Argan oil comes from the seeds of the Argania tree’s fruit and is one of the most popular hair and skin products because of its ability to penetrate your hair shafts, fight oxidative damage, and help prevent protein loss for your hair. Argan oil in skin products helps to maintain your skin’s moisture by sealing the skin’s barrier function to keep water in.
The oil gets extracted from kernels inside the seeds (which are inside the Argania tree’s fruit) both for food—by roasting the kernels and then pressing out the oil—and for cosmetic use, by cold pressing unroasted kernels.
Like coconut oil, Argan oil’s low molecular weight allows it to penetrate the hair shaft, which helps it fight oxidative damage and protein loss, especially in damaged hair. It can even help keep your color longer if you dye your hair. And just like coconut oil, Argan oil is rich in Vitamin E which is great for your hair. That’s not the only hair healthy nutrients found in argan oil, its rich in fatty acids that are great for skin and nails.
Just like mango butter which can be used to seal moisture into your hair, argan oil contains both linoleic and oleic fatty acids, also known as omega-6. Omega-6 is known to help stimulate both skin and hair growth, while maintaining bone health and regulating your metabolism according to Mt. Sanai health systems and this study on omega 3 & 6 from the NIH where they supplemented women with pattern baldness for 6 months, and showed the antioxidants acted against hair loss.
Plus, it’s not just the oil that benefits your hair. Argan press cake (the stuff left over after the oil gets pressed) has shown some promising results in stimulating hair growth. And this study from the NIH showed that the press cake did stimulate hair growth while inhibiting inflammation for a double-win. Now that you know why you may want to add argan oil, or products containing it to your self-care routines, we have even more good news, it is safe for all skin and hair types.
Which Hair Types Can Use Argan Oil
All hair types can use argan oil, but it can be especially useful if you have oily hair because it can help regulate your body’s sebum production, as this study showed when using argan oil as part of a sebum control cream.
It’s also a great alternative to almond oil if you’re allergic to almonds, or if you are worried about protein loss as this study shows that almond oil has no visible impact on that.
Almond oil has been shown to help maintain your hair’s elasticity, but while almond oil only coats your hair, argan can penetrate the hair shaft helping to maintain your hair’s protein structure and prevent breakage. And just like argan oil, almond oils contain linolenic acid and vitamin E.
And you can feel good about using argan oil because of where it comes from and who produces it.
Where Argan Oil Comes From
This tree nut derived oil is mainly produced by women’s cooperatives in Morocco (hence the brand name of several popular products that helped fuel this oil’s fiery growth in the early 2000’s) and you’ll find it in tons of shampoos, conditioners, hair oils, and body lotions.
Fun fact: the Argania tree is so important to Morocco that the UN declared May 10 the International Day of Argania.
While it’s rumored that Argan oil gets produced after goats climb into the trees, eat the fruit, and then poop out the seeds, you won’t find any goat poop remnants in your hair as this is just a myth.
The rumor that argan oil has goat poop in it originated because the goats eat the fruit, but they don’t digest the seeds and instead throw them up. This process helps disperse the seeds to grow new trees, and is used by some farmers to collect them before the oil extraction process.
And if you worry that seeds in goat puke are just just as bad as seeds in goat poop, don’t fret, argan oil comes from the kernels that are removed after cracking open the seeds.
Now that you won’t need to worry about the myths that surround this hair oil, lets jump into more benefits.
Additional Benefits of Argan Oil
Your body’s largest organ (i.e. your skin, including your scalp) will love how argan oil improves your skin’s elasticity and keeps it moisturized by maintaining the skin’s water barrier function, which holds water in your skin cells. It also helps even out your skin tone by fighting off a condition called hyperpigmentation, where spots on your skin produce too much melanin to create dark splotches.As a bonus for you new parents out there, argan oil is even gentle enough for your little ones and has been shown to be even better than hydrocortisone cream for treating diaper rash, as this study found.
You can also add the oil into your diet (just make sure it’s culinary grade, not cosmetic grade). With similar antioxidant properties to olive oil, eating argan oil can help reduce free radicals and oxidative damage inside your body, which combat hair loss from the inside out.
Now you know why many people swear by argan oil for their hair and skin. And maybe you’re ready to give it a try. If you liked this overview and myth busting post, get more like it by subscribing to the TELETIMES blog!
