Hazelnuts are derived from the Hazel tree, botanically known as Corylus avellana. It is also commonly called “cobnuts” or “filbert nuts” as well. The organic oil of hazelnut is derived from the cold compression of these roasted hazelnuts and it has a pale yellowish colour with a nutty, sweet and mild aroma.

Hazelnut organic oil makes for an amazing carrier oil for essential oils dilution, but it also has wonderful benefits on its own as well! For one, it absorbs really well directly into your skin, without leaving an oily residue behind and it does not clog up your pores. Also, it is rich in nutrients and vitamins. It has a high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are thought to promote “good” cholesterol (HDL) while reducing “bad” cholesterol (LDL).

Read on to find out more about the health benefits of hazelnut organic oil!

Health Benefits of Hazelnut Organic Oil:

1. To Tighten Up Skin and For Oily-Prone Skin

Hazelnut oil is a mild astringent, which means it helps to tighten up the pores of your skin and firms up the skin tissues to prevent sagging and loose skin. This helps to maintain your skin’s youthful radiance.

Furthermore, it is non-comedogenic, which means it does not clog up your skin’s pores as you apply it over. In fact, it manages sebum secretion, ensuring that your skin does not produce too much oil which can potentially cause acne and it reduces the size of your pores.

As such, hazelnut oil is actually great for those battling with oily skin, acne and seborrheic dermatitis. It moisturizes the skin, while ensuring that it does not clog up the pores. Furthermore, it has antibacterial qualities, which means it helps kill off existing bacteria lingering on your face, thus preventing acne breakouts from happening.

You can add a few drops of hazelnut oil into your daily skincare products or blend it with essential oils which are antibacterial and astringent in nature to treat oily/acne-prone skin and to tighten up your skin.

2. Helps Protect Against UV Rays

Hazelnut oil also contains high amounts of antioxidants which makes it great for protecting your skin against environmental stressors like UV rays. As a result, it can be used like a sunscreen to be applied onto your body and face as it helps filter out damaging sun’s rays.

You can even combine the oil with equal parts of sesame oil, avocado oil and walnut oil for added protection or add a few drops of it into your day creams for a sunscreen effect.

3. Moisturizes the Hair

Hazelnut oil is also great for smoothing out and moisturizing the hair. If your hair is constantly dry and tangled, apply a few drops of the oil onto your whole hair to moisturize it and tame the tangled or frizzy hair. This thus helps to provide some relief for dry and damaged hair, to promote radiant and luscious locks, without being too greasy at the same time!

Not only that, hazelnut oil is widely used in many haircare formula lotions and creams to help preserve the colour of your newly dyed hair for a longer period of time. It also helps to strengthen and condition the hair roots/hair follicles, thus ensuring that your hair does not become too brittle and too damaged. Simply apply a few drops of the oil onto your hair and scalp area.

4. Used in Massage Therapy

Because of the oil’s amazing ability to absorb well and penetrate deep into the skin, hazelnut oil can be used as a potent carrier oil to be blended with other essential oils for a soothing, calming and rejuvenating massage therapy. It helps to keep the skin soft and elastic, while lubricating the skin and it absorbs the fragrances of the essential oils when blended. As such, the recipient receives the dual benefit of skin-softening from the hazelnut oil and the calming benefits from the essential oil.

5. Used in Culinary Preparations

Hazelnut oil is widely used for culinary dishes as well! It is a great flavoring agent, with a sweet and distinctive aroma, to add to your salad dressings and dips, as well as pesto. In fact, it can be used as a substitute for olive oil in pesto as it easily absorbs the spicy flavour of basil, thus neutralizing and balancing its taste.

This is because hazelnut oil, a low-heat oil, is mostly made up of oleic acid which is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. It is classified as the “good” type of fats, as it is much healthier and thought to be able to lower cholesterol levels.

Safety Precautions:

• Hazelnut organic oil should be avoided by those who are allergic to nuts.

• The oil is mild enough to be used on its own on the skin, even if you have sensitive skin, or as a carrier oil for essential oils to be diluted with.

• If you are considering taking hazelnut oil internally, do consult with your doctor first before doing so. This is especially so if you have pre-existing medical conditions.

• Not enough research has been done on the efficacy of this oil on pregnant and nursing women, so when in doubt, consult the doctor.