Peach Kernel Oil

Peach kernel oil is a true emollient. It fills the microscopic roughness on the skin's surface, so skin feels softer under the fingers and looks smoother and more even in the mirror. On skin that has gone tight after washing, a few drops settle it within a minute, and rough patches on knees, elbows and hands look less obvious.

This is the reason people who dislike facial oils get on with peach kernel oil. Its high oleic content gives it a soft, almost powdery finish rather than a wet shine, so it sinks in and stays put instead of sitting on the surface. Make-up goes on over it without sliding, and a pillowcase stays clean.

Smoothed onto slightly damp skin, peach kernel oil forms a light layer that slows the water escaping from the surface, so skin stays comfortable through the day instead of turning tight a few hours after a shower. It is a useful last step over a serum or cream, and it works as well on the body as on the face.

Worked through mid-lengths and ends, peach kernel oil coats the hair shaft and lies down over the cuticle, so hair looks glossier, combs through with less snagging and shows fewer flyaways by the afternoon. It is light enough for fine hair to take without going lanky, and it softens a dry scalp when massaged in before washing.

Smooth three or four drops onto clean skin, alone or under a cream, for a soft finish that suits dry and normal skin especially well. Warming the oil between your palms first helps it spread further, and peach kernel oil already spreads further than most. Using more than four drops is what makes any facial oil feel heavy.

Long slip and a light body make peach kernel oil one of the better massage bases, used neat or blended into heavier oils to loosen them. It gives enough glide for a full back without needing constant topping up, and its faint natural smell stays quiet under whatever essential oil blend you work into it.

Massaged onto dry skin and lifted away with a warm cloth, peach kernel oil dissolves make-up, sunscreen and the day's grime without leaving skin feeling stripped or squeaky. Its light texture rinses clear with a follow-up wash. Work it in on dry skin rather than damp, because water on the face first stops an oil cleanser from gripping properly.

For makers, peach kernel oil is a versatile base for facial oils, serums, lotions, balms, hair oils, lip products and soap. It blends readily with jojoba, argan, rosehip and apricot kernel oil. Being oleic-dominant rather than polyunsaturated, it sits in the middle stability tier, so it holds up better in a finished product than the lighter seed oils do.