Tamanu oil is pressed from nuts of either Calophyllum inophyllum (usually) or Calophyllum tacamahaca (ati), tropical trees belonging to the Calophyllaceae family. The nuts yield 70–75% greenish-yellow inedible oil.

 Many people assume tamanu (species Calophyllum inophyllum) is an essential oil, but it’s actually a fatty nut oil. It can be used as a carrier to dilute essential oils, or alone to moisturize and heal the skin. 

The tamanu tree is a tropical tree found in Asia and Australia. Its bark is ridged with a light grey color, and the wood is used for building boats and cabinets. (The sap and fruit of the tamanu tree are poisonous) 

The oil is collected from the fruit seeds of the tree. The nuts have to be cracked, and the seeds have to be removed and dried in the sun for 1 to 2 months. This allows the oil to accumulate in the seeds. The seeds are then de-shelled and pressed to extract the oil. The raw oil is filtered and then packaged for sale.

 Many of these essential fatty acids are naturally found in your body and are used to lubricate your skin and keep it healthy. Not having enough fatty acids changes your skin’s structure and function. It can cause water loss and dry, scaly skin.

 Tamanu oil comes from the seeds of the tamanu tree, but it is classified as a nut tree. If you are allergic to nuts, you shouldn’t use tamanu oil. While tamanu oil can be used for the skin, it’s toxic if taken internally. Don’t eat tamanu oil as a supplement. 

Tamanu oil benefits: 

For Acne A study looked at tamanu oil from five different parts of the South Pacific.Trusted Source It found that the oil exhibited high antibacterial and wound-healing activity against bacterial strains involved in acne, including Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) and Propionibacterium granulosum (P. granulosum). There’s also evidence of the oil’s anti-inflammatory properties. Together with its ability to kill P. acnes and P. granulosum, tamanu oil may also be helpful in treating inflamed acne.

 For Scars Tamanu oil has been used to successfully treat scars in a hospital setting. Numerous biological studies have shown that tamanu oil has wound-healing and skin regeneration properties.It’s been shown to promote cell proliferation and the production of certain components of your skin — including collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) — all important in the healing of scars. 

For athlete’s foot Tamanu oil is believed to be an effective remedy for athlete’s foot, a contagious fungal infection that affects the skin of the feet. Though the effects of tamanu oil specifically on athlete’s foot have not been studied, there’s quite a bit of evidence backing the oil’s antifungal properties.

 For wrinkles Tamanu oil is an active ingredient used in many skin care products, including anti-aging creams. The oil is rich in fatty acids, which can help keep skin moisturized. It also contains antioxidants, which fight against damage from free radicals.

 For dry skin Skin dryness is a condition commonly treated with use of oils. Tamanu oil happens to have a high fat content, so it’s likely very moisturizing for the skin. 

For fading stretch marks As with acne scars, most people try to fade their stretch marks with moisturizing, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory treatments. Tamanu oil emulsion was used on hospital patients in two studies to treat resistant and postsurgical wounds.Tamanu oil improved healing and led to significantly less scaring. 

Tamanu oil for insect stings Some people use tamanu oil to treat insect stings. But while tamanu oil does work as an anti-inflammatory, there’s no research yet into its effects on bug bites.

 For sunburns and other burns Some people use tamanu oil to treat their sunburns and other burns.