The best way to use argan oil is a small amount on damp skin, every day. Smooth a few drops of an argan body oil over skin straight after a bath or shower, or massage in a cream that contains it, and the oil helps hold in the water that is already there. On the face, two to four drops go on after water-based serums and before sunscreen in the morning, or as the last step at night.
The details matter more than you might expect, so here is how to get the most from it, step by step.
Start with damp skin
Argan oil does not add water to skin. What it does well is slow the loss of the water that is already there and leave the surface soft. That is why timing makes such a difference. Apply it within a minute or two of stepping out of the shower, after a quick pat with the towel, and the oil spreads further, sinks in faster and seals in that moisture. On bone-dry skin the same drops drag a little and do less.
Our New Imperial Jade Body Oil is made for exactly this moment. It blends argan with mongongo, Kalahari melon seed, marula and grapeseed oils and vitamin E, with no butters or waxes, so a few warmed drops glide over shoulders, shins and elbows in seconds.
Use less than you think
A small amount of a good argan oil does more than a large amount of a poor one. For the body, start with a few drops per area: one for each arm, one for each leg, and a little more on elbows, knees and heels. Warm the drops between your palms first so they spread in a thin, even layer. If your skin still feels slick after five minutes, use fewer next time.
On the face, two to four drops are plenty. Press them in rather than rubbing, which keeps more of the oil on your skin and less on your fingers.
Morning or night
Either works. In the morning, argan oil's dry finish sits well under clothes and makeup as long as you give it a few minutes. At night you can be more generous on dry areas, since there is nothing to rub it off. What matters most is doing it every day. In the best-known study of argan oil and skin elasticity, changes showed at about 30 days and were clearest at 60, so think in weeks, not nights.
Layering argan oil with cream
There are two good ways to pair an oil with a body cream, and both have a place.
- Oil first, cream over it. Smooth the oil onto damp skin, then follow with cream. This is how we pair the oil and cream in our Rosewood Body Glow, which matches the Rosewood and Litsea Cubeba Imperial Jade Body Oil with the Rejuvenating Body Cream in the same scent.
- Cream first, a few drops of oil on top. On very dry days, a little oil smoothed over the cream adds an extra soft layer and a gentle sheen.
Our Rejuvenating Body Cream already contains argan oil, along with Kalahari melon seed, jojoba, avocado and borage oils, aloe leaf juice and glycerin. On most days it is enough by itself.
Do not forget your hands
Hands are washed more than any other part of the body and get the least care. A cream with argan oil, kept by the sink and at your desk, is the easiest way to look after them. Massage it over knuckles, cuticles and wrists after washing, while hands are still slightly damp. Our Hydrating Hand Cream uses argan alongside Kalahari melon seed, coconut, sunflower, jojoba, avocado and borage oils, and settles into a soft finish without leaving grease on the next thing you touch.
Using argan oil on your face
Pure argan oil can be a face oil in its own right. Apply it after any water-based serum and before sunscreen in the morning, or as the very last step at night, so it seals in what came before. If your skin is oily or breaks out easily, start with a single drop on part of your face and build up over a week.
Our own argan formulas are made for body and hands. For the face, we build our serums on other oils: our Royal Kalahari Face Serum is led by Kalahari melon seed oil, with baobab, camellia, passion fruit seed and tamanu, and our single face oils, such as marula and plum, are each one pure oil.
Choose a scent you will reach for
A routine you enjoy is a routine you keep. Our argan creams come in four scents, including Moroccan Fig and Bergamot, still our best-selling scent, with apple, grapefruit, plum and polished rosewood. Hawaiian Black Lava, Violet and Bergamot, and Rosewood and Litsea Cubeba complete the set, and each matches a body wash and other pieces in the same scent.
Keep it fresh
Store argan oil, and anything made with it, away from heat and direct sun, with the cap closed. Its natural vitamin E helps it keep, but light and air still wear any plant oil down over time. If an oil starts to smell sharp or stale, replace it.
Questions about using argan oil
Should argan oil go on wet or dry skin?
Damp skin is best. Pat yourself half dry after a shower and apply the oil within a minute or two, so it seals in the water already on your skin.
Can I use argan oil every day?
Yes, and daily use is where it shows its worth. Its effects on softness and suppleness build over several weeks of steady use.
Does body oil go on before or after body cream?
Usually before: oil on damp skin, then cream over it. On very dry days you can also smooth a few drops of oil over the cream for an extra layer.
How much argan oil should I use on my face?
Two to four drops, pressed in after water-based serums and before sunscreen, or last thing at night.
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