They are not necessarily better than others as each oil has its benefits and is often used in combination with others. The almond tree is a native of the warmer parts of western Asia and of North Africa and is cultivated in all the countries bordering on the Mediterranean. It grows to a height of 20 to 30 feet. It is a stone fruit closely related to the peach, however the flesh of the fruit is inedible, while the kernel is sweet. Almonds and the oil pressed from them, were well known and used in Greece and Italy long before the Chrsitian era.
Almond oil is fairly light, nearly odourless with a slight nutty taste.
The oil is a pale yellow viscous liquid. The best sweet almond oil is cold pressed from the kernel and on their expression, they yield half their weight in a bland fixed oil. After the reddish-brown outter shell is removed, the kernels are ground in a mill and then subjected to hydraulic pressure. The extracted oil is then filtered and bleached, preferrably by exposure to light. The oil is readily absorbed and is well tolerated by most skin types although sensitivity can occur.