What Abyssinian oil is and its benefits
A look at some of the amazing properties and benefits of Abyssinian oil.
Oils play an essential role in our everyday grooming. They nourish and soothe skin and hair while at the same time fight bacterial infections. They protect, soften and help moisturize while getting rid of dead skin. One particular oil that has recently been getting a lot of attention is the Abyssinian Oil.
For those of us who are not familiar with the name Abyssinia, it’s synonymous to Ethiopia as is Aksum and Cush- to a larger extent.
Crambe Abyssinica also known as Abyssinian Mustard is the crop that produces Abyssinian oil and is native to the highlands of Ethiopia. This Abyssinian plant belongs to the Brassicaceae family and can grow to a height of up to 150 cm or 1.5 m.
It has long tap roots that enable it to perfectly survive in the Ethiopian highlands and other Mediterranean regions with moderate to low rainfall. The Crambe Abyssinica produces pinnate-lobed leaves and small white flowers which in turn produce the seeds from which the oil is extracted.
The Abyssinian mustard has very small seeds with an average diameter of about 3 mm and contain about 30% of the oil.
Properties of Abyssinian Oil
Abyssinian oil is known to be ultra-light in color which in most cases would be categorized as pale yellow to clear liquid in nature. It contains very high percentages of unsaturated C22 omega-9 fatty acids among many others which attribute to its unique molecular structure.
Since it is made up of several fatty acids, Abyssinian oil is considered to have a slightly higher molecular weight and thus viscosity compared to Argan oil. Nevertheless, the oil is guaranteed to offer much deeper and richer nourishment for both skin and hair.
To add on that, Abyssinian oil is also rich in Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E and Vitamin C among others. Armed with such rich long chain unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and proteins, Abyssinian oil naturally enhances and strengthens hair giving it that much needed lubricity, luster and glow.
Benefits of Abyssinian Oil for skin
- Abyssinian oil is characterized as one of the best moisturizers because of its ability to hydrate and lock in moisture.
- The abundance of fatty Acids found in Abyssinian oil are known to have anti-inflammatory effects and aid in skin regeneration.
- Abyssinian oil helps prevent fine lines and rejuvenate dry skin by eliminating dead unwanted skin making your face look younger and smoother.
- Abyssinian oil does not leave a greasy feel when applied instead it leaves an excellent and amazing feel which does not clog your pores since it’s easily absorbed.
- Crambe seed oil helps improve skin tone and reduce hyper-pigmentation while protecting your skin from excessive heat and UV damage.
Benefits of Abyssinian Oil for hair
- Abyssinian oil helps in detangling hair thus reducing the amount of hair loss during brushing as a result of excessive friction and force.
- Regular use of Abyssinian oil is known to give hair that perfect glow and shine making your hair look healthy and manageable.
- Since it is easily absorbed, Abyssinian oil strengthens hair and moisturizes it as well without causing damage like synthetic chemicals such as silicons do.
- Because of its long chain unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins, Abyssinian oil helps soothe and boost protection of your scalp.
- Abyssinian oil tames hair breakage and reduces split ends.
Conclusion
Abyssinian oil has proven to have far more benefits than most oils in the market today. This explain its rise in popularity and demand over the past decade or so. Given it contains Erucic acid, Linoleic acid, Stearic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin B1 just to name a few, Abyssinian oil is the go to oil since it is best suited for nourishment of both skin and hair.
