What Kukui Nut Oil Does in a Body Scrub

In a body scrub, kukui nut oil is what stays behind after the grit rinses away. We put it in our Hawaiian Black Lava Body Caviar, alongside five other oils, because it is light, rich in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, and sinks into freshly polished skin quickly, leaving it soft and moisturized rather than tight or slick. The salt and sugar do the buffing; kukui and its companion oils decide how your skin feels when you step out of the shower.

Why a scrub needs the right oil

Salt and sugar on their own would buff away dull surface skin and leave it feeling bare. The oils in a scrub do three jobs. They hold the crystals together as a paste you can scoop and spread. They cushion the grit as you massage, so the scrub glides rather than scratches. And they are what is left on your skin once you rinse.

That last job is where the choice of oil matters most. A heavy oil can leave a film you want to towel off. Kukui, Aleurites moluccana, is one of the most polyunsaturated oils there is: roughly 40 percent linoleic acid and 25 to 30 percent alpha-linolenic acid. Those fats have kinked chains that do not pack tightly, so the oil stays thin, spreads easily and absorbs fast.

The six oils in Lava Body Caviar

Kukui does not work alone. Our Hawaiian Black Lava Body Caviar Body Scrub with Charcoal blends six oils: safflower, coconut, macadamia, kukui, passion fruit seed and Kalahari melon seed. Each pulls its weight in a different way.

• Kukui nut oil brings fast, light moisture that leaves no slick.
• Kalahari melon seed oil, our hero ingredient, is light and dry to the touch and helps skin hold moisture.
• Passion fruit seed oil is another light, quick oil that leaves skin soft and silky.
• Coconut oil leaves skin feeling soft and conditioned.
• Safflower and macadamia oils round out the blend and give the paste its body in the jar.

Together they make a blend that is rich in the jar and light on the skin. The scent is our Hawaiian Black Lava, musky and woodsy. Charcoal powder gives the scrub its color, black as volcanic sand, and coffee bean adds an aromatic, invigorating texture.

Why the name nods to Hawaii

Kukui is the state tree of Hawaii, and volcanic sand is what the scrub looks like when you open the jar: black as lava, glistening with oil, flecked with coffee bean. Putting a Hawaiian oil into a scrub named for Hawaiian lava felt right. Like almost everything we make, it is made by hand in our Williamsburg workshop, in batches of 50 to 100, a long way from the islands where the tree grows.

How to use it so the oils do their work

1. Stir first. The oils settle on top of the crystals in the jar, as the label says. A quick stir brings them back together as a thick paste.
2. Use it on wet skin. Scoop a little and massage it over wet skin from the neck down, paying attention to elbows, knees, heels and anywhere that feels rough.
3. Rinse with warm water. The salt and sugar dissolve and wash away; the oils stay.
4. Pat, do not rub, dry. Rubbing with a towel takes the oil with it.
5. Seal it in. For extra softness, smooth on a few drops of Imperial Jade Body Oil while skin is still damp. The Imperial Body Glow Bundle pairs the two.

It is for the body only, never the face. Skin feels polished and cushioned, never tight.

Claims we leave out

Kukui nut oil attracts some big claims, and we prefer to say only what we can stand behind. You may read that it is packed with vitamins A and C; the evidence we have supports small amounts of vitamin E and plant sterols, not a vitamin serum. You may read that it soothes a long list of skin conditions; those are not claims we make for a body scrub. And you may read that charcoal in a scrub "draws out impurities." In Lava Body Caviar, charcoal is there for its deep black color.

What kukui does do is plain and useful: it softens, it absorbs quickly, and its linoleic acid helps the skin's surface hold on to moisture.

Who it suits

Lava Body Caviar suits most skin on the body, including skin that feels dry or rough. Because kukui is a nut oil and macadamia is in the blend too, anyone with a nut allergy should check the ingredients and patch test first. Every oil in the jar is described in our Ingredient Library.

Questions about kukui and Lava Body Caviar

Can I use Lava Body Caviar on my face?

No. It is made for the body only. For the face, choose a gentle cleanser such as our Rose Face Wash Cream.

Why do I need to stir the jar?

The oils naturally settle above the salt and sugar. Stirring brings them back together into the thick paste the scrub is meant to be.

What should I put on after the scrub?

Pat dry and smooth on a body oil while skin is still damp. Imperial Jade Body Oil is the natural partner.

Does the charcoal draw out impurities?

That is not a claim we make. The charcoal gives the scrub its deep black color, inspired by Hawaiian lava.