Ximenia Seed Oil Expressed

Common Name

Ximenia Seed Oil Expressed

INCI Name

Ximenia Americana Seed Oil

Origin

 Mozambique / Namibia / Zimbabwe / Tanzania / South Africa

Source

Ximenia is a small shrubby tree which is found mostly in the African savannah. Its fruit is a kind of small yellow plum, with tender flesh and a hard brittle stone in the centre containing a single kernel. The kernel contains up to 68-75% oil content. Ximenia Seeds are firstly removed from the fruit either using manual labour or by a machine called a Decorticator which strips away the tough outer husk and then mechanically pressed to yield a viscous Pale Yellow to Golden Yellow Vegetable Oil with a slightly nutty odour.

Qualities

Ximenia Oil is viscous Oil stable against oxidation due to high concentration of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Ximenia Oil has been used by African women for centuries to soften their skin and condition their hair. There are scientific studies showing the Ximenynic acid in Ximenia Oil stimulates the sebaceous glands which enhance the skins ability to protect itself.

AVERAGE FATTY ACID COMPOSITION
Saturated fatty acids
Palmitic ac. C16:0 0.5 – 4.5%
Stearic ac. C18:0 0.5 – 2.0%
Arachidic ac. C20:0 <1.0%
Behenic ac. C22:0 <2.0%
Lignoceric ac. C24:0 1.5 – 4.0%
Cerotic ac. C26:0 1.5 – 4.5%
Montanic ac. C28:0 <4.5%
Melissic ac. C30:0 <5.0%

Unsaturated fatty acids
Palmitoleic ac. C16:1 <1.0%
Ximenynic ac C18 :1 triple 5.0 – 21.0%
Oleic ac. C18:1 38.0 – 56.0%
Linoleic ac. C18:2 <3.0%
alinolenic ac. C18:3 <3.0%
Stearidonic ac. C18:4 <4.5%
Eicosenoic ac. C20:1 0.5 – 3.0%
Erucic ac. C22:1 <2.5%
Docosatetraenoic ac. C22:4 <2.0%
Nervonic ac. C24:1 3.0 – 13.0%
Ximenic ac. C26:1 3.5 – 9.5%
Octacosenoic ac. C28:1 6.0 – 17.0%