The Babassu palm tree grows wild in tropical areas of Brazil. The tree produces hard-shelled nuts that display in bunches of as many as 600. The nuts are collected and broken open by local Brazilian women known as Babassu breakers. The nuts contain kernels comprised mostly of oil. Much like coconut oil, Babassu starts out as a solid and melts down when heated or just by the warmth of your skin.

Babassu oil is packed with vitamin E, antioxidants and fatty acids with a high concentration of lauric acid which offers anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to lauric acid, it is also composed of other fatty acids including myristic, oleic, stearic and palmitic acids.