Baobab oil is an ingredient that will become increasingly prevalent in the cosmetics industry over the coming years. It is the cold pressed oil of a seed from a tree found mainly in Africa (there is a species that is also found in Yemen and another in Australia). These trees from a botanical perspective are quite extraordinary. Water is stored in the trunk of the tree and the lifespan of a tree can be up to one thousand years.
Baobab oil is nutrient rich – high in vitamins A C and E as wells as omegas three and six, so it is a great ingredient for skincare and hair care. The Phytospecific Baobab Oil is actually a corn, castor seed and sunflower seed oil blend. This probably explains why it was not rich enough for me as a body oil. It did not pass my eight hour opaque tights test (my skin was dry by the end of the day).
On the hair, it can be used a variety of ways. It is recommended for use on dry and or damp hair but I found that it need to damp my hair before using this oil. I used it has a hair dress, a couple of times a week after spraying a water based product into my hair I would follow with the Baobab oil. Not my favourite way to use it as my hair does not respond well to corn oil and that it the major constituent of the product.
The best way I found for my hair to use it was a pre shampoo hot oil treatment. I have ALOT of hair (waist length) so I got through a third of a bottle. The oil is house in glass (hurrah) so I put the bottle into a sink with hot water in it to heat the oil (a trick gained from Elemis). I also added a couple of drops of rosemary essential oil to the blend as it did not have any (although the product is fragranced).
This product is not cheap (£22.50) so it warrants the glass bottle and the pump is functional but for me the efficacy of the product is not great than other oils that I have used which cost a fraction of the price. I understand that some consumers prefer not have a heavily fragranced product but PhytoSpecific pride themselves on being a brand which uses botanicals. In my opinion, this oil would have provided the perfect opportunity to showcase that. For me this product falls into the good not great category but I have very dry hair and skin. If you have tried and this product let me know what you think.
PhytoSpecific Baobab Oil is available from Feel Unique and other stockists and retails for £22.50