Moringa Oil. Have you ever heard of it? I hadn’t until my company Norwex came out with some body care products in the Lysere Line. I decided to do some research.
Moringa butter is derived from the oil of the seeds of Moringa oleifera, a tree native to India. Moringa butter may infer certain skin benefits, when incorporated into hair and skin care products. Clinical data indicate that moringa butter enhances skin barrier recovery from barrier damage as well as increases skin hydration.
History of Moringa Butter
Moringa oleifera is a flowering tree native to the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India. It is cultivated in many parts of the world including Africa, tropical Americas, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the Philippines. It is a highly sustainable tree.
The moringa tree is known by many names. In Senegal it is known as nebeday (the tree that never dies) because it is able to survive disasters such as fire and it grows quickly (up to 12 metres per year). So its sustainable! In the Philippines the moringa tree is known as a mother’s best friend because moringa leaves are used to increase the amount of a mother’s milk, or are boiled and fed to children. In India, the moringa tree is called the drumstick tree due to the elongated shape of its seed pods. The moringa tree is also known by various other names throughout Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and the Caribbean.
The use of moringa oil, by ancient Egyptians has been recorded in hieroglyphs. In fact, Egyptologists have documented various applications and formulas containing moringa oil for topical pastes and perfumes.
The Science
It is primarily derived by coldButters of vegetable oils are increasingly common to the cosmetic industry. These butters are typically made by partially hydrogenating common vegetable oils. In contrast, moringa butter is made by interesterifying moringa oil and fully hydrogenated moringa oil, thus preserving the natural cis configuration of each double bond. The result is a butter with no trans fats. Moringa butter is also odourless and less greasy, tacky, and glossy than most butters, notably shea, and can contribute to strength in stick systems.
Moringa seeds yield up to 40% oil by cold extraction. The resulting oil contains almost 70% oleic triglycerides, which is comparable to other triglyceride oils such as olive or canola oil. It is also extremely oxidatively stable unlike Olive or canola oil.
The moringa tree’s various parts have been used for centuries for their natural healing benefits. Clinical results show that the moringa butter is indeed beneficial to the skin.
