Combining Argan and Jojoba Oil: The Method

These two vegetable oils do not overlap: argan oil nourishes, jojoba oil regulates surface sensation. This makes their combination more interesting than choosing one or the other.

Key points

• Order: jojoba oil first, then argan oil.
• Proportions: two drops of each, or an equal parts mixture.
• Before: damp skin, or a product that provides water.
• Uses: face, body, and hair.
• In the morning: sunscreen on top.

What is argan oil?

Argan oil is extracted from the kernels of the argan tree, native to southwestern Morocco. Its composition is rich in oleic acid and linoleic acid, with a notable fraction of vitamin E.

This vegetable oil nourishes and softens, with a noticeable effect as soon as it's applied to tight skin. Its texture remains moderately rich, which suits most skin types without feeling heavy.

Argan oil is one of the most versatile vegetable oils: face, body, hands, hair ends. A single bottle can easily cover these natural uses.

What is jojoba oil?

Jojoba oil is extracted from the seeds of Simmondsia chinensis, a shrub found in arid regions of North America. It is not composed of triglycerides like other vegetable oils but of wax esters.

This particularity makes it chemically very similar to human sebum. Jojoba oil penetrates well, leaves a slightly waxy feeling, and stores extremely well without turning rancid.

It also contains a fraction of vitamin E, in smaller quantities than argan oil.

Why combine them?

Jojoba oil is better tolerated by oily skin, while argan oil is more nourishing. On combination skin, combining the two allows both needs to be met with a single gesture.

For dry skin, the combination offers more than a single oil: jojoba prepares, argan oil completes. This is the logic of applying from thinnest to richest, applied to two similar oils.

Application order

Jojoba oil first, being a bit thinner, then argan oil. A minute's wait between the two is sufficient.

You can also mix them in your palm before applying. The result is equivalent, and the process is quicker — this is the most practical solution for daily use.

Proportions

Equal parts for normal skin. Two-thirds jojoba for oily skin, two-thirds argan oil for dry skin.

Two to three drops in total are sufficient for the face. More will remain on the surface: the excess will shine and end up on the pillow without providing better nourishment.

The gesture that determines the result

Apply to damp skin. These vegetable oils do not contain water: they prevent the skin's water from escaping, which assumes there is some.

Warm the drops between your palms and press onto the skin rather than spreading. This simple gesture improves penetration and avoids tugging at the skin.

On hair

This is a natural use for both oils, and argan oil is particularly well-established for hair. One drop on the ends of damp hair after washing.

Jojoba oil is better suited for the scalp; its similarity to sebum makes it less heavy at the root. Argan oil is reserved for lengths and ends.

Both work well as a pre-shampoo oil treatment. Allow one hour of application time and follow with a thorough wash.

According to your skin type

Dry skin: both, every evening, with a majority of argan oil.

Combination skin: jojoba oil everywhere, argan oil on the cheeks.

Oily skin: jojoba oil alone is usually sufficient.

Sensitive skin: one oil first for two weeks, before adding the other.

Choosing your oils

For argan oil: cold-pressed, un-deodorized, dark bottle. The ingredient list should be one line – Argania spinosa kernel oil.

Cosmetic argan oil does not have the roasted smell of culinary oil, whose kernels are toasted before pressing. A roasted hazelnut smell indicates cooking oil.

For jojoba: Simmondsia chinensis seed oil, cold-pressed. Added essential oils do not provide anything useful and increase the risk of reaction.

Storage

Jojoba oil practically does not go rancid, thanks to its wax-like nature. Argan oil lasts twelve to eighteen months after opening, stored away from light.

A pungent smell indicates oxidized oil, which has become useless and sometimes irritating. This is the only test you need.

What this combination does not do

It does not act on established wrinkles, dark spots, or deep texture. These vegetable oils nourish and soften: that is their entire role.

It does not protect from the sun. Daily sun protection remains essential, regardless of the oils in your routine.

Fatty acids in these two oils

Some fatty acids are called essential: the body does not produce them and must receive them. Linoleic acid is one of them, and argan oil is well-provided with it.

Jojoba oil, on the other hand, provides almost no essential fatty acids: its wax esters belong to a different chemical family. This is the real difference between the two, beyond texture.

Combining the two therefore provides a fatty acid intake on one side and an affinity with sebum on the other. These are two distinct logics, and they complement each other well.

Dry skin, oily skin

Dry skin lacks lipids and benefits most from argan oil, which is more nourishing. Two to three drops of oil in the evening are enough to change the comfort the next morning.

Oily skin produces sebum in quantity but may lack linoleic acid. Jojoba oil suits it better: its similarity to sebum makes it light and well-tolerated.

Regarding sebum production, be cautious with what you read. No vegetable oil has been shown to regulate it, and claims to that effect exceed what the data establishes.

Adapt according to skin type

Skin type determines the proportions, not the principle. Normal skin is content with an equal parts mixture; reactive skin prefers only one vegetable oil at a time.

Observe for two weeks before concluding. An poorly tolerated oil quickly reveals itself — bumps, redness, heavy sensation — and it's better to know which of the two is causing it.

Where these two oils come from

The argan tree grows in a restricted area of southwestern Morocco, classified as a biosphere reserve. The fruits are harvested by hand, and the crushing of the nuts remains largely manual.

Jojoba comes from the seeds of a plant from arid regions of North America, now also cultivated in Argentina and Israel. Its production is more mechanized, which explains a generally lower price.

For dry and damaged hair

For dry or heat-damaged hair, these two oils are applied to the lengths and ends, never at the root. A hazelnut-sized amount is sufficient for medium-length hair.

Jojoba is better tolerated by the scalp, its affinity with sebum making it less heavy. Argan oil provides a richer oil, better suited for very dry lengths.

Proportions according to season

Winter calls for a larger proportion of nourishing oil; in summer, a lighter texture is sufficient. Adjusting the mixture is cheaper than buying a third product.

Skin that shines in July and feels tight in January has not changed its nature: its needs have changed, and the mixture must follow.

A pre-prepared mixture

You can prepare a common bottle rather than applying the two oils separately. A thirty-milliliter dropper bottle, half and half, can be prepared in one minute.

Be careful with storage: the mixture's shelf life follows that of the most fragile oil, which is argan. Prepare small quantities and finish them within three months.

When a single oil is enough

For normal skin, only one of these two fats meets the need. Layering then becomes a matter of comfort, not necessity.

The case where the combination is truly justified is for combination skin or dry skin in winter. Otherwise, simplifying is better than adding.

To conclude

These products are cosmetics and improve skin comfort and suppleness, without treating any condition. Persistent dryness despite appropriate care warrants medical advice.