Discover pure maracuja oil benefits. This oil from passion fruit can be used to moisturize skin, nourish hair, reduce anxiety and promote deeper sleep.
Move over coconut oil. You, too, argan oil. The latest beauty all-natural ingredient featured in popular cosmetic brands like Sephora is maracuja oil.
Not familiar with this oil? You might be more familiar with the fruit from which it’s derived: passion fruit.
Ever eat passion fruit? It has a pleasant, slightly sweet taste. But the mouthfeel is off-putting for many people. The edible part of the fruit is squishy and contains lots of chewy seeds.
It’s these seeds, however, which produce the therapeutic oil.
Where does maracuja oil come from and why is it good for you?
These days, it grows in many warm parts of world. But it grows native to southern Brazil, Uruguay and the northern reaches of Argentina. Historically, it’s been used by the Aztecs and other traditional societies in Latin America.
But let’s jump in to why it’s so good for you. Like the other all-star fruit oils (coconut and olive), it contains highly-beneficial essential fatty acids.
Passion fruit seed oil is especially high in linoleic acid. Linoleic acid, among other things can help:
- Improve blood sugar levels
- Prevent hardening of the arteries
- Boost immunity
- Increase metabolism
- Help with bone formation
- Enhance muscular endurance and strength
If it’s beauty you’re particularly interested in, linoleic acid offers lots of benefits for skin. It also has the potential to improve your hair and nails, too.
What’s in Maracuja Oil?
In addition to linoleic acid, it’s very high in vitamins C and A. It also has lots of minerals and antioxidants. There’s a couple antioxidants passion fruit seed oil contains that’s worth mentioning….
The first one is quercetin. This antioxidant is a powerful inflammation and cancer fighter.
The other beneficial antioxidant is lycopene. Lycopene is a type of antioxidant in the carotenoid family. Lycopene give tomatoes and especially tomato paste with its rich red color.
But lycopene provides more than a pleasing color. It’s actually is one of the best compounds for protecting your skin.
How else can maracuja help your skin?
The fatty acids in passion fruit oil moisturizes the skin and locks in the moisture. So, if you suffer from cracked heels, chapped lips or dry skin in general, it’s one of the best oils to help heal.
And unlike coconut oil, it has a light texture. When you rub coconut oil on your skin and face, it leaves greasy streaks. Passion fruit oil won’t do that. Especially if you apply a few drops of it and dab it on your skin with a cotton pad.
Are you still young? Don’t yet have noticeable aging signs on your face? Then consider yourself lucky. But to prevent wrinkles, crows feet, and fine lines, start using the oil as part of your beauty routine.
Can maracuja oil help with acne?
Yes. Although there are different causes of acne (insufficient stomach acid, not enough friendly gut bacteria, hormonal changes), one common reason people develop it is due to insufficient skin moisture.
And when your skin doesn’t have enough moisture, your sebaceous glands overcompensate and release excess sebum oil.
Again, the linoleic acid in passion fruit oil is abundant. In fact, linoleic acid accounts for over 70 percent of the total compounds in passion fruit oil.
For most people, it won’t clog pores. However, any product, even all-natural ones, can make a problem worse. Therefore, it’s always best to test a small area of your skin to know if you’ll react well.
Will Maracuja Oil Benefit All Skin Types?
If you get the pure grade of oil, it will be safe to use for all skin types. The people who will benefit most from using it are those who have dry or aging skin.
It’s safe to use for anybody who wants to improve skin complexion.
Moreover, it can help your skin heal from minor traumas such as cuts and burns. Some people even use it to minimize the appearance of scars.
If you have unsightly neck lines as well as elephant skin, the vitamin A can help reduce obvious signs of aging and poor skin hydration.
Here’s another reason this oil is great for all skin types. This study shows that it can help stimulate the production of skin cells. These particular cells are called “fibroblasts,” which produce collagen.
Collagen is the main protein in your skin. When you are young you have lots of it. Plus, the collagen you have is strong. However, by middle age, your collagen essentially dies off or gets very weak. As a result, wrinkles form.
This makes for another reason why passion fruit oil is good for virtually everybody.
Are there pure maracuja oil benefits for hair?
Yes. And it’s not just beauty blogs that are going nuts for it. There’s actually research that proves it’s good for the scalp and encourages healthy hair growth. It can even repair split ends and shine to dull hair.
The research comes from a 2009 study. Several oils from Brazil and butters were analyzed. A passion fruit seed containing 77% linoleic acid was among a small list of oils that proved to be beneficial for hair.
Using maracuja oil, according to the researchers, reduces “the combing force percentage for wet conditions.” In other words, when you get out of the shower and apply it to your hair, you won’t have to clench your teeth and fight any knots.
(Interestingly, the study concludes hair treated with butters showed poor combing.)
What else is maracuja good for?
There are other therapeutic uses of it, in addition to protection from sun damage.
It can also help fight pain and inflammatory joint conditions. That’s because it contains strong inflammation-fighting compounds.
In fact, you might want to try making your own massage oil with it. You can apply a few drops of pure passion fruit oil and mix it with another oil that easily absorbs in the skin. Almond oil is an example. So, too, is olive oil.
But can this oil actually help you lose weight? Well, one study on mice says that the bark from the passion fruit tree does help with weight loss. Obviously, mice are very different from humans. However, rodent genetics are eerily similar to human DNA.
Another study reveals it can help kill tumors.
And this study shows that passion fruit peel flour improves insulin sensitivity. That means it’s good for your blood sugar levels.
This study on overweight men concludes passion fruit is also good for blood pressure and heart rate.
In natural health, passion fruit is also used to alleviate anxiety. Pouring about 20 drops in a warm bath tub or pouring this oil and diffusing it can calm you down in a short amount of time.
There are natural sedative properties in pure maracuja oil. So if you suffer from insomnia, you might want to consider giving it a try.
best maracuja oil
Choose a brand that doesn’t refine the oil. It should be 100% pure. To preserve the active properties, the oil should be cold-pressed, not heat-processed.
It should be non-GMO, organic, and free of alcohol. And besides acne, the best passion fruit seed oil can help with any skin condition. This includes eczema, rosacea, age spots and other skin problems.
Also make sure that the oil doesn’t contain other ingredients that may dilute the benefits.
You can find pure maracuja oil on Amazon.
