Description
Argan oil has gotten a lot of buzz in the beauty world for being an incredibly multifunctional oil for skin and hair.
The argan tree is native to Northern Africa and now has a very specific growing area. It is considered an endangered species of plant. The argan fruit takes more than a year to mature on the tree and it takes at least eight argan trees to produce 1 Liter of oil. When you use this lovely oil you will understand why it is worth the hard work and wait.
Argan oil is a highly nutritious oil that consists of unsaturated fats, sterols, squalene, xanthophylls, carotenoids (Vitamin A compounds), a very nice content of Vitamin E, and omega 3,6 and 9 (oleic acid) fatty acids. Argan Oil has been documented by one study at a typical composition of 12.2% Palmitic acid, 6.23% Stearic acid, 48.5% Oleic acid, and 28.47% Linoleic acid. These fractions will range slightly depending on the growing season and other factors.
Studies have also shown that daily topical application of argan oil has an anti-aging effect on the skin and leads to improvements in skin elasticity. The antioxidants present have been shown to reduce the appearance of pigmentation and plump the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. These aspects and its luxurious, absorbent feel make argan an ideal oil for use in moisturizing the face and the entire body. It is often used to condition and style the ends of hair.
Good quality, unprocessed argan oil like we sell should not smell tantalizingly delicious. Roasted varieties are available for culinary use, but these are not what you want for skincare and beauty purposes as the nutrient content will be diminished from the roasting. Good quality cosmetic argan oil will have a nutty aroma to it which is not too strong. The smell will linger only a few moments on the skin and then the oil should sink into the skin leaving a satiny feeling. The color of the oil is light yellow.
Pure, raw argan oil is ideal for use as a solo oil and can also be used as an ingredient in body lotions, butters, lotion bars, lip balms, facial oil blends, hair oils and deep conditioning treatments and more. You can add essential oils to give it an aroma you like, or use it plain. Try our Whipped Shea Butter recipe, which includes argan oil, for a luxurious body moisturizer. Many products claim argan oil on their label but then contain only a tiny percentage of this valuable botanical. You can use it in its pure form.
Our argan oil comes directly from a supply source in Morocco. It is organically grown and processed by cold pressing in accordance with organic standards, but as we are not currently a certified organic handler we cannot pass on the organic certification at this time. We hope you enjoy using this beautiful oil.
*Please note that individuals with nut allergies may react to argan oil. Some sites will document argan kernels as a "nut" and some as a fruit kernel oil, but regardless we have seen cross-reactivity in some individuals with nut allergies. If you have a nut allergy please do a patch test to determine the fit with your unique needs.
