Argan oil is the miracle ingredient being advertised as the next big thing in cosmetics. Extracted from the fruit of argan tree, argan oil today is being extensively used in the manufacture of products like shampoos, body butters and face masks. Coined with the term, “liquid gold,” argan oil is gaining popularity for its many hydrating and healing properties.

Body Problems: Argan Oil to the Rescue

Argan oil can help heal a number of common skin, nail and hair issues. When used externally, argan oil can also heal:

• Stretch marks
• Fungal infection in nails
• Dry hair
• Cracked heels
• Burns

It also has a number of benefits when consumed as food, too; however, you need to use culinary argan oil, which goes through a different process.

Argan oil for face as whole food is said to boost the immune system, brain function and reduce oxidative stress. Moreover, it curbs rheumatic problems, vascular problems and cancer. Also, it lowers blood pressure and slows aging. It definitely earns the name ‘liquid gold’ for the wide range of benefits it has. It is extremely versatile and with correct usage argan oil for face can give more benefits than most skin care products in the market today.

Argan oil is a modern day wonder for your skin with a several thousand years’ worth of history. It is loaded with potent antioxidants, essential fatty acids and other skin friendly nutrients. These ingredients give you a fair, younger and even looking skin. Although the pure oil is a bit expensive, but for the number of its uses and efficacy, it is worth a try.

Argan oil can keep your hair and skin vitalized, eliminating various problems like dryness, acne and aging. The benefits of argan oil are endless. This is the reason why many health enthusiasts call it a miracle oil and promote the use of argan oil for the skin, but amidst all the discussion, the argument remains, can you use it on your face?

When it comes to the sensitive skin on your face, many people have to be careful about what they use. The skin on your face is different from the rest of your body as it is more prone to irritation, inflammation and break outs. Many people are allergic to seemingly harmless natural ingredients, like lemon juice and nut oils.

In this article, you will learn all about the benefits of argan oil for face treatments, and if you read to the end, you’ll discover some helpful and easy ways to use it, too.

1. Argan Oil: An Age Old Remedy That Fits All Skin Types

Argan oil is better than most skincare products in the market because it is all-natural. This means argan oil, unlike many skin creams, contains no artificially manufactured chemicals that could cause allergic reactions. This makes argan oil safe for most people to use on their face.

Argan oil’s goodness was first discovered in 1550 B.C. in a village named Argana in Morocco. Argan trees that grow in the Southwest region of Morocco yield the fleshy fruits, which provide the native goats with food. To put it nicely, the goats eat the fruit, and leave the hard nut behind.

The kernels in this nut contain oil, which then forms the argan oil. For many years, the Moroccans have used argan oil to moisturize, nourish and heal their skin. In 1510, African explorer, Leo Africanus came across this wonder oil while passing through Morocco, and brought it back to Europe.

Today, the Berber women from the Southern Morocco are still known for their exotic beauty, the secret to which is argan oil. What makes argan oil the first choice for many women looking for good skin is that it works wonders on all skin types.

Below are some common skin types and how argan oil works on them:

• Dry Skin: Argan oil stimulates your skin to help it retain moisture. It hydrates dry skin and also reduces itching and flakiness. Skin becomes dry when it is unable to produce enough sebum or skin oil. Since sebum helps to keep the skin moist, the lack of it makes the skin dry. Argan oil promotes the production of sebum thus restoring the balance of the sebum production of your skin.
• Sensitive Skin: Since pure argan oil occurs in nature, it does not give rise to any allergic reactions. Instead, the healing properties of this oil can treat eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and rosacea-like skin problems that are common among people with sensitive skin. Argan oil also contains antioxidants and vitamin E that help to fight inflammation.

• Oily Skin: In contrast to the dry skin, the oily skin type produces more sebum than necessary. This sure compensates for the loss of moisture but the excess sebum can have many negative effects on your skin. One of these is acne. Using argan oil on oily skin helps restore the skin’s moisture. This in turn, reduces the production of sebum, treating oily skin and eliminating acne.
• Combination Skin: Combination skin type or seborrhea is a condition where some parts of the face like the nose and forehead are oily while the rest of the face is dry. Since argan oil is beneficial for both dry as well as oily skin, it can help this skin type by balancing the production of sebum, therefore evening out the dry as well as the oily areas of the face. Using argan oil for skin can help heal it.

It can also:

• Replenish the nutrients it has lost
• Promote new cells to replace the damaged ones.
• Make your skin soft, supple and more youthful.

You can apply argan oil directly to your skin, just like any other skin care product. However, by following the correct procedure, you will ensure that you get the maximum benefits.

Here are the steps to use for an argan oil treatment:

• Heat some argan oil in a pan on low flame or in the microwave in 10-second increments until it is lukewarm, but not too hot.
• Cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser and pat it dry.
• Leave your skin a little damp to allow the argan oil benefits to soak in better and hold in the moisture.
• Take few drops of the oil in your palms and massage your face and neck with it in a circular motion.
• Concentrate on the areas that harbor fine lines and wrinkles.
• Let your skin absorb the oil before proceeding with your normal makeup or skincare routine.

Liquid Gold: What Makes Argan Oil So Special?

The special composition of argan oil is what makes it one of the healthiest oils on the earth. Argan oil consists of:

• Unsaturated fats
• Sterols
• Vitamin EVitamin E
• Omega 3,6 and 9 fatty acids
• Squalene
• Oleic acid

All of these nutrients play a key role in revitalizing your skin. When you use argan oil for skin and face, each of these nutrients help you to replace the following skincare products that you may otherwise use:

• Moisturizing Lotions: The sterolins in argan oil can promote healthy skin cell metabolism. This helps the skin to retain moisture. The unsaturated fatty acids in argan oil also help to improve skin health. They make the skin softer and smoother.
• Anti-Aging Creams: Argan oil can also replace your anti-aging cream. Argan oil’s antioxidants promote skin health as they prevent oxidative damage due to environmental pollution and the ultraviolet rays of the sun. The fatty acids in argan oil, like linoleic acid, help fight free radicals to improve your skin’s elasticity and restore cell strength. This way, it brings back your youthful skin as you see a visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
• Acne and Acne Scar Remover: Argan oil for acne is highly recommended. If you have acne, it is highly possible that you also have oily skin. Oily skin arises from excess sebum production. Argan oil regulates the production of sebum, which in turn, controls acne breakout The vitamin E in argan oil acts as an anti-oxidant which helps to remove damaged cells, making way for new ones to grow, therefore fading scars.
• Makeup Remover: You can ditch your makeup remover for argan oil as this natural oil will never hurt if it comes in direct contact with your eyes. It safely and effectively removes eye makeup and mascara, is more affordable than most makeup removers available in the market and does not cause any allergies.

You can also apply argan oil to a store-bought face mask. But if you are feeling adventurous, you can also make your own face mask using argan oil.

Here is a simple recipe:

Honey Lemon Argan Oil Face Mask

Ingredients:

• One tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. You can buy a medium sized organic lemon and squeeze out some of the juice from it.
• Three tablespoons of plain yogurt. Buy organic whole-milk yogurt free of sugar and flavorings.
• One tablespoon of organic honey. Buy a small bottle of nearby organic honey from your local farm stand, farmer’s market or even at your nearest supermarket.
• Three drops of argan oil. You can buy this oil for an herbalist or an online vendor.

To Make the Mask:

• Just mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
• Wash your face with clean water and tap it dry gently. Don’t rub.
• Apply the mixture you have made to your skin.
• Keep it on your face for approximately 10 minutes.
• Wash it off gently with warm water.
• Pat your skin dry afterwards.

This face mask restores moisture, deep cleanses the pores and prevents acne. The lemon juice and argan oil both work to repair skin damage from exposure to the sun.

2. Argan Oil for Skin: A Preventive Measure for Inflammation, Blemishes and Hyperpigmentation

Argan oil may have been a well-kept secret in the past, but now as many popular skincare and haircare companies are beginning to understand the benefits of argan oil, they are introducing different types of products that contain argan oil in them.

From shampoos, conditioners, soaps and lotions, today, you can expect to find argan oil as an ingredient in many products related to skin and hair. This is because argan oil is widely used as a skin moisturizer. Also, argan oil for hair is used as a natural conditioner. The main reason behind this is that the companies have realized the tremendous results argan oil provides with a short duration of use. Argan oil can be used as preventive oil for a number of skin ailments.

What is Hyperpigmentation?

The antioxidants in argan oil help prevent inflammation, thus, it reduces the chances of blemishes, acne scars and hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation is characterized by darkening of an area on your skin. It is due to damaged skin cells that begin to produce too much skin pigment called melanin.

Hyperpigmentation can be due to:

• Acne: Leftover inflammation that occurs after acne has started healing or has aggravated from picking.
• Pregnancy: Hormonal imbalances during pregnancy. This is known as pregnancy mask or melisma.

• Sun Exposure: It can be due to exposure to the sunlight. Excessive exposure to the sunlight leads to the over-production of skin pigments.
• Injuries: When skin injuries heal, they leave behind areas of pigmentation.
• Medications: The use of certain medicines like steroids can also lead to over-pigmentation of your skin.

Argan oil naturally soothes your skin and promotes healing. It contains several beneficial lipids and fatty acids for skin. These include oleic acid, palmitic acid and linoleic acid. These essential fatty acids promote the removal of the damaged cells and thus make way for new cells to grow in their place.

What really works wonders on hyperpigmentation is the high amount of vitamin E in argan oil. Argan oil contains about 60 milligrams of vitamin E per 100 grams of oil. This is much higher than what any other plant oil may contain.

Vitamin E and Your Skin: A Win-Win

Vitamin E is one of the ingredients used in most of the skin lightening products. Here is why vitamin E is so important for your skin:

• Glutathione: According to studies, vitamin E raises the level of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is a natural antioxidant that limits the production of excess melanin.
• Vitamin A: It promotes the absorption of vitamin A, which also helps in lightening your skin tone. This is why, vitamin A or retinoid is also used extensively in the making of skin lightening creams.
• Cleansing Properties: It is also an effective cleansing agent. It exfoliates skin and removes the dead skin cells that add fullness to your skin. This is why many face cleansers, face masks and face washes contain argan oil as an ingredient.

Make an Argan Oil Skin Toner

To enhance your skin’s glow, you can also use argan oil as a toner. Here is how you can make a skin toner at home with natural ingredients:

Ingredients:

• One green tea bag. You can use any green tea bag available in your grocery store.
• One cup of hot water.
• An essential oil like orange, lemon or tea tree oil. You can get these oils from your local herbalist.
• Argan oil, which you can get from an herbalist or an online vendor.

Method:

• Pour the hot water over the tea bag, and let it steep for 7 to10 minutes.
• Remove the tea bag and let it come to the room temperature.
• Add two drops of the essential oil and two drops of argan oil.
• Keep it sealed in a jar.
• Use this mixture in the morning and at night after cleansing and before moisturizing your face.

This toner is great for removing fine lines and age marks, as well as adding an overall glow. The argan oil in it will help reduce hyperpigmentation and will even out your skin tone with regular use.

3. Skin Allergy Test: Watch Out for Impurities in Some Argan Oil Products

While making a purchase, be careful of the quality of argan oil you are buying. Impure argan oil can damage your skin by causing allergic reactions. Always perform a skin allergy test before using the argan oil that you have purchased.

Follow the steps below to conduct a skin allergy test:

Step 1: Cleanse your face with a mild cleanser and pat dry.

Step 2: Apply a drop of argan oil to your finger tips and gently massage it on the patch of skin below your ear.

Step 3: Wait for the next hour and observe. If you notice redness, irritation or any other changes on the skin, discontinue use of the oil you have purchased.

Some people may simply be allergic to argan oil. Therefore, it is important to conduct this test before use. Be mindful if you have any nut allergies. There have been cases where few people with nut allergies have had allergic reactions with argan oil use.

For others, they have had allergies because they purchased impure argan oil. Consult your doctor before using argan oil if you are allergic to nuts and nut oils. In case of severe allergy, seek help from your doctor.

Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous companies that are taking advantage of the growing demands for argan oil. Low quality oil will not give you the benefits that you are expecting, as it will not have the same concentration of nutrients that pure argan oil will have. Also, the impurities in the cheap oil can harm your skin.

What’s with the High Price Tag: Interesting Argan Oil Facts

Did you know that an argan tree can live up to 200 years? The reason argan oil can be pricey is because the fruits take a full year to mature. The hard nut within the fruit contains only one small oil-rich kernel.

Also, since the argan tree is limited to small, specific areas of the world, the annual production of argan oil is quite low.

To make pure argan oil, the kernels of the argan fruit are first cold pressed to ensure the best quality. The highest grade oil is then housed in a recyclable glass bottle. Manufacturers or skincare products who wish to sell this oil then purchase it from the women’s cooperatives in Morocco which ensures their social and economic welfare. These cooperatives operate under UNESCO’s protection to ensure the protection and reforestation of the argan forests.

Buyer Beware: Tips for Getting the Best Argan Oil Possible

Pure argan oil is expensive as it takes about eight argan trees and lots of hard work to produce one liter of oil; however, if you look at the number of products you can replace with it, it is worth the buy.

Argan oil for face reviews and the test results on this website suggest that more than 83 percent of the users have shown significantly improved skin hydration. The test results of using argan oil for face before and after show a visible reduction in coarse wrinkles and fine lines in the eye area.

Reviewers with varied skin types have used argan oil directly or mixed it with their skin care products to reap its benefits. Argan oil for face benefits the user and helps them get flawless skin.

You can always check PURE KERATIN ARGAN OIL LINE and join this healthy skin + hair revolution !