Close your eyes and think of Hawai’i. A warm, island breeze kisses your skin. The smell of the ocean tickles your nostrils. The tropical sun feels like a light blanket, enveloping you as you float between the islands and experience the natural beauty of this pocket of paradise. When you’re ready to explore, you tuck a yellow hibiscus, the Hawaiian state flower, behind your ear and head out. The only thing that would complete this picture of perfection would be gorgeous, flowing hair. Not to worry; Malie Organics has the secret ingredient to make your dream hair a reality and it goes by the name of kukui nut oil.

This unsung hero is one of the foundational ingredients for Hawaiian hair care. Nourishing and moisturizing, kukui nut oil offers plenty of hair benefits. Read on to learn more about kukui nut oil, including how it’s used in hair care and why it may be exactly what you need in your shampoo and conditioner.

What is Kukui Nut Oil?

Do a quick Google search for kukui nut oil and you’ll find a lot of results about its benefits for both skin and hair. This versatile nut oil is dynamic and multifaceted, offering those who use it more than just a glossy sheen.

The Origins of Kukui Nut Oil

As the state tree of Hawai’i, the kukui tree is near and dear to our hearts. Polynesians originally brought the seeds of the kukui tree to Hawai’i centuries ago, around 300 AD. At that time, the kukui nut tree was known as the candlenut tree and the seeds were one of the “canoe plants” Polynesian voyageurs brought with them in canoes on their way to Hawai’i.

Since its introduction to Hawai’i, the kukui nut tree has played an integral role in Hawaiian culture. Hawaiians use just about every part of the tree, from the leaves to the bark to the flowers and sap to, of course, the nuts.

The Uses of Kukui Nut Oil

For generations, Hawaiians have used the oil from kukui nuts in a variety of ways. They started by pressing the oil out of the nuts to be used for religious ceremonies, for painting, and for candles. The oil was also used for practical purposes, such as to coat fishermen’s nets and for body ailments. Kukui nut oil started being used to massage sore muscles, soothe burns, and soften chapped skin.

Eventually, it became evident that the kukui nut oil benefits extended to the hair and skin. This spurred the creation of many innovative beauty products, such as moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, and other hair care products containing the ingredient.

Kukui Nut Oil Benefits for Hair

It’s the composition of the kukui nut that makes it so valuable in hair care especially.

What’s in the Kukui Nut?

Fatty Acids. The high concentration of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, two vital fatty acids, is part of what helps make kukui nut oil a powerhouse ingredient for hair care. These fatty acids in particular help nourish and moisturize both the strands of the hair as well as the scalp.
Vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamins don’t just come from the foods we eat; they also come from the products we use topically. Vitamins A, C, and E have been said to help protect hair from environmental damage and free radicals. They do this by acting as antioxidants, warding off the oxidative stress that might otherwise harm hair cells.

Kukui Nut Oil for Hair

By channeling the power of these essential fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, kukui nut oil promotes the healthy, beautiful hair most people only dream about.

● Hair Strengthener

The first key to healthy hair is strength. Having strong, beautiful, healthy hair comes from giving your body and scalp the right nutrients so your strands are in an environment in which they can thrive. Kukui nut oil offers exactly that. Its nourishing properties help prevent dryness and brittleness, giving your hair the chance to become its most beautiful.

● Hair Moisturizer

Dry hair is the opposite of healthy hair. The last thing you want is to overdry your hair, as this could lead to damage and breakage over time. Kukui nut oil helps combat that without weighing hair down. It’s lightweight in nature while still being intensely moisturizing, giving you just what you need for that “run your fingers through your hair” feeling.

● Reduce Frizz

No one wants unmanageable, frizzy hair but in an effort to combat that, some hair oils go overboard. Kukui nut oil helps reduce frizz by taming flyaways. This makes it ideal for all hair types, including those with curly and wavy hair.

● Enhance Shine

The final component of achieving beautiful Hawaiian hair is for it to reflect a healthy shine. Kukui nut oil helps keep hair shiny long after you’ve shampooed it. It’s in the nature of how the ingredient works, penetrating deep into the hair’s cuticle to heal it from within.

Who would have thought that one nut could do so many things?

Hair Care Products with Kukui Nut Oil

Ready to see the kukui nut oil hair benefits in action on your own hair? Malie Organics has quite the array of products for you. Our organic hair care line contains amazing-smelling shampoos and conditioners all made with kukui nut oil. We prominently feature this star ingredient in our haircare products because we believe so wholeheartedly in its benefits.

Shampoo & Conditioner With Kukui Nut Oil

Take a look at the formulation profile of any of our tropical shampoos and conditioners and you’ll see kukui nut oil as one of the key beneficial ingredients. It’s right next to some of our other star standouts, including green tea leaf extract, avocado fruit oil, hydrolyzed quinoa protein, and macadamia nut oil.

All natural shampoos and conditioners from Malie are made with 70% organic ingredients and are vegan, cruelty-free, and never tested on animals. Bottles are made from 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Material (PCR) to give another life to packaging.

Full-size shampoo and conditioner bottles are 14 oz, while the minis are 2.5 oz.

Our shampoos and conditioners are available in a range of tropical scents including:

Available for purchase as a single shampoo, single conditioner, or as a shampoo & conditioner set.
Available for purchase as a single shampoo, single conditioner, as a shampoo & conditioner set, and as the Mini Plumeria shampoo and conditioner.
Koke’e. Available for purchase as a single shampoo, single conditioner, as a shampoo & conditioner set, and as the Mini Koke’e shampoo and conditioner.
Mango Nectar. Available for purchase as a single shampoo, single conditioner, as a shampoo & conditioner set, and as the Mini Mango Nectar shampoo and conditioner.

Ready to have the most gorgeous hair of your life? It’s easier than you think with Malie Organics. Shop for organic hair care products with us today!

The Hawaiian Hero: Kukui Nut Oil Benefits For Hair