Think of tropical oils in skincare, and coconut oil springs to mind first. Its buttery texture, versatility, and viral fame as a "miracle" ingredient have cemented its place in skincare and haircare routines worldwide. Today, we shine light on a lesser known but equally extraordinary oil: Babassu oil. Derived from the nuts of the babassu palm, native to Brazil, this golden elixir is quietly revolutionizing natural beauty. At YOGH®, we use ingredients that are natural and effective, and babassu oil checks both boxes. In this article we share why it deserves a spot in your skincare.

Your face goes through constant shifts caused by the sun, the wind, pollution, screens, aggressive cleansing and stress. Each one steals away moisture, leaving skin tight, dried out and vulnerable to irritation. Daily moisturisation isn’t just a beauty ritual; it’s what keeps softness supple, glow intact, and fine lines from writing themselves too soon. It doesn’t have to be an endless skincare routine, nor do you need a complicated cream formula—nature already offers what your skin truly needs. 

A Tropical Secret with a Story

If skincare ingredients had their red-carpet event, coconut oil would be the celebrity in the spotlight. Just behind it, waiting for its well-deserved turn to shine, is Babassu oil, also called Cusi (INCI: Orbignya oleifera)—a silky, lightweight, nourishing oil cherished for centuries in Brazil yet still unknown in much of the world.

Yes, coconut oil is often praised for its moisturising properties, but babassu’s lighter texture and lower melting point mean it absorbs faster, leaving no greasy residue. This makes it ideal for all skin types—from dry, flaky skin that craves hydration to oily or acne-prone skin that needs balance.

Why Coconut Took the Spotlight

Coconut oil usually takes the spotlight as as the darling of natural beauty shelves, promoted as a cure-all—and even preferred for cooking among “healthy” food gurus.

Why does coconut oil enjoy star status, while babassu oil—its close botanical cousin—is tucked away in niche formulations?

At first glance, it seems like coconut oil is “better known.” In reality, its fame has as much to do with economics as with efficacy. During the colonial and post-colonial periods, coconut production expanded massively, driven by trade and low cultivation costs. International food and cosmetic industries quickly recognized its versatility. It could be used for cooking oil, soap-making, transformed into emulsifiers and surfactants, and bottled as a “miracle” beauty oil. Its wide cultivation made it cheap, accessible, marketable, and profitable.

This is not to demonize coconut oil — all cultures have developed their traditions of natural skincare and remedies, based on what mother nature provides. Coconut oil has been used for centuries across coastal regions of Asia and the Pacific, just as shea butter has in Africa, or olive oil in the Mediterranean.

But what about Latin America? In Brazil for example, babassu once played a central role in local economies and beauty traditions before being overshadowed on the global stage.

Babassu never entered the industrial scale. Its production stayed local, tied to forests rather than plantations, and to traditional economies rather than global export chains. Without the marketing push, it was overshadowed—even in Brazil where cheaper imported palm oil began replacing it in the cosmetics industry by the late 20th century.

Since the late 1980s, babassu production has been in decline, due to deforestation and industrial agriculture destroying vast stretches of babaçuais forests. Cheap Asian palm oil replaced babassu in Brazil’s cosmetics industry, threatening the livelihood of over 200,000 people who depended on it.

Babassu Oil’s Secret Sauce for a Skin Superhero

Beneath babassu’s modest reputation lies a treasure of unique skin properties.

Babassu oil is a cocktail of nourishing fatty acids and antioxidants:

• Lauric and myristic acids – These fatty acids have natural skin-conditioning, antimicrobial and anti-viral properties. Oleic, stearic and palmitic acids –this trio of fatty acids penetrate the skin to deliver deep nourishment strengthening the skin’s protective lipid layer, locking in moisture and shielding against environmental stressors.
• Vitamin E neutralises free radicals that accelerate aging and support skin cell renewal. Studies show vitamin E can reduce inflammation, making it a gentle ally for eczema-prone or sensitive skin.
• Phytosterols are plant compounds with natural anti-inflammatory power that soothe skin prone to redness, sensitivity or flare-ups, helping restore a weakened skin barrier. Phytosterols also play a role in supporting collagen production, which keeps skin firm and elastic.

These molecules don’t just sit on the surface. They actively help strengthen the skin’s barrier by supporting the production of ceramides, the lipids that keep skin firm and hydrated.

This unique composition is why babassu feels so deliciously different on the skin. With its rare balance of lightness and strength, it glides on and sinks in without heaviness, yet has enough substance to protect and repair.

Babassu and Coconut Oils: Same-Same but Different

If lauric acid is ringing a bell with you, it’s probably because you recognize it as the star component of coconut oil. Lauric acid is what makes coconut oil such a fabulous ingredient. It is the lauric acid in coconut oil that is extracted for use as a mother’s milk replacement.
Babassu oil is being examined as a possible alternative to coconut oil for this very reason.

Despite the lauric acid similarity, there are tangible differences between coconut and babassu oil.

Coconut oil is greasy-feeling and slow to penetrate the skin while babassu oil is quite the opposite. It melts in and absorbs super quickly.

Babassu Oil Suits Every Skin Type

Unlike coconut oil, which can linger on the skin and clog pores, babassu oil absorbs almost instantly, leaving a silky finish. With a melting point similar to that of our skin, it is solid at room temperature, but melts upon contact with skin.

It suits all skin types: from dry to oily to sensitive and acne-prone:

• Great for sensitive skin
• Good penetration
• Film forming
• Emollient
• Well tolerated by most skin types

For anyone who avoids oils out of fear of breakouts, Babassu oil is a game-changer.

Research on natural oils shows that not all behave the same way on the skin. For example, oils with very high levels of oleic acid such as olive oil, can weaken the skin barrier if used excessively, while those with a balanced mix of fatty acids reinforce hydration and improve barrier repair. Babassu oil’s unique profile—lightweight yet rich in essential fatty acids—delivers moisture and leaves the skin barrier intact and strengthened.

This explains why it feels so comfortable across all skin types.

The Tree of Life

Babassu oil comes from the seeds of the Babassu palm tree), native to the Amazon and northeastern Brazil. Locals call the Babassu palm the “Tree of Life” because every part serves a purpose:

• The fruit yields oil for food, medicine and skincare.
• The husk becomes charcoal, a vital fuel source for rural families.
• The leaves are woven into mats, roofs and baskets.
• The trunk serves as timber for construction.

This is a tree that gives endlessly, weaving itself into daily life. Unlike cultivated palms, the Babassu trees live for astonishingly long spans—often over 200 years—guardians of both communities and the ecosystem, generation after generation.

Women at the Heart of Babassu

Cracking open those seeds is no small feat. For centuries, it’s been the work of “quebradeiras de coco”, women coconut breakers, who pass down the tradition of hand-harvesting Babassu nuts. Their labour sustains families and communities, and forms cooperatives that protect access to the Babassu forests against industrial agriculture, making Babassu a cultural heritage and a livelihood.

A Reliable Pocket Moisturiser for Your Skin

YOGHSKIN® Babassu & Geranium Nourishing Facial Stick builds on a powerful trio:

• Babassu oil – moisturising, nourishing, smoothing, rejuvenating, with macadamia oil adding extra regeneration.
• Olive squalane - a skin-loving molecule nearly identical to our skin’s own lipids—locks in hydration while keeping sebum production balanced.
• Geranium essential oil to balance and tone the skin, adding a floral note that calms both skin and senses.

All work wonders for your skin:

• Melt into your skin, instantly smoothing fine lines, erasing their appearance.
• Lightweight, power-packed deeply moisturising treatment that revives dry, flaky patches with intense, on-the-go hydration.
• Prevent trans-epidermal moisture loss and supports the skin barrier function.
• Keep makeup flawless: stops creasing, boosts bendability all day.
• A clean, travel-ready stick that slips into any purse or pocket and applies directly—no mess, no spills, just effortless care wherever you are.

This stick reflects YOGH’s philosophy: not a dramatic overnight transformation, which is impossible not matter what other brands promise you or ingredients they use, but a steady, reliable ally of your skin.

Your skin will feel the difference immediately: more elastic, hydrated firm and resilient, with a fully restored natural balance and barrier.

Get healthy glowing skin with YOGHSKIN® Babassu & Geranium Nourishing Facial Stick.