Noelle needs to know: I read your post regarding coconut oil penetrating hair. How about argan oil? It seems to be the new cosmetic hype, with several brands launching their “miraculous” argan oil-based hair treatment for 45 dollars or more.. (Ahem) Is there any kind of research providing evidence that argan oil can restore health and shine to the hair? They say that argan oil has been used for centuries by Moroccan women to restore skin, hair and nails. Does this Moroccan oil really work?
The Right Brain’s oily answer:
Could argan oil be the new coconut oil? Let’s take a look.
What is argan oil?
Argan oil is produced from the kernels of argan tree fruit. These trees only grow in a few regions, like Morocco, so this oil is one of the rarest in the world due the small supply and the limited growing area – hence the high price and the hype.
Traditionally the oil is produced by hand. First the soft pulp is stripped from the nuts which are then laid out in the sun to dry. Stones are used to crack open the dried nuts so the seeds can be removed. Next, they’re gently roasted to give the oil a rich, nutty flavor. A little water is added to the roasted seeds and they are ground into a thick paste which is squeezed by hand to extract the oil.
Legend has it that there’s another way to produce this precious oil: Breaking open the nut shells is really hard work and the Moroccans have found that it’s easier wait for their goats to eat the fruit (yes, goats are big fans of argan fruit. They’ll even try to climb trees in search of this succulent treat!) The seeds pass through the goat’s digestive track and emerge on the other end a bit softer since they’re partially digested. So, all the Moroccans have to do is follow the goats around and wait for the seeds to… uh, reappear. The good news is that the post-goat seeds are much easier to break open. The bad news is that they are tainted with the distinctive odor of goat intestines which is less than ideal by most standards.
Is this legend true? Probably not, according to several of the comments we’ve received on this topic. But we never pass up the opportunity to make a goat poop reference.
What is argan oil used for?
Regardless of how it’s made, chemically speaking argan oil consists of a blend of fatty acids (over 70% oleic and linoleic acids.) It is also rich in vitamin E, phenols, and carotenes. Historically argan oil has been used in cooking for dipping bread, on couscous, or on salads. But since it’s so rich in essential fatty acids, there’s no reason it couldn’t be used in skin or hair treatments. In fact, there has some research that indicates that argan oil may be an treatment for psoriasis. And Pubmed references at least one study that shows argan oil reduces sebum production. (We couldn’t find any specific research on argan oil in hair care.)
The only downside to using argan oil in cosmetics, besides the potential lack of supply and high cost, is the fact that it contains a lot of oleic acid which is highly comedogenic. So while it may be good for oily skin and psoriasis, it could clog pores and cause inflammatory acne. You might have to arm yourself with an anti-acne device like Thermaclear.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
If you don’t mind using a cosmetic oil that’s seen the inside of a goat intestine (just kidding!), then argan oil may be for you!
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Forgot to say Jebel Argan Oil is hand-pressed no machine used. This means none of its nutrients are lost like in a machine cold pressed technique.
This is the best you could find in the market.
TRY IT OUT!!!!
oh i just saw a show “jeff corwins extreme cuisine” and he followed the process from poop to shelling (took him ten minutes to shell one) to paste (he made a cute and creepy human figure out of it) to oil. hopefully that’s not how must oil is made though
I have been using it for 3 weeks and the results are amazing. No breakouts, in fact I think it may emulsify facial oil because I had a lot of whiteheads on my nose and it is so smooth now. I also had an area that was very dry and flaky in the area of the nose close to te eyes and that is completely gone now. I use Josie Maran (with bronzing color) argan oil, and purchased it at Sephora
I have the oilest and most acne prone skin with hyperpigmentation that takes ages to fade. A friend suggested I wean myself off chemical products and start working with pure organic oils. I started experimenting with olive oil, hemp oil, avocado oil and then after much research started upgrading the quality. My skin has improved a great deal. I tried a high grade argan oil that did wonders for the suppleness of my skin. My favorite right now is moringa oil. It smells like you are out in nature and it has it is a gentle exfoliant. I noticed when I washed my face when I woke up, my skin was brighter.
OH my I just started using this liquid gold on my hair… It is wonderful my hair is shiny and its bringing out the natural reds in it. I have shared it with many of my friends, they also love it. I am gonna start using it on my skin, I did not know you could use it on your face.
Earth provides so much natural health yet human kind manages to mess up with its body. Argan oil, grape seed oil, flax seed oil, sesame seed oil, olive oil… They all are excellent, no one oil is better than the others. The key is in a balanced diet consisting of healthy food diversity.
We’re proud to be carrying 2 of the best oils and will strive to bring more diversity, always…
I agree with Noah. I’ve tried a few different kinds of argan oil in the market, and the one I bought from Jebel was the best. You get what you pay for; my skin could feel the difference right away. The bad quality stuff out there can’t compare. Now I know what I’m going to buy my friends this holiday season.
I would have to say, I think Argan oil must be great. I just discovered a newer lotion that has Argan oil in it, it’s fabulous! the best I have ever tried! It’s all natural and is packed with other super ingredients. It is what I will be getting all my friends for the Holidays!!! I can’t remember the company name but I always find it by the name of the lotion, In Love with your skin.. actually I just remembered the company name, IN Love with bodycare. haha anyway, I highly recomend it!
Argan oil does not clog pores. With a little research, you would know the so-called legend about how argan oil is produced is fact.
Is Jebel Argan Oil free trade and Ecocert?
To Laren,
I contacted Jebel not too long ago about those same questions.
Jebel is in the process of getting ecocertified, i was told it took a while to have it done in morocco.
About free trade, did you mean Fare trade? Jebel owns its own lands of argan trees, so they do not purchase the oil from any Co-ops. They consider themselves fare trade because they pay their employees wages that are higher then the national minimum wage and they also donates to local communities and schools where the employees are from.
In morocco the term faire trade is very mis-used, many Co-ops that produce Argan Oil say that they are but in reallity they just use the term to do more business. They abuse their employees and pay them the lowest possible, knowing that those ladies will take any paycheck given to them considering the economic situation in the country.
All i can say is i’m a fan of this product and all my close friends are becoming too. Jebel Corp. is a socially conscious company and they try to do good things with their business.
Really give it a try, you willl drastically improve your skin and hair condition and you will directly help berber villages with your purchase.
Tell people about Jebel, they will love it.
hope i answered your question Laren.
You know you can contact them if you have any questions, the email is on the website http://www.jebelcorp.com
Pure argan oil is the best. Many products that seem to be pure argan oil are not pure argan oil, but is mostly chemicals. Rose Marie carries 100% pure organic argan oil as well as argan oil with essential oils. The blended oils are 96% to 99% pure organic argan oil. Rose Marie also carries All natural lotions with argan oil, organic scrubs with argan oil, and something called argan butter, which is all natural like the lotions, but has a buttery consistancy for deep moisturizing. The website is http://www.rosemarieshop.com and is a great place for 100% pure organic argan oil and is unique in selling all natural products that contain organic argan oil.
Yes. I meant fair trade.
I have just tried a sample of morocanoil on my very dry hair. It now feels fabulous, and I am very impressed. As a Beauty Therapist I alway source the best quality and ethical products to use and recommend to my clients, so I was disappointed in the various ingredients it contained. So I decided to do some recearch and found your website. It has been very helpful, I will now look up Jebel, Many thanks
It is important to make sure that you are using 100% argan oil. Read ingredient labels carefully. There a many brands out there claiming to be argan oil but actually contain mostly chemicals and cheaper oils. One reputable brand is Kahina-Giving Beauty which is 100% pure organic argan oil.You can get it at the giving-beauty site or at http://www.BellaFloria.com.
We discovered argan oil many years ago on a trip to Morocco. The friends we stayed with had gobs of it in quart sized Mason jars. They cooked with it, and used it on their skin and hair. We were in a seaside village, and they told us that we wouldn’t get a sunburn if we used it while on the beach.
I fell in love with it then, but couldn’t find out what it was because the name of the product could not be translated and I never found out how to get it here. I am pleased to know that it has finally found its way into the marketplace, and ordered some immediately when I found it.
The stories about goat poop are true, but the oil obtained this way is an industrial grade and not used for cosmetics or food
I’m very interested to try argan oil for my dry, over-processed hair. One question: do I leave it in, rinse it out or shampoo it? Thanks:)
Argan oil is a product i like to use on my skin since i used to have a lot of
problems like acne, redness, dry patches on my skin and the oil cleared it
up. The oil is used best on a daily basis to prevent premature aging of the
skin.
Check out this website, this is where i buy my argan oil. It’s really not
expensive for the quantity and quality.
http://www.arganoilultra.com
i,m interested in the argan oil, does it have a smell? and what is the going price for 100% argan oil?
@Shawn, comb it through your hair after a shower and leave it in.
I have been using Argan Oil which I purchased from skinbiology.com and it is fantastic to say the least. I especially like it for my hair which i’ve decided to let it go grey rather than color. And grey hair can look dull and dry. Well my hair looks fabulous. At the airport a woman stopped me and told me I had the most beautiful grey hair she’s ever seen. (I also have it neck length in a stylish cut). Right after my wash which a natural organic shampoo, I apply a small amount in my hand and spread it thru, then let it air dry. I also apply it to my body and face. For day time I apply it after I cleanse my face, give it 10 minutes to soak in, apply a light sunscreen moisturizer afterwards, wait for that to soak in then I apply a bit of blush, and spritz with water and I’m finished for the day. BTW I do have permanent makeup so I don’t have to spend extra time working on my makeup; just on getting a moist, glowing skin and hair. I’m in my sixties and I’ve tried many, many brands, etc. over the years and to discover Argan after all these years has made my golden years look and feel pretty good for an ole girl! patrice nashua nh
Bonjour,
Nous avons le plaisir de vous informer que nous sommes une société de production et exportation de l’huile d’Argan ‘Argan Bio House’.
Nos produits ( Cosmétique ou alimentaire ) sont certifiés Ecocert Bio.
Nous serons très heureux de commencer une collaboration avec vous et trouver la meilleure manière pour travailler ensemble .
Meilleures salutations
Nos coordonnées sont:
- Show Room: n°114 , Rue Abi Mansour Taalabi, Hay Dakhla, Casablanca,MAROC
Patente: 33455825; Identification Fiscal: 44304780
- Siége social: APIDARGAN Sarl: 43, Rue 254, Hay Moulay Abdellah, Casablana, MAROC
Tel: 212(0)522 44 21 60- Fax: 212(0)522 31 90 64
Patente n° : 36090192 – Identification Fiscal n° : 2260850
GSM: 00 212(0) 661 60 32 92
This website contains a lot of information about argan oil check it out: http://www.argansense.com
What do you think of using a dermaroller to enhance product penetration in the instance of dermal melesma, and are there any products or procedures, other than Obaji-type products, that are effective for this disfiguring condition? I already use Renova, very effective sunscreen, in conjunction with sun avoidance, and topical antioxidents to augment my sunscreen. My light skin can be senstive from time to time. Thank you in advance.
“…They’ll even try to climb trees in search of this succulent treat!”
Try? More like they DO climb trees to get at the argan fruit!
I’ve seen it with my own eyes (spent a summer in Morocco a few years ago)–goats sitting in the tops of trees. Crazy.
I have tried a few argan oil brands and now I just found this one at my beauty salon that I love, it’s called Argansense, their website is http://www.argansense.com and I think they didn’t start selling online yet, but it seems like it’s coming very soon.
Try it! It’s really the best and I could feel the quality and the difference from other brands.
Monica
Monica may I suggest Wen Haircare System. It is the bomb, I’ve been using it now for 3 months and will not ever go back to convetional hair care products. You do have to order it from a website or 800# but it is worth it I promise. Your hair will feel like it did when you were a kid just after using it once, no exageration.
I have naturally curly hair and apply Argan oil every day after I dry it, and it makes it soo soft! My hair just soaks it up. It doesn’t make it any less frizzy, but produces a beautiful shine and is not greasy. I love it, and the kind I have smells great. It is “Enjoy” brand and also appears to contain Linseed oil and vegetable oil. Recently I visited a farm in the Midwestern US and was outside in a lot of tall grasses. My dog got 13 ticks, my husband got 3, and I got none. Even ones who made it inside didn’t come near me. They didn’t even get on my clothes. I know many other essential oils repel ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas (lavender, eucalytpus, safflower, and tea tree oils). Could this oil also do the same?? I am very curious because it seemed odd to me that they stayed away from me. All I know is… next time, the dog’s getting rubbed down with it.
I`ve tried many products with Argan Oil. I found the best one, a product that I bought from this online store arganplace.com. It suits my skin. LOVE ARGAN OIL:)
I`ve tried many products with Argan Oil. I found the best one, a product that I bought from this online store arganplace.com. It suits my skin. LOVE ARGAN OIL:)
Hello!
After reading many comments about Argan Oil on this blog, i visited all the website mentioned to try to figure out which product i will purchase. After a long research i was amazed by Jebel Pure Argan Oil. The company seems to be very involved with the community and also they are the only one to produce the oil, no other company does that. They all just purchase it from co-ops.
They also keep the tradition by hand pressing the oil, giving more jobs to Berber women and also creating the most potent and nutritive oil.
After trying the product for a week, i saw great results on my skin and hair. It is just amazing, i still can’t believe it. I do not use anything else, i got ride of all the beauty products i owned. Now i’m saving a lot of money. My budget for cosmetics shrink to a minimum, at Jebel a 2 oz bottle last me more than a month and only cost $68. Imagine now all i need is that bottle to take care of my skin and hair. You can even get a 10% discount on their website.
TRY IT OUT!
My friends did and they are in love.
http://www.jebelcorp.com
I’m not sure what argon oil does for your skin, I was actually researching this site to find out if it would be good for my acne prone skin, as I heard it would clear my acne.
As far as you hair goes, IT WORKS AMAZING ON YOUR HAIR!!!!!!
Mind you I have spiral curly hair and it tends to get dried out easy form products and blow dryers, I used to because my flat iron broke, the internal temperature control was not working right and it heated up to the maximum heat 250, NOT GOOD! by the time I realized the damage was done, I only flat iron my bangs and they started breaking off as I combed them out. So I needed something to protect the for the future and repair at the same time (don’t get me wrong I was already using a protection for flat iron use, but it wasn’t enough for that kind of heat)
I noticed immediately that my bangs no longer looked dry and fried, the felt smooth too, the argon oil smoothed and hydrated them, it also protected the when I used my new flat iron on them.
I can’t tell you enough how shiny the argon oil mad my hair, and how healthy, I use about 2 drops on my bangs (but I have really dry hair and products don’t weigh down my hair as I need some weight with my thick spiral curls) but you might want to use less.
Try a little out especially if you have curly hair you won’t be disappointed your hair will shine like never before, take it from me as I have tried almost every hair product out there, my husband calls me the beauty supply shop! lol.
I tend to disagree, because I have tried them all, and the argan oil that I think has the best quality is Argansense. My skin and even my hair look so great now!
Try the pure argan oil from http://www.argansense.com and tell me what you think of it!
Hi
I have bought two bottle of small argon oils from two different brands…based on a recommendation.
Does any one know if argon oil applied on scalp skin of the head can change our white hair into our original hair colour? i suffer from pre mature graying since i was 11. HAs any one have proof it restores original hair colour!!!!!??
– C
I have been using Argan Oil in my hair and my face for about 6 months. Honestly I get so many comments about how my hair looks so healthy. I really do think it is a miracle oil. Goat or no goat
I use the Maijan Organic Argan Oil similar to the Josie Maran Argan Oil but half the price $25!
It’s so good for your skin it doesn’t matter if it comes from inside a goat. The best coffee in the world – Kopi Luac, is shitted out by a little monkey. And people are paying $45 a cup for it, lol!!
FYI: good, comprehensive updates on argan oil.
http://books.google.com/books?id=5AG42e0qkHMC&lpg=PA394&ots=QC0f9n0K1a&dq=argan%20cosmetic&lr&pg=PA403#v=onepage&q=argan%20cosmetic&f=false
I’m originated from the region where Argan oil is grownup. I’m very happy there is so much interest of this rare oil.
Lately I discovered a new company selling very cool products with Argan oil including pure oil and some creams: http://arganplace.com. They sell their products online and I bought from it hair care oil All I can say I`m very satisified with it. Argan oil works amazinly on my hair.
Wow!! i am amazed at all the controversy this wonderful oil is causing! Goodness!! i am a skincare/bodycare nutcase and have always used vitamin e oil on my whole body. I have been hearing about morrocan oil for the hair and how great it was and tried it. it was wonderful but there were other ingredients in it that i was not thrilled with so i figure i would get my hands on pure argan oil and see how that worked. i have been researching and i found it. It’s another source and HIGHLY reputable!
Check out http://www.anandaapothecary.com/pure-carrier-oils.html#argan
we are from morroco the original place of argan oil te poeple here use it for cosmetic and cilunary its good for both we creat smal company for exporting this oil because in our philosophy we offer to other poeple to Benefit to argan oil
I’m not going to reiterate what many of the intelligent posts have already stated.
But here is what I WILL add. Please stop using the word “hypoallergenic”. IT HAS NO VALIDITY! The FDA doesn’t recognize it and the very word implies that the product or ingredient its being used to describe is impossible or unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.
This is HOOEY. The reality of skin physiology is that anything you put on your skin IS FOREIGN to the surface of your skin. There are no guarantees. Anyone can potentially be allergic to ANYTHING. Don’t believe me? There is some poor 7 year old boy in Australia who is allergic to ALL FOOD. Not just some food, but ALL FOOD. He can only “eat” ice and drink Sprite and anything else makes him violently ill. This is not a hoax, but a very real situation. He’s probably the only person of his kind and he’s quite a medical anomoly but it is real. Which is why I get so freakin ticked off by the use of the word “hypoallergenic”. Its a fairytale.
http://www.kalebsjourney.org/
This is a very extreme example of allergic reactions and obviously not everyone is like Kaleb. Pulling back the reigns a bit on the potential of something to cause an allergic reaction, let me continue by stating…
Peanuts and (most relative here), TREE NUTS are among the TOP 5 most common types of food allergies. And yes, it generally doesn’t matter if you ingest it or use it topically (anyone remember the girl with the peanut allergy who DIED after being kissed by her peanut butter sandwich eating boyfriend?) So how on earth are you going to say its “hypoallergenic”? This is not some case of some rare individual being allergic to something. This is a botanical extract that MILLIONS of people are allergic to (as in, those allergic to tree nuts). Give me a break, really.
The phrases “hypoallergenic”, “non-comedogenic”, etc are all marketing terms and tools. They have no medical merit. These are terms that were conjured up by PR people, not scientists. They are empty, meaningless words. So please, dear posters who actually ARE chemists, scientists and medical professionals, please stop using these terms. K?
a few questions:
1. What are the concentration ranges of the Argan oil among the distributed products?
2. Does anyone have the exact details on the steps that are taken to purify and sterilize the Argan oil so that it is acceptable for US standards?
3. Does anyone have the scientific data that proves that Argan oil does anything for hair?
Beauty Brains-
Can you recommend any REPUTABLE websites or companies (in the U.S.) that sell pure Argan Oil. Many of the posts for websites appear sketchy-as though those individuals work for the company and thus are biased. Thanks!
@Dana – we don’t really give recommendations. However, to find a reputable seller, I would suggest you go through Amazon. They do a fairly good job of vetting the companies that sell products through their website.
Good luck!
I used Argon oil on my face for 3 weeks and had the worst break out of my life!!!
I bought Moroccan Oil for $50 for 100ml. I agree that it did make my hair feel soft, decrease drying time and maybe reduce frizz a little but I found this was more to do with the silicone content. I found a similar product by Garnier Fructis for $7 which makes my hair feel exactly the same and is possibly even lighter which is good for my fine hair. Apart from that I found I had other products that worked better to de-frizz and moisturise and it wasn’t really that good as a treatment. So will prolly be saving my money and using the Garnier product or a cheaper argan oil product next time.
You are right @Noah S , beacause i used to i love to jebel pure argan oil , the skin after using it si very tight
I get my 100% pure and organic oil from http://www.moroccan-oil.com.au
No silicon or any other additives!
Hello all,
I’ve found this thread by researching skin conditions. I have papolupustular rosacea (read: my skin is very broken). I am 54, and this is extremely embarassing, disheartening, and challenging.
I live in the US just now. My husband lives in Germany, and has sold argan oil for years.
When he saw me in October, he brought me a bottle of pure argan oil (cosmetic) to use. For many years I said that I wouldn’t use anything that was s*** out by goats, then produced.
He said “What about eggs?”. I conceeded the point.
He’s right. Pure argan oil has not cleared my rosacea, but it has made my skin softer than any baby’s bottom. I have a lot of damage under the dermis, that will only heal with time, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.
In Germany, he sells a beautiful 50 g bottle of pure oil for 17.50 Euros; to the contributor who paid $50.00 for 100g – if this is pure oil, this is a good price.
Someone had posted a question – will this oil help restore the original color of their hair? No. Once the hair has naturally lost color, it has lost color. My hair is predominately white (no grey here), to my waist, and nothing will ever restore it to it’s former chestnut color. One does learn to age gracefully.
I hope that this has helped.
I am a diabetic, and a diabetics feet are something that are watched closely. I had severely cracked and sore feet, I would drown my feet in lotion and wear socks to bed. Nothing seem to be helping. In one weeks time of applying the Argan oil twice a day, (in the morning and at night) my feet are healed, smooth, and not sore. I have also used it when coloring my hair, and it seems to fight the damaging affects of color on your hair as well. I use it on my face about twice a week, and I rub it into my hands on a daily basis. This is not “scientific” proof, but it is a true testimonial to it’s usefullness, at least for me. I can’t believe how it has cured my feet and made them so soft.
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