Posted by Suzie Sorenson
For well over 800 years, savvy men and women in Morocco have turned to argan oil in order to achieve enviably gorgeous skin and hair throughout their lives. Argan oil is a natural botanical, extracted from the fruit of the slow-growing Argania spinosa tree, which is native to the dense forests of Morocco. It’s been an integral part of Moroccan traditional cuisine—and effective beauty regimens—throughout the area’s rich history.
Massaging this lovely amber oil into your skin or hair delivers a potent cocktail of beneficial ingredients including tocopherols, squalene, carotenes, sterols, phenolic antioxidants, and vitamin E, which all work together synergistically so you can look your very best. If you’ve been wondering exactly what argan oil might do for you, here are five ways it can reveal your full beauty potential—and maybe even replace most of those bottles, jars, and tubes taking up so much space on your shelves.
1. Controls Oil for a Clear, Dewy Complexion
It’s a common misconception that oil is the enemy of clear skin. The surprising truth is that certain oils—including argan—are actually good for your face! In a recent clinical study involving 20 women and men, an argan oil cream was found to significantly reduce sebum production.1
The amount of sebum you produce matters because excess sebum contributes to those occasional miserable breakouts that make you want to bow out of important job interviews, special occasions, and good times with friends—and just crawl under a rock instead. Once you get sebum under control, you’ll be able to confidently put your best face forward and soak up all the wonderful experiences life has to offer.
In addition to reducing sebum production, argan oil also has an overall calming effect on the skin, acting as a protective barrier. This means it can soothe red or irritated areas to bring out a smooth, even complexion.2
2. Reduces and Prevents the Appearance of Stretch Marks
Sometimes even the happiest of life’s events—like bringing an adorable baby into the world or reaching your goal weight after making positive lifestyle changes—may leave unwanted evidence on your skin in the form of prominent stretch marks.
Unfortunately, stretch marks can appear whenever skin expands or shrinks rapidly, but improving skin elasticity has a promising, protective effect. The application of argan oil has been shown to increase skin elasticity, which may help make the stretch marks you already have less noticeable—as well as make the skin less likely to develop new ones during times of significant weight gain or loss.3
3. Helps Skin Recover From Life’s Bumps and Blows
No matter how gently and lovingly you treat your skin, there’s no getting around life’s little injuries, or from sometimes incurring skin damage due to environmental factors. Whether it’s a minor burn, or you’ve cut your hand while preparing dinner, applying some argan oil may help you feel better faster than you might have otherwise.4
In addition to promoting vitality, argan oil also works its magic all the way down to the cellular level, helping to support healthy skin if you’ve spent too much time in the sun or have been exposed to pollutants and environmental contaminants over the years.5,6
4. Improves Hydration and Elasticity to Turn Back the Clock
Time has a sneaky way of marching on for all of us, but argan oil is a surprisingly effective way to keep exactly how many years you’ve been here on earth a secret. That’s because argan oil turns out to be much more than just an excellent moisturizer—it has anti-aging properties as well!
A number of studies involving postmenopausal women reveal that topical application of argan oil improves skin hydration, collagen production, and elasticity while helping reduce skin’s natural tendency to lose water over time. The end result of these types of changes is firmer, plumper, and younger looking skin—along with a softening of life’s inevitable story lines.7,8,9
5. Conditions Hair So You Can Reveal Your Crowning Glory
Being out in the world every day isn’t just tough on skin; it can do a real number on your hair as well, leaving it dry, brittle, frizzy, and unmanageable. If your hair has clearly seen better days—or you just want to preserve its current beauty—argan oil is a wise alternative to commercial hair treatments that contain harsh chemicals.
Argan oil works well as a leave-in conditioner, protecting hair from UV damage, taming frizz, and bringing out a soft healthy shine. Simply massage a few drops into damp hair, brush through, and style as usual. You can also apply a small amount to your scalp to keep it moisturized, protected, and comfortable, too!
If you color your hair, conditioning with argan oil is especially important. A recent clinical study found that applying argan oil after dying hair blonde reduced protein loss and damage associated with the coloring process.10
Unfortunately, not all argan oil products are the same, and some barely contain any argan oil at all! This puts the burden on you to be a smart shopper. It’s best to choose a pure argan oil with ingredients that are organic, sustainably harvested, cruelty-free, non-GMO, and free of parabens, sulfates, and preservatives. Once you incorporate argan oil into your daily routine, you’ll begin to see wonderful changes in your skin and hair! And when you feel good about the way your skin looks, somehow the whole world suddenly feels like a more inviting place.
References:
1. Dobrev, H. (2007). Clinical and instrumental study of the efficacy of a new sebum control cream. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 6(2), 113-118. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2165.2007.00306.x
2. Guillaume, D., & Charrouf, Z. (2013). Argan oil for nutritional and skin care applications. Retrieved from http://www.teknoscienze.com/agro/pdf/GUILLAUME_AF2_ANTI-AGING_2013.pdf
3. Moldovan, M. L., Bogdan, C., Man, I., & CRISAN, M. (2016). Preliminary study on the development of an antistretch marks water-in-oil cream: ultrasound assessment, texture analysis, and sensory analysis. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, Volume 9, 249-255. doi:10.2147/ccid.s107298
4. Avsar U, Halici Z, Akpinar E, et al. (2016). The Effects of Argan Oil in Second-degree Burn Wound Healing in Rats. Ostomy Wound Manage, 62(3):26-34.
5. Villareal, M. O., Kume, S., Bourhim, T., Bakhtaoui, F. Z., Kashiwagi, K., Han, J., … Isoda, H. (2013). Activation of MITF by Argan Oil Leads to the Inhibition of the Tyrosinase and Dopachrome Tautomerase Expressions in B16 Murine Melanoma Cells. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 1-9. doi:10.1155/2013/340107
6. Jordan, M., Nayel, A., Brownlow, B., & Elbayoumi, T. (2012). Development and Evaluation of Tocopherol-Rich Argan Oil-Based Nanoemulsions as Vehicles Possessing Anticancer Activity. Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, 8(6), 944-956. doi:10.1166/jbn.2012.1460
7. Silva, A. C., Amaral, M. H., Sousa Lobo, J. M., & Tichota, D. (2014). Design, characterization, and clinical evaluation of argan oil nanostructured lipid carriers to improve skin hydration. International Journal of Nanomedicine, 3855. doi:10.2147/ijn.s64008
8. Bensouda, Y., Qiraouani Boucetta, K., Charrouf, Z., Aguenaou, H., & Derouiche, A. (2015). The effect of dietary and/or cosmetic argan oil on postmenopausal skin elasticity. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 339. doi:10.2147/cia.s71684
9. Boucetta, K. Q., Charrouf, Z., Derouiche, A., Rahali, Y., & Bensouda, Y. (2014). Skin hydration in postmenopausal women: argan oil benefit with oral and/or topical use. Menopausal Review, 5, 280-288. doi:10.5114/pm.2014.46470
10. Faria, P. M., Camargo, L. N., Carvalho, R. S., Paludetti, L. A., Velasco, M. V., & Gama, R. M. (2013). Hair Protective Effect of Argan Oil (Argania spinosa Kernel Oil) and Cupuassu Butter (Theobroma grandiflorum Seed Butter) Post Treatment with Hair Dye. Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications, 03(03), 40-44. doi:10.4236/jcdsa.2013.33a1006
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Roberta Pescow is a writer and the proud mom of two amazing and unique young men. As someone who’s been passionate about holistic wellness most of her life, she understands that the skin is the body’s largest organ—and its first line of defense. That’s why she knows how important it is to use only the purest, natural skincare ingredients. Roberta loves sharing all she’s learned over the years to help others reveal their healthiest, most beautiful skin ever.
