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What is Emu Oil?
Australian Aborigines knew the benefits of Emu oil skincare. Thousands of years ago, when the Emu birds were taken for their meat, the oil from the bird’s fat was used to treat minor aches and pains, protect the skin from the elements, and to help heal wounds quicker.
Emu oil is extracted from the fat of the Emu bird. When the bird is processed for its meat, the fat is taken and rendered into oil. Emu oil is a superior skin moisturizer that absorbs quickly, leaving no residue behind.
The shelf life of this oil is 1 – 1.5 years.
Is Emu Oil an Ethical Practice?
Emu oil is a food by-product. Emu’s are primarily raised for their meat and eggs, and in the process, their fat is turned into oil.
The rise in the demand for Emu oil has helped Emu farmers sustain their businesses and livelihoods. Every part of the Emu bird is utilized, feathers are sold for crafts, and Emu skin is sold to the leather industry.
If you are a strict vegan, you may want to avoid this oil. There are other, vegetable-based oils that will work just as well at moisturizing your skin (such as avocado oil).
You can find Emu oil that comes from ethically raised Emu’s, you just need to do your research and make sure the company you are buying from is raising their Emu’s humanely.
What Skin Conditions is Emu Oil Good For?
Emu oil has given relief to people suffering from skin conditions such as:
Emu oil helps these conditions by bringing much-needed moisture into the skin, reducing inflammation and helping with cell turnover and regeneration.
Skin Benefits of Emu Oil
Here is a video about the benefits of Emu oil for the skin.
Emu oil has not been scientifically proven to cure the many things it is claimed to, but it is in the process of being tested more and more. What is known, is that it is an excellent emollient. It helps the skin retain moisture, and it appears to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Emu oil is non-comedogenic, it will not clog your pores, this makes it a great moisturizing oil for people with acne and rosacea.
In an experiment on mice skin, at UMass Lowell, found that Emu oil reduced skin thickness caused by inflammation by 70% (fish oil, a known anti-inflammatory, decreased skin thickness by 55%). Source
The major fatty acid in Emu oil is oleic acid (47%). It also contains 20% linoleic acid and 1-2% alpha-linolenic acid.
Oleic acid increases skin penetration, allowing nutrients to be delivered deep into the skin. It helps our skin retain moisture and is anti-inflammatory.
Emu oil is non-irritating, it is believed to help with wound healing, it accelerates the healing of damaged skin.
Emu oil is anti-aging because it replenishes fat stores in the skin that keep it looking young and soft.
Emu oil is used in skincare because it is non-comedogenic (it will not clog pores), it absorbs deep into the skin, it is rich in moisturizing fatty acids, and it has anti-inflammatory properties.
What is the Best Type of Emu Oil?
There are different “grades” of Emu Oil, with grade A being the highest. For the best quality, look for grade A Emu oil.
There are a few different refining processes for Emu oil:
Traditionally distilled Emu oil will contain impurities.
Molecular distilled Emu oil is better than traditional distilled. It involves spinning the oil over metal plates, causing the heavier molecules to separate from the oil.
A physical refining process used by a brand called OOROOBA uses natural clays to absorb impurities, bacteria, and pigments, which are then removed through filtration. This creates a safe, sterile, and odorless Emu oil.
Look for Emu oil with the AEA Certified seal, this will guarantee your Emu oil has been refined and processed properly, ensuring its nutrients are still intact without impurities.
The American Emu Association has created strict guidelines for the processing and labeling of Emu oil:
The AEA Certified Emu Oil™ Program was developed to establish quality control measures to ensure that pure emu oil legitimately displaying the AEA Certified Fully Refined® seal or being marketed using the corresponding verbiage is a high quality product that meets or exceeds the industry recognized standards for Fully Refined Grade A Emu Oil as defined in the Emu Oil Trade Rules (rule 103).
Recommended Emu Oil
The best Emu oil I have found is by OOROOBA. They make high-quality Emu oil from Emu birds that are raised on farms in the USA. No growth hormones, steroids or antibiotics are used. Emu’s are very robust animals and are not prone to disease. Their oil is AEA Certified.
How to Use Emu Oil
Emu oil can be used alone, or you can find products containing Emu oil. There are a variety of lotions and balms available. I like to use pure Emu oil because then I don’t need to worry about my skin reacting to any other ingredients. I like to keep things simple.
Using Pure Emu Oil:
place a small amount onto your hand and lightly rub into your skin, it will penetrate quickly so no need to rub too much. If you are left feeling greasy, you have probably used too much.
for a lighter application, mix your Emu oil with a bit of water and apply it to your skin.
put a teaspoon in your bathwater (careful as it may make your tub slippery).
Do you have any Emu oil stories to share? Do you think Emu oil is a humane industry? Let us know in the comments below.
Yours In Beauty, Andrea
About Andrea
Andrea has been blogging about organic and natural skincare for over 5 years and has been practicing her own natural lifestyle for over 20 years. She is a mother of three with a passion for helping people make the switch to non-toxic skincare. Learn more about Andrea here. And if you have a passion that you would love to share with others, click here to learn how to share what you love - on your own website!
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