Argan oil has many important skin and hair nourishing properties. Read on to learn about the best argan oil products and shopping tips.
Argan oil comes from the nut oil of the Argan tree. The groves of these trees survive for 125 – 450 years, which make them a valuable inheritance for future generations. This oil has similar fat content like that of olive oil. However, commercial argan oil is lot more expensive than olive oil. But, the argan trees live longer than olive trees and require no cultivation. Traditionally, the local Berber women collect the seeds of this tree and press them to obtain the oil for domestic use. This is a laborious process which takes around 12 – 20 hours of hand processing to produce only one liter of argan oil! However, oil produced using this extraction method can be preserved for a period of six months, as it has high levels of vitamin E which is considered oxidatively stable.
Properties
Argan oil has many properties which makes it such an excellent natural product for skin and hair care. This oil is golden in color and has moderate viscosity. It is highly moisturizing and gets absorbed quickly in the body. It is rich in alpha tocopherols (vitamin E) and rich in phenols and phenolic acid. It is an excellent natural anti-oxidant and rich in carotenes. It is anti-inflammatory and rich in fatty and essential fatty acids. It is also rich in squalene which can help protect against damage done by free radicals to the skin, and thus prevent skin cancer.
Benefits
Argan oil can be used as a daily moisturizer after you take a shower in the morning. You can also have a traditional Moroccan breakfast recipe called Amlou, which tastes like peanut butter and tastes great with toast. It can also be used to make many other recipes of salads, fish, meat, veggies, etc. You can also use an oil massage for getting rid of inflammation, or you can also use argan oil products for hair to massage your scalp and to condition your hair. This oil is a highly recommended ingredient for many personal care products. It can be used for anti-aging and wrinkle reduction, psoriasis, eczema, acne, and other skin conditions. It can also be used to treat sunburn, stretch marks, damaged hair, dry scalp, and brittle nails. Argan oil is also recommended for sore or stiff muscles and general aches and pains.
Commercial Products
Whenever you go shopping for any argan oil products, check the label carefully on the product to see that the product is 100% certified organic. Buy a 100% pure organic bottle of the oil which contains only argan oil and no other ingredients. First, try out using only the oil for skin care to check if the product suits you. Once you like the product you can make your own blends, to improve the benefits of the product. If you are buying argan oil for cooking purposes, then make sure it is cold pressed and extra-virgin.
Pure argan oil by the company called Eden Allure is very good in quality. A bottle of 2.2 fl. oz. of Eden Allure argan oil comes for a price of USD 30. This oil can be used for moisturizing the whole body or hair. It can also be used for massage. Eden Allure also makes a soap which contains argan oil and organic lavender, this soap comes for a price of USD 8. Halaleveryday also sells 100% raw organic argan oil bottle of 100 ml for USD 20. This is a virgin cold pressed product. Another products range called Argan oil sells a bottle of pure oil which come for a price of USD 32, these are beautifully packed bottles come in a dark red box. If you wish to buy this oil for cooking purpose then Wild Wood Groves Argan oil is a good choice, as this product is cold pressed and extra virgin. Wild Wood Groves also makes argan oil soaps.
Homemade Argan Oil Blends
You can buy a bottle of pure argan oil and mix it with other essential oils to make aromatic blends, and increase the benefits of this oil. Mix argan oil with multi-purpose lavender essential oil. You can use this blend to have a calming massage, or use it to moisturize your body after shower to make your body smell great. If you want to combine this oil with another carrier oil, then use jojoba oil, as jojoba oil is very light and gets absorbed quickly too. If you want to use this oil to treat any skin infection, then make a blend of tea tree oil and argan oil in a ratio of 3:10 respectively, and apply it on the infected region. If you wish to use this oil for hair then; mix rosemary and lavender oil with argan oil and use it for massaging the scalp.
So buy a bottle of pure argan oil of good quality, and try out its moisturizing properties for skin and hair.
