Texture: Very thick and viscous, an extremely dark green-brown oil with a strong "herbal" smell. Absorbs well but slowly into the skin; which needs some massaging upon application. Skin feels smooth and soft, without a heavy residual oiliness.
Skin/bodycare: Highly anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious and analgesic; its a powerful healing oil for problematic skin conditions. Very helpful for shingles, acne, eczema, psoriasis, infections, wounds, burns, chaps, fissures, and even reportedly helpful for rheumatism and sciatica.
Benefits and uses:
Recommended to blend with other oils (eg. jojoba, rosehip, grapeseed etc) if tamanu oil's texture feels too thick for your skin.
Excellent carrier oil for essential oils as tamanu is able to penetrate deep into layers of skin.
Excellent for dermatitis conditions, cracked dry skin and infected wounds.
Can be used as a base in soap making and in pain-relief massage oils.
Scattered throughout the tropical areas of the South Pacific and Indian oceans, there is a tree with the botanical name of Calophyllum inophyllum. A unique oil, pressed from the dried nuts of the tree, has long been used in traditional medicine. Now, this tree can be found in many South-East Asian countries too.
As compared to most other oil-bearing nuts and seeds, tamanu nuts are unique in that the fresh nuts contain little oil. As the nut kernels are dried for up to a month, they turn dark brown in colour and a large amount (up to 75% by weight) of aromatic oil is formed. This dark green-brown oil is easily obtained by mechanical cold-pressing of the dried nuts.
Tamanu oil is particularly useful for sensitive, mature and dry skin. As tamanu oil has been gaining more recognition for its wide array of healing properties, here is a growing body of modern research that has demonstrated the efficacy of tamanu oil in numerous conditions:
- Muscular & joint complaints, eg rheumatism, sciatica, bone injuries and neuritis.
- Anti‑neuralgic, eg relieving the pain of sciatica, shingles, neuralgia and leprous neuritis
- Wound healing anti-infectious & anti-inflammatory, eg infected wounds, minor wounds, chapped & cracked skin, acne, eczema, psoriasis, ulcers and slow-healing wounds in general, anal fissures, post-surgical wounds, wounds to mucous membranes, including gingivitis, gastric & duodenal ulcers and burns caused by boiling water, chemicals UV exposure (sunburn), and radiotherapy treatments.
- Circulatory complaints, eg good toning agent for veins and capillaries, being of use for minor varicose veins, haemorrhoids, spider veins, couperose, bruises.
Did you know?
In the late 1920s, Sister Marie-Suzanne, a nun in the Society of Mary stationed in Fiji, became aware of a local topical aid for neuritis known locally as dolno
(local name of tamanu oil). The nun began to administer tamanu oil topically to leprosy victims for the relief of neuritis associated with that disease, with apparent positive results. Her reports of success with this treatment attracted the interest of scientists in France.
Herbal Folk Tradition
Tamanu oil has a long history of traditional use that continues today in the many countries in which it grows endemically. It is a member of the Guttiferae family, to which mangosteen also belongs. It is more commonly known as “Tamanu” in Tahiti, “Kamani” in Hawaii, “Foraha” oil in Madagascar and many other names unique to each country in which it grows.
In Pacific island folk medicine, tamanu oil is applied liberally to cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites and stings, abrasions, acne and acne scars, psoriasis, diabetic sores, anal fissures, sunburn, dry or scaly skin, blisters, eczema, and herpes sores, and to reduce foot and body odor. Tamanu oil reputedly relieves sore throat when it is applied topically to the neck. Polynesian women apply tamanu oil topically to promote healthy, clear, blemish-free skin, and massage it onto babies to prevent diaper rash and skin eruptions.
Tamanu Oil and Sustainable Harvesting
In indigenous communities, nut-containing tamanu fruits are collected from the ground after they have dropped from the tree. Because the fruits are collected after they drop, no negative impact upon the life or ecology of the tamanu trees is caused by the harvest of the fruits. The trees themselves are neither touched nor harmed. Habitat is not negatively impacted, as neither the land nor any surrounding plants are disturbed as a result of collection. If not collected, the fruits and nuts simply decompose. Thus, tamanu collection is a low impact, environmentally sustainable activity.
Harvesting of tamanu nuts is a small but growing source of income for native people who collect the fruits and are typically paid by weight. Relative ease of collection with the abundance of fruits make tamanu harvesting a desirable income-producing activity. The development of tamanu oil production in these rural villages (India and Vanuatu) has turned a natural forest product of no prior significant local use into a commodity of financial value.
Every sale of VIZU's tamanu oil or products made with tamanu oil, such as HEAL-ALL BALM
, ACNE + PIMPLES
, ATHELAS
, ECZEMA
etc, contribute positively to these small village economies.
Disclaimer: Materials herein are derived from institutes, journals, textbooks, research documents etc. Vizü cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, nor for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented. Information is shared for educational purposes only. Vizü makes neither medical claim, nor intends to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure medical conditions. Readers must do their own additional research concerning the safety and usage of any oils; or consult your own physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition. Vizü is not liable for any injury, loss, damage or expenses suffered by the customers upon using of the products or if caused by the negligence of the customers.
