How to Choose the Right Sesame Oil for Your Skin, and why not all Sesame Oils are Created Equally.

When I first heard about using sesame oil for oil cleansing, I couldn't fathom it. Sesame oil was for making stir-frys, right?

The pungent scent, the toasted taste, the smell that just overtook all others when you'd go to the local Noodle Box. It didn't make any sense.

But sesame oil -the right sesame oil- is amazing for your skin, and in particular, oil cleansing.

Not all sesame oils are created equally

You don't want to be buying the Fry's Sesame Oil at your local supermarket, so please, put down the car keys and step away from your handbag.

As with all oils, and especially commercially produced oils, sesame seeds have to go through some processes before they can be classed as an oil and used as such.

For the standard, commercial cooking sesame oils, this means heat extraction or solvent extraction.

Standard Sesame Oils

The sesame seeds are cleaned and sorted, then heated with direct fire; this helps to deteriorate the proteins they contain. They are then pressed, while still hot, and the oil is extracted. More often than not, the sesame oil is then bleached and even deodorised, depending on the quality of the seeds in the first place. The lower quality, the more bitter the taste. A lot of lower quality edible oils are imported from India, Asia and the Middle East.

Dusk by Adele Sesame Oil

 As for cold extraction, the type which our Dusk Cleansing Oil contains, it's a slightly different and simpler process. By simply crushing organic sesame seeds under great pressure in an expeller, this creates a significant quantity of friction and heats the oil naturally (under 48ºC) to retain the quality and nutrients of the oil. It's then bottled immediately. Our oil is imported from Europe, and each batch is independently tested and a rigorous quality control method takes place before it gets used.

You can consume raw sesame oil, however it has a completely different taste to that which you're probably used to. It lacks the toasted nuttiness that standard sesame oil has.

Why is Sesame Oil so good for skin?

• Sesame oil is high in zinc, which helps your skin produce collagen. This gives your skin more elasticity and helps repair any damage.
• It may also help slow down the ageing process, as the oil contains an antioxidant called sesamol, which prevents the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
• Sesame oil is also known for its use as a natural sunscreen due to it's high levels of Vitamin E (however always practice caution when in the sun).
• It's highly anti-inflammatory, which makes it ideal for those with sensitive or active skin (acne prone) and helps fight off bad bacteria.

You can find the best quality organic, cold pressed sesame oil in our Dusk by Adele Cleansing Oil.

Moral of the story?

Choose organic, cold pressed sesame oil for cosmetic use - and please don't use toasted sesame oil on your skin! 

Adele x