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Guide to buying the Best Pure Argan Oil

Argan Oil is internationally recognised for it’s power to improve your skin and hair. Loaded with skin healing antioxidants and fatty acids - it moisturises, repairs and nourishes the skin and restores condition to damaged dry hair. But Argan Oil is a rare oil and quite pricey, and only premium Argan is suitable for use on the skin. So how can you know if your Argan Oil actually is the real deal? Follow our guide for all the tips on securing the best pure authentic Argan Oil.

 

Colour

Premium authentic Argan Oil is a deep yellow colour, which is why it has been given the nickname: “Morocco’s Liquid Gold”. Argan that is clear or straw coloured has likely been subject to industrial processing, or been diluted with cheaper oils. Alternatively, oil that is more brown than gold (and smells very strong), may well be Culinary (Roasted) Argan Oil.

 

Aroma

Quality cold-pressed cosmetic Argan has a natural scent because it comes from the seed / kernel inside the Argan nut. The scent is often described as “light and nutty” and well tolerated by most people, although it can be considered a little too "aromatic"  for those with a strong sense of smell. Be rest assured that the natural scent of quality Argan will disappear once the oil has been absorbed into your skin. Generally, those that know their Argan Oil, are reassured by an aroma as it is a good indication of authenticity and purity.

Most of the Argan available for sale or added to other products is refined Argan oil. That means it has been deodorised (had the natural scent removed by steam processing). This makes make it more appealing for cosmetic formulators to mix into their products. However, deodorising also makes it easier to both mask the aroma of low quality Argan seeds and extend the sale life of stale oil. Further, the bulk of the Argan Oil in commercial products is actually Industrial Argan and has been extracted using chemical solvents such as hexane. These types of processing reduce the quality of the oil. Deodorising reduces the skin healing antioxidants by 20% and chemical extraction degrades the oil qualities by more than 60%. So the tip here is to avoid deodorised and over-processed Argan if you want to use it on your skin.

 

Texture & Absorption

Premium Argan oil has a rich, weighty texture on the skin. It spreads very easily and is absorbed within minutes. Poor quality oil is light-weight or has a lasting slippery feel on the skin, and has probably been diluted with a cheaper oil or over-processed.

 

What else should you know?

a) Ingredients: Pure Argan Oil should be listed as the only ingredient on the bottle, i.e. 100% argan oil or 100% Argania Spinosa. Nothing else. If the label states “with added Argan” or the Argan is not listed as the first or second ingredient, then you will not be getting any value for the extra dollars you spend because the Argan content will be less than 50%. Also the term “Moroccan Oil” is frequently used but it is a description for marketing purposes and not an ingredient. This often applies to products with formulations that contain only a small amount of refined Argan Oil (i.e. < 20%) but have lots of added silicons.

b) Packaging: Mechanically pressed virgin Argan Oil has a 2 year shelf life due to the high levels of Vitamin E that are naturally present in the oil. No need for added Vitamin E, unless the oil is refined or likely to spend time on the shelf after it's use-by date. However, Argan is a vegetable oil and prone to oxidation just like olive oil. So packaging is important. The best packaging is dark glass bottles (amber, green or blue). Aluminum bottles and opaque plastic bottles are equally effective against oxidation, but may have additional issues regarding leaching and waste disposal.

c) Certifications: Quality Argan Oil in Australia will have organic certifications from Ecocert and Australian Certified Organic which provides a guarantee that the oil has been grown, harvested, processed and packaged according to the highest standards of organic production. Certification means that the argan producers and suppliers are regularly audited to assess their compliance.

 

So where is the best pure Argan Oil?

The best Argan comes from the women’s co-operatives of Morocco. The Berber women harvest the nuts and use a combination of traditional hand and machine cold-press extraction methods to produce extra-virgin Argan Oil. The co-operatives follow the guidelines of the Moroccan Department of Agriculture and Ecocert to ensure sustainable harvesting and organic production. They also provide the women with income and education, and invest in programs that protect the dwindling reserve of Argan trees.

Images of Berber women are commonly used to sell Argan Oil, however the truth is that much of the oil on the market has been produced away from the co-operatives, by Moroccan and international businesses who buy the nuts from local farmers.This means that the women are no longer involved in production, the quality becomes reduced by over-processing, the profits are not being returned to the community and there is no reinvestment in the Argan forests.

So if you are not in a position to visit a co-operative in Morocco, make your precious dollars go further and buy quality Argan from suppliers like us, who personally source authentic Argan Oil direct from the co-operative door for you. You can learn more about Argan Life Australia's Premium Argan Oil here and here.

12 comments

  • June 25, 2015 Sheridan says:

    I have bought your pure argan oil and love it. Have you thought of making a thermal spray for hair. As argan is wonderful for hair a thermal spray would give that bit more protection when using hair dryers etc.

    • July 11, 2015 Argan Life says:

      Hi Sheridan,
      Thank you for your compliment. Glad you enjoy using our Argan. Thank you for your suggestion regarding a thermal hair product. It’s a great idea. The challenge is to develop a formulation that can be certified organic, and we will definitely look into it.

      • January 26, 2016 Argan Life says:

        Hi Gypsey,
        I am sorry but I am not familiar with that brand.
        regards Sally

        • May 24, 2017 Jeannette Wagner says:

          When argon oil is reined does this change the color or scent? One site say the argon is in raw state before being pressed and pure argon oil uses roasted nuts before pressing? what can you tell me?Jeannette

          • May 28, 2017 Argan Life says:

            Hi Jeanette
            Argan Oil comes in 2 forms.
            Type 1 – Cosmetic argan oil uses raw (unroasted) nuts. Quality argan for the international market is extracted using the cold-press method and single filtration technique. This preserves the botanic and corresponding cosmetic values of Argan Oil. We provide this type of oil because it has the highest botanic/nutrient rich values to benefit the skin.
            The term “refined argan” usually means argan oil that has undergone additional processing after being cold-pressed or has been extracted industrially.The additional processing after cold-pressing, will be deodorisation. This is done by steam distillation. The purpose is to remove the natural aroma. This does not damage the emollient qualities of the oil, but may remove approximately 20% of the antioxidants present in the oil. Deodorised oil is preferred by manufacturers who prefer a neutral oil to combine with other ingredients, and also appeals to consumers who do not like to experience the natural aroma of argan oil.
            Alternatively, refined may also refer to oil that has been extracted using hydro-lipic solvents, which is used for cosmetic industrial purposes and removes approx 50% of the botanic value of oil. This is more commonly used for products used in haircare.
            Type 2 – Culinary argan oil uses roasted nuts. The nuts (or seeds) are roasted and then either hand -pressed or machine cold-pressed to produce a rich tasting eating oil that is popular throughout Morocco and has great health benefits. It is not refined and has a strong nutty aroma. It is not used in formulations for topical application by the international cosmetic industry.
            regards
            Sally/ Argan Life Australia

            • September 30, 2018 Argan Life says:

              Hi Dani
              Thanks for your enquiry. At present, we only sell our products online. We are based in Newcastle, so it is approx 3-5 days delivery.
              Kind regards
              Sally / Argan Life

              • January 2, 2019 Patricia McGrath says:

                Finally a product that is based in Australia. I am eager to try this product and the prices are attached to the item not like that scam that is advertised on Facebook, I got caught out by a cream that they were flogging off, did not answer any questions I asked and even though it was a 1800 number I was calling America not Australia.. I cancelled the order and my card was stopped. I stopped the delivery before the payments started. If I get a reaction to the oil can I return it for a refund.

                • January 2, 2019 Argan Life says:

                  Dear Patricia,
                  Thanks for your comment. Yes we are based in Newcastle. Argan is very well tolerated and I’ve not had any reports of adverse reactions. However if you have any issues with any of our products you can return them and we will give a full refund.
                  Kind regards
                  Sally / Argan Life

                  • January 2, 2019 ann watler says:

                    like to say thank you to Sally for all her information and patience regarding the genuine Argon Life company and some of the fraudsters around at the moment, i am now much more aware of what to look for. thanks Sally

                    • February 28, 2019 ajwands@bigpond.net.au says:

                      Just had the most amazing time in Morocco and was so pleased to see your site. I am at Port Stephens & wondering if you have an outlet in Newcastle or only mail?

                      • September 28, 2019 a.tko.69 says:

                        Can’t wait to try your products, my sister got her Moroccan husband to bring me back some oil, it was so good. He only goes once every 2 years, I’ve run out. Was happy I found your site.

                        • October 3, 2019 Argan Life says:

                          Thank you1 We’re happy you found us as well!

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