Hazelnut Oil ~ Books of Shadows

Hazelnut Oil

corylus avellana

Hazelnuts yield a pale amber oil
with a pleasant aroma.
Its composition is similar to almond oil
for which it's often substituted.
This is the only fixed nut oil
with an astringent quality, making it beneficial
for use on oily skin.
It absorbs quickly and is useful
as a base for oily oracne-prone skins.
It may be useful against thread veins and has
been usedinternally in cases
of urinary stones, kidney colic and tapeworms.
May be used full strength or in 10%-15% dilution.
This oils is relatively new for soapmaking.
Only two fatty acids account
for 90% of its fatty-acid
content and both of these are unsaturated.
With nearly 80% oleic acid and 10%
linoleic acid, hazelnut oil is one
of the most highly unsaturated vegetable oils.
When incorporating hazelnut oil
into your soapmaking recipe,
be sure to include more saturated fats and oils
in the formula for more normal tracing times.
With only 7% saturated fatty acids,
hazelnut oil is slow to saponify.