Argan Oil: Beauty Miracle or Goat Poop?

There's always some new thing that's guaranteed to make you beautiful.  Last year it was mineral makeup, before that it was vitamin c, and on and on.  The new kid on the block is argan oil.  From The Beauty Brains:

The fruit of an argan tree:  image courtesy of sptimes.com

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.

(Apparently that part about the goat poop is just a legend.)

The Brains say that argan oil has properties that could help skin (as an effective treatment for oily skin or psoriasis but with the possible side effect of clogging pores), but they weren't able to find any proof that it will do much for your hair. But the Argan Oil Society website says that it has several benefits for hair, including:

• Argan oil hydrates the hair in a natural way. It stops the curliness and roughness of hair in an efficient way.
  
• Argan oil penetrates into the hair pores or shafts and enhances the elasticity of hair. It also proves to be very nourishing for the growth of hair.
  
• Argan oil is very good for uncontrollable and unmanageable hair. It restores the smoothness of hair and makes them manageable again.
  
• Natural antioxidants present in Argan oil strengthen the hair by repairing the damaged cellular membrane of hair.
  
• Presence of Vitamin E in Argan oil makes it a tremendous agent for hair treatment. Many external and internal agents like heat, over styling and oxidization damage the hair. Vitamin E present in Argan oil is very useful in restoring the natural hair and renewing and repairing the damage caused by destructive agents.
  

Argan nuts being pressed into oil:  image courtesy of care2.com

Suddenly the market is flooded with hair and skin products containing argan oil, the most popular probably being Moroccan Oil.  But at $37, it's worth having a look at the ingredients.  Moroccan Oil is mostly silicones – argan oil is the sixth ingredient on the list!  And while silicones are effective for fighting frizz and smoothing hair, you can pay a lot less money to coat your hair with silicone by buying a bottle of Frizz-Ease.  And if you use a sulfate-free shampoo (like I do), you'll need to avoid silicones because non-sulfate detergents aren't strong enough to break them down, which will leave you with build-up.  So a product like Moroccan Oil won't work with that type of routine.  Similar products (like Marrakesh Oil) are also available, but they have a similar ingredient list and carry a similarly high price tag. 

Nothing is wrong with these products, of course, as long as you know what you're buying and aren't following a silicone-free routine.  But you're paying a lot of money and not getting as much of the advertised pivotal ingredient as you might think. 

If you want to find pure argan oil, which you can use on your skin or hair, model Josie Maran features it in her cosmetic line available at Sephora.  Or you can check out alternative retailers like The Posh Peddler. 

Since argan oil is expensive you may also want to consider alternatives:  coconut oil is similar enough to hair's natural oils to penetrate the hair shaft better than most oils and is available at health food or organic food stores.  And jojoba oil closely mimics the oils in your skin, so you can use that as a light moisturizer or skin oil.  Jojoba oil is also available at health food stores, beauty supply stores, or your local Trader Joe's.  Both are less expensive than argan oil. 

Like most beauty trends, it's important to read ingredients and know what you're buying before you part with your cash.  A little knowledge goes a long way to saving you money!