The cooler temperatures and dry air of winter can be tough on your skin. Luckily, macadamia oil is a skin care all-rounder that provides perfect protection for skin during winter. 

When it comes to skin health, macadamia oil is a wonder ingredient at any time of year. But it really comes into its own during winter when we need extra moisture to cope with the taxing conditions. 

Macadamia oil can be used on its own as a lightweight, non-greasy moisturiser, a makeup remover and an oil-based facial cleanser. But that’s only the beginning of the many ways to use macadamia oil in your winter beauty routine. In fact, it’s easy to transform a humble bottle of macadamia oil into various products for your hands, feet, face, lips and hair to help you cope with the extra stresses that winter can bring. 

Beauty benefits

Macadamia oil contains several qualities that make it the perfect skin care item at this time of year:

• High in palmitoleic acid. This Omega 7 fatty acid is what helps macadamia oil restore tired, ageing skin back to plump youthfulness.
• Oleic acid. This moisturising, anti-inflammatory quality helps to repair dry and sensitive skin.
• Linoleic acid. This fatty acid helps to restore the skin’s natural barrier, locking moisture in without clogging pores.
• Phytosterols. The same plant-based power ingredients that make macadamias delicious to eat also make them great for skin care. They penetrate to the deepest layers of skin.

Beauty capsule essentials

Develop your own beauty capsule by making your own bath oil, face mask, body oil, body scrub and lip balm. We’ve created these shopping and pantry lists to make curating your beauty capsule easy.

Beauty capsule shopping list

• Cosmetic grade macadamia oil

Instead of grabbing your bottle of cooking oil from the pantry, invest in a bottle of cosmetic grade macadamia oil. Cosmetic-grade macadamia oil has been refined of impurities and has aless f ‘nutty’ smell. You’ll be able to use this oil to make your own beauty products that effectively deliver the benefits of macadamia oil to all the parts of your body!

You can buy high quality Australian cosmetic grade macadamia oil online from a variety of local retailers including: 

• Jindilli
• Thursday Plantation 
• Avilla

A growing number of chemists and health food stores also sell macadamia oil in the massage and natural beauty section.

• Beeswax

A natural byproduct from harvesting honey, beeswax is a surprisingly useful product to have on hand. You can use it to make lip balm, candles or even your own beeswax wraps. Beeswax pellets or bars are available from your local hardware store (including Bunnings) or from various online stores. 

• Dried flowers and seeds

Dried flowers and seeds are so versatile, they can be used in homemade soaps, bath oil or even home crafts. Look for dried botanical flowers with no artificial colourant or additives. Similar to essential oils, there will be many varieties to choose from. Some perennial favourites are dried lavender, rose petals, chamomile flowers and cardamom pods.

• Essential oil

It is important to source high grade, 100 percent pure essential oil which is free from any additives, adulterants, or dilutions. There are a huge range of quality brands available including Australian owned companies such as Essentially Australian and In Essence. The tough choice is which fragrance to select. A few of our favourites include rose, lemon myrtle, bergamot and lavender.

• Shea butter

Shea butter comes from the African butter tree and is used for treating dry or damaged skin. Look for unrefined, fair trade shea butter where possible. 

Beauty capsule pantry list

These are items that you are likely to already have in your pantry or kitchen cupboard or they are readily available from the supermarket. Each ingredient plays a role in creating your own beauty products at home.

• Epsom salts

A naturally occurring mineral salt, Epsom salts are predominantly magnesium. They are often used to relax muscles or relieve stress by adding them to a warm bath and soaking the body. Readily available and affordable from the supermarket, Epsom salts can be added to a body scrub to be used as an exfoliant.

• Honey

Antibacterial and hydrating, the health and beauty benefits of honey have been well documented for generations. We recommend using Australian, local honey.

• Oats

Yes, it is a wholesome breakfast food but oats or oatmeal can also be used on your face and body to soothe or exfoliate skin. Look for it in the breakfast cereal aisle.

• Raw sugar

This ingredient may be somewhat unexpected on a health and beauty list, however raw sugar can deeply exfoliate your skin – and it is 100% natural!

Uses

For face and hair

You’ll be able to use your cosmetic grade macadamia oil directly on your face as an all in one makeup remover, cleanser and moisturiser. Simply dab a little onto a cotton pad and apply to your face. If you need an extra level of cleansing, try making this macadamia and oat face mask. You can also give your hair a deep conditioning treatment by massaging warmed oil straight onto your scalp. 

For body

Use the macadamia oil on the rest of your body in the same way you would your face or add a dash of fragrant essential oil to make a soothing body oil. This can treat your skin and boost your mood over the cooler months. We recommend a zesty lime oil to lift the spirits, but lavender, rose, tea tree and peppermint oils all have beneficial skin care properties.

For exfoliation in winter, whip up a batch of this macadamia and citrus body scrub. It’s all-natural and leaves the skin feeling beautifully pampered, nourished and hydrated. If you’d prefer to buy a ready-made scrub, there are plenty available online or in stores. Just check the item includes Australian macadamias!

For hands, feet and lips

Our extremities can suffer the most in the cooler months, so make sure you give them extra attention in the form of macadamia-rich hand creams and foot balms. These usually combine macadamia oil with beeswax (or other vegan-friendly wax) to help it cling to the skin and stay where it is needed. Our macadamia gardening balm recipe treats both hands and feet.

Chapped lips during winter are the worst, especially if you live in a windy area. Luckily, you can make a high-quality macadamia lip balm at home by simply melting and mixing! And don’t forget macadamias can help skin glow from the inside out. Just a handful a day has proven health benefits to boost your mood in winter as well as improve heart and brain health.

Access all our home-based beauty recipes in one book or head over to our Facebook page to share how you use macadamia oil in your winter beauty routine.