Ximenia oil provides excellent benefits for dry and damaged hair and provides moisturizing and soothing effects on stressed hair.
Ximenia pronunciation is a bit of a tongue twister with the Xi part almost sounding like an S.
Irrespective of the pronunciation, ximenia oil is one of the uncommon natural oils with amazing benefits for hair care.
This article will cover everything you need to know about ximenia oil including benefits for hair as well as two ximenia oil recipes for hair.
What is Ximenia Oil?
The ximenia plant is aka wild plum and sour plum. It is grown in tropical areas of Africa.
The pale orange ximenia fruit are edible and have a tart flavor with a dry after taste.
The ximenia fruit is also rich in Vitamin C and pottassium. A different species of the ximenia plant can be found in a region of the US where it is known as Ximenia americana.
Currently, Namibia remains the main producer and exporter of ximenia oil to the rest of the world.
Traditionally, ximenia fruit is used to make a sour preserve or an alcoholic drink. It can also be used to make a sour type of porridge.
Ximenia oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant. Ximenia seeds are roasted and mashed then the oil is extracted.
Ximenia oil is used as a treatment for dry and chapped skin. It can also be used in the manufacture of soap.
Ximenia oil contains up to 99% saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids making it a stable oil, which is highly resistant to oxidization.
Ximenia Oil Benefits for Skin
- The hight saturated and monsaturated fatty acids makes ximenia oil a moisturizing and soothing treatment for dry and damaged skin.
- This also makes it an excellent anti-aging oil to use on its own or with DIY anti-aging treatments.
- For skin care, ximenia oil pairs quite well with tamanu oil, arnica oil and rosehip seed oil.
To get the benefits of ximenia oil for the skin, consider including it in your DIY body butter or lip butter recipe.
Ximenia Oil Benefits for Hair
- The same reasons why ximenia oil is an excellent oil for dry and damaged skin is the same reason it’s fantastic for hair care.
- Some of the beneficial essential fatty acids include oleic, linoleic, erucic, myristic, palmitic and steraic acids.
- Erucic acid adds shine to dry and dull hair while oleic and linoleic acid enhances softness and moisturization.
- These essential fatty acids also have emollient properties and provide a protective layer over the hair.
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Ximenia Oil Treatment for Dry and Damaged Hair
Ximenia oil would combine quite well with argan oil, sweet almond oil and monoi oil. Based on this, I have put together this excellent recipe for dry and damaged hair
I highly recommend using this recipe after taking out extensions or braids. As your hair has been hidden away for some time, it will be a bit dry.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons of a moisturizing deep conditioner. I recommend Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner or Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Deep Conditioning Treatment
- 1 tablespoon of ximenia oil
- 1 teaspoon of argan oil. Read Top 10 Argan Oil Brands for Skin and Hair
- 1 teaspoon of sweet almond oil or monoi oil
Directions
- Shampoo and condition your hair as usual then wrap a microfiber towel around your strands while you prepare the mix. If you don’t know what a microfiber towel is, read Benefits of Microfiber Towels for Curly Hair.
- Add all the ingredients into a big bowl and mix together then place over a bigger bowl of boiling water.
Leave for about 10 minutes or until the deep conditioner is warm then mix again. - While your hair is still damp, section and apply the deep conditioner from root to tip.
- Work into that section then twist. Repeat for your whole head then pin up all the twists with the ends exposed and piled on top of your head.
- Sit under a hair steamer for 30 minutes. This allows the treatment to penetrate properly.
- Rinse and apply a great moisturizing leave-in conditioner then style your hair.
- This treatment is also a great idea before installing any extensions or braids. Repeat as often as you deem necessary.
You can switch the oils but do not replace the ximenia oil as this is the star of this recipe.
Another tip – ensure the deep conditioner you’re using doesn’t have any strong proteins in it.
Ximenia Oil Hair Butter
This butter can be used for braid outs and twists out. The key is the technique as well as the products applied prior to using the ximenia oil hair butter.
Ingredients
- 4 oz butter like shea butter, mango butter, cupuacu butter or another type of butter.
- 1 tablespoon of beeswax like Mary Taylor Naturals Beeswax
- 2 tablespoons of ximenia oil
- 1 teaspoon of castor oil
- 1 teaspoon of argan oil
- 5 drops of vitamin E oil
- 5 – 10 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of star anise essential oil
Plant Origin Unrefined Shea Butter
Majestic Pure Organic Mango Butter
Cebra Ethical Skincare Cupuacu Butter
Directions
- Place the shea butter, mango butter or cupuacu butter into a clean bowl and put on top of a bigger bowl of boiling water. This is to soften the butter so you can work with it.
- While this is going on, melt the beeswax on the stove then add it to the softened butter and whisk thoroughly with a whisk before it cools down.
- Add in the ximenia oil, castor oil, argan oil and vitamin E oil and whisk again. This is quite a task so you can use an electric hand whisk like Bella Hand Immersion Blender with Whisk Attachment if you arm isn’t up to the task.
- Add the lavender essential oil and star anise essential oil and whisk again.
- Pour the hair butter into a jar like this one and your ximenia oil hair butter is ready.
Bella Hand Immersion Blender with Whisk Attachment
How to Use Ximenia Oil Hair Butter
After shampooing and deep conditioning your hair, apply your leave-in followed by a creamy styler like Qhemet Biologics Amla and Olive Heavy Cream.
Section your hair into 4 – 8 parts and pin up then take down one part and section into even small parts.
Apply a little bit of the ximenia oil hair butter to the smaller parts. Detangle with fingers or a brush like this one then braid or twist.
Wait until your hair is completely dry then apply a little bit of marula oil to your hands before taking out the braids or twists. Marula oil has silicone-like effects on hair.
You can expect a super defined and soft style that will last for up to a week if properly preserved at night.
You can also use equal parts of different types of butters for this recipe. For instance, I would mix shea butter and cupuacu butter. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
To refresh the style, you can make a DIY spray out of aloe vera juice or gel. Read Aloe Vera Gel for Hair for more on this.
Where to Buy Ximenia Oil?
Pure ximenia oil has a thick and sticky consistency with a strong, sour smell, which may come across as rancid to some people.
Keep this in mind when your order arrives. If you’re not using it in its pure state, the smell will be dissipated once you mix it with something else.
Alia Pure Ximenia Oil
Shakara Natural Ximenia Oil
Swazi Secrets Ximenia Oil
Ximenia Oil Beauty Products
- The Body Shop Spa Of The World African Ximenia Scrub
- Aromatherapy Associates – Overnight Repair Mask
- Kiehl’s Since 1851 – Butterstick Lip Treatment SPF 25
- Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream
This post contains affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase through those links. Read full disclosure HERE.