palm oil
binomial name: elaeis guineensis
with an origin in africa and greek name (elaeis means oil), the palm oil tree grows tall with robust palm leaves. oil is extracted from both the fruit (palm oil) and the seed (palm kernel oil) for industrial, culinary and beauty purposes due to the potent form of vitamin e (tocotrienol) found in the fruit.
benefit: along with vitamin a, toctrienols, a hard-to-find pure form of vitamin e, are naturally occurring in palm oil. this strong antioxidant is often used to treat skin in fighting free-radical damage (which causes fine lines and wrinkles). when applied topically to the skin, toctrienols are able to penetrate deeply, offering healing, protective and anti-aging benefits. palm oil also contains antibacterial properties and is effective in acne treatment due to its high moisturizing properties which reduce scarring. in hair care, palm oil is high in vitamin e and beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin a and leads to root and scalp nourishment.