Description

A light, yet rich oil, Sesame Oil is very stable with a long shelf life. This is partly because its unsaponifiables contain natural anti-oxidants, namely sesamoline, sesamine and sesamol. It is a food staple in Asia, and known throughout the world as an important part of Tahini and Halva. Rich in vitamins and minerals, Sesame is a thick oil yet known to be a good choice for all skin types. It is used in Ayurvedic medicinal preparations, especially to balance Vata, and is said to be rejuvenating and very skin healing.

It is a wonderful massage oil that penetrates the skin easily, and provides highly nourishing care. Some say that Sesame is one of the oils with the highest UV protection, but final products would have to be clinically tested to make any such claims.

Aromaland offers the refined version that does not have the strong scent of the unrefined Sesame Oil. However, a slight Sesame flavor can be detected.

Soap Making
Sesame is a great soap ingredient because of its high content of Linoleic acid and the high amount of unsaponifiables (the unsaponifiables are the oil components that do not turn into soap, reacting with sodium hydroxide, but that remain unchanged, offering therapeutic qualities to the bar). However, you need to complement this oil with other, more saturated fats, like palm or coconut oil, limiting its percentage to <10%. You also need to make sure you use the refined version (such as Aromaland’s Sesame Oil) rather than the unrefined oil, which has a strong aroma that is detectable even after scenting it with Essential Oils.

Components of Sesame Oil:

• • Linoleic Acid 35-50%
  • Oleic Acid 35-50%
  • Palmitic Acid 7-12%
  • Stearic Acid 3.5-6%
  • Unsaponifiables 5-10%

(Quoted from S. Parker, A study of lipids. Proportions may vary due to the plant-based nature of the product).