Argan (argania spinosa) oil

#PlantPowerInEveryShower

Herbal Essences argan oil shampoos, conditioners, masks and oils include real argan oil, as certified by plant experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London.

Argan oil is sometimes referred to as liquid gold

Where does argan oil come from?

The argan oil that is taking the world of cosmetics by storm originally comes from the barren lands of south-west Morocco. In addition to meeting the world’s demand for reversing damage to hair inflicted by a stressful lifestyle, the argan forest acts as a natural barrier by preventing soil erosion and protecting the desert’s water resources. In fact, the argan forest has been declared a designated UNESCO biosphere since 1998.

Do you know what else is unique about the argan forest? The tree-climbing Moroccan goats. They too play a vital role in ensuring that you get your share of argan oil; the goats climb the trees for the delicious fruit and the argan oil is then extracted from the nuts and kernels discarded by the goats. That’s the old school method. These days, the fruit is harvested directly from the tree. Once the fruit is collected, it is dried before the extraction process. Argan oil is extracted by cracking the argan kernels open and pressing them to release fresh argan oil.

This oil, derived from the kernels of the argan tree, possesses numerous health and beauty benefits. Argan oil is used to treat dry skin and wrinkles, as well as to moisturise hair. After the oil is extracted, the by-product, which is a thick paste, is sold locally for cosmetic purposes. Finally, the outer pulp provides food for village animals, while the shells are burned for fuel. Barely anything is wasted in the entire process of argan oil extraction.