How to use Argan oil

Sometimes nicknamed “liquid gold”, you may have seen this natural ingredient on the backs of shampoo bottles and moisturisers. What exactly is argan oil, though, and how can it benefit your hair and skin?

What is argan oil?

Argan oil is a wonderfully rich oil that’s sourced from the kernels of the Moroccan argan tree. Known for its light yet moisturising texture, it’s been used for centuries in both food, medicine, and cosmetics. It’s believed to have many potential health benefits for the hair, skin, and body.¹ You’ll find argan oil is a crucial ingredient in many hair and skin products.

Benefits of argan oil

From maintaining youthful-looking skin to giving lacklustre locks a boost, here are just some of the fantastic benefits of argan oil:

It’s abundant in vitamin E

Vitamin E is a go-to nutrient for maintaining your skin’s health, and you’ll find plenty of it in argan oil! It’s thought to help reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals, in addition to reducing UV damage and helping lock in moisture in the skin to keep it soft and hydrated.² Vitamin E can also boost your scalp’s health and potentially promote healthier hair growth.³

It’s packed with antioxidants

Antioxidants – free-radical-fighting compounds – are brilliant at keeping your body healthy and ensuring your cells regenerate as they should. Argan oil contains an abundance of antioxidants (including vitamin E) which can soothe skin, help bring down inflammation and potentially slow down the ageing process.^4,5

It contains good fatty acids

Like many natural oils, argan oil is jam-packed with fatty acids which can support your health. Specifically, it contains linoleic and oleic acid which help firm up the skin and keep hair follicles moisturized.⁶

It won’t clog up pores

If you’re worried about putting an oil-based product on your already oily skin, rest assured that argan oil won’t make your complexion any greasier. In fact, it’s considered to be very low on the comedogenic (pore-blocking) scale. It will actually give your skin a nice glow rather than an oily sheen.⁷

How to use argan oil

Moroccan argan oil is a must-have for your bathroom cupboard as it has so many different uses for the hair and body! Why not:⁸

• Rub a little argan oil on the ends of damp hair to strengthen the follicles, tame frizz and reduce the likelihood of split ends forming.
• Massage some onto cleansed skin before you go to sleep as an overnight treatment for your complexion.
• Apply some pure argan oil to wet, shampooed hair as a replenishing hair mask once a week.
• Rub a few drops of argan oil into your scalp before bed to stimulate blood flow and bring down any inflammation. Rinse off in the morning.
• Put a little on damp or dry hair before using heated styling tools to protect your locks from heat damage.
• Fade scarring or stretch marks by massaging a little argan oil regularly into damaged skin

Stock up on pure argan oil or check out our range of hair oil and serums to discover nourishing products containing this incredible ingredient. Shop Natural Beauty Expertly reviewed by: Last updated: 2 December 2020 Sources 1 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/argan-oil 2 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/argan-oil#TOC_TITLE_HDR_7 3 https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/vitamin-e-for-hair 4 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/argan-oil 5 https://www.healthline.com/health/vitamin-e-for-skin 6 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/argan-oil 7 https://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/news/a17569/argan-oil-for-face/ 8 https://www.prevention.com/beauty/a26099233/argan-oil-benefits/