Solid Pequi Oil: Should we be concerned?

Also known as pequi oil, piqui oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the fruit of the tree Caryocar brasiliense, native to Brazil. Rich in unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, it is favoured by natural cosmetic enthusiasts and helps to deeply hydrate and nourish the skin and hair. The use of piqui oil in hair care is indeed very widespread, particularly among people with textured hair. In fact, once applied to damp hair, this vegetable oil helps to define curls. Pequi oil also has antioxidant, soothing and healing properties, making it interesting for a multitude of uses.

From an organoleptic perspective, the pequi oil presents itself as a golden to orange liquid, a colour derived from its richness in carotenoids, and emits a fruity fragrance that is reminiscent of passion fruit. However, it can happen that pequi oil slightly thickens, adopting a semi-thick texture similar to that of shea butter. When this occurs, it is legitimate to question the quality of one's pequi oil. This phenomenon is, however, entirely natural given its physico-chemical characteristics.

Indeed, the melting point of this vegetable oil is between 25°C and 37°C. This implies that piqui oil has a thick texture below 25°C. When heated, it gradually becomes more fluid between 25°C and 37°C, becoming fully liquid from 37°C onwards. It is quite rare for a vegetable oil to have such a high melting point. For instance, the melting points of olive oil and sunflower oil are -6°C and -10°C respectively. The melting temperature range of piqui oil is more akin to that of vegetable butters, such as shea butter, which becomes liquid between 28°C and 35°C.

It is natural for the piqui oil to adopt a semi-thick texture at room temperature. This in no way alters its cosmetic properties.

If you notice that your pequi oil has solidified and become firm, we advise you to run a gentle stream of warm water over the bottle. This will slightly increase the oil's temperature and thus restore its fluidity. However, ensure that the bottle containing the oil is properly sealed. Indeed, any contact between the pequi oil and water increases the risk of bacterial contamination and deterioration of the oil's quality.

Note : Many hair oils containpiqui oil. However, these products are not solid at room temperature because the blend of vegetable oils allows the product to have a lower melting point.