“Sarvesham taila jaathanaam tila taila prasasyathe Balarthe snehane”. Ayurveda considers "Tila Taila" or Sesame oil as the queen of all oils. It is best known for nourishing and strengthening the skin.
Also known as the Fountain Of Youth, Sesame oil is one of the healthiest oils. Loaded with essential nutrients, it is a vital ingredient in Ayurvedic medicines. Did you know Sesame oil is used as the base product for over 90 percent of ayurvedic treatments? The oil's rich nourishing, calming, and warming properties make it an ideal option for an Abhyanga (self massage).
Sesame Oil Benefits For Skin
Sesame oil is a rich source of a powerful antioxidant called sesamol that prevents cell damage caused by the free radicals. It also helps in reversing the skin damage caused by UV rays, pollution and environmental toxins. Sesame oil is also anti-inflammatory in nature.
Sesame oil works towards balancing out seasonal discomforts that impact our overall health, hair, and skin. When used regularly on the skin, it ensures a well-nourished, luminous complexion and youthful skin.
Read on to unravel more secrets about nature's wonder, Sesame Oil
Top 11 Benefits Of Sesame Oil For Skin
Well known as the "queen of oil seeds," the sesame seeds are loved worldwide for their health, culinary, and beauty benefits. Did you know Sesame seed oil has natural SPF properties in them? Therefore, we can use it as a natural sunscreen. Let’s explore some more fascinating benefits and uses of Sesame oil for skincare.
Sesame Oil Makes Your Skin Baby Soft And Moisturized
When you have Sesame oil at home, you don't need to buy body oil separately. Sesame oil can make your skin soft, smooth and radiant. The powerful combination of linoleic acid and fatty acids in the oil makes it one of the best natural moisturizers for dry skin. They form a thin protective layer on the skin to trap moisture.
Sesame Oil Help Prevent Premature Aging
Loaded with antioxidants, Sesame oil has an age reversing effect on the skin. It helps prevent premature aging while making your skin appear youthful. The fatty acids and vitamins help repair damaged skin cells while reducing enlarged pores, wrinkles, and fine lines on the skin. When applied regularly to your skin, it can visibly prevent fine lines and wrinkles from showing up.
Sesame Oil Helps Treat Acne
The abundance of antibacterial properties of Sesame oil makes the oil a perfect home remedy to treat blackheads, whiteheads, and other kinds of stubborn acne.
Sesame Oil Can Heal Your Skin
Let's say you have cut or scraped your skin against something rough; Sesame oil is the first thing you need to apply as it calms the skin and heals your cut or wound. It helps enhance blood circulation and nutritional supply to the skin, which can lead to rapid recovery of the damaged skin. The quicker you apply the oil, the less likely the wound will leave any scars or marks on the skin.
Sesame Oil Is A Natural Sunscreen
Ran out of sunscreen? Sesame oil is at your rescue. Apply a generous amount of Sesame oil on the skin 30 minutes before you step out in the sun. The antioxidant properties in the oil will form a protective layer on the skin and shield your skin from penetrating the harmful UV rays.
Sesame Oil Helps Heal Cracked Heels
The nourishing and healing properties of the Sesame oil help heal cracked heels during winters. Apply the oil to the cracked soles of your feet before going to bed and leave it overnight. You can also use Sesame oil to moisturize your feet when doing a pedicure at home.
Sesame Oil Removes Dead Skin Cells
Sesame oil helps in gently removing accumulated sebum, dead skin, dirt, oil-soluble toxins, and other pollutants from the skin. It acts as a natural cleanser. This, in turn, helps brighten the skin and make it supple and smooth.
Sesame Oil Balancing Skin pH levels
The polyphenols present in the Sesame oil help restore the skin barrier's natural balance. They also help in preventing the skin from getting too dry or oily.
Sesame Oil Helps Treat Skin Conditions
Sesame oil is rich in Vitamin B and E, which help soothe skin rashes and fade scars. It is also very effective in treating skin conditions like inflammation, eczema, athlete's foot, psoriasis, and redness.
Sesame Oil Prevents Skin Pigmentation
The natural anti-tanning properties of Sesame oil make it an excellent barrier against the sun's harmful rays. Its powerful SPF properties help in preventing hyperpigmentation in the skin.
Sesame Oil For Ayurvedic Self-Massage
The calming, warming and nourishing Sesame oil is one of the most popular oils for an Ayurvedic self-massage. Sesame seed is sweet, astringent, bitter, and pungent with a heating effect. The warm and soothing properties of the oil are especially balancing for Vata Dosha (those who often experience dryness when out of balance). The healing properties of the oil also make it perfect for Kapha Dosha.
The following are a few other benefits of using Sesame oil for an ayurvedic self-massage.
Now that you know about the many benefits of Sesame oil for your skin, let’s understand some of the best ways to use it.
How To Use Sesame Oil For Skin?
You can either apply Sesame oil directly on the skin and massage it for a few minutes or mix it with your regular skin care products to get the maximum benefits from it. However, the following are a few other ways of incorporating Sesame oil in your skincare routine.
To use Sesame oil as a cleanser, apply warm oil on the body and massage it for 10 minutes before showering. Leave the oil on for five minutes and wipe off using a warm towel. Take a shower right after to keep the pores clean.
To use Sesame oil as a moisturizer, add a few drops of it to your daily moisturizer and use it regularly. Voila, you will eventually have happy skin every day.
To use Sesame oil for acne, dab it on the affected areas and leave it overnight.
You can add a few drops of the oil into your regular face scrub and exfoliate twice a week for added benefits.
To use the Sesame oil as sunscreen, apply a generous amount on the skin 30 minutes before hitting the sun.
How To Choose The Best Sesame Oil?
Many brands sell Sesame oil in the market, but not all are of good quality. You need to choose the best quality as you will use it in many ways. The key characteristic of the purest Sesame oil is its unique fragrance. You need to choose a pure, unroasted, cold-pressed Sesame oil with a pleasant and mild aroma, unlike the strong odor from roasted sesame.
When it comes to the texture, pick the oil that is light. Because the lighter the oil, the better the quality. Difficulty in finding the purest sesame oil? Don't worry! We are at your rescue. Kama Ayurveda's Organic Sesame Oil is 100% natural and the most refined, lightly fragrant, pure cold-pressed Sesame oil available in the market.
Kama Ayurveda's Organic Sesame Oil
Kama Ayurveda's all-natural organic Sesame oil works as an excellent absorbent and repairs damaged skin. It is perfect for Abhyanga as it enhances blood circulation leaving it soft and radiant. Kama Ayurveda's Organic Sesame oil is a pure, organic, and natural treatment to condition, smoothen, and nourish skin from head to toe. It repairs damaged skin and hair to give them a healthy glow.
The light and soothing cold-pressed Sesame oil is nutrient-rich with Vitamins A, B. E and an abundance of minerals. It quickly penetrates the skin and scalp and neutralizes the damaging effects of the environment.
When applied to the hair, Kama Ayurveda's Organic Sesame Oil revitalizes and smoothes hair (especially heat-damaged hair), helps treat dandruff, and acts as a deep conditioner.
Benefits
Kama Ayurveda's Organic Sesame Oil is 100% natural and cold-pressed. It is fast-absorbing and non-sticky.
It helps in repairing damaged hair, neutralizing environmental damage, especially effective in revitalizing and restoring heat-damaged hair.
Kama Ayurveda's Organic Sesame Oil revitalizes and smoothes skin visibly. When massaged regularly, it increases blood circulation to leave it revitalized, radiant, soft, and smooth.
The oil is suitable for all skin and hair types.
How To Use
Warm a small amount of the oil in your hands.
Massage it all over the face and body gently for a few minutes.
Let it sit on for about 30 minutes before washing it off with a mild soap or body cleanser.
For hair, you can simply massage enough oil onto the scalp and hair from root to tip. Let it sit on the hair for about 20 minutes before washing it off with a mild hair cleanser and warm water.
Other Kama Ayurveda Products That Contain Sesame Oil
The following are the other Kama Ayurveda products that contain Sesame oil. If you need additional benefits, do try them out.
Muscle Tone Firming Treatment Oil is a rich treatment to nourish, tone, firm, and improve the appearance of sagging skin, cellulite, and stretch marks. Besides Sesame seeds, the oil also contains Turmeric, Lavender, and Butter.
Nalpamaradi Thailam Skin Brightening Treatment is a powerful ayurvedic skin de-tanning and brightening treatment that can be used on both face and body. The key ingredients are Sesame seeds, Turmeric, Slmonds, and Vetiver.
Sesame oil is suitable for all skin types; if you experience itchiness post-application, wash off immediately. Avoid too much application of the oil on the scalp as the fatty acids can cause inflammation and irritation on the scalp. So, it is always recommendable to do a patch test and see it works for you. You can also consult your trichologist or dermatologist if required.
Does Sesame oil cause breakouts?
No. Sesame oil helps treat breakouts. However, if it is combined with essential oils or any other skincare products you are allergic to, it might cause the skin to break out. So, if you are experiencing any breakouts, it is better to stop using the oil completely.
Can we use Sesame oil on the face?
Yes, you can use Sesame oil on the face. However, it is always advised to check with your dermatologist before using it. Alternatively, you can do a patch test first. If you observe no allergic reactions, you should definitely include sesame oil into your skincare regimen.
Sesame oil is made by crushing and pressing the ripe seeds of sesamum Indicum L. There are various types of processing methods that involve intensive manual techniques or chemical extraction methods.
Sesame oil is considered one of the best oils for skin, hair, and health. Now that you know the importance of the oil, why not give it a try? Start slowly and document your experience. If it worked for you, you could recommend it to your family and friends. As mentioned in the FAQ, it is highly recommended to do a patch test before using the oil on your skin and hair. If you have more questions about using Sesame oil for your skin, you can get in touch with our Ayurvedic beauty experts.
About the Author
Shreya Dalela
Shreya Dalela is a certified Yoga instructor and a professional dancer trained at The Danceworx. She’s passionate about Ayurveda and holistic living with over 6 years of experience in doing extensive research and content creation in the domain.
About the Reviewer
Dr. Kanchan Kachroo
Certified Ayurvedic Doctor (Central Council of Indian Medicine)
working in Kama Ayurveda as an Assistant Training Manager.