moringa body oil: why every oil we make starts here

Every oil we make starts the same way, with organic moringa seed oil. Coyaba, Anani, Caya, Nanichi and Guada each carry different plants, and all five rest on the same base. It is the foundation of everything we pour, so we want you to know it well: where it comes from, how it feels on your skin, and why a moringa body oil is the best home we have found for the plants we work with.

what is moringa?

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is a fast-growing tree that comes from the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India and now grows across the tropics. In Puerto Rico you see it in backyards and along fences, with lacy leaves, small creamy white flowers that the bees love, and long, slender seed pods hanging from its branches. Those pods are why some people call it the drumstick tree. It is one of the fastest-growing trees in the tropics, able to shoot up several meters in its first year, and it handles heat and dry spells with ease. That is part of why you find it planted all over the island. Many people know moringa first for its leaves, which are dried for tea or added to food.

The oil comes from the seeds inside the pods. Pressed, they give a pale, mild oil that people have valued for a very long time. We use organic moringa seed oil in every bottle we make.

why use moringa seed oil for skin?

The first thing people notice is the texture. Moringa is light and silky, and it sinks in at a steady pace. You have time to massage it in, and when you finish, your skin feels soft, cushioned and comfortable. Moringa absorbs instead of sitting on your skin, so it feels good everywhere, from your shoulders all the way down to your heels.

That texture comes from what the oil is made of. Most of moringa seed oil is oleic acid, the same kind of fat that makes up most of olive oil. Moringa also carries its own vitamin E, straight from the seed.

There is research on moringa and skin, too. Moringa seed oil applied to skin has documented anti-inflammatory activity^[1]. We love knowing that the base of every oil we make has qualities of its own, along with carrying the plants.

why the base matters in a herbal oil

Our oils are infusions. The plants steep slowly in the oil, like tea, until the oil has taken on their color, their aroma and their character. That means the base oil does a lot of the work. It has to stay fresh through that long, slow steep. It has to carry the plant well. And it has to feel good on your skin at the end.

Moringa does all three. Its own aroma is soft and mild, so each plant comes through clearly. In Nanichi you meet warm cacao, in Caya bright lemongrass, in Coyaba the spicy warmth of malagueta. You can read more about each of them in cacao for your skin, the plants inside Caya and the plants inside Coyaba.

Steeping the plants in moringa is also how we make our oils with zero essential oils. An essential oil is a plant concentrated many times over, and that concentration is what can sting or irritate. When the plant steeps in the oil, the aroma comes from the plant itself, and the oil stays gentle enough to use every day, as generously as you like.

how moringa feels in each of our oils

Since every oil shares the same base, the differences you feel come from the plants. Each one changes the color, the aroma and the feel of the oil, and here is how that plays out across our line.

Caya and Anani are great if you are looking for a lightweight body oil for warm days, or if you want an oil you can use on your face in the morning, start with Caya.

Nanichi is our richest oil. Cacao gives it a silky, cushioning feel for skin that runs dry.

Coyaba glides steadily and gives you time to work into sore muscles.

Guada brings moringa to your hair and scalp, where it keeps curls soft and light.

how to use a moringa body oil

Be generous. Moringa is light, so a good amount spreads easily and sinks in well.

Our favorite time is right after a shower, while your skin is still a little damp. Warm a good amount of oil between your palms and work into your arms, legs and torso, then massage it in with slow, long strokes. Go back to the places that tend to feel dry, like elbows, knees and shins, and give them a second pass.

In the evening, take a few extra minutes. Warm the oil between your palms, breathe in the aroma, and let your hands move slowly over your shoulders, your neck and your feet.

On your face, Caya is the oil to reach for. Warm a good amount between your fingertips, press it into clean skin, and finish with slow upward strokes along your jaw and cheeks.

For hair, work Guada into your scalp with your fingertips before you wash, or leave it in overnight, then smooth what is left through your ends.

Keep your bottle somewhere cool and shaded, like a shelf in your bathroom or bedroom. Moringa keeps well, and a shaded spot helps the color and aroma of the plants stay bright.

If you would like to feel how different plants change the same moringa base, the Sample Bundle brings four of our oils together in 1 oz bottles. And if you are not sure where to begin, take the quiz and we will help you find your oil.

references

1. Expanding the anti-inflammatory potential of Moringa oleifera: topical effect of seed oil on skin inflammation and hyperproliferation. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2020. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874119339662