Tamanu Oil

What is Tamanu Oil?

Thousands of years ago, in the remote islands of Tahiti, the natives found a large and unusual tree growing wild near ocean lagoons. They called it the "ati" tree. Several species of the tree grow wild in many tropical climes in the Pacific Triangle. In Hawaii, the tree and nuts are called kamani; in Fiji the name is ndamanu and fetau in Samoa. The variety of the ati tree which flourishes in Tahiti, calophyllum inophylum taitense is regarded as one of the prime and most coveted varieties of the tree growing anywhere.

The ati tree produces white, perfumed flowers and later a small fruit. The tamanu fruit is edible and tastes a bit like an apple. When the fruit is removed or falls away, the fruit's kernel or shell contains the tamanu nut. When the kernels are dried in the sun for a few weeks, they turn brown and give off a characteristic odor. With drying, the oil content of the nut becomes very high, in spite of the fact that the oil does not exist in the ripe fruit. Ati trees grow wild and no pesticides or man-made fertilizers are used. Natural mulch from the trees themselves fertilizes the trees.

The ancient Tahitians soon discovered that the dried nuts contained the tamanu oil and they soon learned to extract the oil from the nuts and use it for skin care. The hot sun, high humidity, and the sea winds laden with salt made it imperative they find something that would help them protect their skin. With tamanu oil available to the natives, successful skin care became possible for them. They believed that tamanu oil was a natural skin care aid, skin protector and cosmetic. It was the natural sunburn lotion and moisturizer of the time.

How our Tamanu Oil is made:

· Our Tamanu Oil is processed in a state-of-the-art laboratory, under medical lab standards of cleanliness and where the best quality control procedures are always used.

· Tamanu nuts are dried in the sun for approximately two months while still in their slightly-cracked shells. The nuts must be protected from rain and humidity during the drying process.

· When deemed ready, the tamanu nuts are then cold-pressed to extract the oil. The average ati tree may produce over 200 pounds of tamanu fruit per year from which the company may extract approximately 10 pounds of tamanu oil. The limited production of oil per tree and the high cost of the process explain why the oil is relatively expensive and in limited supply.

· In its initial state, tamanu oil contains resins that must be eliminated through a careful purification process. After that occurs, the oil is ready for bottling. The Oil is then 100% pure Tamanu Oil with no additives or adulterating substances of any kind included in the oil.

More Tamanu Oil Facts:

A number of scientific studies about Tamanu Oil have been published in Europe and the U.S.
Tamanu Oil has been used for years as an essential ingredient in many expensive European-made cosmetics.

How to use Tamanu Oil:

· Apply a few drops of Tamanu Oil to the skin, either with your fingers or a Q tip. Gently rub it into your skin. It penetrates very quickly and leaves no oily shine on your skin. You will smell its mild, nutty fragrance which will dissipate rapidly.
· Used as a cosmetic moisturizer, after thoroughly cleaning your face, hands or other skin areas, apply a few drops to your hands and massage the oil into your skin.
· Many of our customers like adding a few drops to their hair after shampooing. It adds a nice natural sheen to the hair.

Tamanu Oil is for topical use only. It is not for internal use and should be used only for the skin. People with allergies to nuts of any kind should not use Tamanu Oil.