Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil in Water

Here it is - Camellia Japonica (Japanese Camellia) oil! For my first experiments with this oil, so I chose a classic brand known for its quality Camellia oil, Oshima Tsubaki, and I chose lightweight product to start with, the Camellia Oil in Water.


***Picture from TrueRenu.

So why a lightweight product? Because I intended to use this as both hair and body oil, hoping to replace the greasy and heavy Burt's Bees Lemon & Vitamin E Bath and Body Oil! Two birds with one stones, don't you just love multi-purpose stuff? And plus I don't know how my hair and skin will react to the oil. I've read that Camellia oil is closest to the human skin's natural emolient, so although I was pretty sure it'll work out, I still wanted to be cautious just in case.

Anyway, Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil in Water comes in a 150 mL spray bottle for about $10-12 depending on where you get it. I'm sure you can probably get it for cheaper in Japan, but $10-12 doesn't really bother me. It is fragranced, but only mildly so and actually smells quite good to me, nothing too strong or overwhelming. The Camellia oil is dissolved in water, and unfortunately, it does contain alcohol, a lot of it, which turns the stuff completely watery and feels slippery as well.

That said, the Camellia oil in water did wonders for my hair as supplemental conditioner to the Shiseido Tsubaki Golden Repair's dryness. All it took was one spray into the palm of my hand, rubbing both palms together, then massage into my wet hair after the shower, focusing on ends and body rather than scalp. After the first use, my hair was noticeably softer with the blow dry. Squeaky and tangly? Before application of the oil, yes, but after application of the oil, nah. My hair combed through just fine with the oil :D Hooray!

As body oil, it was wonderful as well, absorbing almost instantly after application, probably all thanks to the alcohol. Too bad it's getting pretty chilly here, so I'm going to need something more substantial for my body during the cold winter months when my skin is most dry. But there is no doubt I've found a keeper with Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil in Water. I'm saving this one for the muggy summer, that's for sure! Imagine a good body oil that dries almost instantly - it's even better than the lightest body lotion on the market that will feel damp for a few minutes before absorbing! And it's more moisturizing, being an oil, albeit diluted. I think I got lucky with this one :D