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Ingredients Hydrating Argan Oil
80Ao
Tier · Moderate evidence
Hydrating · Barrier repair · Antioxidant

Argan Oil

INCI: Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil · Also called: Moroccan Argan Oil, Argan

The Moroccan kitchen-staple oil with real cosmetic data behind it. Daily use measurably improves skin elasticity in postmenopausal women. Good for dry, mature, or barrier-compromised skin without feeling greasy.

For your skin

The Moroccan kitchen-staple oil with real cosmetic data behind it. Daily use measurably improves skin elasticity in postmenopausal women. Good for dry, mature, or barrier-compromised skin without feeling greasy.

Want the science? Keep reading ↓

Mechanism of action

Cold-pressed kernel oil rich in oleic and linoleic acids, gamma-tocopherol, and triterpene alcohols; restores stratum corneum lipids and dampens oxidative stress in keratinocytes, with clinical gains in cutometer-measured elasticity.

Why we tier this moderate

4 cited papers across 3 countries. The mechanism is well-described and there's at least one controlled trial in the literature, but we tier this Moderate rather than Strong to stay honest about how many specific papers we cite directly.

2
International
1
United States
1
France

Cited research

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Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL, Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils, International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2017;19(1):70 — review of 19 plant oils including argan: documents anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, stratum-corneum barrier-repair mechanisms

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Boucetta KQ et al., The effect of dietary and/or cosmetic argan oil on postmenopausal skin elasticity, Clinical Interventions in Aging 2015;10:339-349 — 60-day RCT: both dietary and topical argan oil significantly increased cutometer-measured gross, net, and biological elasticity (all p<0.001) vs olive oil control

2015Positive (efficacy)PMID:25673976View source ↗
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Boucetta KQ et al., Skin hydration in postmenopausal women: argan oil benefit with oral and/or topical use, Przeglad Menopauzalny 2014;13(5):280-288 — RCT; topical forearm application over 60 days significantly improved skin hydration

2014Positive (efficacy)PMID:26327867View source ↗
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Boucetta KQ et al., Does argan oil have a moisturizing effect on the skin of postmenopausal women?, Skin Research and Technology 2013;19(3):356-357 — topical argan oil improved skin moisture

2013Positive (efficacy)PMID:23530758View source ↗

Sources: 10 clinical journals and regulatory databases across the US, EU, Korea, Japan, and China. Every entry points to a specific document. See methodology for the full list and what each outcome label means.