Best Almond Oils

Almond oil has a number of uses: it can be used as a dietary supplement or in cooking because it has mono-saturated fats and a number of vitamins and minerals. It also has a number of benefits in hair and skin care. It is considered an all-purpose face moisturizer and has some specialized techniques in skin and hair treatments. You’ll see almond oil that has been extracted either from sweet almonds or from bitter almonds. The sweet almond oil is suitable for food purposes as well as for cosmetic or therapeutic uses. The bitter almond oil can only be used for its fragrance as an essential oil. There are also blends of almond oil together will other oils, such as olive, lavender, or grape-seed oil.

To help you make the right choice, we have put together this buying guide including everything you need to know about almond oil to make the correct purchase. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of almond oil,

• See useful tips about that type of almond oil,    

• Read reviews of different brands of almond oils, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of almond oil, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

• Sweet Almond Oil—This is used as a base or carrier oil, which is used more in hair and skin products. It contains protein, vitamins, and minerals.

• Bitter Almond Oil—Bitter almonds are not for human consumption, but their oil has some medicinal purposes. It can be used as an essential oil, where you employ only a few drops at a time. It is more for fragrance than for any particular treatment since it has more of an almond fragrance. It is combined with castor oil in a number of compounds to improve its smell and texture.

• Warning! Allergic reaction: Bitter almonds have a high amount of cyanide—they can be toxic if an adult ingests more than 20 of them. Oil from bitter almonds has some medicinal uses—but even sweet almonds and almond oil can produce an allergic reaction in some people. Also, even oil from sweet almonds can produce an allergic reaction in people who have nut allergies, such as to peanuts. Before using almond oil in copious amounts, apply a small amount to your skin. Mix 1-2 drops of essential oil, in 3-6 drops of carrier oil. Apply it to an inconspicuous area of skin (such as the abdomen, thigh, inner arm, elbow, etc.). After letting the oil get absorbed into your skin, check the area for any redness, pain, itching, swelling, or other adverse symptoms. If it causes an irritation, that might be an indication that you have an allergy to almond products.

Based on all the consumers' reviews we've scanned, these are the top things they mentioned about their new stuff:

• Skin moisturizer: Almond oil increases the skin's moisture by limiting evaporation from the skin--the skin retains its natural moisture. If you have callouses and rough skin on the soles of your feet, almond oil can be a successful treatment. It can also be applied to any other part of your body which has chapped or flaky skin. It also is a home remedy for psoriasis and eczema. People also mix almond oil with dry sugar and smear it on their face to remove blackheads and dead skin cells.

• Makeup remover: Almond oil can be used to remove makeup. It opens the pores to remove any residue. It also reduces the possibility of getting acne pimples.

• Methods of almond oil extraction: There are three methods of extracting oils from nuts:

  • Chemical solvents: This uses hexane to extract 99% of the oil. Since hexane itself is toxic, the oil is then heated to separate out the hexane--but this heating process degrades the resulting oil.

  • Centrifuge: After the almonds are crushed into a paste, they are put through a centrifuge to separate out the different parts of the paste according to their densities. The oil is thus separated from the remaining pulp.

  • Screw press: This is an expeller, which has a screw that is tightened onto the almonds, pressing the oil out. This method extracts 65-70% of the almonds’ oil.

• “Cold pressed”: Many manufacturers advertise that their oil is “cold pressed”. Extracting the oil from the almonds generates heat by friction. “Cold press” means that the temperature of the oil has been maintained to not exceed a certain level--typically this means 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It also means that no heat was applied to extract more oil. This way, the antioxidant, vitamin and mineral content can be retained. Eve Hansen's 100% Pure and Natural Almond Oil is cold-pressed and undiluted, for the maximum potency.

• Culinary purposes: Sweet almond oil is rich in B vitamins and Vitamin A, D, and E, as well as the minerals calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc. The oil can be used as a salad dressing.

• Reduces wrinkles and lines: Almond oil is rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Antioxidants are able to reduce the effects of aging and sun damage to the skin. For example, Plant Guru's 100% Natural Sweet Almond Oil has antioxidants and essential fatty acids such as Omega 9 and Omega 6. In order to remove wrinkles and lines that develop from aging skin, it's recommended to apply 2-3 drops of almond oil every night before bedtime, after a daily cleaning of the face and neck. Massage the oil into the skin in upward strokes. Another recommended almond oil is the Viva Naturals Sweet Almond Oil is an unscented, undiluted oil that naturally contains Vitamin E and phytosterols that lend your skin a more youthful, radiant complexion.

• Almond oil for dark circles under the eyes: People who regularly don't get enough sleep will develop "bags" or dark circles under the eyes. This comes from the skin around the eyes losing moisture, and the muscles supporting the eyelids weakening. Almond oil has been found to lighten the skin tone around the eyes. It has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce the swelling around the eyes that result from eyestrain. It also moisturizes the skin and provides it with antioxidants. There are a number of methods of applying almond oil around the eyes  Some beauty routines include:

  • Apply the oil under your eyes before going to bed and massage it into the skin--people have seen a marked improvement when done on a regular basis.

  • Another option is to mix almond oil with honey, apply it at night, and wash it out in the morning.

  • Yet another option is to make a mask from it with milk powder. Apply the paste to your eyes for 10 minutes, and rinse out.

  • You'll also find almond oil mixed with either castor oil, Vitamin E oil, coconut oil, or rose oil, to achieve better results.

• Carrier oil for aromatherapy: Aromatherapy is the use of oils for 1) fragrance or disinfection, 2) inhalation or 3) application to the skin, either in the form of a massage oil, a bath oil, or as a compress or mask. Essential oils are aromatic extracts from plants, such as eucalyptus, lavender or peppermint. They are the "essence" of a plant's fragrance--meaning that they are very pungent and concentrated. They have to be mixed and diluted with carrier oils before being applied to the skin in a massage, to serve as a muscle relaxant and the like. Sweet almond oil is used together with a fragrant essential oil in skin care treatments or in massage therapy. The almond oil is used as a carrier oil in massaging—it has a slightly warming effect when massaged into the skin.

• Hair treatment: Almond oil is a sealant and hair protector. It penetrates the hair shaft and moisturizes the hair, and can be used to restore dry or damaged hair. It also can be used to protect hair when it's being styled.

• Removing ear wax: Too much ear wax may lead to clogging the ear canal. Almond oil is a convenient way of softening and removing the obstruction. First, you put 5-8 drops in each ear, allow the oil to seep in for 10-15 minutes, and then tilt your head to remove any excess oil. Then make a solution of warm water with baking soda or peroxide. Fill up a bulb syringe with this solution, and inject the solution into your ears—it should wash out any built up ear wax.

• Blended with other oils: There are a number of beauty products which contain almond oil as one of a number of oils, so as to reap the benefits of all the oils at once. For example, Amaki Nourishing Oil is a blend of jasmine, rose, argan, jojoba, and sweet almond oils. The Ancient Greek Remedy Oil is a blend of olive oil, almond oil, lavender oil and grapeseed oil. These blends are intended to improve the appearance of your skin, hair, and nails:

  • Skin: All these oils together help hydrate the skin, making it appear softer and smoother, and can be applied to cracked or dry skin or stretch marks. It can also be applied to skin that has become discolored due to sun exposure, as well as to age spots and wrinkles.

  • Hair: It can also be applied to the hair, to eliminate frizziness, brittle hair, dandruff, and hair loss.

  • Nails: It can also be applied to nails so that they will be less brittle and less susceptible to fungus.​

     

Now Foods-- is a natural health products company with their headquarters in Bloomingdale, Illinois. They were founded in 1968 by Elwood Richard. “NOW” is an acronym for “Natural, Organic, and Wholesome”. They have a wide range of health foods and body care products. They sell NOW almond oil as a moisturizer and skin treatment.​

Molivera Organics-- is a company specializing in natural skin and hair products. They are based in Tampa, Florida. They have a number of oil-based products: shea butter, almond oil, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, and coconut oil.​

Eve Hansen-- is a skin and hair beauty products manufacturer based in Burbank, California.They prepare essential oils, gels, washes and scrubs to treat the skin.​

Majestic Pure-- is a company based in San Diego, California. They make a wide variety of botanical oils and cosmetics, as well as products for the hair, skin, and eyes.​

Angele—is a manufacturer of cosmetic, beauty and personal care products, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. They have a sweet almond oil preparation which has a variety of uses.