The ultimate skincare and haircare elixir!

Sweet almonds are widely used in food, oil and cosmetics since ancient times. They are rich in proteins, magnesium, fibre, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, Vitamin E, potassium, zinc, calcium etc, which aids weight loss, improves digestion, translates your skin and hairs to super glowing which radiates from within.

Almond oil which is widely used as base oil by many hair oil manufacturing companies improves the production of new cells and antibodies which help fight against diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, etc. Almond oil is the best massage oil for infants and is most suited for baby skin.

This nut oil with slightly nutty pleasant smell gets fully absorbed in the skin making it suitable for after bath application. You can mix in a few drops of lavender oil, or any other fragrant essential oil of your choice, to personalise it based on the condition of your skin and hair.

Almond oil is high in oleic acid, which is beneficial to heart as it lowers LDL cholesterol (also known as "bad" cholesterol) to help decrease your risk for heart disease.

Pure almond oil or ‘badaam rogan’ has been used in India since the ancient times both for skin and hair care. Almond oil contains linoleic acid, which helps to nourish and moisturise both hair and skin. Almond oil is very nourishing for extremely dry and damaged hair.

Hair that has suffered damage due to repeated use of chemical dyes and lotions can be nursed back to health with the use of almond oil. It helps to nourish and strengthen the hair, improving hair texture and adding lustre to the hair. Today, it is a common ingredient in formulations like hair oils, hair conditioners, nourishing creams, under-eye creams, etc.

For dry hair and damaged hair, apply warmed almond oil. Then do the hot towel wrap. Dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap the hot towel around the head, like a turban. Keep it on for 5 minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap 3 or 4 times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. Applying almond oil regularly, not only improves hair texture but also promotes hair growth. It also softens the hair.

If the hair is looking rough, you can have a quick fix with almond oil to improve the look of the hair. First disentangle the hair with a wide-toothed comb, starting from the ends and going upwards. Take only half-teaspoon almond oil in your palm and rub the palms lightly together, so that the oil is smeared on both palms. Then, starting at the ends, run the fingers through the hair. This is a good way of quickly taming the hair and preventing that “fly-away” look. Avoid applying it near the roots, or the hair will have an oily look.

Applying a little oil on the ends of the hair helps to also repair and prevent split ends. In fact, this can also help frizzy hair. Take 2 drops of almond oil. Put it on your palms and rub the palms lightly together, so that the oil spreads over both palms. Smooth the palms over the hair. Or, take the ends of the hair in your palms and scrunch them. Leave the oil on.

Pure almond oil also contains linoleic acid, which helps to nourish and moisturise the skin. Very dry skin can be massaged daily with pure almond oil for a few minutes and then wiped off with moist cotton wool. Due to its Vitamin E content, it helps to minimise the visible signs of ageing on the skin. It is also ideal for the care of the delicate skin around eyes and a useful home remedy for dark circles under the eyes. It is said to have a mild bleaching effect. Daily apply pure almond oil sparingly (very little quantity) around eyes and massage it lightly on the skin, using only the ring finger, for one minute under each eye. Massage in one direction only. Leave on for 15 minutes and wipe off gently with moist cotton wool.

Actually, the area around eyes is vulnerable to the early formation of tiny lines and wrinkles. Daily massage with pure almond oil would help to delay such ageing signs. In fact, herbal kajal contains almond oil too and benefits the eyelashes. Pure almond oil can also be applied on the lips daily at night and left on overnight. It not only nourishes the skin and eliminates dryness, but also helps to lighten the colour of the lips.