Walnuts for skin: Yay or nay?

After Kylie beauty spruced up controversy with the walnut mask, people are left wondering whether to leave walnuts to their brownies, or to also make them a part of their skin-care routine. 

What is the controversy?

Walnuts do have a contentious relationship with skin care. Of many of its uses, one is as an exfoliant. Many people, and products, use the shells from the nut to make scrubs. 

However, physical exfoliants, especially the shells, are too harsh for the fragile facial skin. Alongside abrading the skin, these scrubs can also lead to inflammation as well. 

They may also then irritate the skin, meriting a visit then to the Skin specialist in Islamabad then. Moreover, there is also the matter of nut allergies to contend oneself with. 

However, the proponents of walnuts for skincare sing a different tune. For them, raw walnuts have little relevance to the skin care, and walnut shells have absolutely no business in being added to the beauty product, but it is the walnut oil that is the prize winner.

Walnut oil 

While you can also eat walnuts for to have not just a healthy body, but healthy skin as well, however, its oil is also emerging as the next big nut-oil. Formally known as Juglans regia seed oil, walnut oil is made from the meat of the walnuts, and naturally, is extremely healthy. 

Benefits of walnut oil 

Better wound healing 

Our skin plays an important role in our immunity. When it is broken, pathogens can find their way into the body. Hence, it is imperative that wound healing be fast for the body to protect itself. Walnut oil facilitates the process of wound healing in the body. 

Emollient 

An emollient is any product that has the ability to soften or smoothen skin. Walnut oil has been hailed as an emollient. And therefore, it helps in keeping the skin supple and smooth. 

Has antiaging properties 

Alongside keeping your skin plump, walnut oil also helps in making it look youthful. It prevents premature wrinkle formation. Moreover, walnut oil also vitamin E, that helps in preventing damage from the environment that contributes towards wrinkle and fine line formation. 

Soothes skin

Walnut oil also helps in soothing irritated skin. 

Helpful for eczema 

Ask anyone suffering eczema how difficult their life is with the skin disease. Alongside constant itching and discomfort, there is also the matter of dry patches. Extreme case of eczema may also lead to stiff and painful skin patches that resemble a wound. 

Walnut oil has properties that can potentially help in improving the symptoms of eczema, and therefore, improve the lives of people suffering from this condition. 

Great moisturizer 

A good moisturizer not only helps the skin look dewy, but it also prevents premature aging. Walnut oil has great moisturizing properties, and helps in improving the water barrier, thereby preventing water loss from the skin as well. 

Rich in antioxidants

Free radicals are the substances that are produced by processed around the body. Our diet and environment may contribute towards their greater production. When there are more free radicals in the body, it undergoes oxidative stress, during which healthy cells get damaged. 

Antioxidants, like walnut oil, on the other hand, help in neutralizing the free radicals and protecting the cells against damage. For skin, they help also in improving appearance, as naturally, damaged skin cells also cause the complexion to become dull as well. 

Moreover, antioxidants also protect against sun damage, and damage rendered by pollution and similar environmental factors. 

One caveat

One caveat of walnut oil is that it has high levels of oleic acid. This can then promote clogging of the pores, which then leads to breakouts, white and black heads. People with oil skin or acne prone skin should be careful about its use; try to consult the Best dermatologist in Lahore before experimenting with the oil.