Mastic oil - when the skin needs a quick rescue
The request did not come as a complete surprise. We at the 48grams blog had expected it. After a few introductory words, mail writer Martha S. requested: "I've heard mastic oil is something very special. Do you have some information for me?" She had discovered the "ingredient" in the list of ingredients of our Skin Repair Cream; the technical term there is "Pistacia Lentiscus Gum Oil". We take Martha's mail as an opportunity to write once again about our valuable ingredients. After anti-ageing all-rounder OCP and nourishing Edelweiss extract, it is now the turn of mastic oil. An ingredient that deserves a closer look...
Relief for acne and neurodermatitis
... and also makes the author of this article feel a bit like a travel blogger. But more about that later. Finally, let's first talk about the miracle tincture made from the resin of the tree of the same name. Mastic oil is by no means a new discovery. But studies by universities in New York and Athens in recent years have proven properties that were previously unknown: The viscous pith has a strong antimicrobial effect, inhibits inflammation and has a regenerating effect on skin cells. A real all-rounder of nature, then - especially when it comes to major problems! Dermatologists rely on the extracted oil when it comes to providing relief from acne, neurodermatitis and psoriasis.
When the skin gets dandruff
The reason for this is quickly explained: The three diseases mentioned are due to disturbances of the natural tissue function. In short, the skin can no longer fulfil its protective function. Moisture escapes too quickly - and this leads not only to a cracked, even scaly surface. This is bad enough, but without (or with only reduced) defence, fungi, viruses and bacteria can also quickly penetrate the skin. The result is an "inflammatory change". Cracks appear, and sometimes there is excruciating itching. Care products that contain mastic can then be the solution. That is why Skincare Pope Bernd Kuhs has included the extract in 48grams Skin Repair Cream: "There are few substances that have such an effective effect. Mastic oil has been considered a youth elixir for the skin since ancient times."
Mastic helps with diseases
A tip for all those who basically want to do something good for themselves: Mastic is not only used in creams and serums. There is a surprisingly large range of dosage forms: as drops, as drops, as powder. The resin of the tree affects numerous areas of the body. Studies by the University of Nottingham (published in "The New England Journal of Medicine") show that mastic is effective against Helicobacter pylori bacteria - and even small doses (one gram per day) are thus effective in relieving gastrointestinal ulcers. But the list is much longer: mastic lowers blood cholesterol levels, and the active ingredients are also optimal help for herpes infections and inflammations of the oral mucosa. In 2010, two researchers claim to have discovered an aphrodisiac effect. If you are now hoping that the use of our cream will also bring these effects - unfortunately we have to disappoint you: 48grams is there solely for skincare use.
The tears of Chios
But now to the topic of the travel blog mentioned at the beginning ... here it is: The mastic tree (by the way, a close relative of the so-called real pistachio) grows everywhere where it is really beautiful: in Southern Europe and in Palestine. The most potent mastic comes from the small island of Chios (part of Greece). The manageably large island in the northern Aegean Sea has been known since ancient times for the "tears of Chios". These are diamond-sized drops of hardened resin. The formation is quickly explained: between June and September, the trees are nicked with short longitudinal cuts. The sticky liquid emerges from these "wounds" and falls to the ground. To prevent the often pea-sized drops from becoming contaminated, harvest workers sprinkle lime dust on the soil under the trees beforehand. After a drying phase of almost two weeks, the "tears" can be picked up by hand. For the fact collectors among us: the resin from ten trees yields about one kilo of resin beads.
Mastic - also a Tiktok theme
The beads are then processed in numerous ways. To obtain the fragrant oil, the "farmers" use a steam distillation process. In its raw state (usually as a powder), mastic is often an ingredient in chewing gum, baked goods and sweets. But the tree resin can also be found in violin varnishes and as an ingredient in adhesives for glass or porcelain. Finally, a really surprising detail from the social media world. If you search for the term mastic on TikTok, you will discover countless (sometimes very curious) videos. Most of them are about stick-on face masks. Devils, ghosts or skulls look back at us. And underneath there is a note that a skin glue with a high mastic content was used. For a good reason: the resin has a strong adhesive effect by nature - and still cares for the facial skin. As mentioned before: mastic is a real miracle substance of nature.
