Argan oil: what concentration and how many drops

Pure, and the quantity changes completely depending on the area. Argan oil is a vegetable oil: it is not diluted or dosed like an active ingredient. But two drops on the face and a tablespoon as a hair mask are the same product used in two unrelated ways. This page considers each area separately.

100% — what an argan oil label should say

The INCI name is Argania spinosa kernel oil. It must be the only ingredient on the bottle of pure argan oil.

Two qualities circulate, and the confusion is costly. Cosmetic argan oil is obtained from unroasted kernels: it is light in color and has little odor. Edible oil, made from roasted kernels, smells of hazelnut and is not intended for the face.

Look for "first cold pressed" and a tinted glass bottle. Certified organic argan oil costs more, without itself guaranteeing the quality of the extraction.

Oil diluted in sunflower oil sells for the price of argan and is worth the price of sunflower. This is the most common trap for this product.

Face: 2 to 3 drops of argan oil, in the evening

Two to three drops are enough for the entire face. Warm them between your palms, then apply by pressing rather than spreading.

Always on slightly damp skin. Argan oil does not provide water: it retains what is present, and applying it to dry skin is like closing an empty room.

Preferably in the evening: the texture of argan oil does not hold well under sunscreen and makeup, which is a practical reason rather than a contraindication.

For the eye contour, half a drop patted with the ring finger. For oily skin, a single drop, only on the cheeks.

Hair: the logic changes completely

For an oil bath before shampooing, count one tablespoon for medium-length hair, two for long hair. No longer count in drops.

Apply to lengths and ends, avoiding roots if your scalp is oily. Leave on for an hour, or overnight for very dry hair.

On dry hair after drying, it's the opposite: only one to two drops, warmed between the palms, on the ends. One drop too many and the hair looks greasy.

Curly and coily hair tolerates more. Fine hair requires a restraint that is often underestimated.

Body, hands and nails: as desired

For the body, argan oil is applied generously, after showering, on still damp skin. There is no dosage to respect — the quantity follows the surface.

For hands, two drops in the evening. For nails and cuticles, one drop massaged daily gives visible results in a few weeks.

For dry areas — elbows, knees, heels — daily application is better than a massive weekly application.

Application is always on damp skin, regardless of the area. This is the rule that determines the result, and it applies to the body as well as the face.

Using argan oil on skin that has been dry for twenty minutes is like protecting already dehydrated skin. The three minutes after showering change everything.

For very stressed areas, two applications per day are possible. Argan oil has no tolerance ceiling and does not cause addiction.

How long does a bottle of argan oil last?

A fifty-milliliter bottle lasts about three months for daily facial use. The same bottle runs out in three weeks if you do hair oil baths.

So adapt the format to the use. For the face alone, a small bottle renewed often is better than a large one that oxidizes halfway full.

Argan oil keeps for twelve to eighteen months after opening, away from heat and light. Its content of vitamin E protects it better than most vegetable oils.

What the composition of argan oil justifies

About 45% oleic acid and 35% linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that the body does not produce. In addition, there are uncommon tocopherols and sterols.

This composition explains the versatility of argan oil: rich enough for dry skin, light enough not to bother combination skin. Few oils cover such a wide range.

It does not justify the highest market prices. A decent argan oil can be found at a reasonable price, and the difference with luxury brands is due to the bottle.

The argan tree grows only in southwestern Morocco, in an arid strip classified as a biosphere reserve. This restricted production area explains part of the price of argan oil, and all of the counterfeits that circulate.

The fatty acids in argan oil are divided between omega-9 and omega-6. Omega-6, or linoleic acid, is an essential fatty acid: the skin does not produce it, and a deficiency is visible on the skin barrier.

Its tocopherols — vitamin E in its natural forms — protect the oil from oxidation and prolong its effect once applied. This is what distinguishes it from most vegetable oils with a comparable profile.

What the dosage of argan oil does not change

Putting on more does not speed anything up. Beyond what the skin absorbs, the excess remains on the surface and is lost on the pillow.

No higher concentration exists: at 100%, it's the maximum. Products that advertise "concentrated" argan oil are playing with words.

And no quantity replaces sun protection. Argan oil does not filter UV rays, despite what is sometimes read.

The natural benefits of this oil are obtained through regularity, not quantity. Daily use for three months gives results that intensive use for three weeks will not.

And argan oil does not hydrate in the strict sense: it retains. This nuance governs everything else, and it is the most common mistake with vegetable oils.