This precious “gold” of the desert is a powerful beauty ally for skin and hair. But that’s not all: the nutritional qualities of Argan oil help keep blood sugar and cholesterol levels under control.
Argan oil is obtained by pressing the seeds, which are found in the fruits of Argania spinosa, a plant of the Sapotaceae family. Rich in vitamin E, fatty acids and antioxidants, it has a protective action on the skin, preserving it from external agents.
In fact, argan oil is used in natural cosmetics for the care of the face and body, as it nourishes and moisturizes both the skin and dry, brittle, brittle and lacking in shine.
Its emollient and toning properties make it the best oil with firming activity, suitable for the care of sagging skin. It is essential to counteract the formation of stretch marks, to combat wrinkles and to restore elasticity and tension to dry, sensitive and dehydrated skin.
The properties of Argan oil for food use
Argan oil, based on a purely nutritional assessment, is very close to olive oil and can be considered a recommended food in all diets.
It contains, in fact, purely unsaturated fatty acids, oleic and linoleic acid(Omega 9 and Omega 6),unfortunately instead a low percentage of alphalinoleic acid (Omega 3) is measured.
Thanks to the presence of tocopherols, such as vitamin E, and carotenes possess antioxidant properties. The high cost makes it too valuable a food to be widely used on tables and therefore easily replaced with olive oil.
Benefits of Argan Oil for Food Use
Argan oil can be used inthe diet in case of:
- Hypertension: thanks to polyphenols, this oil helps normal pressure physiology;
- hypercholesterolemia: the Omega 3 and Omega 6 present in the composition of the oil control the production of cholesterol;
- hypertriglyceridemia: the unsaturated fats present maintain a correct content of triglycerides.
The properties of Argan oil for cosmetic use
The Argania berries intended for cosmetic use are not roasted, as for the production of edible oil: the processing involves cold pressing, which guarantees greater clarity to the product.
Argan oil is used to perform many functions in the cosmetic field, from facial care to body and hair care. But what are, specifically, the properties of Argan oil?
- antioxidant properties: vitamin E and tocopherols slow down cellular aging;
- elasticizing properties: emollient agents and polyphenols guarantee elasticity to the skin;
- moisturizing and nourishing properties: fatty acids and flavonoids deeply nourish the tissues.
The benefits of Argan oil for cosmetic use
Argan oil is widely used in the cosmetic field to restructure the epidermis, rejuvenate theskin, counteract free radicals, elasticize the tissues of the whole body, deeply nourish particularly dried skin both by climatic factors and by lack of hydration, help strengthen and polish the hair.
Argan oil is available in many formulations: face creams, hand creams, body creams, specific oil for the skin and hair, cleansers, all solutions to deeply nourish the epidermis and appendages.
> Face creams: particularly suitable in the winter season, to protect the skin from drying due to cold, little hydration, because often you drink little in the cold season.
Argan oil face creams possess anti-aging properties, so they are a restorative and filling cosmetic to keep the skin elastic and toned. In summer it is an excellent phytocosmetic to be used in the evening after sun exposure for its soothing and nourishing properties.
>Argan Oil: Argan oil used in its original format is a passe-partout for all seasons. Antioxidant, elasticizing and nourishing, it is easily absorbed by the tissues, softens, moisturizes and smoothes the skin.
It can be used in synergy with other creams to enrich them. The oil is also particularly indicated in the post-epilation phase to soothe the skin and prevent folliculitis both on the face and on the body.
Oil compresses on the hair before shampooing are a restorative treatment of the stem, the hair is recompacted, strengthened and polished. A few drops instead after shampooing only on the tips serves to protect them during drying and any ironing with a plate.
What helps the hair also helps the nails! Argan oil for hand care is truly extraordinary: it softens the cuticles, nourishes and polishes the nail and deeply moisturizes the skin of the hands that are always so exposed and subject to dryness.
> Body creams: Argan oil body creams or the oil itself, are very useful for keeping the skin elastic and preventing stretch marks.
It is an excellent remedy to be adopted during pregnancy to help the tissues remain intact and to follow the physiological changes in shape and post-pregnancy to accompany resorption.