What is Moroccan Oil?

You will find in Morocco in the region of Essaouira, Argan oil, which is an ingredient of Moroccanoil. 

Argan oil is made from the nuts of the argan tree, which grows almost exclusively in this region. The oil, which is said to have restorative and age-defying effects, has become one of the latest miracle ingredients in the beauty industry. High in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, it is believed to help all sorts of skin conditions: dry skin, acne, psoriasis, eczema, wrinkles. Moroccans slather it on their skin, hair, nails and even their babies. They eat it, too — drizzling it over salads and couscous, or using it to make amlou, a tahini like spread of the oil, almonds and honey.

The nuts, which look like a cross between a walnut and an almond, are picked out of the fruit of the argan trees that grow in Essaouira. Depending on the season, there might be goats up in the branches, eating the fruit. The nuts destined for salad oil are roasted on an open flame over a large steel drum, like chestnuts, which brings out their distinctive peppery flavour; those that will be used for skin- and hair-care products are left raw.

The women first crack the shells with sharp stones. They then place the kernels between two slabs of rock, grinding them into a brown paste, which resembles chunky peanut butter. The pasteis then kneaded by hand to extract the oil and transforms into a solid chunk which  is then sent to nearby factories, mainly in Agadir, where more oil is extracted by a press. Some is made into soaps, creams and shampoos, but it is the pure oil that is most sought after.

Argan is not  new in Europe: English and French tourists have been bringing it back from Moroccan seaside vacations for years, and it’s all over the markets of Provence, lined up next to the lavender and olive oils. But now, thanks to the substantial efforts of the Moroccan King Mohammed VI (who has been praised for his efforts to promote women’s rights) and the local government, the oil is being exported worldwide, moving from the mud-and-stone co-ops into spas and hairdressers around the world.

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