You’ve seen it featured in skin and hair products everywhere. You’ve seen it mentioned in beauty blogs, at your local Whole Foods, and at just about every health-conscious place you can think of. So, what exactly is the deal with Argan Oil? A skin and hair savior, argan oil is one of the most popular personal care oils around thanks to its healing and restorative properties. I’d heard about it in passing a while ago but didn’t actually go out and give it a try until recently – I was quickly sold on its multi-faceted benefits.

Stick around for a little background on this oil, a look into its many advantages for skin, hair and anti-ageing, a transformative hair mask DIY recipe, as well as some others if you want to try something different!

What Is Argan Oil And Where Does It Come From?

Argan Oil.

Argan oil is derived from the fruit of an Argan tree, which is native to Morocco. In its native land, argan oil is something of a national treasure. The Moroccans extract the nutrient-rich oil from the kernels in the center of the fruit and feed the rest to their animals. Moroccans incorporate the oil into their diet and count it as a staple cosmetic ingredient. An academic review regarding the Argan forest and sustainable development in Northern Africa revealed that the Argan forest is particularly fragile to climate change.

Great measures have been taken in order to protect the argan, as well as the region’s ecosystem by extension. This oil is precious and that is why it can be more expensive than other oils, but a little of this goes a long way! There is a lot that one small bottle of argan oil can accomplish.

Benefits Of Argan Oil: Skin, Hair, Anti-Aging

Woman admiring clear skin in mirror.

The West has only recently begun to learn about the many cosmetic abilities of argan oil, but it has been the secret skin weapon of Moroccan women for hundreds of years. Argan oil can address a variety of skin imperfections such as dryness, breakouts, and signs of aging. It is suitable for virtually any skin type – consult your physician if your skin is particularly sensitive. A 2018 academic review of the topical application of plant oils revealed that argan oil contains polyphenols, tocopherols, sterols, squalene, and triterpene alcohols all of which work to improve skin elasticity, reduce inflammation, and optimize overall skin health.

Further research has shown that argan oil is richer in Vitamin E than any other oil. Vitamin E is extremely soothing and hydrating, so it works amazingly as a moisturizer and at improving the natural elasticity of the skin. The vitamin is also an anti-inflammatory, and an amazing antioxidant. [Indulge us in a quick refresher course on antioxidants: Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, which are basically tiny molecules that cause cell damage and are largely responsible for signs of aging.]

Argan Oil is also rich in Vitamin A (via carotene), which firms and brightens the skin and naturally slows the breakdown of collagen and elastin. In fact, a 2019 study on retinoids revealed that vitamin A is the first vitamin approved by the FDA as an anti-wrinkle agent to smooth the surface of the skin. Say bye-bye, wrinkles! Also, argan oil actually reduces sebum levels in the oil, and the linoleic acid found in the oil calms inflammation caused by acne. Boom!

All of these great properties and qualities of argan oil are inherently beneficial for your hair, too! The oil is often used to smooth away frizz, leaving hair glossy and shiny. The natural phenols found in argan oil are great for healthier hair follicles, and the moisturizing properties soften hair, leaving it looking fresh and inviting. Argan oil can even reduce damage and help repair split ends.

What Is A Hair Mask?

Woman wearing hair mask.

A hair mask is a tool you could use in your arsenal of hair care products if you want shampoo commercial-worthy, shiny, healthy hair. You know how conditioner bottles always recommend you leave the product on your hair for 3-5 minutes for it to work best? Conditioning products take time to penetrate the hair follicles and actually repair or soften the hair. Hair masks are a perfect way to get some deep-conditioning done in order to achieve a silky hair texture.

There are some really great masks available for purchase (check Amazon for an abundance of masks), but they’re so easy to make yourself with items you probably have lying around your house (eggs, coconut oil, olive oil and natural honey to name a few), so why not go the DIY route? If you’re not sure where to start, let’s dive straight into some hair mask recipes for different hair types!

5 Natural DIY Hair Masks

1. Argan Oil Hair Mask

Let’s start with argan oil since we’ve examined the abundant benefits of this oil. You might want to change these amounts (while using the 2:1:1 ratio) in order to accommodate very long or short hair. If you have extra, you can always store it in an airtight jar to conveniently have on hand.

• 2 tbspn extra-virgin Olive Oil or Coconut Oil.
• 1 tbspn pure Argan Oil.
• 1 tbspn Honey (preferably raw, organic honey).
• Optional: A few drops of lavender or essential oil of your choice for the scent and relaxing properties.

Whisk all of the ingredients together. If you’re using coconut oil or honey that is thick and difficult to mix, use a blender or warm everything up together in a saucepan for easier mixing. Make sure to use an extremely low flame so as not to cook out any of the nutrients.

Apply the mask evenly over your hair, section by section, and massage it into your scalp. Focus on your ends to help manage damaged split-ends and breakage, and on your scalp to stimulate healthy hair growth. Leave the mask on for 15-30+ minutes and then shampoo and condition as you normally would. If you have naturally oily hair, make sure to shampoo and lather well to avoid greasy looking hair post-mask.

Please excuse my naked face and un-styled hair, but I used a hair mask last night and my hair has never been so soft. Omg. pic.twitter.com/V6g07J9XSB

— J α d e (@_JadeDB_) December 4, 2016

2. Avocado And Olive Oil Hair Mask

Woman holding avocado.

Although it may seem surprising to some, avocado oil is one of the most popular natural ingredients in hair and skin care products these days. This is largely due to the rich amount of nutrients and vitamins that are contained in this potent natural oil. Some of the vitamin’s in avocado oil include A, D, B, and E. The oil is also rich in fatty acids, oleic acids and natural proteins which are all incredibly helpful for our skin and hair. Vitamin E and A are particularly good at nourishing our hair due to their high carotene count. These molecules are important for nourishing our hair follicles and make up a large percentage of what the follicles actually consist of. Besides this, they also help to keep the hair follicles hydrated and protected against the elements (wind and sun damage) and will encourage stronger, healthier hair growth.

• 1 mashed ripe Avocado
• 2 tbspn Olive Oil
• 2 tbspn Honey

Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and apply onto damp hair. This homemade hair mask is particularly effective at protecting and restoring damaged hair. The nourishing ingredients in this hair mask make it particularly useful on long hair that needs some extra attention.

3. Honey Hair Mask

If you want to fortify and hydrate your hair strands there’s no better place to start than honey. The lauric acid gives this sticky sweet substance emollient properties that sink deep into the hair shaft. Honey acts as a humectant which means that it draws in moisture to the hair follicle. It can help to reduce frizzy hair and is an invaluable addition in nearly all hair treatments!

• 3 tbspn Coconut Oil or Almond Oil
• 1 tbspn Honey

Blend the ingredients well. Massage onto clean, damp hair. Leave on the scalp for up to an hour before rinsing out with your shampoo and conditioner. My favorite part of this hair mask is actually the coconut oil which protects your natural hair, specifically the proteins in those strands. Personally, I think that my curly hair can’t get enough of this hair mask. It nourishes and protects the dryest of hair strands.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Mask

Apple Cider Vinegar.

This mask is ideal for anyone with especially oily hair or if you’re experiencing buildup in your scalp. ACV is known to balance your scalps natural pH which controls sebum production. It cleanses your scalp without stripping it of it’s natural oils, leaving it clean and balanced.

• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 4 tbspn Lemon Juice
• 1 tbspn Honey

Blend the ingredients well and apply in small sections to damp, clean hair. Let the mask sit on your hair for 30 minutes before washing as usual with shampoo and conditioner. The lemon in this recipe absorbs your scalps excess oil while the honey seals in moisture. The balancing nature of this hair mask means that it can also be effective against dandruff and itchy scalp. It’s important to point out that many of those with dyed hair worry about using hair masks for fear that it will strip their hair color. This natural recipe is gentle enough to be used on colored hair.

5. Egg Yolk Hair Mask

If you’re nervous about putting raw eggs in your hair, let me first explain what makes this ingredient so powerful for your damaged hair. Eggs are rich in amino acids and essential proteins for your hair. Strong, healthy hair is built on proteins. Additionally, they provide deep moisture for your dry hair and scalp, leaving it renewed and rejuvenated. As if that wasn’t enough the vitamin D found in eggs has the potential to reduce hair loss.

• 2 Egg Yolks
• 2 tbspn Olive Oil
• Warm Water or Coconut Milk

Blend all the ingredients together well until they form a smooth mixture. Massage into clean, damp hair before covering your hair with a shower cap. Leave for 30 to 60 minutes. Wash out and shampoo and condition your hair as usual. The important thing with this hair mask is to make sure that you’re not getting any egg white into the mixture. If you want to upgrade the hydration of this mask you can add in a couple spoons of aloe vera puree to give it an extra soothing kick.

Conclusion

There is seemingly no limit to the number of ways you can use argan oil in order to give you the best skin of your life. It softens chapped or cracked lips, hydrates and softens hands and feet, is an amazing whole-body moisturizer, and is lightweight enough to be used as a leave-in conditioner (just don’t use too much!).

Add a few drops to your face masks to give your skin that added nourishing boost, or warm up a few drops between your palms and apply it to your face as an incredible moisturizer. Use argan as an after-shave to prevent and heal razor bumps. Because it protects the skin’s elasticity, argan is a perfect tool for preventing stretch marks, and it can even help reduce the appearance of existing marks. But my favorite way to add it into my routine is in a quick and easy hair mask! It helps your hair feel soft. moisturizes your dry scalp and helps with hair styling as your hair is frizz-free. If Argan Oil doesn’t tickle your fancy then you can try the other DIY recipes on offer in this article for nourished, replenished, and hydrated hair!