AÇAÍ

Oil (berries) — Origin: Amazonia

Euterpe oleracea, Euterpe precatoria

THE AMAZON’S GOLD

In Amazonia, there are two types of açaí: açaí-do-Pará, Euterpe oleracea, a palm tree from East Amazonia, and açaí-do-mato, Euterpe precatoria, from Central Amazonia. Both grow in hot, humid climates; they thrive best in marshland and help maintain the equilibrium of their natural habitat, namely the forests that line the Amazon River. Keep in mind that the palm tree is a type of grass, albeit a giant one, rather than an actual “tree.” Each infructescence—or cluster—has a few hundred fruits at its top, which take on a deep violet hue when ripe. The açaí’s purple berry boasts potent benefits: it is a godsend for the rural populations that cultivate it.

TEACHINGS FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL

The açaí’s properties were already celebrated by pre-Columbian civilizations, which made abundant use of it: its roots, administered as a decoction, treated jaundice and malaria; its fruit alleviated skin conditions; and its seeds were reputed to bring down fevers. Açaí wine was one of the pillars of these societies’ diets. Thanks to the fruit’s high concentration of antioxidants—ten times that of black grapes—and its protein content, which equals that of an egg, it is now highly prized by proponents of alternative organic and vegan diets.

In the 1990s, the fruit’s popularity spread to Rio, where it can now be enjoyed in açaí bars in the form of ice cream or granola. Its success and worldwide exportation feed a profitable market and foster the development of plantations. Recently, açaí has become an expensive commodity for the Ribeirinhos, the people of the river, who have relied on it for centuries.

THE CRYING FRUIT

Içà-çai is featured in a tragic legend that tells of the immense sorrow of a young woman who, during a particularly severe period of famine for her people, witnessed the sacrifice of her infant daughter and died at the foot of the fruit-covered tree that was to save her people from hunger.

“It is better to grow green again than to always be green.”

MADAME DE SÉVIGNÉ

ON COLLECTING AçAí OIL

Just as rich as it is hard, this precious fruit is 90% seed and 10% pulp. It must be harvested with great care and picked by hand. Pickers have no choice but to climb up the palm tree’s stem—in dry weather so as not to slip. The berries are then cold-pressed. Their densely textured oil is dark and green, much like the primal forest. It oozes a naturally pungent scent, which fades quickly after application.

THE BENEFITS

Spectacularly efficient after a few days’ use, açaí oil helps prevent the skin from drying out and the passage of time from leaving its marks. It is made up of more than 50% oleic acid (omega-9), which improves the skin’s elasticity and contributes to its optimal hydration. High in tannins, it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and astringent properties that make it the best ally of combination as well as dry skin types. Its high concentration of vitamin F protects the cells and fosters their turnover.

JUST A FEW DROPS

Desperate situations call for drastic remedies: açaí oil is the choice elixir of distressed skin. It is highly effective on skin that has been weakened by extreme levels of fatigue, by exposure to high winds and harsh sunlight, or on skin that displays signs of aging. Its smell is a bit too pungent to be applied in the morning, and its green tinge fades after application. Two or three drops of açaí oil, massaged on a freshly cleansed face every night at bedtime, work wonders! The skin becomes softer, stronger, and more supple. It is refreshed and recovers its firmness.

AÇAÍ OIL–BASED RECIPES

from Officine Universelle

HELP—LIFESAVING MASK FOR SKIN IN NEED

Listen to your epidermis: sight and touch should guide your cosmetic instincts. Tight skin and a dull complexion call for immediate action.

Dilute a teaspoon of açaí powder in two spoonfuls of honey; then gently incorporate the blended pulp of half an avocado. Those with very dry skin can add three drops of açaí oil to this mixture. Put on your bathrobe, clear any loose hair strands away from your face, and apply this supple, bright green mask by hand. Get comfortably settled and leave on for twenty minutes. Rinse carefully and pat dry.

Abracadabra, your skin is now smoothed and soothed; now, don’t forget to drink plenty of water or herbal tea.

MAKEUP REMOVER FOR ALL OCCASIONS

Your skin has endured all your cosmetic experiments—but has it upped its tolerance threshold? Daily makeup removal using açaí oil should be your go-to method, instead of becoming more and more demoralized as you wait for better skin days.

For a very gentle facial cleanse, apply two or three drops of açaí oil to a cotton pad sprinkled—but never soaked!—with rose water. Run the pad gently over the whole face and neckline in small circular motions without ever actually rubbing the skin. It is recommended not to rinse, nor to leave to air-dry, but rather to pat the face and neck with a fine, clean, dry cloth.

An ideal cleanse that leaves your skin immaculate and soothed.

SPECIAL SERUM FOR SPLIT ENDS

Having fallen victim to the “blond princess syndrome,” and despite all sound advice, you refuse to cut your brown hair and wear your split ends proudly. Come to your senses and care for your hair with açaí oil.

Several times a week, apply two drops of açaí oil and one drop of hemp oil—gently warmed and mixed between your palms—onto the bottom third of your hair, brushed or unbrushed, depending on the intended effect: this combination efficiently heals split ends and protects the hair from further damage.