Madhuca Oil: The Traditional Oil Most People Haven't Heard Of

August 2026 • 3 min read
Nellai Natures Madhuca oil bottle with Madhuca seeds and flowers

Of everything we press, Madhuca oil is the one people are most likely to ask us about - simply because most people have never come across it before.

What Madhuca oil is

Madhuca oil - also known as Illupai oil or Mahua oil - is cold-pressed from the seeds of the Madhuca tree. It's traditionally valued for skin care, massage and general household use, and in earlier generations was also used as a lamp oil.

Why it's rare

Madhuca trees aren't cultivated at the same scale as coconut or groundnut, and the oil isn't something you'll typically find on a regular supermarket shelf. It stays part of a smaller, more traditional supply chain, which is part of why it's less familiar than our other oils even though it's been used in households for a long time.

How it's used today

Our Madhuca oil is cold-pressed and unrefined, made without added fragrance, chemicals, mineral oils or sulphur treatment - the same standard as the rest of our range. It's intended for external, personal-care and household use, and is not manufactured, tested or labelled for internal or food use.

Getting a bottle

Available in 1 Litre. If you're curious whether it suits what you're looking for, message us on WhatsApp and we're happy to talk it through.