Nature has given us a bounty of moisturizing, nutrient-dense oils to nourish our skin. You probably know about coconut oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, and even rosehip seed oil for skin beauty. But what about beyond the basics?

We went on a quest for the highest quality natural ingredients when we developed our collection of skincare. On this journey, we discovered exotic plant oils that may be lesser known to the average consumer but have been loved by locals for centuries.

We've already taken a deep dive into Hawaii's native kukui nut oil. And our next ingredient spotlight lands on buriti oil. The cold-pressed oil from the fruit of South America's Buriti Tree is filled with protective antioxidants and nourishing essential fatty acids your skin loves.

Ready to learn more? The experts at YUNI Beauty share where buriti oil comes from, its benefits for your skin, and how to use the powerhouse ingredient in your daily routine.

What is buriti oil?

Buriti nut oil comes from the superfruit of the moriche palm tree indigenous to the Amazon rainforests of Brazil. The massive palm trees produce a bright orange fruit that's harvested for nutritional value and its rich oils. The moriche palm is not to be confused with palm oil, the vegetable oil commonly produced in the tropics of Southeast Asia. Buriti fruit farming is a sustainable practice providing a source of income to locals and catalyzing large-scale rainforest conservation.

The buriti palm and its fruit are incredibly important to the native people of Amazonia. In Brazil, the plant is regarded as "the tree of life" because of its positive impact on the economy and nutritional value. The fruit of the buriti tree, often called Aguaje in South America, is eaten fresh, pressed into juices, and used in delicious desserts.

One of the most outstanding characteristics of buriti oil is its high concentration of the antioxidant beta carotene, which gives the fruit its vibrant orange-red color. In fact, this nut oil is the richest source of beta carotene found in nature, with research showing it contains five times more beta carotene than carrot oil. This potent antioxidant protects the skin from oxidative stress like UV rays while supporting collagen production.

Due to the powerful stores of antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids, buriti oil can be used as a natural sunscreen while hydrating the skin. Although formal studies on buriti oil are recent, the native residents of the Amazon have been protecting their skin by using it for centuries.

Buriti oil skin benefits

Buriti nut oil (aka Mauritia flexuosa) is a nourishing oil that provides several health benefits for skin, nails, hair, and overall vitality. The exotic oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and E, and is packed with oleic essential fatty acids that protect your skin from damage. Plus, these same fatty acids work wonders to reduce inflammation. The miracle oil can be especially relieving to those with acne, dry skin, aging skin, sunburn, and even those with sensitive skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.

1. Moisturizes skin. The best natural moisturizers have a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, and buriti oil is no exception. The nut oil is packed with oleic and palmitic fatty acids that deeply penetrate and protect the skin's barrier. Plus, the emollient properties of vitamins E and A create a thin, protective layer that locks in moisture.
2. Restores skin elasticity and firmness. As we age, our skin produces less collagen, the protein that plumps our skin and keeps it from sagging. After we turn 20, we make about 1% less collagen in the skin each year, says Scientific American. But the rich stores of vitamin A and vitamin E in buriti oil help increase collagen production, plumping fine lines and wrinkles, and restoring elasticity.
3. Anti inflammatory properties. The high fatty acid content of buriti oil provides calming benefits to ailments such as acne, redness, irritation, and sensitive skin. You'll also find significant relief when applying the oil to sunburns.
4. Anti aging benefits. Buriti oil is rich in beta carotene, and once it's applied to the skin, it converts to vitamin A, making it a natural retinol. Vitamin A is known to increase cell turnover and collagen production, which starts to slow as we age. Therefore, buriti oil makes for a wonderful plant-based alternative to chemical retinoids.
5. Protects against photo damage. Buriti oil's high concentration of carotenoids offers excellent protection against sun damage. Studies have even found buriti oil beneficial when applied along with sunscreen to protect skin against the sun's harmful UV rays. Bonus: the vitamin C in buriti oil helps fade sun spots that are already present.
6. Calms breakouts. We've all tried the typical ointments to treat breakouts that always seem to cause more irritation. Instead, soothe acne flare-ups with plant-based buriti oil. The anti-inflammatory fatty acids calm the area, while vitamin A increases cell turnover and unclogs pores. Plus, buriti oil is noncomedogenic, so its light texture won't cause any additional congestion.
7. Antioxidant protection. When the body becomes overloaded with free radicals, it causes oxidative stress, one of the primary contributors to premature aging. Since your skin is so exposed, it's highly vulnerable to environmental stressors. But, antioxidant-packed buriti oil helps fight off free radical damage and prevent signs of premature aging, while improving overall texture.

How to use buriti oil

Before you purchase buriti oil, make sure you choose a product that utilizes the oil in its most natural state. Pure buriti oil is made through the process of cold pressing. When an oil is extracted using heat, the beneficial vitamins and compounds from the plant can diminish.

Now that you've learned about all the incredible benefits of buriti nut oil, here are some ways to incorporate it into your beauty and wellness routines.

1. Moisturizer. You can take advantage of all the nourishing and anti-aging benefits of buriti oil by adding just a few drops to your daily moisturizer. However, buriti oil truly shines when it's combined with other valuable plant extracts and oils. Take YUNI's Active Calm Firming Facial Moisturizer, which incorporates additional anti-inflammatory ingredients like Green Tea and Turmeric extracts with the anti-aging power of edelweiss.
2. Sunburn soother. The soothing, anti-inflammatory properties of buriti oil make it a great antidote to sunburn. Plus, the high antioxidant content will counteract any free radical damage caused by the sun. Apply buriti oil or buriti-infused creams to tender skin immediately after sun exposure and every few hours until the sunburn has calmed.
3. Hair and scalp treatments. Hair care products that contain buriti oil protect color-treated hair with the oil's natural UVA/UVB photo-protective properties. The lightweight oil can also be combed through wet hair as a strengthening mask or massaged into dry ends for added shine and moisture. Lastly, buriti oil is a common ingredient in scalp treatments to combat flakiness and psoriasis.
4. Massage oil. There are several natural ways to reduce muscle soreness, but massage certainly wins as our favorite, especially if it includes products that work to ease inflammation and nourish the skin. Ask your therapist to include buriti oil in your next deep tissue massage to naturally calm inflamed muscles while hydrating parched skin.

Is buriti oil right for me?

As you can see, buriti oil benefits a wide variety of skin types, including aging, dry, acne-prone, and sensitive skin. The exotic oil is a fantastic everyday moisturizer, but the wealth of vitamins and antioxidants takes buriti oil to the next level.

Natives of Brazil have been using buriti oil as a natural sunscreen for centuries. There've also been recent studies examining the photo-protective properties of the nut oil. However, buriti oil isn't FDA-approved as an effective measure for sun protection, so it's best not to use it alone as a sunscreen. Although, if you enjoy spending your days in the sun, buriti oil will make an excellent addition to your after-sun and age prevention routines.

With all the benefits of buriti nut oil, it's no surprise that the buriti fruit holds a wealth of nutrients, too. If you're able to get your hands on the superfruit, you'll enjoy the nutritional benefits from provitamin A and omega fatty acids necessary for bodily health and vitality.

Have you ever used buriti oil? We think it's going to be the next big thing in skincare. You can test out the antioxidant and hydrating effects of the Amazonian oil for yourself in our best-selling Active Calm Firming Facial Moisturizer.