too!
Read on to learn more about the many amazing benefits of almond oil for the hair, face and skin.
Do not use bitter almond oil for skin
Before diving into the benefits of almond oil, here’s a quick disclaimer! It is essential to understand the different types of almond oil. If you’re like most people and are confused about sweet almond oil vs almond oil, it would be important to have that clarity first. It is also crucial to identify bitter vs sweet almond oil as bitter almond oil is not suitable for the hair and skin and you do not want to mistake one for the other.
Why is almond oil good for the hair and skin?
It provides nourishment
Almond oil is rich with the natural goodness of vitamin A, E & D, fatty acids like omega-3, proteins, antioxidants and elements like zinc, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. These ingredients make it an excellent, nourishing inclusion in your daily hair and skincare routine.
It provides protection
Almond oil is safe to use for all skin-types: dry, oily and sensitive. It’s anti-inflammatory and immunity boosting properties along with its moisturizing nature means all-round protection for the skin and hair. With almond oil, you will steer clear of not just environmental damage but also the signs of aging.
Benefits of almond oil for the hair, face and skin
- Cleanses the skin
Yes, it does sound a little ridiculous – an oil to cleanse the skin? But it actually works. Almond oil is great for removing excess oil, dirt and toxins on the skin. It unclogs the pores without stripping the skin of moisture and allows for the absorption of nutrients deep into the skin.
Almond oil is also a great makeup remover. Take a few drops of it on a cotton swab and gently wipe off that stubborn eyeliner that threatens to leave you with raccoon eyes when using other cleansers. Almond oil is light and doesn’t leave the skin oily or greasy.
- Moisturizes the skin
Full of omega-3 fatty acids, almond oil works as an excellent occlusive, an essential component in moisturizers. It forms a thin protective layer on the skin preventing moisture from escaping due to sun and wind exposure. This prevents the skin from drying up and becoming itchy and irritated.
In fact, dryness is one of the main causes of the formation of wrinkles and lines – the telling signs of skin aging. Dryness also prevents the skin from rejuvenating as it thins out the collagen in the skin. Almond oil’s moisturizing properties can save the skin from this doom and promote hydrated, supple and youthful skin.
- Evens out the skin tone and texture
Because it is rich in vitamins and moisture, almond oil can rejuvenate and heal damaged skin to lighten scars and smoothen out the skin texture.
Repeated use of almond oil on the skin also gets rid of hyperpigmentation to even out the skin tone over time. It helps lighten the appearance of dark spots like sun spots and freckles and dark patches like melasma.
Almond oil is also an emollient which means it fills in the gaps between the cells of the skin to smoothen it and make it pliable and flexible. It promotes collagen production which reduces the lines and wrinkles on the skin to give it a smooth and even texture.
- Fights acne
One of the woes of oily skin is that it is prone to acne and acne can be quite a task to manage. Almond oil is a light oil that not only moisturizes and protects the skin without clogging the pores but also cleans and unclogs them. In oily skin, it helps in regulating the natural sebum production to reduce the scope and chances of developing acne.
- Calms irritation
Almond oil soothes irritation caused by dry, itchy skin and prevents it from flaking and thinning. Its moisturizing properties prevent dryness while the anti-inflammatories like vitamin E soothe the itch and redness.
Psoriasis and eczema are examples of conditions characterized by severe dryness and inflammation. Almond oil can help soothe the symptoms and heal the skin gradually.
- Prevents and reverses photo-damage
Sun exposure is perhaps the worst culprit behind skin damage and aging. Almond oil effectively protects the skin by forming a moisture layer and also works to a certain extent to prevent the UV radiation from penetrating into the skin.
Already sun-damaged skin can also benefit from the rejuvenating and healing properties of almond oil. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that cause oxidation and skin damage. It also reduces melanin production to prevent darkening and hyperpigmentation caused due to UV exposure.
- Helps maintain a healthy scalp
Just as the skin on your face and body, the skin of your scalp also needs moisturizing and nourishment to stay healthy. Dry, flaky and itchy scalp leads to dandruff and can cause hair-fall and stunted hair-growth.
Almond oil penetrates deep into the scalp and keeps it hydrated. It also clears out the dead cells accumulated on the scalp to promote healthy hair growth.
- Improves hair quality and growth
Almond oil’s strong emollient property makes the hair texture soft and smooth. Using almond oil in your hair care will ensure that you’re able to comb through your hair and style it a lot more easily than otherwise. This means less breakage and damage from friction.
Vitamin E in almond oil is a natural antioxidant which helps repair hair that has been damaged due to environmental factors like sun, dust and pollution. It nourishes the tips of the hair to reduce split ends and thinning of hair.
The fatty acids penetrate deep into the scalp to nourish the hair follicles and make them stronger. This not only ensures better growth but also prevents hair-fall.
