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What is almond oil?
Almond oil is made from pressing raw almond nuts, which can then be used for medicinal purposes, as well as in skincare. Almond oil is rich in vitamin E and is great for your hair and nails. It makes your hair look shiny and lustrous, and the antioxidants and vitamins present in it help restore nail health.
What is it best for?
Like many oils, almond oil is an effective moisturizing agent, so it is a great, all-natural ingredient for those with dry, itchy skin or eczema. It is also commonly used to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and wrinkles and to lessen under eye circles. For these reasons, almond oil is a wonderful ingredient in anti-aging products. You can use almond oil as a base for a scrub, mix it with your bath water, rub it onto chapped lips, or apply it directly onto your skin.
Additionally, almond oil’s high levels of vitamin E means it can help lighten skin and provide UV protection.
What is the drawback?
Anyone with a nut allergy may be sensitive to almond oil, so make sure you do a patch test first. This is especially important if you have eczema, as eczema can increase the chances of your having an allergy. In addition, a study conducted in 2012 linked almond oil application in pregnant women with preterm birth, but further research is required to prove the link.
Melasma is a specific example of hyperpigmentation. Melasma looks like whole patches of brown or darker skin across the parts of the face and neck. Melasma is common among women who are pregnant - it’s even referred to as “the mask of pregnancy.” But melasma can occur in both men and women who are not pregnant, too. Melasma can be caused by UV damage, but there are also genetic, hormonal, and medication-induced causes for melasma, too.
There are a variety of topical ingredients that can be used to lighten the skin from melasma or reduce its appearance. Each ingredient works in different ways, and each has their own benefits and drawbacks. hydroquinone, arbutin, vitamin C (ascorbic acid, and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, etc) are some of the most commonly used ingredients for melasma treatment.
Hydroquinone is a skin lightening cream that works by suppressing the production of melanin. There are drawbacks to using hydroquinone, however, including cancer risks demonstrated by recent scientific studies, as well as hydroquinone-induced ochronosis.
Arbutin is a synthesized derivative of hydroquinone. It acts as a powerful skin lightening ointment that works a bit differently than hydroquinone. It blocks the production of melanin instead of “bleaching” the skin.
Vitamin C can be used as a brightening agent to lighten the hyperpigmentation of your sunspots or melasma. It works by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase, preventing the formation of melatonin.
Ascorbic Acid is actually the formal scientific name for one form of Vitamin C. It can refer to either a naturally occurring Vitamin C found in foods such as citrus, or a synthetic form of ascorbic acid created to be more shelf-stable for skincare products like discoloration repair lotions and creams.
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate is another form of Vitamin C. By synthesizing this compound from Vitamin C, dermatologists are able to give us all the benefits of Vitamin C in a more shelf-stable form that can also be soluble in oil to make more effective, deeper penetrating skin products. (Herndon 2016)
Ingredients in the vitamin A family (ie. Retinol, tretinoin, etc) and acids (glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid) help damaged pigmented skin cells shred faster, so they also help with melasma.
Almond oil may be effective for melasma, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
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