Why the beauty world keeps raving about argan oil
Called the “liquid gold of Morocco,” argan oil is the latest miracle ingredient to sweep the beauty industry today.
Bombshell Eva Mendes reportedly stocks up on the oil, relying on it to keep her skin moisturized and radiant. Salma Hayek uses it to prep her hair for Oscar and red-carpet nights. Taylor Swift smoothes it on her blonde locks as well, in case you were wondering how she achieves such shiny tresses. Julianne Moore keeps crow’s feet at bay with argan-based eye creams.
Argan is definitely the flavor of the month, but what’s really behind the hype? Let’s take a closer look.
Argan oil is not a new discovery. Found exclusively in Morocco and Algeria, the oil is pressed from the nut of the argan tree, which has traditionally been harvested by women. (One benefit was evident in the workers’ hands: though some were elderly, their hands remained remarkably wrinkle-free and youthful.)
Berber women have used argan oil for centuries to protect against the extremely dry, arid conditions of the desert. Moroccans regard it as the ultimate panacea, applying it to skin, hair, and nails. They also consume it like olive oil in their salads and spreads, though studies have shown that argan contains almost three times as much vitamin E as olive oil, making the Moroccan diet cholesterol-lowering and even anticancer. A study in Cancer Detection and Prevention showed that the growth of three types of in vitro human prostate cancer cells was inhibited 48 hours after being treated with the sterols and polyphenols from argan oil.
Whole-body beautifier: Body & Face Thairapy Morocco Argan Oil is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source. English and French tourists have long been bringing bottles of the stuff home from their Moroccan vacations; one Brit, Liz Earle, who travels the world in search of organic ingredients for her skincare line, had the oil analyzed in the UK and found the results so encouraging she started incorporating it into her beauty products. Rich in hydrating fatty acids and antioxidant polyphenols, “it was so remarkably high in vitamin E and had these very interesting phytosterols, which are good for scar tissue and so many other things,” Earle said.
More recently, model turned beauty mogul Josie Maran has built an entire brand around argan oil, infusing it into her sunscreens and color cosmetics.
After sifting through all the claims, there’s no denying that argan oil has major moisturizing, age-defying and skin-healing properties. Here’s a comprehensive list of benefits:
Face
• Protects and renews skin damaged by pollution, stress, sun exposure, and other environmental factors.
• Moisturizes dull, dry skin. It can be used as a makeup primer and remover.
• Regulates oily skin. A study done on those with oily and combination skin showed that argan oil, applied twice daily for four weeks, was good at controlling the production of sebum responsible for oily skin.
• Softens skin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Clinical trials showed a 38-percent improvement in lines after test subjects used an argan-rich firming face cream twice a day for eight weeks.
• Reduces skin inflammation, redness and irritation due to over-peeling or other chemical procedures.
Body
Isn’t that spa-cial: Argan oil is the star ingredient of The Body Shop’s Spa Wisdom Morocco line. • Makes scars and keloids less noticeable.
• Helps in the treatment of rosacea, eczema and psoriasis, though clinical evidence is scant at present.
• Maintains skin elasticity, preventing stretch marks.
• Readily absorbs to moisturize elbows, knees, and dry, cracked heels.
• Nourishes, strengthens and protects the hair from root to tip to prevent breakage.
• Soothes skin after shaving.
• Strengthens brittle nails.
Hair
• Promotes shine.
• Tames frizz.
• Prevents split ends.
• Protects hair from heat styling
• Treats scalp before and after hair coloring.
Pure argan oil is not cheap, though you can find affordable, diluted versions of it in beauty products ranging from shampoo to body mists. The main reason behind its price is its rarity. Argan trees are only grown in a 10,000 square-mile region in Morocco that is protected as a biosphere reserve to prevent the abuse of the forests’ limited supply of trees. Government-sanctioned women’s cooperatives extract the oil as their main source of livelihood; in addition to the income it’s a way for them to get basic education.
Oil’s well: The Souq Organics Moroccan Argan Oil is fragrance-free. I recently started using argan oil as a nighttime moisturizer and daytime frizz tamer, and am really happy with the results. One excellent product to try is Rustan’s Body & Face Thairapy Morocco Argan Oil, a golden elixir with a rich consistency and delicate fragrance. Dispensed via a handy pump, you’ll be surprised at how quickly it sinks in, and how eagerly your skin and hair drink it up, becoming soft and supple. There’s no greasy after-feel either, and the fragrance turns into a luscious skin scent (P1,450 for 100 ml).
For those allergic to fragrance I recommend The Souq Moroccan Argan Oil, a 100-percent-pure organic oil that comes with its own dropper, so you can precisely control how many precious drops you’d like to apply. Because it’s fragrance-free I have no qualms about using it on my face (P1,500 for 30 ml).
Those who crave the full hammam experience should try The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Morocco line, in which argan has been added to products like a body scrub, cleansing oil, body soufflé and finishing mist.
While the many options out there enable us to enjoy argan oil’s beautifying properties, buying products made with fair-trade oil helps our Moroccan sisters build better lives. What could be more beautiful than that?
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Body & Face Thairapy Morocco Argan Oil is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.
The Souq Organics Moroccan Argan Oil is available at The Souq Organics boutique, Unit #2, Bellitudo, #79 Katipunan St., White Plains, Quezon City, tel. 727-9731, 0906-244-1537 or 39; or e-mail info@souqinternational.com.
Spa Wisdom Morocco is available at The Body Shop.
