Watermelon oil or Watermelon seed oil is also known as ootanga oil and kalahari oil. Africa is believed to be the place of origin of the watermelon. Historians trace its origin to the Kalahari Desert of Africa and hence watermelon got the name Kalahari. The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5000 years ago in Egypt and it is depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics on the walls of their ancient buildings. Watermelon is a warm, long-season crop. Watermelons were often placed in the burial tombs of Kings to nourish them in their afterlife. . It is a common summer crop and is grown in the lower Himalayan regions to South India. Watermelon is a warm, long-season crop. Acreage for water­melon has been the second largest for a vegetable crop. Watermelon seeds have been prized for the highly nutritive oil that they contain. The seeds are removed from the rind, washed thoroughly and are allowed to dry. Once dried, the seeds are then cold pressed to extract the beneficial oil. Watermelon seed oil contains high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic and oleic acids as the major acids Watermelon seed oil is light, easily absorbed, does not clog pores and is rich in linoleic and oleic acids

An ounce of dried watermelon seed kernels contains about 3 grams of zinc (or 25 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for a woman under 50), and 2 grams of iron (or 14 percent of the RDA). It also contains 158 calories and more than 13 grams of fat. The properties of watermelon oil include the following.

Light in Texture
Non-Greasy
Penetrating
Absorbs Quickly
Highly Moisturizing
Emollient
Rich in Omega 6 and 9 EFAs
Dissolves Sebum Buildup
Stable Shelf-Life
Excellent Substitute for Mineral Oil

Because of these valuable properties, watermelon seed oil is extensively used in formulating Baby Care Products. Watermelon seed oil is very good for the soft skin of the babies.

Nutritional Information of  Dried watermelon seed kernels