Argan Oil
Liquid Gold: Argan, The Magical Oil Of Morocco
Have you ever travelled to the gorgeous land of Morocco? Been spellbound by its colours, textures, sights and aromas? I first experienced it after years of dreaming about this beautiful land, back in April of 2018, snaking my way inland and out, through desert and coastal routes… Marrakesh, Safi, Sidi Kaouki, Essaouira and Agadir. What a gorgeous land to discover.
If you have ever made this trip yourself you will have no doubt spotted the somewhat surreal sight if goats standing in trees, munching away on the leaves and fruit of the Argania Spinosa or more widely referred to as the Argan tree.
If you are a natural beauty lover you will be familiar with this lightweight, magical oil, known as the ‘Liquid Gold’ of Morocco. Rich in vitamin E, phytosterols (both schottenol and spinasterol), squalene, oleic acid and linoleic acid, it is no wonder that Argan oil is referred to as such. It has mega anti-inflammatory, pro-age and regenerative properties helping to restore the structure and function of the skin.
The fruit is harvested in late summer and left to dry out so the nut can be extracted. Once clear of the fruit, the nut is cracked open to reveal the kernel, which is then pressed, needed and squeezed to produce the oil. Argan kernels contain approximately 55% oil. In order to produce one kilogram of oil, around 2kg of kernels are kneaded which means around 30kg of Argan nuts are required, making this oil an extremely precious substance.
Nothing is wasted during production, the fruit is often fed to local cattle, the nut shells are used for fuel and the argan paste left over from the extraction of the oil is also a wonderful ingredient used in cosmetic production.
Traditionally, Argan oil is hand-produced by women using tools of stone. Although some co-operatives have modified and modernised their harvesting and production practices over the years, some have maintained a more customary, manual approach in the production of Argan oil. During my time in Morocco I visited two very beautiful, female-led co-operatives in search of the most gorgeous Argan oil and was lucky enough to see for myself and even tried my hand at producing oil from kernel of the Argan fruit.
This gorgeous, non comedogenic oil is a key ingredient in our Rejuvenating Botanical Serum, for its ability to repair, rejuvenate and regenerate the complexion. It is perfect for all skin types; highly nourishing for dry and sensitive skins, and can also be enjoyed by oily and acne prone skins due to its non-comedogenic yet nourishing composition. Regular use of Argan oil in a skincare ritual has shown significant improvement in skin hydration levels as well as soothing inflamed, acne-prone and allergy-prone skin.
Have you tried our Rejuvenating Botanical Serum yet?