Macadamia Oil

Although I have been attending skin care trade shows for the past 3 decades, every time I go, I come home with new information, new insights and sometimes a great new product. This year my biggest "ah-ha" was macadamia nut oil - direct information from the farmers.  Macadamia nut oil is the closest in composition to human sebum.  This means it is easily absorbed into the skin and its components become bio-available to the skin. The first thing I noticed when they "demoed" it on my hand and arm was that afterwards there was no greasy feeling that I would have expected from a product with significant oil content.  The skin felt super soft and had almost a glow to it. While it wasn't greasy or sticky, it felt well, moist.  I walked around and tested other products but nothing came even close to the feeling I had gotten from this lotion. I went back and purchased some to test it out.  Hours later, I noticed my skin still had that nice, soft, moist feeling. Pretty amazing.  So following their suggestion for improving the skin, I applied it before bed. In the morning, my skin was still moist.  Nice surprise.  I continued to use it twice daily. In about 3 days, I noticed my tear drop psoriasis was fading away and my normally quite dry legs were staying soft and smooth feeling all day long.  Time for some internet research.

Almost 90% of macadamia oil is made up of 3 fatty acids; oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, and palmitic acid. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated, omega-9 fatty acid that moisturizes the skin and acts as an anti-inflammatory. It helps skin cells regenerate quickly, keeping skin smooth and supple. Palmitoleic acid is a monounsaturated, omega-7 fatty acid that helps to prevent burns, wounds and skin scratches. It is the most active anti-microbial in human sebum and is surpassed only by palmitic acid as the main fatty acid in sebum. Palmitic acid is a saturated fatty acid that helps maintain the skin’s healthy barrier function, by forming an occlusive layer on the surface.

Skin's sebum consists of a number of complex lipids, such as, triglycerides, wax esters, and squalene. As we age, the production of sebum changes in both quantity and in composition. In early adolescence, our sebum production increases until we are in our 20’s and 30’s, where it begins to decline. The amount produced varies between males and females, with females experiencing a more noticeable decline around the age of 40. (No wonder we get dry skin when we go through menopause. The composition of our sebum also changes with age. The two main fatty acids of human skin sebum are palmitic acid (22.5%) and palmitoleic acid (21.8%). The level of palmitic acid in sebum remains fairly constant throughout our lives. However, the production of palmitoleic acid starts to decline once we are in our 20’s.   My research indicated it is not comedogenic.

While all the scientific information seems good, it gets even better when you talk to people who have been using it a while. It is particularly helpful to maturing skin.  Its composition lets it soak in more deeply than other oils so the skin becomes better hydrated and skin seems to "recognize" the components and make use of them.  As a skin care professional I use a lot of wonderful serums and products on my face, but I have never found a body product I could stick with - until now.  I have only been using it less than 3 weeks, but my skin is softer, smoother, firmer with no hint of the former dry flakiness. Feel free to do your own test. Buy a bottle and try it twice a day for at least a month (how long it takes for the skin to completely turn over) and send me a message with your results.  You can find it on our website at http://www.estheticsnw.com/jindilli-delight-in-your-skin/ or pick up a bottle the next time you visit me at the clinic.