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Lipids & Fatty Acids

Tamanu Oil

Also known as: Calophyllum inophyllum oil, Foraha oil, Green tamanu oil

The Pacific wound-healing oil — calophyllolide's documented skin-repair chemistry with a small but credible clinical file.

  • By IngredientWiki Editorial Team
  • Fact-checked by IngredientWiki Editorial Team
  • Updated 2026-09-26
  • 2 min read

In short

Tamanu oil is pressed from the nuts of Calophyllum inophyllum, a coastal tree of the Pacific islands, where it has served as a wound and skin remedy for centuries. Its signature components — calophyllolide, inophyllum compounds, and a high proportion of unusual fatty acids — give it documented anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and collagen-stimulating activity in laboratory studies. Clinical research is limited but consistent: small trials and case series show improved wound healing, scar softening, and relief in some eczema presentations. It is a thick, green, nutty-scented oil best used on small areas. Nut allergy is the main caution.

  • Nut oil of Calophyllum inophyllum, Pacific island remedy
  • Actives: calophyllolide, inophyllums, unusual fatty acids
  • Small trials: wound healing, scar softening, eczema relief
  • Thick green oil for targeted use; nut-allergy caution

What is Tamanu Oil?

Tamanu oil is the Pacific's answer to skin repair — a thick, green oil with a scent like earthy nuts and a traditional dossier built over centuries of island medicine. Modern chemistry has begun to explain the tradition: calophyllolide and related coumarins in tamanu inhibit inflammation and bacteria while nudging fibroblasts toward collagen production — exactly the profile a wound-healing oil should have. The clinical literature is small but points one direction. For scars, cuts, and stubborn dry patches, tamanu has quietly earned its reputation.

Where it comes from

Natural sources

  • Pressed from nuts of Calophyllum inophyllum, native to Pacific islands and Indian Ocean coasts
  • Traditional Polynesian and Melanesian wound, scar, and skin remedy
  • Actives: calophyllolide, inophyllum coumarins, calophyllic acid

How it's made

Cold-pressed green oil; used neat or at 1–10% in balms and scar products.

What it does in products

  • Anti-inflammatory activity (calophyllolide)
  • Collagen synthesis stimulation
  • Antimicrobial and wound-healing support
  • Emollient occlusion

Benefits

Wound and scar healing

moderate evidence

Small trials and case series report faster healing and softer, less visible scars with tamanu application — backed by consistent laboratory data.

Inflammatory skin conditions

moderate evidence

A randomized trial in mild eczema found significant symptom improvement; smaller reports cover psoriasis and acne-adjacent inflammation.

Antimicrobial activity

emerging evidence

Laboratory studies document activity against acne-associated and wound bacteria — supporting its traditional first-aid role.

Side effects & safety

Allergic reaction in nut allergy (rare)Patch-test before use; cross-reactivity possible.
Contact irritation on open wounds (uncommon)Traditional use includes wounds, but modern guidance prefers patch-testing.

Safety considerations

  • Topical use in small amounts generally considered acceptable; no specific data.
  • None known.
  • Not for: Tree-nut allergy

How it's used

In supplements

Not taken orally as a supplement.

In skincare

Neat on small areas or 1–10% in balms; warm between fingers before application.

Regulatory status

  • Cosmetic ingredient; not approved for wound-treatment claims.
  • INCI name on cosmetic labels: Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil.
  • Assessed as safe in cosmetics.

Popular products containing Tamanu Oil

  • Aura Cacia Tamanu Oil — 100% cold-pressed tamanuAura Cacia · Skincare
  • Kiehl's Creme de Corps variants — Tamanu-containing body careKiehl's · Skincare
  • Life-flo Pure Tamanu Oil — Organic cold-pressed oilLife-flo · Skincare

Product names and brands are shown for reference and belong to their respective owners.

The healing chemistry

Calophyllolide reduces inflammatory cytokines while inhibiting bacterial growth, and the oil's unusual lipid fraction (including calophyllic acid) supports fibroblast activity and collagen deposition. Laboratory models of wound closure consistently favor tamanu treatment — the chemistry matches the tradition.

What the human data show

A 2002 randomized trial in eczema found tamanu significantly better than placebo over 2 weeks; case series in burns and surgical scars report faster, softer healing. The trial base is small — decades of traditional use and laboratory consistency carry much of the credibility.

Frequently asked questions

Does tamanu oil work on old scars?

It softens and improves scar appearance in small studies, with best results on newer scars. Old, mature scars are less responsive.

Why is tamanu oil green?

The green tint comes from its coumarin and resin content — it is a marker of the unrefined, active oil rather than a defect.

Can I use tamanu oil on acne?

Its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory profile suits inflamed spots, but it is heavy — dab on lesions rather than using as an all-over facial oil.

The bottom line

Tamanu oil is a traditional wound-and-scar remedy with chemistry that checks out and a small but consistent clinical file — a targeted skin-repair oil, not a daily moisturizer.

References

  1. Tamanu oil: a review of its therapeutic properties. PubMed Central. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30986296/
  2. Tamanu oil in eczema: randomized trial. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12410533/
  3. Calophyllum inophyllum and wound healing. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29249213/