Tamanu oil has been treasured and valued as a natural commodity originally by Polynesian people for countless centuries. The Tamanu tree (Calophyllum inophyllum) is grown in the vast midst of Pacific islands (Polynesia) and East African countries (Mozambique, Kenya, and Madagascar) to tropical Asia (Java, Indonesia, Sumatra, etc.) where it’s known as “Nyamplung”.
This tropical tree just loves the Indian and Pacific oceans, its ability to thrive in harsh conditions while also playing a prominent role in sustaining the natural tropical habitat is what makes Tamanu the “Sacred Tree”. A rich, dark green natural oil extracted from the kernels of Tamanu fruit is what we call Tamanu oil.
This oil is another miracle of mother nature, on the same pedestal as argan, olive, sunflower, and macadamia oils. Still, compared to these other miracle products driven from natural resources, Tamanu oil is very underrated. It has gained popularity at an exceptionally rapid pace over the past few years, especially in the western skincare market.
What Is Tamanu Oil?
Native to Southeast Asia and East Africa, tamanu oil is an eternal tropical oil emanating from the seeds of the tamanu nut. Tamanu oil is indeed not a rookie in the industry, it has been used for medicinal and anti-bacterial purposes by specific indigenous Asian, Pacific Island, and African cultures.
Tamanu oil has an affluent history anecdotally as the earliest users of this exotic elixir knew and understood its skin benefits. But with a distinct texture and smell, it can be slightly off-putting for first-time users. Pure tamanu oil should be cold-pressed with a dense viscosity, dark green tinge, and an unusual, woodsy, nutty aroma. It’s fairly rich in fatty acid composition, containing Alpha-linoleic acid, Oleic acid, Stearic acid, etc. These fatty acids are naturally found in your skin, if your skin isn’t producing enough of them, it can lead to dehydrated (dry) and scaly skin.
When discovering tamanu oil for the first time, many people mistake it to be an essential oil, but in reality, it’s a fatty nut oil. It is perfect to dilute essential oils as a carrier and can also be used alone to moisturize and heal the skin. At Shea Terra, we have exclusively made tamanu oil our “it” product and contributed to its recent success and rise to fame. By sourcing pure tamanu oil directly from Madagascar’s lush tropical rainforests.
Tamanu Oil - A Brief History
To the U.S. and Canadian skincare and cosmetic market, Tamanu oil is relatively new. Hence, substantial research is still pending regarding its perceived benefits as a healing agent for various skin conditions.
If we go centuries back, Pacific Island cultures such as Polynesia and Fiji are thought to be the first to transfuse Tamanu oil into their daily lives. Moving on, in the early 1900s the French began to uncover the tamanu oil’s secret as the people of Fiji started using it as a pain reliever for conditions like neuralgia, shingles, sciatica, etc., and for various inflammatory and itchy skin conditions as well.
Chronologically, in the late 1930’s Hospitals in the U.S. and Europe began researching and studying Tamanu oil from a more scientific lens. It was found that tamanu oil is an effective healing agent with specific properties like; Skin-healing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antineuralgic.
Recently enough, controlled testing of tamanu oil took place in the U.S. in the 1980s. This was done to discover new advancements in skincare technology.
And today? Well, it’s hard to say really as tamanu oil just penetrated the U.S. and European cosmetic industry but no one can deny the sudden attraction it has accumulated and laid the foundation to become a household name.
Why Shea Terra’s Tamanu Oil?
Unfortunately, due to tamanu’s recent global success, the sourcing of pure tamanu oil has become even harder and more saturated. Most cosmetic giants myopically focus on the financial aspect of it ignoring the fact that it’s meant to be used in its purest form in order to benefit from its natural skin-healing properties. But we believe in providing the world with nature’s wonders in the purest, high-quality, and most reliable form possible.
Since the birth of Shea Terra, our sole principle has been to provide jobs, increase profit margins, and access to training for the rural communities we work with while also preserving the wildlife habitat. We operate hand-in-hand with organizations like WFEN (Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network) for the best approach possible regarding helping the natives while creating the best skin care products.
Another major reason we source tamanu nuts from native Malagasy producers is that it helps significantly to conserve and improve one of Madagascar’s oldest forests - The Vohibola forest - preventing unnecessary deforestation and re-establishing the natural habitat.
The Benefits Of Tamanu Oil – Shea Terra
For Skin Care:
- Wound Healing - Calophyllolide (a neoflavanoid found in tamanu oil) is an effective anti-inflammatory and metabolic compound. Tamanu oil makes the skin undergo cicatrization which is a process that helps rev up wound/scar healing by forming new tissue. Making it the ideal oil to apply to surgery scars to help them heal.
- Anti-aging - Tamanu oil is a flawless combatant against aging skin as it increases collagen production by 50%. It is also considered to be an ultra-hydrant for the skin, removing skin blemishes, fine lines, and wrinkles resulting in much more youthful and plump-looking skin.
- Anti-Inflammatory & Antiseptic - Tamanu oil’s anti-inflammation properties were the primary reason for its earliest usage in history. Whether it’s ailments, burns, boils, cuts, or blisters tamanu oil can provide treatments worth thousands of dollars in the modern world. Dermatologists have also started prescribing tamanu oil as a natural treatment for skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. We know that tamanu oil has antimicrobial and antifungal properties but modern research tells us that it is also antiseptic and analgesic. It has been used to effectively treat vaginitis instead of inorganic antibiotics and antifungals. It treats skin infections by helping prevent the production of microorganisms.
- Healing Acne - Using a cream or serum combined with tamanu oil on acne-ridden skin has proven to treat it overnight! Research explains this to be a result of tamanu oil’s remarkable antibacterial properties. It is also perfect for anti-inflammatory usage against certain kinds of acne, for example, cystic acne. Hydrating the skin plays a major role in healing acne and tamanu oil locks itself within the skin pores better than any other moisture-based remedy.
- Moisturization - Fatty acids are scientifically been proven to help increase moisture levels in the skin by acting as a barrier. Tamanu oil is fairly rich in fatty acids like oleic, linoleic, palmitic, alpha-linoleic, and stearic acids. The fatty acid composition found specifically in tamanu oil is reasonably protective against UV rays from the sunlight.
The best way to use tamanu oil is as a facial oil. Excellent to apply before sleeping and let the magic unfold overnight! Removing wrinkles, dark circles, etc.
Discover Tamanu Oil with Shea Terra
We at Shea Terra take pride in being able to source the purest form of tamanu oil from the Vohibola tropical forest in Eastern Madagascar and craft our original Pure Madagascar Tamanu Extra Virgin Oil, adored by our customers around the world. It’s 100% organic and indeed a miracle product as the nuts are dried for over a month, then cold-pressed and packaged air-tight to retain the healing abilities it possesses naturally.
Madagascan Tamanu oil is a pharmacy packed in one bottle as it is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal at the same time. It also helps form new tissue while being one of the best remedies for all things skin.
