When Babassu Oil, also known as cusi oil, is a clear light yellow vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the babassu palm (Attalea speciosa), which grows in the Amazon region of South America. It is a non-drying oil used in food, cleaners and skin products. This oil has properties similar to coconut oil and is used in much the same context. It is increasingly being used as a substitute for coconut oil. Babassu oil is about 70% lipids, in the following proportions:
| Fatty acid | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Lauric | 50.0% |
| Myristic | 20.0% |
| Palmitic | 11.0% |
| Oleic | 10.0% |
| Stearic | 3.5% |
Lauric and myristic acids have melting points relatively close to human body temperature, so babassu oil can be applied to the skin as a solid that melts on contact. This heat transfer can produce a cooling sensation. Babbasu is an effective emollient.
Sun Island Body Care currently handcrafts two different soap bars where Babassu Oil is the primary vegetable oil replacing Coconut oil. This was to fulfill customer requests for a soap that does not contain any Coconut oil, as these customers have Coconut sensitivities. The cost of using Babbassu as a primary carrier oil is greater than Coconut, however, and therefore the cost of these soap bars is a little greater than our soaps made with Coconut oil.
Here are links to the product pages: BlackBerry Sage Babassu Goat's Milk Soap with Shea Butter and the No Fragrance Babbassu Goat's Milk Soap with Shea Butter.