About Kalahari Melon Seed Oil

Kalahari Melon Seed oil should not be an overlooked ingredient when deciding on a cosmetic formulation. It is the mother of melon oils.

The melon grows mainly in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa – in the heart of the dry Kalahari Desert. Known by its Latin title Citrullus lanatus, this melon is one of 1,200 melons found worldwide and is the oldest melon ancestor.

Also known as tsamma, wild watermelon, bitterboela, karkoer, wild watermelon, makatane or mokaté and is one of 1,200 varieties of melon. Kalahari melon oil is distinct from regular melon seed oil. The melon has a bitter taste and serves as an essential water source for desert inhabitants when surface water is unattainable.

It is known that the San people can survive for six weeks consuming the Kalahari melons alone. The seeds are ground and used as sunblock and skin nourisher when mixed with water.

Once the melon is harvested, they are sliced open and the seeds gathered. The seeds are nutritious and edible, rich in magnesium, potassium, folate, zinc, protein and iron. The seeds are dried in the sun and are cold-pressed to extract the oil.

Benefits & Uses

• An excellent choice for a natural facial cleanse. It helps unclog pores and removes excess sebum from the skin’s surface.
• The oil is rich in linolenic acid – making up to 70% of its content.
• It is antioxidant-rich, thereby hydrating and tightening the skin.
• Assists with scars and skin repair due to high concentration of Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids.
• Hair conditioner or by adding a few drops to your shampoo.
• Used as baby oil.
• Mixed in massage oils.

Cold-Pressed is Best

Cold-pressing is the most common and effective method of extraction.

Sustainability

It is a seasonal plant that produces one crop per year. It is a much easier plant to grow to extract the seed oil. It does not need as much time as the Baobab, Mongongo, or Marula trees to bear fruit. It is usually wild-harvested and has an important influence on the lives of the gatherers. It is drought-resistant and has valuable dietary attributes.