Origins
Prunus dulcis - There are two types of Almond, sweet and bitter,
we use Sweet Almond Oil, Prunus dulcis.
The Almond is part of the plum family. Botanically they are a fruit and an ancient ancestor of later fruits that have large stones for seeds like nectarines, peaches, plums and apricots.
The graceful Almond tree is a medium sized tree native to the Middle East and North Africa, now grown in the Mediterranean and California. The white blossom is very beautiful and inspired many ancient stories and legends.
What it can do for you
We use Sweet Almond in several different forms. Almond oil is made, by crushing the almond kernels, which yield almost half their weight in oil. This is a beautiful 'medium' weight, un-scented oil, excellent for the skin.
Almond oil is emollient, demulcent and nutritious. It softens the skin, is easily absorbed and non-greasy. Almond oil is smooth to apply, leaving a silky feel to the skin. It gives the hair shine and softens the hair shaft. It is nutritious and contains high levels of Vitamin E. We consider this to be the finest oil we use. '
Mineral oils, which are the by-product of the petrochemical industry are used very widely in cosmetics. They are capable of creating allergic responses on the skin. We only use vegetable oils as they are so gentle and effective.' We love fields of plants and trees and not fields of oil wells. By our use of lovely materials like Sweet Almond Oil we can create products which are both kind to the body and which do not have a negative impact on the environment.
We use Sweet Almond Oil in a wide range of products from skin and hair care to Bath Bombs. It's excellent qualities make it effective wherever it is used. Different grades of Sweet Almond Oil are used.
The Facts
* The Almond was highly valued by the ancient Egyptians for cosmetic purposes The ancient Greeks and Romans used to eat almonds to counter the effect of alcohol.
* The Almond tree was first cultivated in Britain in the 1500's when it was grown for its blossom. The herbalist Gerard said 'Almonds were in our London gardens and orchards in great plenty.
* The phrase 'an almond for a parrot' was an old saying, meaning' the height of temptation, since parrots find almonds irresistible.
* Almond oil is made, by crushing the almond kernels, which yield almost half their weight in oil. Th is is a beautiful 'medium' weight, un-scented oil, excellent for the skin.