Argan, known as iron wood, is a calcareous tree endemic to the arid regions of southwest Morocco. For centuries, the tree has been a major source of food and fuel for the indigenous Berber population. The history of the Berber people living in the Agadir region has also been inseparably connected with the argan tree because of argan oil. Traditionally, only Berber women can take part in the extraction of argan oil. The nuts are cracked by hand between two stones to remove the kernel. Next, the kernels are dried, gently roasted, combined with water and ground into paste using rotary quern-stones. The paste is then squeezed by hand to extract the oil. Argan oil is pressed mechanically without adding water, which extends its shelf life. The oil contains 80% unsaturated fatty acids, in particular palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. It also contains tocopherols (vitamin E) and sterols. Argan oil is an excellent toning agent. It also strengthens the body’s natural defences and has a soothing and anti-inflammatory effect. It has been proven to contain twice as much vitamin E as olive oil. Its price is ten times higher than that of olive oil. Argan oil is used as a moisturising agent for dry skin and as an anti-wrinkle cosmetic ingredient. Cosmetic products formulated with argan oil soften the skin, minimise the appearance of wrinkles, and help to restore the epidermal hydro-lipid barrier.

Shea butter. The African shea tree is a medium-sized, long-lived deciduous tree with a massive bole. Living for an average of 300 years, it starts bearing fruit when it is 30 years old, and continues to produce nuts once a year for the rest of its life. The shea tree is native to the sub-Saharan savanna in West and Central Africa. It is seldom cultivated – most trees grow naturally in the wild. As it is regarded as a staple by many people throughout Africa, it cannot be privately owned even if when growing on private land. In most of Africa, felling or destroying the shea tree is strictly prohibited. The edible nuts of the shea tree are a major source of dietary fats. Shea butter produced from shea nuts is known for its healing properties, and is used to treat minor cuts, sunburns, rheumatism and muscle pain. Shea butter is a rich source of vitamins, and of the stearic and oleic acids which are responsible for its excellent moisturising and photoprotective properties. Shea butter is also widely used for treating abrasions and chapped skin.

Coconut oil is extracted from the flesh of coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. It is cold-pressed from coconut pulp and subsequently refined. Fresh coconut flesh contains 35-40% fats, 10% carbohydrates, 3% proteins and water. Coconut oil is characterised by a high content of saturated short- and medium-chain fatty acids: lauric, myristic, palmitic, caprylic and stearic. It also contains polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. At room temperature, coconut oil is solid and does not normally go off. It is used for cooking and in the production of chocolate spreads, as well as for the manufacture of cosmetics, soaps, lotions and perfumes. In addition, coconut oil has a wide range of medicinal applications for its antiseptic, astringent and bactericidal properties. In tropical countries, it is used for treating asthma, bronchitis, bruises, burns, abrasions, cough, fever and influenza. It is also applied to hair to prevent greying. Thanks to its high content of fatty acids, coconut oil can be used as a moisturising and smoothing ingredient in skin care products. It penetrates dry and cornified skin and reaches its deep layers to ensure a moisturising and smoothing effect. Thanks to a high concentration of lauric acid, which has bactericidal properties, coconut oil can also be used in formulations designed to reduce acne. What is more, coconut oil can protect the skin from sunlight, offering a level of protection comparable to that of an SPF10 sunscreen. Coconut oil is also used in hair care. Lauric triglyceride strengthens and boosts the regeneration of the hair structure.

Soybean oil has a wide range of applications in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. It is a valued cosmetic ingredient due to its conditioning, moisturising, antioxidant, photoprotective and anti-aging properties.

Oil extracted from sunflower seeds. Sunflower is an annual plant of the aster family. Spanish colonists brought sunflower seeds from North America to Spain, from where it spread throughout Europe. Sunflower fruits, commonly called seeds, are processed into oil by pressing and refinement. Sunflower seeds contain up to 45% fats and are a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, including palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, arachidic and behenic acids. The oil extracted from sunflower seeds is characterised by a high content of sterols, tocopherol (vitamin E), phenolic acids, carotenoids, lecithin and minerals. Sunflower oil is used as a cosmetic ingredient in creams, lotions, body oils, bath products and milks for all skin types, and especially for oily, combination and acne-prone skin. It is also added to sunscreens which offer mild protection from the harmful effects of the sun. It absorbs quickly and does not leave a sticky residue. It strengthens the epidermal barrier and significantly softens and smoothes the skin. It is a free radical scavenger with anti-inflammatory and normalising properties. It is non-comedogenic.

Linseed oil is extracted from the seeds of the flax plant. Flax is an annual plant. Although the origin of the plant is not clear, flax probably comes from the Mediterranean region or West Asia. Today, it is cultivated extensively from Europe to America, in temperate and subtropical climates. Cultivated flax plants come in two basic varieties: fibre flax, grown for the fibres produced from the stems of the plant, and oil flax, grown for the oil extracted from its seeds. The seeds are harvested in summer, after they have fully ripened. They are then cleaned and dried at max. 40˚C, which prevents moulding. Linseed oil is produced by cold-pressing at a temperature not exceeding 50°C so that all the constituents of the oil retain their natural structure and hence their biological properties. The curative power of the flax plant was already known in ancient Egypt. Today, the substances contained in linseed oil are considered to reduce the risk of cancer, improve memory and eyesight, lower blood cholesterol levels, strengthen the digestive and nervous systems, and play an important role as components of biological membranes. The major constituent of linseed oil is linoleic acid. Other actives contained in flax include proteins, carbohydrates, lignans, phenolic compounds, mineral salts and minerals. Polyunsaturated fatty acids constitute the majority (over 70%) of the oil fraction. Linseed oil is unique on account of its proportion of α-linolenic acid to linoleic acid. Because of these properties, linseed oil has recently been used extensively in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries.

Macadamia oil is extracted from the fruit of the macadamia tree by pressing. Macadamia is a tree native to the eastern part of Australia, and the country continues to be one of the leading producers of macadamia nuts, although the plant is now also cultivated in many other parts of the world. Currently, about 70% of macadamia nuts, which are used extensively in the food and cosmetic industries, come from Hawaii. For thousands of years, macadamias were an important dietary component for the Aborigines. The sweet nuts are a rich source of essential fatty acids, proteins, dietary fibre and a wide range of vitamins (B1, B2) and minerals (potassium, phosphorus, calcium). They can be eaten raw or roasted. Macadamia nuts and the oil extracted from them are regarded as a delicacy throughout the world. Macadamia oil is also one of the most precious cosmetic ingredients due to its high contents of monounsaturated fatty acids (80%) and, most importantly, palmitoleic acid (up to 22%) along with its isomers. Due to its regenerating, nourishing and anti-aging properties, it is recommended for the care of all types of skin, but it is most effective in formulations designed for mature, dry or sensitive skin. Macadamia oil is also used in after-sun skin care because it has a soothing effect on very dry skin and relieves the symptoms of sunburn. Macadamia oil absorbs easily and can be used as a carrier which enhances the penetration of other actives to the deeper skin layers. It is also used extensively in cosmetic products for dry and brittle hair because it strengthens and moisturises the hair, leaving it thicker, shiny and full of volume.

Buriti oil is extracted from the fruit of the moriche palm. The moriche palm, also called buriti or ité palm, is a tall fast-growing tropical tree that can reach up to 35 m in height. It is native to the swampy areas along the rivers of South America, and especially the Amazon and the Orinoco. It is regarded as a sacred tree by the indigenous people of South America, who call it ‘the tree of life’ because of its fruit, which contains all the nutrients needed to sustain human life. The moriche palm has a wide range of applications – its trunk is used as building material, and its leaves are woven into very strong ropes. Almost all parts of the plant, including its flower buds, sap and fruits, are edible. Its seeds are used to extract the orange-reddish buriti oil, which is produced by cold-pressing. The oil contains more beta-carotene than carrot oil. Buriti oil is rich in strong natural antioxidants: vitamin E, essential fatty acids and tocopherols. In traditional South American medicine, buriti oil was used for treating burns because of its ability to promote new skin growth and reduce scar formation. Buriti oil is used extensively in cosmetic products for dry and mature skin. Due to its high content of vitamin E and essential fatty acids, buriti oil demonstrates excellent soothing and emollient properties, has a nourishing and moisturising effect, and makes skin soft and elastic. It also soothes after-sun skin irritations and sunburns. Its ability to filter and absorb UV rays makes buriti oil an important ingredient of sun protection products. Buriti oil is also effective as a conditioner for brittle and damaged hair.

The oil extracted from the fruit of the olive tree. The olive tree typically has a gnarled and twisted trunk and can live for several hundred years. Its fruits – olives – are harvested in autumn, when they are still green, or in winter, when they are purplish-black and fully ripened. The olive tree is native to Asia Minor and North Africa. Its cultivation started in Greece more than 7,000 years ago. In antiquity, olive trees and olive oil were considered sacred. Olive oil was used as food, for payment, and as a medicine, as well as for lighting rooms and for cosmetic and ritual purposes. Perfumed olive oil was applied to the skin for cleansing and refreshment. Wreaths made of olive leaves decorated the heads of the statues of Olympic gods, winners of the Olympic games and war heroes. Olive trees and olive oil are also mentioned in the Bible as a symbol of peace, wisdom, glory and purity. Olives are currently among the most popular cultivated plants in the world. Olive oil is used extensively in many national cuisines and countless cosmetic products. Its curative properties are attributable to a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, including oleic and linoleic acids and vitamin E. Olive oil is an effective emollient which intensely moisturises and protects the skin. It is a common ingredient in regenerating and anti-aging products. It softens and moisturises the skin, leaving a protective film with antioxidant properties on its surface. Olive oil can also stimulate hair growth.

Avocado oil is extracted by cold-pressing from the fruit of the Persea Gratissima tree, which is native to South America. The avocado is one of the most nutritious fruits. Its major constituents include lipids and vitamins. The predominant fatty acid in avocado oil is oleic acid, with smaller amounts of palmitic, linoleic, myristic and arachidic acids. Avocado oil contains vitamins A, E and D, proteins and copper. Avocado fruit contains 2% proteins, the amino acids histidine and lecithin, phytosterols, squalane and vitamins C, PP and B2, as well as minerals, including potassium and iron. Avocado is used in natural medicine to strengthen the bones, improve eyesight and treat bloating, the common cold, catarrh, headaches and neuralgia. It stimulates appetite, nourishes the nervous system, normalises the menstrual cycle and relieves cough. Avocado oil is highly valued and widely used as a cosmetic ingredient in products which control the hydro-lipid balance and provide protection, regeneration and nourishment for the skin. The oil supplies fatty acids to the skin – thanks to transesterification reactions which take place in the skin, the fatty acids are re-distributed among the components of biological membranes and the substances supplied along with the oil. As a result, the fatty acids from avocado oil fill the areas where the natural lipid barrier has been compromised. This process is especially important for the replenishment of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including linoleic acid. Linoleic acid deficiency can occur as a result of oxidation caused by free radicals. The deficiency often leads to impaired functioning of the biological membranes which serve as barriers to protect cells from excessive water loss. Dry skin is characterised by an elevated level of saturated fatty acids and a decreased concentration of linoleic acid in corneocyte membranes. However, as soon as a cosmetic product rich in the acid is applied to the skin, the normal fatty acid ratio and proper epidermal function are restored. Cosmetic products formulated with avocado oil form a protective film on the surface of the skin, preventing moisture loss and providing deep skin hydration. In addition, the vitamin E and carotene contained in the oil strengthen the lipid barrier by protecting the lipids and lipoproteins in skin cell membranes. Avocado oil is used in products for dry, damaged and cracked skin. It effectively promotes the healing of minor skin injuries and erosions. It is mild for the skin, absorbs quickly, demonstrates excellent penetration, emollient and occlusive properties, and provides UV protection. It is used extensively in formulations designed for the care and treatment of skin with psoriasis. It is also valued as an ingredient in lipid-replenishing and anti-aging creams. It is used in its basic form for massage, which improves skin firmness and has a relaxing, regenerating and soothing effect.

Oil extracted from sweet almonds. The almond tree is a small deciduous plant which produces edible seeds known as sweet almonds. Oil expressed from sweet almonds has a wide range of applications as an effective emollient. It is remarkably stable, retains its properties for a long time and contains high concentrations of two skin nourishing substances – linoleic acid, which is an essential Omega 6 fatty acid, and unsaturated triglycerides. Due to its strong moisturising properties, sweet almond oil is used extensively in colour cosmetics and other skin care formulations, as well as in pharmaceutical products. Used as a cosmetic ingredient, sweet almond oil increases the moisturising and emollient effects of lotions and creams with UV filters. Because of its inherent stability and transparency at low temperatures, sweet almond oil is also used to improve the clarity of bath, body and massage oils. Being colourless, odourless and neutral in taste, it provides moisturising properties to such colour cosmetics as lip colours, mascaras or powders. In addition, sweet almond oil is and effective and reliable carrier for pharmaceutical actives.

Rosa moschata, commonly called the musk rose, is a shrub which grows up to 2 m tall. It has elastic curved stems bearing purple prickles. Its dark green leaves are oval and glossy, and its flowers are white, pink, or occasionally yellow, with a musky scent. The musk rose is native to Europe. It is mainly cultivated in the UK for its beautiful flowers. It also grows in the wild in the foothills of the Andes in Chile and Argentina. Oil extracted from musk rose seeds has a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including oleic, cis-linoleic and α-linolenic acids. It also contains saturated acids – palmitic and stearic. Oil extracted from musk rose seeds is also a source of other beneficial substances such as trans retinoic acid, tannins, flavonoids, vitamin C and β-carotene. Rose oil is excellent for the skin. Its high nutritional value and regenerative properties make it a perfect ingredient for cosmetic and dermatological uses.

Illipe butter is the fat obtained from the nuts of the Shorea Stenoptera tree native to Southeast Asia and Borneo. The Dayak people indigenous to Borneo have produced butter from Illipe nuts and used it for medicinal and cosmetic purposes for centuries. The butter is pale yellow in colour and has a very delicate nutty aroma. Its fatty acid composition is similar to that of cocoa butter – it contains palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids. It is used as a cosmetic ingredient to provide long-lasting skin smoothing effects and prevent wrinkles and the degeneration of skin cells. It leaves a fine film on the surface of skin, which helps to prevent moisture loss. It has nourishing, lipid-replenishing and emollient properties. It keeps skin supple and elastic. Illipe butter is especially beneficial for dry, mature, dehydrated, and even sensitive skin. It is also useful as an ingredient in soaps, lipsticks and hair masks on account of its relatively hard texture.

Milk thistle oil is extracted from the seeds of the milk thistle plant by cold-pressing. Called the wild artichoke in the folk tradition, the herb has been known since ancient times. Its Latin genus name ‘Silybum’ was coined by the Greek physician Dioscorides in 100 AD. Its species name ‘Marianum’ derives from the Virgin Mary and refers to a legend which says that as the Virgin Mary was nursing Baby Jesus in the Bethlehem stable, some of her milk dropped onto a thistle, producing white spots on its leaves. The plant was originally native to the Mediterranean region, but it is now found throughout the world, including Poland. It has remarkable medicinal properties which were first described by the Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides in 40 AD. Most importantly, the plant has beneficial effects on the liver. It can lower blood cholesterol and glucose concentrations and prevent kidney stones and bladder disorders. It is desirable in cosmetic applications for its high content of actives, and especially silymarin, which demonstrates strong anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. In addition, it is a rich source of flavonoids, tyramine, tannins, essential oils, sterols, saponins, vitamins and organic acids. Cosmetic formulations containing milk thistle provide a high level of antioxidant protection, which helps to prevent cell damage caused by free radicals. They also deeply moisturise and regenerate the skin. Silymarin from milk thistle oil protects the natural epidermal lipid layer and stimulates collagen and elastin synthesis. It also has soothing and anti-inflammatory effects which are especially beneficial for skin with allergies or inflammation. It promotes wound healing and helps to eliminate eczema, excessive epidermal cornification and erythema. It visibly lightens the skin thanks to its whitening properties. Milk thistle oil is usually used as an ingredient in creams, gels, masks, lotions, emulsions and hair care products. It can also be applied directly to the skin, especially to promote regeneration of the hair or brittle nails.

Jojoba seed oil native to the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts in Mexico and Arizona, USA. The jojoba shrub has thick greyish-green leaves and bears hard ovoid nuts, which are harvested for the liquid wax they contain, commonly known as jojoba oil. The oil is particularly resistant to oxidation, and its chemical composition is similar to that of whale oil rather than any regular vegetable oil. For centuries, the indigenous inhabitants of the Sonoran Desert have added jojoba oil to such cosmetics as body lotions or hair conditioners, and included it in their diet to suppress hunger. Today, jojoba oil is increasingly used as an alternative to whale oil, helping to preserve the endangered animal species. Jojoba oil is one of the most important cosmetic ingredients. It covers the skin with a thin non-greasy lipid film with strong lipid-replenishing properties, improving skin elasticity and suppleness, and giving the skin a velvety smooth texture. In addition, jojoba oil effectively cleanses the skin, and has conditioning, moisturising and softening effects on both the skin and hair.

Grape seed oil is extracted by cold-pressing from the seeds found in the fruit of the common grape vine, also known as the wine grape plant. The plant species originally appeared throughout the Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia, but is currently cultivated all over the world. Oil extracted from grape seeds is one of the strongest known antioxidants rich in the ‘vitamins of youth’ – A and E – which are beneficial for the skin, as they strengthen its protective barrier, provide moisture and slow down its aging. The oil has a very high content of unsaturated fatty acids, including palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids (more than 90%), as well as minerals (potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, boron, iodine, copper and iron). It also contains polyphenolic antioxidants – flavonoids and resveratrol – as well as vitamins D and K. Thanks to its unique components, grape seed oil has wide-ranging beneficial effects on the skin and is used extensively in personal care and anti-aging products. It has regenerating properties, acts as an effective free radical scavenger, slows down skin aging and strengthens the skin’s natural protective barrier. It increases skin firmness and elasticity, and makes the skin tighter. It is commonly used as an ingredient in facial creams for mature and couperose skin because of its high vitamin K content. Grape seed oil regulates the functioning of sebaceous glands and has a soothing and mattifying effect, which makes it a desirable ingredient in cosmetic products for oily and acne-prone skin. It has an anti-inflammatory and toning effect, prevents comedones and reduces the visibility of skin pores. It refreshes the skin, makes it smoother and evens out its tone, while gently replenishing lipids. It also prevents excessive moisture loss by maintaining proper hydration of the cornified epidermal layer. Grape seed oil can also be applied directly onto the face or body. It is fully absorbed by the epidermis and leaves no greasy film on its surface. Rubbed into hair ends, it strengthens the hair, imparts shine and has a detangling effect.