Finding the right products and routine may seem a Herculean task, like cutting off the three heads of the giant snake hydra. Just when you think you nailed it, the weather changes, and with it the mood of your skin. Aaaand, you’re right at the beginning again. But there is an ingredient, longstanding and well-tried that works all year and with any weather: cacay oil.
Since facial oils are all the rage, argan oil held the crown for many skin care afficionados. Cacay oil is the new anti-ageing and healing oil that might just push argan oil from its throne. Do you want to know why? Scroll down to find out.
Cacay wut?
Cacay oil is an all-natural oil and comes from the Amazonian rainforest. The oil is derived from the seeds of the cacay tree (Caryodendron orinocense). When ripe, the cacay fruit falls to the ground. The fruit houses 3 nuts.
Cacay nuts can be eaten, raw, tasted, fried, or boiled. They’re used to make cakes, cookies, and drinks. The nuts are so packed with nutrients, they’re ground down and the flour is used to make vitamin supplements.
The oil obtained by pressing the nuts of the cacay tree has a light yellow-greenish tint. It’s a clear oil with a slightly nutty smell.
Content and properties
The pure and unrefined cacay nut oil gives you a multitude of nutrients your skin will love. Of course, you expect fatty acids – it’s an oil, right? We’ll touch on the fatty acids a bit later.
Then, it also contains phosphorus, calcium, and iron. Not to forget it’s brimming with retinoids – a class of substances that are related to vitamin A – and vitamin E. By now you probably know how it can help improve the health and appearance of your skin.
How does cacay oil help your skin?
Pure, cold-pressed, unrefined cacay oil is truly your BFF. Depending on where the tree was grown, the oil can contain 60-80% of linoleic acid. This is an essential fatty acid from the omega 6 type which does wonder for your skin.
Moisturise
Thanks to its high content of linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid of the omega 6 fatty acid family, cacay oil keeps your skin plump and well moisturised. It strengthens your natural skin barrier and so prevents water loss and external aggressors from attacking your skin.
Linoleic acid is key in maintaining the health of cell membranes – the “skin” of your cells. Fatty acids in general, are important for your skin because they provide the building blocks for the skin cells.
Slow signs of ageing
Or even reverse them thanks to its high retinoids content aided by linoleic acid. While linoleic plays an important role in promoting cellular turnover and strengthening your skin barrier, retinoids are infamous in skin care.
Retinoids are so popular in skin care since they have been proven to reduce the depth, area and volume of wrinkles. That’s because vitamin A boosts cell renewal and improves collagen synthesis.
Protect
Vitamin E is one of the classics when it comes to helping protect cells from damage throughout your body.
Cacay oil is a double-whammy since it also contains retinoids. Both help to protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun and the environment. They’re potent antioxidants that neutralise free radicals from the sun, pollution and other environmental stressors.
No zits zone
One of the best ways in balancing oily skin and so reduce zits is by moisturising. First of all, you signal your skin that it doesn’t have to work overtime because your skin is not dry.
Then, according to research, people with oily skin or who tend to have spots have lower than average levels of linoleic acid in their skin. It stands to reason that applying linoleic acid to oily and acne-prone skin balances out the deficiency. Another benefit is that linoleic acid keeps sebum soft and prevents it from hardening. Which in turn means that comedones—or clogged pores—do not form as readily.
Now, since cacay nut isn’t only made up of linoleic acid but also contains vitamin A derivates and vitamin E, its oil is both calming and anti-bacterial. Applying it, reduces inflammation and prevents further zits.
Reduce irritation and inflammation
Being out in the sun and exposed to all kinds of weather can be taxing on your skin. Not to mention including actives such as BHA. In the case of cacay oil, it comes with its own high content of retinoids.
Usually, actives such as retinoids can be drying, or irritating. That’s where linoleic comes in. It’s a potent anti-inflammatory but plays nice with other actives. It helps alleviate dryness and reduce irritation that you can get with other skin care actives or just being out and about.
Improve skin tone and texture
Thanks to the retinoids, cacay nut oil improves skin tone and lifts dark spots. Since cacay oil smooths your skin’s surface while nourishing and strengthening it, your skin will look smoother and firmer. Not to forget, with improved skin cell turnover, your skin not only retains its elasticity for longer but this process also softens the texture and increases skin luminosity.
Who should be using it?
The short answer is Everyone.
The long answer is: Everyone can benefit from a well functioning skin barrier. It means that your skin is not irritated and works well in protecting your skin from water loss or “uninvited guests” (aka harmful microbes or other aggressors).
The good thing about cacay nut oil is that it has a high linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio. And its comedogenic rating is 0. The comedogenic scale ranges from 0 to 5, with 0 being non-comedogenic and 5 being highly comedogenic. In other words, it’s unlikely to clog pores or trigger spots.
This makes cacay nut oil a great choice if you got oily skin and tend to break out. Even better if you know that it boosts cellular turnover and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it’s not a question of which oil is better, cacay or argan. It’s a question of your skin’s needs. And also if it’s readily available where you live.
