A Bird
Worth Its Weight in Oil; Aboriginal Healing Oil Now a Beauty Aid
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--May 26, 1999--In the central desert of
Australia some 50,000 years ago, the Aborigines used medicinal plants, herbs
and animals to relieve countless afflictions.
One common remedy was emu oil. The emu, a ratite or flightless bird, was
prized for its most valuable attribute -- oil that aids healing. The unique
properties of emu oil were reportedly discovered by the Aborigines when they
began collecting the oil as it dripped off the hide, and started using it as a
pain reliever for muscles and joints and as an anti-inflammatory substance for
burns.
In some cases of wound healing, the "patient" was placed in the
sun and wrapped in the hide with the fatty side, which contains the oil,
facing toward the skin. It's the emu's fatty acids, which are similar to those
normally found in human skin, that help hydrate the skin, enabling it to
retain moisture, making it softer, firmer and more elastic.
Beauty professionals across the country are touting the benefits of emu
oil. Found in numerous cosmetics, soaps and shampoos, it has been reported
that the oil also thickens aged, mature skin, making it appear younger. One
study reported that 100 percent emu oil rubbed into the skin twice daily would
thicken the skin by 14 percent.
The oil is highly penetrating and won't clog pores. It can help people
whose skin is parched, cracked and has lost its smooth, healthy look.
The Aborigines relied on the healing bird to treat their wounds, burns and
to remedy skin aliments. Today, emu oil is proving to be a wonder for
moisturizing and beauty. It has grown into an industry with more than 1,000
emu oil products sold in health and natural food stores, through the Internet
and direct mail.