Sesamum indicum
Sesame has a history as a valuable oil plant that has long been popular in Asia and the Middle East, where it was not only used for cooking and in the preparation of salves and skin care products, but also enjoyed a reputation as a magical herb that had the power to prise open secrets and reveal hidden treasures. Sesame oil is particularly rich in calcium and linoleic acid. Its excellent anti-oxidant properties give it a long shelf-life and make it a very suitable and stable oil to use as a base for all kinds of skin care products. In Ayurvedic medicine it is considered to belong to the vata dosha and is used for inner cleansing. In Assyrian Mythology it is told that the gods drank sesame wine the night before they created the world (now, that would explain a thing or two!)
