Watermelon Seed Oil is Your New Anti-Aging Secret
Alas, there’s finally something useful about those pesky watermelon seeds. Watermelon seed oil is the newest anti-aging ingredient you didn’t know you were missing in your daily beauty routine.
What is watermelon seed oil?
Watermelon seed oil is extracted by pressing sun-dried watermelon seeds (best by a cold-pressed method). It is a common practice in West Africa, where the oil is commonly referred to as Ootanga oil or Kalahari oil.
What are watermelon seed oil benefits?
When it comes to the skin, hair, and even internal health, watermelon seed oil is a win, win, and win situation. Watermelon seed oil is high in unsaturated fatty acids, dominated by linoleic (63%) and oleic (15%) acids. Compared to that of other melons, watermelon seed oil shows significant antioxidant activity, with 5% higher levels of tocopherols. Tocopherols are a family of vitamin E compounds widely praised for their ability to protect the skin from the adverse effects of oxidative stress, including photo-aging. Vitamin E also boasts anti-inflammatory properties, which do wonders for irritated skin.
Meanwhile, watermelon seed oil is loaded with essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals that enrich hair and skin. Its unsaturated fatty acids hydrate the skin, and, unlike some oils, it absorbs quickly into the skin, which means it is perfect for all types: dry, oily, or acne-prone.
How to use watermelon seed oil
Purchase a cold-pressed pure watermelon seed oil and use it alone as a serum after cleansing your face at night. Because it absorbs readily, you can also use it as a daily moisturizer without feeling like your face is greasy and shiny all day.
As far as hair goes, massaging watermelon seed oil into the scalp for a deep treatment may work wonders for those suffering from hair loss. Watermelon seed oil’s potent antioxidant activity can reduce oxidative stress in the scalp, which is associated with alopecia.
But even if you aren’t worried about hair loss, massaging watermelon seed oil into your scalp down to the tips of your hair is still nourishing and hydrating to your hair and will leave it looking luxuriously soft and frizz-free. Apply the watermelon seed oil to damp hair and let sit for 30 minutes before rinsing clean. Repeat this treatment once per week for best results.
And, don’t forget – you can also use watermelon seed oil as a carrier oil, adding in essential oils to balance out its otherwise nutty aroma. This way, you can switch up the essential oils to reflect your mood and thus never bore of the watermelon seed oil itself.
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