Jellyroll Baby creates natural & soothing organic hemp seed oil skin care products for babies & YOU. A great baby shower gift!

The Many Benefits of Pure Hemp Seed Oil.......

To better understand the benefits of hemp seed oil and it's essential fatty acids to our skin, let's look at the skin's structure and numerous functions. The skin acts not only as a sensory organ and temperature control, it also has important barrier functions protecting the body from excessive water loss and from penetration of foreign substances and pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. A major function of body care products is to enhance, preserve and restore this barrier.

The health of our skin depends largely on the presence and retention of water. Moisture retention is mostly provided by the epidermis - the top-most and thinnest layer of the skin. The actual "vapor barrier" is the stratum corneum, the outer layer of the epidermis. It is composed of, and continually rebuilt from, dying and dead cells that gradually flake off the skin surface. These cells are held together - just like bricks cemented by mortar - by lipids (fat like substances including sterols, free fatty acids and ceramides). The weakening or failure of this natural barrier leads to dry skin. The process is promoted by sun, dry air, excessive use of soaps, shower gels or other detergents, and organic solvents with a strong degreasing action. The slowdown of cell metabolism with age or diabetes is another contributor. All of these factors result in changes in the lipid composition of the epidermis and reduced moisture retention capability. The skin becomes thinner, facilitating increased water loss. The result is dry, brittle skin with a rough and unpleasant feel. A ceramide that is of critical importance to the moisture control of the skin is made from the Omega 6 - Linoleic acid. Clinical studies have shown that dry skin defects such as scaling or cracking can be reversed by skin care products containing Omega 6 fatty acids. The anti-inflammatory properties of essential fatty acids can further aid in the healing of minor skin abrasions and acne. A deficiency in Omega 6 fatty acids is also associated with eczema and psoriasis due to the regulation of water loss through the skin.

Hemp seed oil replenishes our Essential Fatty Acids(EFA's), which helps our skin hold moisture, making it a natural humectant. The effectiveness of our barrier function is what determines the moisture level of our skin, thus the health, softness and smoothness. Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) specifically Omega 6, Omega 3 and Omega 9 preserve this barrier.

The metabolic slowdown associated with aging also leads to dry skin conditions. Slower metabolism and growth of cells in the basal layer of the epidermis causes a decline of ceramide content. Both contribute to the formation of wrinkles and overall skin aging. The application of Omega 6 fatty acids in skin care products partially compensate for the lower ceramide levels in the skin and the resulting aging effects.

Hemp seed oil is made up of 80% essential fatty acid, the highest amount of any other plant. Hemp seed oil prevents moisture loss on a physiological level; it does just not merely "coat" the skin as do other oils. It contains the ideal ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 based on our cells needs. Hemp so closely matches our own skins lipids it is able to penetrate inside our cells and lubricate the surface between them, thus bringing the EFA's within our body. For this reason EFA's have been proven to play a preventative role in skin aging and a healthy moisture balance.

Not only does Hemp seed oil contribute greatly to the barrier function and appearance it also has other skin benefits such as offering relief to acne, minor abrasions, psoriasis and eczema. Hemp is also the only plant oil containing Vitamin D, which is necessary for Calcium absorption. Hemp oil is easily absorbed by the skin and those EFA's go straight to work! Using Hemp seed oil is a great way to achieve soft, smooth and hydrated skin.

A major consumer concern, with respect to skin sensitivity or allergic reaction to hemp seed oil, has not proven to be a problem to date.

Look to hemp as the eco-friendly, renewable resource: the plant requires no fertilizers and does not require pesticides: while half the pollutants in the U.S. today are sprayed on cotton plants, hemp is naturally mildew resistant, requires no pesticides, and maintains a healthy environment for the surrounding streams, air, flora and fauna. Hemp crowds out weeds without herbicides, is low maintenance and grows just about anywhere, including colder climates, making it the ideal crop for organic sustainable farming just about anywhere in the world. Hemp is among the earth's primary renewable resources: trees cut down to make paper take 50 to 500 years to grow back while hemp can be cultivated in as little as 100 days, and can yield 4 times more paper over a 20 year period.