- What is Emu Oil?
- What is Emu Oil used for?
- Do you have a list of all the conditions that Emu Oil has been successful in treating/alleviating?
- What should Emu Oil look, smell & taste like?
- Is Emu Oil a liquid or a solid?
- What is the difference between “cosmetic” and “food” grade Emu Oil?
- Shelf life; how long will my Emu Oil last?
- I'd prefer some scent to my Emu Oil, is this possible without losing the effects of the oil?
- Which is better Australian or American Emu Oil?
- What is "triple refined", "triple milled" & "concentrated" Emu Oil?
- Is your oil AEA certified?
- What are the benefits of Emu Oil?
- Who can use Emu Oil?
- What does Emu Oil contain?
- Can I use Emu Oil in my homemade cosmetics & massage blends?
- Can I use Emu Oil to make soap?
- Can Emu Oil be used on pets & other animals such as horses?
- How do I place an order?
- Do you accept international orders & how do I know how much the order will be in my own currency?
- How do I pay for my order?
- How much does postage and packing cost?
- When will I receive my order?
What is Emu Oil?
Emu oil is a product of the flightless Australian Emu. It comes from the thick pad of fat on the bird’s back which nature supplied as protection from other fighting birds and from the harsh Australian sun. The fat is refined by a thorough, licensed process, strictly regulated by the Australian Government. This process removes all protein, bacteria and foreign . matter. Emu Oil is a natural healing oil which is highly penetrating, anti-bacterial and has anti-inflammatory properties beneficial to the body and skin. It is an odourless oil which will solidify below 18 degrees Celsius.
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What is Emu Oil used for?
Applied topically or taken internally.
To moisturize: Emu Oil can be applied topically to treat dry skin conditions such as eczema & psoriasis and is also suitable as a moisturiser for spot prone skin as it does not block pores.
To reduce pain and swelling: Taken internally and/or applied topically, it is also used as an anti-inflammatory to give temporary relief to stiff/sore muscles and joints and to treat sports injuries or tired and overworked muscles.
As an after sun or to treat burns: Helps to reduce redness, reduce the heat and reduce pain. Helps to prevent peeling. Increases the healing time for burns and reduces the likelihood of scarring.
As a supplement: Emu Oil is said to have the perfect combination of the essential fatty acids Omegas3, 6 & 9 and is also believed to reduce cholesterol.
To treat scars/stretch marks: Emu Oil helps your skin to heal and regenerate itself. Will reduce the redness of new stretch marks and can reduce the appearance of old stretch marks.
To heal wounds/bruises/injuries: It is believed that Emu Oil helps to speed up the healing process almost two-fold by encouraging cell regeneration and reducing inflammation. Also reduces the likelihood of scaring.
To promote healthy hair growth: Applied to the scalp, Emu Oil will nourish the hair follicles, sometimes awakening dormant follicles and encouraging strong, health hair growth.
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Do you have a list of all the conditions Emu Oil has been successful in treating/alleviating?
Yes, this list is compiled from our customer feedback so is purely anecdotal. Emu Oil has not been tested or verified by the British Medical Authorities. This list is by no means exhaustive…
- Acne: reduces inflammation, speeds healing, moisturises without blocking pores
- Anti-ageing: increases the elasticity of the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles
- Anus (sore from eating spicy foods or from diarrhea): reduces pain and discomfort
- Arthritis (particularly in fingers/hands, knees and ankles): reduces pain and inflammation
- Body Piercings: keeps the tissue healthy & moisturised
- Broken bones: apply to the area where the break occurred after the cast is removed to increase mobility and ease the stiffness. Also gets the skin back into good condition
- Bumps & bruises: reduces inflammation and pain, helps the bruising to go down quicker
- Burns (from ovens etc.): reduces pain, takes out some of the heat and speeds skin regeneration
- Calloused hands: softens the skin
- Cradle cap: reduces the flaking. Very gentle & safe for use on babies and children
- Cramps: massage with emu oil to relieve pain and relax the muscles
- Crush injuries (trapped fingers and toes): applied to the affected digit after it has been placed under cold running water for some time. Reduces inflammation and pain. Apply frequently until discomfort subsides
- Cuts and scratches: apply sparingly to area once it has been cleaned and dried. Speeds healing
- Cuticles (cracked or split): reduces inflammation, increases suppleness of the skin. Apply at least twice a day
- Dandruff: reduces flaking & itching
- Dermatitis (contact dermatitis): moisturises and heals
- Dry skin: moisturises and softens
- Eczema: reduces itching, moisturises and speeds healing
- Elderly skin: increases thickness and reduces fragility
- Fibromyalgia: eases pain
- Friction burns : eases pain and reduces the discomfort caused if the area is in contact with clothes
- Hair loss : massage into scalp to stimulate hair growth
- Ichthyosis : softens the skin
- Knees (stiff & sore) : reduces inflammation and eases pain
- Lichen Sclerosis : lowers the intensity of pain
- Massage : use neat or diluted with a carrier oil
- Muscle pain : massage in to help relieve pain and relax the muscles
- Nappy Rash : reduces redness and irritation. Speeds healing. Safe and natural for babies
- Nettle stings : reduces inflammation & itching
- Post surgery scars : gently apply to the area twice a day
- Psoriasis : reduces itching, moisturises, softens & reduces scaliness
- Razor burn : reduces soreness & redness, speeds healing
- Seborrheic Dermatitis : massage into the scalp daily to reduce flakiness and itching
- Sexual lubricant : can even be used for those that seem to be allergic to anything. Not suitable for use with condoms
- Shoulder & neck pain : massage with to help relieve pain and tension
- Shin splints : massage into shins before and after exercise or whenever there is pain
- Stretch marks : calms the redness of new stretch marks and minimises scarring. Reduces the appearance of older stretch marks and evens the surface of the skin
- Sunburn : takes out the heat and discomfort and minimises peeling
- Superficial phlebitis: can calm the redness, reduces inflammation & itching.
- Tattoo removal : helps to reduce the redness and reduce the possibility of scarring
- Tendons (damaged) : an effective alternative to ibuprofen and ice
- Tight calves from exercise : massage before and after exercise to minimise tightness
- Trapped nerve in neck : massage with Emu Oil helped alleviate tension
- Varicose Ulcers/Eczema: helps to speed healing, reduce itching & inflammation. <
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What should PURE Emu Oil look, smell & taste like?
Being a natural product the colour and smell of each batch varies depending on the animals’ lifestyle, what they have been feeding on and the refining process used. Colour, odour and texture are also good indications of quality.
Colour
The oil can vary in colour between a cream and a pale yellow colour. Beware if the oil is a dark yellow, or has a brown or red tint. This can be an indication that the oil has been overheated in the refining process; overheating will destroy many of the beneficial properties. It can also indicate that it is old oil that has been reheated to kill off any odour from where it has started to go rancid. I sell my oil in semi-transparent bottles so that you can see what you are getting.
Odour
Emu Oil should be odourless or virtually odourless. I have tested many samples of quality oil from reputable Emu Oil farms and they all have a very slight, sometimes almost indistinguishable odour. Avoid very strong smelling or oil that smells burnt or “chemical”, it may be old or poorly refined oil. Also avoid oils with a “flowery” or slight perfume to them as this is a sure sign that something has been added to deodorize or cover up the fact that the oil is not up to scratch.
Taste
Emu Oil should be tasteless/bland. It is preferred by many as substitute to cod liver oil as you don’t get a fishy after taste and it contains three omegas (3, 6 & 9) as opposed to just one in fish oil. It is also more potent. If the oil is not in capsules please ensure the oil is food grade and conforms to health & safety legislation.
Texture
Emu Oil is quite thick in comparison to other oils such as Olive. It will solidify below 18°C. The oil does not have a “smooth” texture as some vegetable oils do; this is due to the range and type of “fatty acids” in the oil. Emu Oil has two fractions, the Olein; more liquid, transparent fraction and the Stearin; the more solid, pearlescent fraction. This makes the oil appear to have “bits” floating in it. These are the more solid fractions of the oil and will be absorbed on contact with warm skin. The warmer the oil the smoother and more liquid it becomes.
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What is the difference between “cosmetic” and “food” grade Emu Oil?
You can probably deduce the difference just by the names. Cosmetic grade Emu Oil is only suitable for use externally as it may have gone through extra refining processes to deodorize and clarify the oil. This leaves traces of chemicals that could be harmful to digest. In some instances this process may also remove some of the benefits of the oil. Connoisseurs of Emu Oil prefer food grade as it is more natural, may retain more of its beneficial properties and means your skin is not absorbing any harmful chemicals, even if they are in minute quantities.
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Is Emu Oil a liquid or a solid?
Emu Oil is liquid and translucent when warm but solid and opaque when cold.
Some available Emu Oil always remains more solid regardless of the temperature. There are two possible reasons for this. Firstly the oil may have had beeswax added to it, to "set" it and help prevent it melting. Secondly the Emu Oil may have had some of its more liquid fraction removed (see the FAQ about "triple refined Emu Oil for more information).
Some Emu Oil is clearer and remains liquid, even in low temperatures. There are also two possibilities for this. Firstly the Emu Oil may have had another oil added to it, such as Almond or Jojoba to keep it liquid. Secondly it may have had its more solid or stearic fraction removed. (see also the FAQ regarding "triple refined Emu Oil)
Mezza's Emu Oil is 100% Pure. It has had nothing added or taken away. We believe that Emu Oil in its complete form is the most effective. We also realise that many people who use Emu Oil have very sensitive skin and adding extra ingredients could cause reactions.
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What is "triple refined", "triple milled" and "concentrated" Emu Oil?
There is currently much "hype" on the internet about so called "triple refined" or "triple milled" Emu Oil. This seems to have stemmed from an American company that sells "Dremu Oil". This oil is clear and has gone through an extra cosmetic refining process to make the oil more transparent and therefore make it more appealing to the "beauty" market.
"Triple Refining" is a phrase that is bandied about by quite a few sellers and even normal, fully refined oil has been given this tag.
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Emu Oil is made up of two parts, a liquid and a more solid fraction. In some cases
"triple refining", "triple milling" & "concentrated" Emu Oil is simply
when the more solid fraction of the oil has been filtered out, leaving the clearer, more liquid oil behind. Although this oil may look appealing, there is
reason to believe this may diminish some of the oil's therapeutic benefits - part of the reason why Emu Oil is such a great healer and moisturiser is because
its two fractions work together in harmony. When Emu Oil has been left to settle, the two fractions can be clearly seen. |
"Triple Refining" also makes the resulting product extremely expensive as the extra filtering process means more than half the original oil is discarded.
Some "solid" oil is also classed as "triple refined". You can probably guess that this is because the oil has gone through the same process as that described above; but in this case, it is the solid fraction of the oil that is retained. Some companies sell this "solid" oil in jars or tubs so that people can use it in the same way as they would use a cream or lotion. But again, the same argument applies as above; by removing one of the oil's components you are also removing some of its benefits.
Part of the hype that goes with the "triple refined" oil is that they will tell you that their oil is the safest and that you shouldn't buy other oil that is not triple refined. This is marketing scare tactics and is simply not true. "Triple Refining" doesn't make the oil any purer and yes, there is oil that is unsafe, but it would be hard to get hold of it in the UK, particularly if it is Australian Emu Oil. The import and export legislation is VERY strict and you would simply not be able to import degraded oil from Australia. On the other hand, importing American Emu Oil is a different matter. The legislation on their side is not so strict (the oil doesn't have to be certified safe).
In conclusion, fully refined "complete" Emu Oil has the most health and beauty benefits and is also the best value for money. In the UK, Australian Emu Oil that is certified safe and sold by a reputable seller can be purchased with confidence.
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Is your oil AEA certified?
AEA stands for American Emu Association and is an independent American body. It was set up to help regulate and build the American Emu Oil industry after the American industry fell into disrepute from bad farming practises, inhumane rearing, poor rendering processes and low quality, impure and degraded oil.The US is constantly struggling to compete with the original Australian Emu Oil, so they heavily use the AEA endorsement for marketing and to try and convince the consumer that their oil is the best.
Our oil is not AEA certified because it is not American Emu Oil.
Our oil is certified by the DAFF (Australian Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries). The Australian Emu Oil industry is strictly regulated by the Australian government. The oil is not allowed to leave the country unless it has been certified safe by the Australian Department of Agriculture. In addition, the oil is not allowed to enter the UK unless it is accompanied by this certificate.
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Which is better Australian or American Emu Oil?
There is no doubt that the original and best Emu Oil comes from Australia. American Emu Oil is also pretty good and some tests (conducted by the US) suggest there is very little difference between them. Beware of Australian Emu Oil from America, especially if it is cheap. Over recent years a very large quantity of old and degraded Emu Oil was sold to America. This oil is now being sold to the general public. Some of it has gone through other processes to try and disguise the fact that it is old. Some of the signs are listed above.
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Shelf life; how long will my Emu Oil last?
It has been known for some oil to stay stable for up to 10 years. It is more usual for Emu Oil producers to recommend a 5 to 6 year shelf life. I recommend using your oil up within 1-2 years of opening your bottle. This is because as soon as you open the bottle you expose the oil to the atmosphere and then when you start pouring it and dabbing your fingers in etc it is inevitable that the oil will be exposed to some bacteria. This applies to all cosmetics. You should also store the oil below 30°C and out of direct sunlight to help prolong its shelf life. In very hot weather it can be stored in the fridge.
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I'd prefer some scent to my Emu Oil, is this possible without losing the effects of the oil?
Yes, you can buy Emu Oil which have added essential oils. But again, beware of this as essential oils are sometimes used to cover up poor quality oil. If you are in doubt try to acquire some of the seller’s Pure Emu Oil first to assess the quality or buy from a reputable seller. I also sell Emu Oil with Lavender on my website or I can add an essential oil of your choice. If you are not a stickler for totally pure and natural products you can also use cosmetic grade Emu Oil which may have been deodorized with a chemical process although some cosmetic grade Emu Oil can still have a discernable odour. You could also add your own essential oils. For example you would only need to add about 6 drops of lavender essential oil to a 60ml bottle to mask any odour that the Emu Oil may have.
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Who can use Emu Oil?
The topical application of Emu Oil is safe for all the family including children, babies, the elderly, the sick and during pregnancy. There are no known side affects.
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What does Emu Oil contain?
Emu Oil naturally contains:
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Omegas 3,6 & 9
Triglycerides (lipids very similar to those in human skin)
Terpines - antiseptic agents
Sapogens - skin softeners
Oleic Acid - a skin cell regenerator and preserver and an epidermic transporter of bio-active compounds.
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What are the benefits of Emu Oil?
- Reduces Inflammation
- Mildly Analgesic
- Suitable for all ages and skin types, even extremely sensitive and or/irritated skin
- More effective than arnica for the treatment of bruises
- Drug & chemical free
- Safe & natural alternative to mineral oils
- More compatible with human skin than vegetable or mineral oils
- A sustainable resource, unlike mineral oils
- Deeply penetrating
- Transporter of active ingredients
- Speeds Healing
- Doesn’t interfere with normal skin function
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Can I use Emu Oil in my homemade cosmetics, massage blends and soaps?
Yes, Emu Oil is an excellent ingredient for homemade cosmetics due to its natural skin beautifying properties. If you are using active ingredients such as essential oil or herbal extracts the Emu Oil will transport these deeper into the skin and make your product more effective. You can experiment by using 20-30% Emu Oil in creams and lotions. For massage blends you can try blending Emu Oil with other base oils such as Jojoba or Almond Oil, for economy you may wish to use 50-60% Emu Oil. To make your own muscle and joint rubs it is recommended that the Emu Oil is not diluted to below 75%.
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Can I use Emu Oil to make my own soaps?
Soap made with Emu Oil has a rich, creamy feel, and leaves the skin feeling soft, smooth and supple.
As a soap component, Emu Oil adds hardness and stable lathering and incorporates easily into soap blends, creating no unusual behaviour to the soap making process. You can make soap using 100% Emu Oil which will make a hard bar with a mild creamy lather but this would be very costly and extravagant as Emu Oil is an expensive oil so it may be best to add Emu Oil as a luxury super-fatting agent. For a really luxurious and excellent soap try adding emu oil as 10-25% of the total oils in the recipe. Even using 2-3% of Emu Oil in place of a fat in an existing recipe would enhance any soap.
Properties of Emu Oil
Linoleic 14%
Myristic 0.4%
Oleic 50%
Palmitic 21%
Stearic 9%
Iodine 72-75
Saponification Value: 190-200mg KOH/g of fat
Bar Soap: try 3 to 25%
We would be very interested to hear from any soap makers who have used Emu Oil to make soap. Do you have a good Emu Oil Soap recipe that you would like to share with us?
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Can Emu Oil be used on pets & other animals such as horses?
Quite a few of our customers use Emu Oil for their cats and dogs. Because Mezza’s Emu Oil is food grade it can be poured onto the pets’ food so that the animal can benefit from the nutrients in the oil; particularly the Omegas 3, 6 & 9 which can help to ease the discomfort that elderly pets may feel from stiff muscles and joints and will give all ages of cat and dog healthy, shiny & glossy coats. My customers advise me that one or two teaspoons poured over the food at each meal time seems to do the trick. Emu Oil is also applied topically by my customers to the animals’ skin in cases of dermatitis and irritation caused by flea bites. It can also be applied to wounds to help speed the healing process.
In Australia and America Emu Oil is being used as an effective alternative in the treatment of horses. It is used as a carrier for topical medication such as antibiotics and also used to help speed the healing of wounds and injuries and to nourish the coat.
Currently I have a lady that uses alternative treatments on horses, such as aromatherapy, trying out Emu Oil and Manuka to treat Mud Fever. So far the results seem favourable but I will write an update once she has finished her trials. If you would like more information about this or are a practising vet/alternative therapist for animals and are interested in using Emu Oil to treat animals then please do contact me. Using the benefits Emu Oil for pets and horses seems to have excellent possibilities but so far it is more or less unchartered waters here in the UK.
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How do I place an order?
We are an on-line retailer, so the best way to order is right here, through our site www.mezza.co.uk. We can take orders over the phone, please call 01932 241650. Should nobody be available to answer your call, please leave a message. Alternatively send us an email (sales@mezza.co.uk) with your telephone number and we will call you back (UK landline numbers only).
An order form is also available to print off and send. Please click here.
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Do you accept international orders & how do I know how much the order will be in my own currency?
Yes, as long as you can pay for your order by one of the methods below. Customers are responsible for customs duties and tariffs whenever applicable. It is your responsibility to check your country's customs policies. So far we have not had any problems with customers receiving goods to Europe, America or Japan. We cannot be held responsible for any goods that are retained by customs. Packages are marked as "cosmetic lotion".
When you pay with your credit card or PayPal the amount deducted from your account will be automatically converted by your credit card company or PayPal from Sterling into your own currency. Your Credit Card and PayPal will have their own exchange rates. As a general rule these do not vary too much from the global standard. You can get an approximate exchange rate here: www.xe.com or contact your credit card company/PayPal.
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How do I pay for my order?
For UK orders we accept:
- Credit Cards (VISA/DEBIT/ELECTRON/DELTA, MASTERCARD, SWITCH/ UK MAESTRO & SOLO)
- Cheques (made payable to MEZZA) You can follow the order process online; you will be able to choose the payment option at the end. Please include your order number, your name & address when sending your payment. Alternatively you can print off an order form, click here.
- PayPal
How much does Postage & Packing cost?
Postage rates are automatically calculated by the web-shop. As you add items to your basket you can click on the "estimate shipping" button to see the cost.
For an over-view of P&P charges, please refer to the shipping tables in the "shipping & returns" section of the site
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When will I receive my order?
All orders are processed within 2 working days and most UK customers will receive their items within 3/5 working days.
International Orders: Please allow up to 7 working days for delivery to Europe and 10 days to the rest of the world.
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Do you take trade orders?
Please email sales@mezza.co.uk for a trade order form stating which products you are interested in. Please include your name, business name & nature of your business.
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Do you do bulk orders?
Yes, we also sell in larger bottles for therapists, soap & cosmetic makers. We do bigger bottles of 500ml, 1Lt or larger if required. Please email for these prices as they are not available to the general public.
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What is the minimum trade order?
Minimum trade order is usually 12 of one product.
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Who is Mezza?
Mezza is a UK company that distributes and sells Premium Grade Emu Oil and Emu Oil Products to UK customers, retailers and therapists.
Merrian Holland
Sole Proprietor
Mezza
20 Cottimore Lane
Walton-on-Thames
Surrey KT12 2BS
United Kingdom
www.mezza.co.uk
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How did Mezza start?
Mezza was born out of personal experience. I (Merrian Holland) was looking for a natural alternative for my son’s eczema after having disappointing results with the creams & lotions prescribed by my doctor (Betnovate, E45, Aqueous Lotions, Aveeno, Steroid Creams….and more). I heard about Emu Oil on the web and decided it was worth a go. As you can guess it did wonders for my son’s eczema.
I also noticed some side effects on myself from where I was getting the cream on my hands twice a day when applying it to my son’s eczema. I study karate and have injured thumb joints and some injured fingers which means they are generally stiff and have low but persistant pain. Getting the oil on my hands twice a day helped to loosen the joints, reduce inflammation and pain.
This is when I started to look into the other benefits and uses of emu oil and discovered it really is “a wonder form down under!”
After trying what was available in the UK I decided to import and sell the oil myself as many of the oils available here were of poor quality and also expensive. I wanted the best quality, freshest oil for my son and now I can offer the same to my customers!
