its benefits for the skin

Multifunctional vegetable oil, argan oil is a real nugget to take care of the face whatever the type of skin. Benefits and uses, we tell you everything!

Argan oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the nuts of the fruits of the argan tree. This tree native to Morocco, also known by its scientific name of Argania spinosa, indeed produces fruits similar to large olives – whose color oscillates between yellow and green and which are sometimes streaked with red – which contain a stone very hard which itself contains kinds of almonds called almonds. Each of these argan nuts contains on average one to three almonds which contain the famous vegetable oil so much coveted for the care of the skin, body, nails and hair but also for cooking. It has been used for millennia by Berber women who use it to treat their faces and nourish their dry hair, when they do not prepare traditional oriental dishes with it.

Depending on whether it is intended for food use or to become a cosmetic oil, argan vegetable oil is not made the same way. For the extraction of argan oil for food, the almonds are roasted and roasted beforehand, while for the manufacture of argan oil intended for cosmetic use, the almonds do not undergo any prior treatment because the heat destroys vitamins and trace elements that are interesting in the oil for its cosmetic use in beauty products.

In any case, it always takes a significant amount of kernels to produce argan oil, usually around one hundred kilograms of fruit are needed to make just one liter of argan oil. This is particularly why argan oil is listed as a precious oil among vegetable oils. A characteristic that has earned it the nickname liquid gold, a name which in passing refers to the golden color of this oil once extracted.

What are the benefits of argan oil on the face?

Argan oil is a vegetable oil with many benefits for the skin in general, whether it is the care of the skin of the body or more precisely the care of the skin of the face which is thinner and more fragile than that of the body by nature, and on which it reveals stunning effects whatever the type of skin because it is not comedogenic. To better understand its properties, just look at its composition.
Rich in essential fatty acids (especially omega 6 – also called linoleic acid – and omega 9 – or oleic acid) and unsaponifiables, argan vegetable oil first of all reveals an exceptional nourishing action on the skin of the skin. face. It thus helps to maintain a good level of hydration in the heart of the skin (an optimal water supply being essential for its health and its quality) but also of the barrier function of the skin by preserving its natural protective hydrolipidic film. which is made of fat. A very useful effect on all skin types but which is a real boon for dry skin in search of nutrition and sensitive and reactive skin which particularly needs to be well protected from external aggressions such as the cold and the sun. , wind and UV. By the way, argan oil also has the good idea of ​​making the skin soft to the touch and preserving its suppleness and elasticity.

This vegetable oil from Morocco is also very rich in antioxidants (and more precisely in polyphenols) which makes it a good oil for the face with anti-aging properties. Applied regularly to the face, it indeed benefits the skin from its antioxidant action by slowing the effects of external aggressions on the skin cells (in other words by neutralizing free radicals) and therefore by delaying the appearance of signs of the disease. age such as wrinkles, loss of firmness and elasticity. It is therefore not surprising that it is found in the composition of many anti-aging cosmetics intended to fight against emerging or established wrinkles.

Finally, it is to its high content of vitamin E, a repairing vitamin par excellence, that argan oil owes its extraordinary regenerating virtues, which are as useful for dry and damaged skin as for normal skin, especially in cold weather in winter when the skin feels tight because it is thus able to calm overheating and unpleasant sensations. This vitamin, which even comes to the aid of skin damaged and chapped by the bite of the cold, also supports the anti-aging action of the polyphenols mentioned above while helping to improve the quality of the skin by making it more resistant and able to repair itself. These virtues are also of interest in relieving acne by promoting the healing of imperfections or countering the dryness resulting from acne treatments.

You will understand, argan oil from Morocco is full of benefits for the skin of the face regardless of the skin type thanks to its moisturizing, nourishing, regenerating, healing, firming, softening and soothing properties. It is a real cocktail of active ingredients that are good for the skin (but also for the hair, nails and the whole body) which has the added advantage of being an entirely natural product if you opt for an organic vegetable oil. that you use pure. A real asset when it comes to applying the product to your face! But you will also find this precious oil among the natural active ingredients very popular in cosmetics for the care of the face, body, nails and hair, especially those which are natural or organic. To ensure that you are enjoying quality argan oil, always favor organic cosmetics made without chemicals.

How to use argan oil on the face?

Pure argan oil: a skincare oil that replaces day or night cream
To enjoy the benefits of argan oil, you can simply apply it pure on your face. This oil from Morocco can indeed replace your daily cream (even anti-aging!) To nourish, protect, beautify and strengthen the skin over the days. And not to spoil anything, this treatment oil also makes the skin very soft.
A word of advice, however: opt for use in the morning or evening depending on your needs and your skin type. If dry skin has every interest in applying it in the morning to intensely nourish their epidermis and create a protective film on its surface, mature skin in search of an anti-aging action or combination to oily skin prone to the excess sebum should instead be used in the evening before bedtime in order to deeply revitalize the skin at the most favorable moment for its regeneration and never to risk displaying a skin that shines at the end of the day.

In all cases, the method of applying argan oil is the same morning or evening:

  • Place a few drops of argan oil in the palm of one of your hands, then heat the amount of oil by rubbing your hands.
  • Then distribute the oil all over your face using light pressure with your palms.
  • Then massage your face with your fingertips until penetrating with gentle touches. Argan oil then leaves your skin soft and delicately satiny.

An oil complicit in facial massage
If you are a fan of the self-massage of the face or the use of beauty tools for the same effect such as the gua sha stone or the jade roller straight from lithotherapy and which are used precisely accompanied by a treatment , a serum or even better oils, pure argan oil will be useful to you as well.

Argan oil mixed in your daily care
If you do not appreciate facial oils or you are attached to the treatments that constitute your current beauty ritual, know that it is also possible to add a few drops of argan oil in the amount of treatment that you apply on your face and this, with your various beauty products, to enjoy the benefits of argan oil otherwise without completely changing your routine.

Argan oil: a natural makeup remover
Argan oil is also one of those vegetable oils that replace traditional makeup removers to provide natural, ecological and gentle makeup removal. It is then applied to dry face, then massage with fingertips to help dissolve make-up and rid the skin of impurities without attacking it. The argan oil then traps makeup residue and particles of pollution or dirt. Then just emulsify the oil with lukewarm water to remove the greasy residue from the oil makeup removal.
Used in this way, it is a cleansing oil particularly suitable for mature or fragile skin due to its high concentration of antioxidants and its protective properties.

Argan oil as a lip balm
Thanks to its restorative properties, argan oil is also a dream treatment for chapped lips in winter. Pure, it can indeed be used in lip care with a few drops distributed over the labial mucosa by massage so that it penetrates this thin skin well while allowing it to benefit from its shielding effect against the cold. But if you don't like the dosage of the oil to treat your dry lips, you can also find traditional lip balms enriched with argan oil to try it without changing your habits.

Argan oil for the care of the eye area
Argan oil is also acclaimed for its regenerating and anti-fatigue properties on the eye area because it is able to fight against the appearance of wrinkles and reduce the color of dark circles while moisturizing and smoothing. that delicate area of ​​the face. To use it in this way, the best is still to use a specific treatment for the eye area whose formula contains argan oil rather than pure oil which is very oily for the thin skin around the eyes. 'eye.

Argan oil for making a DIY face mask
Argan oil is also a natural ingredient that can be used in the manufacture of home care when combined with a few other raw materials. Its use in making face masks is particularly interesting because you can then benefit from the regenerating effects of argan oil easily by preparing yourself an express beauty mask for the face:

Argan oil as an active ingredient in cosmetics
Multifunctional and very effective, argan oil is also an active ingredient widely used in cosmetics for the face. It is therefore possible to simply buy a jar or a tube of cream to try it out.
To find out if the cosmetic products you want contain argan oil, just look for argan oil in the INCI list of your cream. Also note that it may appear under the name Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil in the list of ingredients on the packaging, with reference to the name of the argan tree (the tree).

Choosing the right argan oil for use on the face

While you always have to be careful about the quality of the vegetable oils you apply to your skin, it is even more important when it comes to a facial oil if you want our opinion.
If you want to use your argan oil as a cosmetic product on your face, so be sure to choose a quality argan oil, that is to say on the one hand cold pressed because this ensures that it has was harvested by pressing almonds without them being subjected to high heat which could alter its active ingredients (vitamin, fatty acid, antioxidants) and make the oil less effective, on the other hand preferably organic because this ensures you of the face that does not contain chemicals.

Another tip for checking the quality of your oil before application: smell it. A natural and quality argan oil should give off a slight odor of hazelnut or toasted sesame. If this is not the case or, on the contrary, this fragrance is too pronounced, be wary because it could be that the argan oil in your possession is not the best (perhaps enriched with 'a synthetic perfume for example) or that it has been altered. Argan oil is indeed sensitive to light and heat which promotes its oxidation. It should be stored preferably in a glass bottle, away from UV rays and at room temperature (around 20 ° to 25 °) to retain all its virtues. If it smells rancid, suddenly darker in color, or if you are in doubt, definitely don't apply it to your face.

Organic argan oils to try

The benefits of argan oil for your hair:

Video by Louise Lethiec