Disclaimer: I received a free bottle of UNI 100% Organic Moroccan Argan Oil in exchange for an honest & unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
What is Argan Oil?
Argan Oil is extracted from the kernels of the Argan tree which grows in the Moroccan desert. Loaded with vitamin E and other fatty acids, this oil is a staple of the region and has many culinary and cosmetic uses. After kernels are removed from the nut by hand they are either roasted and pressed for culinary oil or simply pressed for cosmetic oil. The roasting gives a nutty flavor. The unroasted oil has a very mild scent.
Why use Argan Oil?
Today we're just talking about the bath and body uses of Argan Oil. All those healthy fats are great for the skin and hair. It is believed to help with brittle nails, wrinkles, split ends, dry hands and feet, eczema, acne and numerous other cosmetic issues including preventing stretchmarks or improving scarring.
Where can you find Argan Oil?
Lately, it seems like almost everywhere...especially in the cosmetic and bath departments. Toss "argan" into the search of your favorite shops and you might be surprised just how many products tout it as a key ingredient. The 100% Pure oil I am trying out today is from UNI and is only available on Amazon. (not an affiliate link). You can read more about the company/products on their website UniPurity.com but to purchase you will be redirected to Amazon. They offer a reasonable price and a 100 day 100% money back guarantee . You can't go wrong with that.
Please Note: Like anything profitable and popular, there are some unscrupulous sellers or adulterated or even fake argan oils. I found a few tests around the web to check if you are truly using pure argan oil. Your oil should:
Have "100% Pure" and country of origin printed on the label. Uni's oil has this as well as an expiration date, EcoCert and USDA organic certification.
Be in a dark bottle. Check. Uni's bottle also comes with a glass dropper for easy measuring.
Have a faint pleasant smell. This is often described as "nutty." Adulterated or rancid oil can have a strong or off-putting scent. Fake or diluted oil might have no scent at all. Uni's oil has a mild tasty smell. My son said it smelled "yummy". My husband said it reminded him of a" nutty bakery smell". and a co-worker said it smelled exactly like a cologne loved but stopped buying because it was over $60 a bottle. (I think argan oil has a new convert).
Have a silky texture, not greasy, slimy or watery. Check. This oil is lightweight & silky. It absorbed into my skin in a few minutes, like a good quality lotion, with no greasy or sticky residue. My skin was shiny for a little while after, but not oily to the touch. It was noticeably softer feeling and looking. With daily use, this has only gotten better. My skin is happily hydrated now.
What have I been doing with argan oil?
I first rubbed a bit into my cuticles as I tend to have brittle nails. It was sooo silky, I ended up rubbing it all over my hands (and then making everyone in the office touch & smell them - yeah, I 'm "that" person at work). My hands tend to be rough and on the dry side from gardening, mixed media art, housework and age. I've been rubbing a few drops of this oil in each day and feel a noticeable difference.
A lot of folks love how shiny it makes their long luxurious hair. I have really short hair, so I've only rubbed a bit into my split ends when I was overdue for a haircut. Then I toweled it off after a few minutes. It seemed to help with the fly away ends. I have not continued since getting a haircut though.
The biggest difference I have noticed is my feet. Living in Florida, I go around barefoot most of the time. Between that and age, I'm always battling dry, cracked, calloused feet. This oil has worked wonders. It does a better job than other products I have purchased for rehydrating and softening, especially my previously nasty heels. A couple of times a week I rub in some argan oil before bed and then either air dry or put on some light socks. Right now I am sitting with my spa booties on (the kind that have a plastic-y gel interior & fluffy outsite) over a layer of argan oil. Luxurious.
Inspired by the simple feet cooling peppermint spray I made for the Dude last April, I decided to whip up a batch for my dry skin. The water and a few drops of peppermint oil are the same. To this I added a drop of lemon oil and two of argan oil. A spritz of this on the skin smells lovely and is very refreshing in the Florida heat. Unlike the original mint spray, it is also moisturizing (with out feeling greasy/sweaty).
I've found several other DIY bath and body projects I look forward to making with argan oil. Here are some of the most interesting ones:
I'll keep you posted on how they work out. I definitely like this product and will be purchasing more when the bottle runs out, which will be a while as a few drops goes a long way.
Have you tried 100% pure argan oil or products containing it?
What are your thoughts - hype or must have?
I love argan oil! I have been using it on my nails and feet too and it is awesome. I will have to try it with the Lemon oil. I just got at bottle. :)
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