Tamanu oil for hair: what it is, what it does, how we blend it
Tamanu is the thick, dark green nut oil of the Pacific: a medium-rich active with a strong nutty, buttery scent that a small share is enough of.
| Role | Active oil |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3 of 4, medium-rich |
| Chosen for | Scalp comfort |
| On the label | Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil |
| In our blends | Not in a signature blend yet |
| Builder limit | Up to 10% of a hair blend |
| Allergy | Tree-nut oil. Tell the quiz you are allergic and we block it everywhere. |
What it is
Pressed from the kernels of Calophyllum inophyllum, the oil is about 40% oleic and 30% linoleic acid, with a share of resinous compounds that give it a deep green colour, a heavy body and a distinct scent. It is a tree-nut oil, blocked by the quiz and builder if you have an allergy.
How it feels on hair
Weight 3 of 4, medium-rich, and thicker than its class: it spreads slowly and leaves a definite, slightly waxy finish. The scent is nutty and buttery and shows at 10%.
Who reaches for it
People who know tamanu and want it in a scalp or lengths blend they control. It is not in a signature blend, and it is not for fine hair.
Where it sits in our blends
No signature blend uses tamanu yet, which makes it one for the builder: start from a blend that is close and swap it in, or build from scratch. Every blend is weighed to the gram and the recipe is printed on the label.
How to compose with it
The builder allows tamanu up to 10% of a hair blend; 5% is usually enough. Put it behind a softer active like baobab over a jojoba or argan base, and pick an essential oil that can carry its scent: vetiver, patchouli, cedarwood.
Good to know: Tree-nut oil and a strong scent. Tell the quiz about allergies; start at 5%.
Compose with tamanu Find your formula
Weighed to the gram and blended to order in New Jersey, with the recipe printed on the label. For external use only; patch test before first use. Every oil, with its INCI name, is in the oil library.