The French also have their"treasure oil"! No need to travel very far. It is located in the south-west, in Gascony. A nugget of sweetness and delicacy, this plum oil, often organic, is rich and nourishing. But, compared to other vegetable oils, this typically French ingredient offers a serious asset in addition: its fragrance which smells ! It can be found in cosmetic treatments or nourishing body scrubs, as well as family ranges where its tolerance works wonders..;
Prune de Gascogne, or prune d'Ente, with which the famous prune d'Agen is made, is a specialty of the South-West, and more particularly of the Lot-et-Garonne. It is a variety of plum of the species Prunus domestica . Ente plums have a dark purple colour with characteristic bluish reflections and a very sweet honey-coloured flesh. Real treasure of sweetness and greediness, studied on the cosmetic plan recently, vegetable oil is obtained by pressure of the almond located in the core of the plum, and very often put aside by the agro-food industry. After drying and husking the cores, the almonds are crushed then pressed in a screw press to obtain the desired oil (INCI: Prunus domestica seed oil). This virgin oil, first cold pressed, usually of organic quality, is then simply decanted and filtered. 100% pure and natural, softening and very softening, with a rich and nourishing texture and a velvety touch (the opposite of a dry oil with a"puddle effect" texture that gives the impression of"coating" the epidermis without penetrating !), it provides a deep feeling of nutrition and works wonders on dry and sensitive skin, but also on dry hair.
Above all, it has an enchanting olfactory quality which is its signature. Its bitter almond and frangipane smell is really delicious and addictive! Both subtle and gourmand, it is almost a perfume on its own, unlike other vegetable oils which, for the most part, smell only… oil! Naturally rich in antioxidant vitamin E, it preserves the youth of the skin while presenting a very good stability with oxidation. Its composition also contains a high content of omega 6 and 9 (linoleic acid and oleic acid especially), essential fatty acids essential for skin balance.
Rich, nourishing and fragrant body care…
If you can discover it pure at Aroma-Zone, which offers it in food quality in different capacities (Organic Plum Vegetable Oil, €1.50 per 10 ml, €4.90 per 30 ml or €12.50 per 100 ml), you will find it, combined with other ingredients, in different body care products, as Aroma Nutrition Rich Nourishing Body Cream from Decléor (200 ml, 38 €), or, in the form of oil and butter from Prune de Gascogne accompanied by essential wax from mimosa de Provence, in the Nourishing Cream for dry skin from the Aromatherapy range from the Académie Scientifique de Beauté (44 €, 50 ml). As it does not require any masking fragrance, it offers an excellent tolerance that seduces family brands such as SkinHaptics (Shower Gel Body & Hair with cotton and plum oils, 400 ml, 16 €; Body Massage Oil with cotton, plum and sunflower oils, baby, child, adult, 125 ml, 21 €), or brands dedicated to expectant mothers, such as Beautanicae, which uses it in its Successful Organic Stretch Marks Balm (150 ml, 27 €).
… or ultra-comfort scrubs
Plum kernel powder can also be used as an exfoliating agent (INCI: Prunus domestica seed powder). This is the case of the Body Scrub with Pastel Seed Pastel Oil (150 g, 23 €).
The oil of plum of Gascony is still little used in the face care and it is a shame! We have only seen it so far in Acorelle's new Cleansing Oil (125 ml, 16 €), a certified organic cosmetics brand that sits precisely in the Lot-et-Garonne ! It should also interest perfumers. No doubt this oil doesn't count as plums!
Ariane Le Febvre
