Tamanu Oil - Calophyllum inophyllum

Tamanu oil, extracted from the fruit of the Calophyllum inophyllum tree, is renowned for its remarkable skin healing properties.

• It greatly aids wound healing of severe cuts and burns.
• It acts as an effective germicide to kill or prevent infection.
• It is used for shingles and skin ulcers.

Tamanu is a traditional oil used in the Polynesian Islands and Madagascar, and its healing capacity and versatility are now better understood in the modern world.  In Madagascar it is called Foraha and in the Polynesian Islands they call it Tamanu. 

Tamanu oil’s ability to heal damaged skin is well-researched. The oil is notable for:

• Treating scars, stretch marks (fades stretch marks with great results), minor wounds, skin irritations, rashes, bedsores and many other skin concerns.
• Tamanu oil promotes new tissue formation, accelerating healing and healthy skin growth.
• It is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal.

Tamanu can be used undiluted on the skin or blended with other carriers, butters and essential oils. I like to melt it with shea butter, jojoba oil, beeswax and coconut oil for a rich and healing body butter. The oil is thick and can be either dark blue-green or caramel colored and has a wonderful strong nutty aroma.  The colors vary as to the season.  Spring Tamanu is generally more greenish. 

The Tamanu tree blooms twice a year and has aromatic white flowers that create clusters of yellow-skinned fruits. The fruit has a large nut within it. The harvested fruits are slightly crushed to extract the nuts. The nuts are then sun-dried for about eight weeks. During this time, the nuts turn brown and lose about a third of their original weight. Inside their oil content becomes very high. Tamanu Oil does not exist in the fruit when it falls from the tree but forms during the drying period. Once dried, the oil is extracted from the nuts by cold pressing and is then filtered. 

The shelf life is two years minimum from pressing and the oil is best kept refrigerated or in a cool place.

Current batch pressed October 2011.

Flower Picture is from photographers, Forest & Kim Star.