Rosewood and Litsea Cubeba Imperial Jade Body Oil is a blend of six plant oils, grape seed, apricot kernel, marula, argan, pomegranate seed and mongongo, with vitamin E, scented with rosewood, litsea cubeba and bergamot. You use it on damp skin straight after a bath or shower, a few warmed drops at a time, and it leaves skin looking luminous and feeling deeply nourished, with a warm, clean scent. This guide explains what each part of the formula does, so you know what you are putting on your skin and why it behaves the way it does.
Built for glow and scent in one step
We made this oil for people who want two things from a single product: skin that looks softly lit, and a scent that lasts close to the body. It pours as a pale, silky liquid and glides over damp skin, leaving a satiny finish with no tacky film. There are no butters or waxes, and no water, so a few drops go a long way.
It is a different blend from the original Imperial Jade Body Oil, which is built around Kalahari melon seed oil and comes in three other scents. The rosewood oil has its own base, chosen to carry its citrus-wood fragrance.
The oils, one by one
Grape seed and apricot kernel: the base
The blend is built on these two, and they give it its easy, light spread. Grape seed oil, pressed from the seeds left after winemaking, is very light, thin and quick to absorb, with almost no residue. Apricot kernel oil, cold-pressed from the kernels inside apricot stones, is silky and rich in oleic acid, and leaves skin soft and smooth. Together they make the oil glide rather than drag, so it covers legs and arms quickly.
Marula and argan: suppleness
Marula oil comes from the kernels inside the stone of the marula fruit, from the savannas of southern Africa. It is rich in oleic acid yet light for an oleic oil, and leaves skin comfortably moisturized. Argan, from south-western Morocco, is balanced between oleic and linoleic acids and leaves a soft, non-greasy finish. These two are what make skin feel supple afterward rather than simply slick.
Pomegranate seed: a rare fatty acid
Pomegranate seed oil is light and dry and absorbs quickly. It is unusual for its punicic acid, a fatty acid found in very few plant oils. It leaves skin soft and smooth. It is also very prone to oxidation, which is one reason the storage advice below matters.
Mongongo: the dry, silky touch
Mongongo, or manketti, is pressed from the kernels of a nut tree in the Kalahari woodlands. It absorbs fairly quickly and has a dry, silky feel that keeps the whole blend from feeling oily. It is one of the oils this blend shares with the original Imperial Jade.
Vitamin E acetate
Tocopheryl acetate is a stable form of vitamin E. It adds antioxidant care and helps keep the oils fresh.
Every one of these is listed in our Ingredient Library, with where it comes from and how it feels.
The scent: rosewood, litsea cubeba, bergamot
The fragrance is the point of this oil, and it comes from our own perfumery. Rosewood gives it a smooth, polished woodiness. Litsea cubeba adds a bright, lemony lift. Fresh bergamot rounds the two together. The result is balanced, clean and modern, citrus over soft woods. Warmth brings it out, which is why it opens most fully on skin that has just left the shower.
How the formula shapes the way you use it
Damp skin, because the base is light. Grape seed and apricot kernel oils spread a long way over damp skin. Pat dry after the shower, leaving skin slightly damp, then apply.
Warm it, because the scent needs heat. Hold a few drops between your palms for ten seconds before applying. The oil becomes easier to spread and the rosewood and litsea cubeba open in the air.
Long strokes, because it glides. Begin with your legs, sweeping upward from ankle to thigh, then do your arms from wrist to shoulder. Use slow circles across the chest and stomach. No pressure is needed.
A short wait, because it absorbs fast. Give it a minute or two before dressing. It should feel absorbed, not slick.
In winter or in dry, heated rooms, use it every day. In warmer, more humid months, a few times a week may be all your skin wants. On the driest areas, our Rejuvenating Body Cream in the same scent can go on over the oil.
Storing it well
Keep the bottle capped, at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. Pomegranate seed oil is delicate and light and heat speed up oxidation, so a cupboard or a shaded bathroom shelf is better than a sunny windowsill. Stored this way, the oil keeps its fresh scent and silky feel.
Questions about the rosewood oil formula
Does the rosewood oil contain Kalahari melon seed oil?
No. Its oils are grape seed, apricot kernel, marula, argan, pomegranate seed and mongongo. Kalahari melon seed oil is in the original Imperial Jade Body Oil, and in our matching body wash and body cream.
What does litsea cubeba smell like?
Bright and lemony. In this oil it lifts the smooth, woody rosewood, and bergamot rounds the two together.
I am allergic to stone fruit or almonds. Can I use it?
Apricot kernel oil is a stone-fruit kernel oil, so people with stone-fruit or almond allergies should patch test on a small area first, or ask their doctor.
Why does storage matter for this oil?
Pomegranate seed oil oxidizes easily. Keeping the bottle capped, cool and out of direct sun helps the oil stay fresh.
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