Buying guide for best almond oil
A handful of almonds makes a great midafternoon snack. These tasty treats are packed with monounsaturated fat (the good kind), fiber, minerals, and phytonutrients. Everyone agrees that eating almonds is good for you, but is putting almond oil on your skin good for you, too? The answer is a resounding yes.
Almond oil might sound like a New Age beauty treatment, but it has been used for centuries by Chinese, Greco-Persian, and Ayurvedic practitioners for everything from soothing abrasions to moisturizing skin. Filled with vitamins, zinc, proteins, and fatty acids, almond oil is a beauty powerhouse with many uses, from removing makeup to protecting skin from damaging UV rays to reducing under-eye puffiness to softening hair. With its pleasant sweet scent and silky, nongreasy texture, almond oil makes a great carrier oil for homemade lotions, too.
If you’re ready to find out what almond oil can do for your beauty regimen, our buying guide has some answers.
Key considerations
Sweet vs. bitter almond oil
Sweet almond oil is a fixed oil, which means it doesn’t evaporate readily at room temperature. It’s an emollient used as a carrier oil, or base, in beauty products. Sweet almond oil comes from Prunus amygdalus var. dulcis. These are the almonds you enjoy eating raw, cooked in recipes, and as vegan beverages and flour. Sweet almond oil is the type discussed here.
Bitter almond oil is an essential oil, or volatile oil, extracted from plant material. Unlike sweet almond oil, it is not an emollient and evaporates easily. It’s used for scent, flavor, and aromatherapy. Bitter almonds come from Prunus amygdalus var. amara, and because they contain hydrogen cyanide, they can be toxic. Bitter almond oil is refined to remove the naturally occurring toxins. You can find bitter almond used for its almond scent in body lotions, soaps, and other products used topically.
Production
Almost half of an almond’s weight is oil. Ripe hulled and dried almond kernels are expeller-pressed — slowly broken down with mechanical pressure — to extract the oil. Cold-pressing separates the oil from the fibrous cells without the use of heat or chemicals that could destroy the nutrients and spoil the oil. It’s basically expeller-pressing at low temperature.
Refined almond oil is processed with high heat and chemicals and lacks the nutritional value of unrefined oil. However, it can withstand higher temperatures for cooking and is cheaper than unrefined almond oil.
Nutrients
Sweet almond oil is loaded with good-for-your-skin components, including the following:
Copper: This essential micronutrient has antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties. It promotes collagen production, stimulates melanin production, and is a powerful antioxidant.
Vitamin A: Retinol stimulates new skin cell production and minimizes fine lines. It’s also used to treat acne.
Vitamin B7: Biotin helps keep nails and hair strong and healthy.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps reduce the sun’s damaging effects on the skin, diminish signs of aging, and fade scars.
Vitamin K: This nutrient is crucial for protein function and coagulation. Vitamin K is also a powerful antioxidant, protecting skin against the harmful effects of environmental pollutants and UV rays. It can help reduce bruising and speed healing. It also has a function in cell growth and skin renewal for a softer, younger-looking complexion.
Magnesium: Magnesium is an important mineral that can ease redness and rosacea in skin.
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids: Fatty acids protect the skin against the sun damage that can prematurely age skin.
Phosphorus: You’ll find this mineral in every cell. It helps promote the growth and repair of tissues and filters out toxins to help new cell growth in skin, hair, and nails.
Zinc: This vital nutrient helps keep hormones in balance, and it has antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which means zinc may have some benefit when it comes to relieving redness and irritation in acne-prone skin. It can also help reduce skin’s oil production.
Uses
As a skincare product, sweet almond oil sounds almost too good to be true. It is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, emollient, and has immunity-boosting effects. It can improve the condition and tone of all types of skin, from dry to combination to oily, and help ease conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Cleanser oil: It might sound counterintuitive to use oil on oily skin, but almond oil’s fatty acids help dissolve the excess sebum that can lead to breakouts. The oil’s vitamin A can also help reduce pimples.
Makeup remover oil: Just as almond oil can clean skin, it can also remove stubborn makeup, even waterproof eye makeup. You’ll find that almond oil is an ingredient in lots of natural makeup removers. Simply apply a small amount of oil to the skin and then wipe off with a cotton ball or rinse off with water.
Moisturizing oil: Almond oil absorbs easily and quickly. It is highly emollient, which means it balances the absorption of moisture and the loss of moisture. After washing and drying your face, dab a small amount of almond oil onto your skin. No need to rinse. It can be used on the body to reduce stretch marks, as well as the lips to soften and smooth.
Anti-aging oil: Almond oil’s retinoids can help reverse sun damage, reduce the appearance of acne scars, and improve cell renewal. It can also soften crepey skin on arms and legs.
Eye brightening oil: Sleep deprived? The delicate skin under tired and puffy eyes can benefit from the application of a little almond oil. Lack of sleep, illness, or allergies can cause the skin under the eyes to darken or retain fluid. Almond oil’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help alleviate these under-eye circles without irritating the skin.
Hair and nail treatment oil: Soften and strengthen hair as you tame frizz and add shine. Because of its fungicidal and antibacterial properties, you can use almond oil as a treatment for dandruff and to hydrate the scalp. Massage organic oil into the scalp, put on a shower cap, and leave on overnight. Almond oil can help restore the protective oil barrier that many products strip out of hair. Almond oil’s proteins can help strengthen brittle nails.
Mixing/carrier oil: You can see by now that almond oil is a great beauty product used on its own, but you can also add it as a moisturizing component to other mixtures. You can make your own beauty lotions and cleansers using almond oil to “carry” other oils and ingredients into the skin. For example, mix almond oil with a small amount of lemon essential oil, which has antioxidants that can help brighten skin tone.
Massage oil: Light, nongreasy almond oil makes a great massage oil that absorbs well into the skin. Because it has virtually no scent, you can mix it with a few drops of a favorite essential oil for a full aromatherapy treatment.
Cooking oil: Almond oil is packed with monounsaturated fatty acids and so can raise levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, and lower low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol. The oil’s antioxidants can help decrease inflammation and so lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Some studies indicate it can be useful for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Unrefined almond oil isn’t stable at high temperatures, though, so it’s best used for things like salad dressing.
Did you know?
California is the largest producer of almonds in the world, growing over 80% of the global supply.
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Features
Packaging and storage
Almond oil, and other oils that contain polyunsaturated fats, have a shorter shelf life than other types of oil that contain monounsaturated fats. You’ll find sweet almond oil in plastic and glass containers, some clear and others dark amber. Exposure to UV light can break down oils like almond oil, so the amber glass or plastic helps protect it from light. The oil’s natural vitamin E content offers some protection against turning rancid. Under proper conditions — well sealed and cool — almond oil can last a couple years. That said, only opt for a half gallon or gallon jug of almond oil in a clear container if you know you can use it up in a reasonable amount of time.
Other ingredients
Read the product labels. Some almond oil products are not pure almond oil and can include peanut oil, olive oil, apricot oil, lanolin, or added vitamin E and essential oils, such as lavender, bergamot, or rose. Be sure to choose an unscented oil if you want to use it as a carrier oil for your own creations. Some almond oils specifically indicate they are free of parabens and phthalates, too.
Certifications
Organic: Unlike many other food labels, such as “natural,” the designation of “organic” has real meaning. Products with the “USDA Organic” seal must be made without industrially produced weed killers, fertilizers, and pesticides. While organic products aren’t necessarily more healthful, purchasing them does encourage better stewardship of the environment.
Non-GMO: This means that the oil doesn’t contain any ingredients from crops that have been genetically modified in the lab. It doesn’t mean the product is environmentally friendly or better for your health.
Did you know?
You can find almond oil in many beauty products from cream blush to shower oil (for use instead of shower gel), liquid lipstick, soap, and face serum.
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Accessories
Essential oils: Artizen Essential Oil Set
Add a calming or energizing fragrance to your almond oil before your next massage. We love this set that contains .17 fluid ounce each of 14 different essential oils, including peppermint, tea tree, and lavender.
Mixing bowl:Anmyox Mixing Kit
You need the right tools if you want to make your own face masks with almond oil, honey, and other ingredients. This kit includes a food-grade silicone bowl, spatula, brush, sponge, three measuring spoons, and even a headband, all for a bargain-basement price.
Glass jars: Starside Amber Glass Jars
If you’re eager to make your own almond oil creams and lotions, you need something to put them in. We like this set of 12 amber glass jars. Each jar holds a generous 8 ounces, and the set comes with a trio of small spoons and a label for each container, all for a reasonable price. The amber glass helps protect your creations from UV rays, too.
Almond oil prices
Many of these oils come in 16-ounce bottles with prices that vary from about $0.50 to $2.50 per ounce, with specialty or designer names at the higher end of that range. Note that smaller bottles of about 2 to 4 ounces cost $1 per ounce or more.
If you’re a masseuse or an enthusiast who plans to make a lot of almond oil products, you can find inexpensive large containers of food-grade almond oil, such as a pair of 1-gallon jugs for $0.35 per ounce, and more expensive 1-gallon jugs of certified USDA Organic almond oil for $1.25 per ounce. You’ll want to make sure you can use up that much oil before it goes rancid, however.
Did you know?
Honeybees are essential for pollinating the almond crop every spring. And almond pollen is just as nutritious for bees as almonds are for us, providing all the amino acids they need.
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Tips
- Do not use almond oil on your skin if you have a nut allergy. Check with your doctor or dermatologist if you have any concerns.
- Do a patch test before using almond oil on your skin. Place a small dot of oil inside your elbow or on your wrist. Wait a few hours to see if you experience any itching, redness, or swelling in the area.
- Use almond oil as a carrier oil. Mix an ounce of almond oil with a few drops of an essential oil, such as rose geranium, which may help reduce signs of aging in the skin. Use the mixture to cleanse skin. Rinse off to remove any residue.
- Apply almond oil under the eyes at night. Use a few drops of organic, cold-pressed oil mixed with a teaspoon of raw organic honey, which also has anti-inflammatory properties. Apply it to clean skin with clean hands. Rinse off the oil in the morning. Be patient. It might take a few weeks before you see noticeable improvement.
- Rub almond oil on your feet. It can smooth rough heels, and its antifungal properties help to prevent athlete’s foot and can ease other fungal infections like ringworm.
- Use low or no heat when using unrefined almond oil in food. Unrefined almond oil is best used in salad dressings or as a finishing oil on a dish. Heat can destroy the oil’s nutritional value. However, you can use refined almond oil for sautéing and other types of high-heat cooking.
FAQ
Q. Can I use almond oil on my baby?
A. It’s best to stick to products designed for use on babies because you don’t know if your child has an allergy to nuts or other foods.
Q. Can I cook with sweet almond oil?
A. Unrefined almond oil is best used at room temperature for salad dressings or for drizzling over a dish to finish, such as fish or creamy soups. Refined almond oil has a high smoke point and can be used for sautéing, stir-frying, and other high-heat cooking.
Q. Does almond oil smell like almonds?
A. No, sweet almond oil has virtually no scent, which makes it ideal for mixing with your favorite essential oils. Bitter almond oil, which comes from a different variety of almond, is used to give soaps, lotions, and other products an almond scent.
