Almond Oil: A Natural Way To Brighten Your Skin Tone

Almond is not just the nut you find in most tasty chocolate treats. Almond goes beyond that. Surprisingly, almond is not just a palatable delicacy, it also possesses skin benefits. Over the years, it has been proven that almond oil can tame frizz, fly away hair and split ends. Moreover, it can also fix breakouts, blemishes and brighten the skin.

I have, personally, grown up on almonds soaked overnight, then made into an almond paste by rubbing them on the sides of a terracotta pot. This paste could be eaten, applied to the skin or mixed into milk for a nightcap.

Usually, we did all three things in the course of a single day. For a reason. And the reason is that these almond-based recipes have persevered for thousands of years because they actually do work – a fact that science has also proven time and again.

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Almond Oil Benefits
To begin with, almonds are tremendously rich in calcium and minerals, which make them extremely nourishing. Almond oil and paste literally ‘feed’ the skin, smoothening and softening it without leaving a greasy residue.

Plus, they contain hefty doses of mono-unsaturated fat, which helps lower the bad cholesterol (LDL). Even the brown peel of this nut is considered valuable as it possesses anti-oxidant properties.

Eating almonds with the peel is, therefore, far more nutritious than peeled almonds, though the latter may be much yummier.

Today, hardly any of us has time to make almond paste the ancient way. However, this ancient belief in almonds is something we can easily adapt to modern lifestyles.

Here are some ways in which you can make these delicious nuts work for you.

Pure almond oil is a great moisturizer. It’s also ideal for skincare as it’s extremely light and won’t clog your pores. You can wipe it over eyes to remove makeup without leaving an oil slick behind or massage it into the skin as a moisturizer without it leaving a greasy residue. Buy a small bottle and simply alternate with your regular night cream.

To strengthen hair and prevent split ends, massage almond oil directly into the scalp and strands; leave it for about 20 minutes then wash. Your hair will emerge looking shiny, silky and healthy.

Brightening Mask Recipes:

• Massage your skin with almond oil or olive oil to get fair and soft skin, you can add a pinch of saffron to get better results.
• Mix 1 spoon of milk powder, 1 spoon of lemon juice and 1 spoon of almond oil. Apply this concoction on your skin; leave it on for 15 minutes before washing off.
• Another popular skin whitening home remedy is a paste of almonds soaked overnight, peeled and added with honey. This can be applied on the face, left for several minutes before it is washed off.
• Do this routine every evening before going to bed consecutively for 15 days to see results.

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Lemon vs Almond Oil
Often women tend to use lemon for skin whitening. It is the most traditional method. However, lemon can be very acidic and irritating; it may peel the skin, make it itchy and should be used in moderation, better mixed with other ingredients. If you use lemon juice it’s a good idea to mix it with few teaspoons of almond oil for best effect.

Almond oil is added to skin lightening gels and creams. It is used as carrier oil for peelings and scrubs. Unlike coconut oil which tends to clog pores in most people, almond oil is non-comedogenic, it doesn’t clog pores or cause breakouts. Sweet almond oil included in skin whitening products can help clean the skin, remove blemishes, wearing out dead skin cells.

Eating almonds on an empty stomach helps the body to absorb their calcium, leading to strong and glossy nails.

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