Our organic tamanu oil can be used directly on the skin or mixed within formulations. It stores well under any condition but extreme heat will lessen the shelf life. Our tamanu oil has a deep scent with a bold dark color and because of this it may alter the color and aroma of your cosmetic creations. Tamanu oil may naturally separate or solidify at cold temperatures. It may be liquefied in a pot of simmering water, in a microwave, in the sun, or at a temperature exceeding 85 degrees. While the internal uses for tamanu have been documented, the material offered by Mountain Rose Herbs is intended for external use only. The tamanu tree is indigenous to tropical Southeast Asia. It is found in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, South India, Sri Lanka, and the Melanesian and Polynesian islands. Some believe it is a sacred gift of nature and that gods hid in its branches. It grows up to three meters tall, sporting cracked, black bark and elliptical, shiny leaves. The tamanu tree blooms twice annually with fragrant, white flowers, which later yield clusters of yellow-skinned spherical fruit. The fruit's pulp tastes similar to an apple, within which a large nut is embedded. The nut contains an odorless pale kernel, called punnai in some Pacific areas. This kernel is dried in the sun for two months until it becomes sticky with a dark, thick, rich oil; it must be protected from humidity and rain during drying. This sticky oil is cold-pressed to make a greenish yellow oil. It takes 100 kilograms of tamanu fruit, the amount that one tree produces annually, to yield just 5 kilograms of cold pressed oil! Intended Use: Cosmetic use only This information is for education purposes, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.