One of the hardest nuts in the world — and an oil that resembles the skin’s own lipids more closely than almost any other.

What is macadamia oil?

Macadamia (Macadamia ternifolia and Macadamia integrifolia) is an evergreen tree of the protea family. Its nuts have a shell so hard that it takes a pressure of around 140 kilos to crack. The seeds are cold-pressed into a pale oil rich in oleic acid and especially in palmitoleic acid (omega-7, up to 20%) — a fatty acid found naturally in the skin’s sebum, which declines with age.

What are the benefits of macadamia oil?

Macadamia oil is rich yet light. Applied topically it:

• Softens and nourishes dry skin
• Absorbs quickly, without a greasy feel
• Supports the skin’s protective barrier with palmitoleic acid
• Suits dry and mature skin
• Leaves a velvety feel

The Aboriginal nut

For thousands of years the Aboriginal peoples of eastern Australia gathered macadamia nuts, which they called “kindal kindal”, and traded them as a prized good. The tree received its scientific name in 1857, in honour of the Scottish chemist John Macadam. In the late 19th century it was taken to Hawaii, which for decades became the world’s largest producer.

Where does it come from?

Macadamia originates in the subtropical rainforests of Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. Today the largest producers are South Africa, Australia, Kenya, China and Hawaii.