argan oil and other argan products: use in dermocosmetology

Review Article

Argan oil and other argan products: Use indermocosmetology

Dominique Guillaume1 and Zoubida Charrouf2

1 CNRS-UFR Medecine-Pharmacie, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Reims, France2 Universite MohammedV-Agdal, Rabat, Morocco

Argan oil is of food or cosmetic (INCI name: Argania spinosa kernel oil) grade. During the past 15 years

cosmetic argan oil, as beauty oil or cosmetic ingredient, has become one of the major actors in the

dermocosmetic field. Beauty argan oil is produced by cold-pressing argan-fruit kernels. As a cosmetic

ingredient, argan oil is produced by solvent-assisted extraction of the finely crushed kernels. Enriched-

argan oil which is produced by distillation of cosmetic argan oil can be supplemented with antioxidants.

Hence, it presents an even better cosmetic potential. Argan fruit pulp and argan leaves also contain

proteins, peptides, saponins and other chemicals presenting highly interesting dermocosmetics.

Therefore, the argan tree (A. spinosa) is sometimes nicknamed A. cosmetosa. We comprehensively

review the current knowledge (literature and patent) related to argan oil and argan tree products in

the dermocosmetic domain.

Keywords: Argan metabolites / Argania spinosa kernel oil / Beauty argan oil / Cosmetic argan oil

Received: July 22, 2010 / Revised: August 23, 2010 / Accepted: October 8, 2010

DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.201000417

1 Introduction

In most people’s mind, argan oil is associated with Morocco.

This is a direct consequence of the recent tremendous

commercial and media success of edible argan oil that is

almost exclusively produced in Morocco. However, three

main types of argan oil co-exist on the market: edible, beauty

and cosmetic argan oil (INCI name: Argania spinosa kernel

oil).

Edible argan oil is a cold-pressed oil [1] obtained from

roasted argan kernels [2]. Cold-pressing is an method that

preserves oil qualities [3]. Traditionally, edible argan oil can

be eaten on bread or used for cooking since it improves the

taste of ethnic dishes [2]. More generally, edible argan oil is

now frequently introduced in gourmet food or high energy

food compositions [4].

Beauty argan oil is cold-pressed argan oil obtained from

non-roasted argan kernels [2]. It is meant to be directly

applied on the skin or hair.

Unlike edible and beauty argan oils, cosmetic argan oil is

not a cold-pressed oil. It is prepared by extraction of ground

argan kernels with a lipophilic solvent. Additionally, whereas

edible and beauty argan oils principally locally produced in

Morocco, cosmetic argan oil has been to date mainly pro-

duced in Western-Europe. Cosmetic argan oil exclusively

enters as an ingredient in cosmetic preparations and is not

aimed at being used for dietary purposes or directly applied

on the skin. Cosmetic argan oil has been ranked the number

one in the top 10 beauty ingredient list for 2009 by a major

US agency (http://www.piercemattiepublicrelations.com/

beautydivision/2008/12/beauty-forecast-pierce-mattei.html

(access August 2010)).

Edible argan oil is by far the most ancient type of argan oil

and can be prepared following an ancestral process [2].

Thanks to a series of technological improvements [5, 6],

nowadays, large quantity of edible argan oil of high quality

is produced in semi-mechanized Moroccan cooperatives.

The resulting oil has a high content of unsaturated fatty acids

(UFAs) that explains why edible argan oil is endowed with

cardio- and hepato-protective properties [7]. In vitro studies

have attributed to edible argan oil several other pharmaco-

logical properties [8] likely resulting from the presence of

several minor but valuable components [9]. Regular con-

sumption of argan oil is a highly recommended diet referred

to as the ‘Amazigh diet’ [10].

Beauty argan oil has a golden colour and is odourless.

Interestingly, ‘beauty grade’ argan oil can also be introduced

in lipid emulsions for parenteral nutrition [11].

Correspondence: Professor Dominique Guillaume, UMR6229, URCA-

CNRS, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, 51 rue Cognacq Jay, 51100

Reims, France

E-mail: [email protected]

Fax: þ33 326 918 029

Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 2011, 113, 403–408 403

� 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.ejlst.com

2 The argan tree

Beauty argan oil is often labelled as a natural organic oil. It

comes from the kernels trapped in the stones of the fruit of the

argan tree. Argan tree (A. spinosa (L.) Skeels) of the family

Sapotaceae, is not a domesticated tree. It grows naturally in

Southwestern Morocco, the only location where it is

endemic. Argan tree is well adapted to marginal soils with

very low nutrient content and it can stand long period of

drought [12]. Dramatically, the superficy of the argan forest

has been halved during the 20th century mainly due to an

accumulation of mismanagements including human overuse

and lack of long-term vision. Therefore, the sustainable

development of the argan forest is currently being particularly

actively investigated [5, 13, 14].

3 Argan oil

Argan oil has been known in SouthwesternMorocco since the

Phoenicians. Not surprisingly, argan oil continues to strongly

impact the culture of the population traditionally living in the

argan forest where, argan oil is still traditionally prepared.

The semi-mechanized press process now used has led to the

preparation of two distinct types of argan oil: edible and

beauty oil.

3.1 Argan oil preparation

3.1.1 Edible argan oil

The traditional method used for the preparation of edible

argan oil and its successive improvements implemented in the

woman cooperatives have already been depicted in details

several times [2, 15] and therefore will not be reported here.

Its numerous claimed or established pharmacological proper-

ties have also been recently extensively reviewed [16].

3.1.2 Beauty argan oil

Beauty argan oil preparative process used in woman cooper-

atives is slightly shorter than that of edible oil since argan

kernels are not roasted. Four steps are necessary: fruit pick-

ing, fruit peeling, nut breaking and kernel pressing using

endless screws. An additional filtration step is sometime

added. Compared to pressing the roasted kernels used in

edible oil, the beauty oil with unroasted kernels can lead to

technical problems like press jamming, since roasted kernels

are more brittle and easier to crunch than non-roasted.

Mechanical pressing of non-roasted argan kernels delivers

beauty oil in 40–45% yield.

3.1.3 Cosmetic oil

Cosmetic argan oil is prepared by solvent-extraction. Most of

the time, a suspension of finely grounded argan kernels in the

solvent is refluxed for a few hours. Then the suspension is

filtered and the filtrate concentrated in vacuo affords cosmetic

argan oil in 45–50% yield. Extraction can also be performed

using a soxhlet apparatus and lipophilic solvents of low boiling

point as (cyclo)hexane or petroleum ether. Halogenated sol-

vents as chloroform or dichloromethane present a similar

efficiency in terms of extractive efficiency [17]. The use of

stainless steel material is highly recommended to avoid met-

allic traces that could catalyse fatty acid oxidation [18].

Lipophilic antioxidants as ascorbyl 6-palmitate, tocopherols,

isopropyl gallate or butylhydroxytoluene are frequently added

at the concentration of 0.02–0.1% to prevent fatty acid oxi-

dation [19].

Cosmetic argan oil contains about 1% of unsaponifiable

matters (see below) that have antioxidant properties

and hence participate in oil preservation. It is therefore

tempting to increase the level of antioxidants to improve

argan oil preservation. The resulting oil that possesses high

levels of antioxidants and UFA-containing triacylglycerides

presents hydration and skin-protective properties. It also

helps in restoring the hydro-lipidic film of the skin and

strengthening its barrier function. Therefore, such oil is

highly valued in the cosmetic domain, where it is named

enriched-argan oil. This oil is prepared by molecular distil-

lation of cosmetic argan oil. Heating argan oil at 2708C and

under 0.14 Pa of pressure for a few seconds yields a distillate

composed of argan oil almost fourfold enriched in unsapo-

nified matters (see composition of argan oil below) and fatty

acids. High vacuum is required to ensure the use of as low as

possible temperatures. Since argan oil is heated for a very

short time, the risk of oxidative damage of UFAs is almost

null [20]. However, enrichment in fatty acids is detrimental

for cosmetic argan oil. Indeed, high levels of fatty acids lead to

an odourant oil that can also be irritant to the skin and,

consequently, preventing its use as raw material in cosmetol-

ogy. Free fatty acids can be removed by steam distillation

of enriched argan oil at 150–2008C and under 1.5–8.5 Pa of

pressure [19].

Argan oil unsaponifiable matters include a large amount

of sterols and polyphenols. Polyphenols from other plants

possessing valuable cosmetic properties, as epigallocatechin:

the green tea gallocatechin, can be added into argan oil.

However, polyphenol hydrosolubility raises a technical prob-

lem that can be overcome if finely ground and well-dried

polyphenols are first dissolved in a 1:1 v/v glycerol/water

solution. Ascorbyl 6-palmitate that acts as antioxidant and

solubilizing adjuvant can also be added. The mixture is then

added to argan oil together with 0.3% of monoglycerides.

Stirring and/or sonication under an inert atmosphere afford a

limpid and stable product highly enriched in antioxidants and

whose level in polyphenols is up to 300 mg/L of oil [20]. As

well as polyphenols, sterols or sterol precursors can be added

to cosmetic argan oil. For example, squalene is a sterol

precursor sometimes added to cosmetic argan oil to increase

its cosmetic properties [21].

404 D. Guillaume and Z. Charrouf Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 2011, 113, 403–408


3.2 Argan oil composition

Beauty, cosmetic and enriched-argan oil composition and

physicochemical typical parameters are listed Table 1.

Physicochemical parameters determined for the three types

of oil are quite similar, and expectedly unsaponifiable matters

are in a much high level in enriched-argan oil. The lowest

level in tocopherols is found in cosmetic argan oil, likely due

to the poor solubility of tocopherols in lipohilic solvents.

Beauty oil tocopherol level is 3-fold higher than that of

cosmetic argan oil but 2.5-fold lower than that of

enriched-argan oil. The high tocopherol level and fatty acid

composition are responsible for the cosmetic value of argan

oil. The three types of oil present a highly similar fatty acid

composition. They both contain 80% of unsaturated EFA:

oleic and linoleic acid, and only traces of linolenic acid.

Therefore, the fatty acid contribution to the cosmetic proper-

ties of argan oil is identical for the three types of oil.

3.3 Argan oil preservation

Despite its low linolenic acid content, argan oil is still fre-

quently perceived as an oil presenting a very short shelf life

and low preservation characteristics. This discouraging state-

ment results from old sayings concerning traditionally pre-

pared edible argan oil whose preparative process often

included sanitary unsafe water that negatively impacted the

oil preservation time. Because beauty and edible argan oils

are now prepared by press-extraction, the preservation

capacity of argan oil has favourably changed and edible argan

oil can be stored up to two years [22]. However, beauty argan

oil can only be preserved for a fewweeks [23]. After this delay,

the oil develops an aroma that was judged ‘unpleasant’ by a

trained panel and ‘very unpleasant’ after 12 weeks [23]. Since

edible and beauty argan oil differs only by the roasting of the

kernels, formation of Maillard reaction products has been

suggested to explain this difference of preservation time [23].

Enriched argan oil contain artificially high antioxidant levels,

therefore, its preservation time is high.

3.4 Argan oil in dermocosmetology

Argan oil has been traditionally used inMorocco for centuries

and is generally referred to as the beauty secret of Moroccan

women. Traditionally, beauty argan oil is claimed to elimin-

ate skin pimples as well as juvenile acne and chicken pox

pustule scars [2]. It is also recommended to cure brittle

fingernails and to reduce dry skin matters and wrinkles [2].

Moroccan women use it also to bring shine to hair.

Nowadays, beauty oil is still indicated for those disorders

and it is a good and organic anti-aging skin care oil.

A permanently increasing number of argan oil-containing

cosmetic preparations or shampoos are marketed. In the

following section, we will specifically focus on compositions

in which argan oil is clearly the responsible for the preparation

cosmetic properties. Cosmetic preparations containing seed-

oils whose one is possibly argan oil will not be considered

herein.

Cosmetic and enriched argan oils are now currently

included in serums or creams for their moisturizing properties

and their capacity to prevent early signs of aging. Based on a

traditional use, preparations containing argan oil are also fre-

quently claimed to hydrate the skin [24], neutralize free

radicals, heal acne blemishes, help reduce scars, revitalize

and improve skin elasticity. Some of these properties have been

confirmed by scientific observations and, for example, the

proliferative and growth-stimulating activity of enriched-argan

oil has been clearly evidenced using L 929 fibroblasts [25].

Most of these properties have triggered an interest to market

cosmetic products [26, 27]. It is also known that UV radiation

can lead to MMP mediated collagen destruction resulting to

skin wrinkling. It is highly likely that argan oil skin-protective

Table 1. Typical physicochemical parameters and chemical characteristics of beauty, cosmetic and enriched-argan oils

Beauty [16, 21] Cosmetic [18] Enriched [17]

Physicochemical parametres

Acid value (mg KOH/g oil) <1 1 <4

Iodine value (g I2/100 g oil) 102 98.1 100

Peroxide value (Meq O2/kg oil) 1.2 0.8 <10

Saponification value (mg KOH/g oil) 196 195 195

Unsaponifiable matters (%) 0.8 1 3.8

Tocopherol level

Total tocopherol (mg/kg) 771 250 1834

Fatty acid composition (%)

Palmitic acid 13 13.5 13.5

Stearic acid 5.5 5.5 5.5

Oleic acid 46 47 48

Linoleic acid 35 33 34

Linolenic acid <0.5 <0.5 <0.5

Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 2011, 113, 403–408 Argan oil and cosmetic products 405


properties result from its high level in polyphenols, a class of

compounds known to prevent UV-B-induced wrinkle for-

mation and photoaging caused by collagen destruction and

inflammatory responses [28]. Cosmetic argan oil also possesses

sebum control properties [29]. This has led to the preparation

of argan oil-containing compositions aimed at correcting or

preventing disorders associated with greasiness by reducing the

sebum secretion [30]. Cosmetic/beauty argan oil can be intro-

duced crude or after trans-esterification with polyglycerin-6 in

shampoos or hairconditioners [31], since it nourishes and

revitalizes the scalp, it also restores hair natural softness and

silky [8]. Cosmetic properties of argan oil can also be exalted by

synergistic associations with other vegetable oils [32, 33] or

non-lipidic ingredients [34].

4 Other argan products used indermocosmetology

Beauty and cosmetic argan oils are not the only argan-derived

products used in cosmetology. Early efforts carried out to

ensure the argan forest sustainable development and stimu-

late its socio-economic development [13, 14] have led to the

discovery of new and cosmetically relevant argan products;

namely, proteins, peptides, saponins and sterols.

4.1 Argan proteins and peptides

The press-cake as well as argan tree leaves contain highly

valuable compounds. From the press-cake, a fraction rich in

high molecular weight proteins (>200 000 Da) has been

shown to possess anti-wrinkle properties [35]. A dose-

dependent stimulation of fibroblaste and keratinocyte pro-

liferation observed in vitro has been proposed to explain those

anti-wrinkle properties [36]. An oil-free serum containing

this group of proteins is now marketed [36]. Enzyme-

hydrolysis of the crude press-cake proteins also affords a

mixture of peptides and proteins of molecular weight below

20 000 Da. Those peptides possess anti-ageing properties

and appear particularly active to treat menopause-associated

skin problems [25]. They can be synergistically associated

with argan oil.

4.2 Argan saponins

A large number of saponins has been isolated from

A. spinosa [37–40]. A crude saponin extract prepared by

selective alcohol-assisted extraction of argan seeds displays

dermopharmaceutical properties. It improves hair combabil-

ity and softness, has an anticellulite activity, has revitalizing

properties, and reduced UVB-induced skin damage [41].

Usefulness of this crude extract in cosmetology was further

confirmed by the discovery of its anti 5a-reductase activity,

demonstrating its potential to treat alopecia or acne [42, 43].

4.3 Argan sterols

Finally, the unsaponifiable fraction of an extract prepared by

solvent (preferably hexane) or supercritical carbon dioxide

extraction of the pulp of argan fruit presents the ability to

reduce the damage to cell membrane caused by UV-A/-B

radiation. It can also prevent skin disorders associated with

ageing by modulating the decrease in the induction of

HSP72 [36] a protein responsible of the protection of cells

against cellular stress, and able to stimulate the production of

TGFb1 [36], a polypeptide controlling cell proliferation. It

also acts as antioxidant or free radical scavenger and has anti-

inflammatory properties. This unsaponifiable fraction that is

principally composed of lupeol, a- and b-amyrine, taraxas-

terol, erythrodiol, schottenol and spinasterol also inhibits

elastase and plasmine, two enzymes that catalyse the destruc-

tion of proteoglycan, collagen and elastin leading to skin

aging [44].

4.4 Argan crude extracts

From the leaves of A. spinosa, a fraction containing flavone

derivatives, saponins, procyanolidines and sterols can be

extracted. This crude extract also possesses looked-after der-

mopharmaceutical effects including an antiinflammatory

effect, a protective effect against UV-A and -B radiation,

an anti-ageing activity, an antioxidant and radical scavenger

activity and a matrix metalloprotease inhibitory activity [45].

As a consequence, this crude fraction has an activity against

the damage to fibroblasts. It can also be used as self-tanning

agent [45]. Finally, A. spinosa fruit pulp crude essential oil

extract has recently been shown to contain camphor as major

chemical [46], however, use of this latter extract seems lim-

ited as insect repellent and no use in cosmetology has been

reported, so far.

Noteworthily, to date no adverse or toxic effects have

been reported for beauty or cosmetic argan oils or for

any of the argan derivatives used in cosmetology.

Nevertheless, one case of allergy has been reported for edible

argan oil [47].

5 Conclusions

Twenty years ago, edible argan oil was, for the best, a tourist

curiosity, beauty argan oil was unknown, and a single labora-

tory was introducing cosmetic argan oil in its product line as

hand treatment for devitalized skin. The skin moisturing

activity of beauty argan oil and its skin and hair protective

properties [2] are such that it is now one of themajor cosmetic

ingredients. Even though it is a new product, argan oil was

identified the number one cosmetic ingredient by Pierce

Mattei Public Relation in 2009 (http://www.piercemattie-

publicrelations.com/beautydivision/2008/12/beauty-fore-

cast-pierce-mattei.html (access August 2010)) and several



cosmetic companies, including three major ones, offer now a

large number of argan oil-containing patented dermophar-

maceutical products. Such a fast success is unprecedented

and had neither been fully anticipated, nor expected, even in

Morocco. Nowadays, argan oil is often cited by international

development agencies as the successful example of develop-

ment [48]. However, the future of argan oil still remains

uncertain and is dependent on argan tree future. Indeed,

argan oil presents the specificity of being prepared from

the fruit of a tree that exclusively grows in a poor and very

limited area ofMorocco [5, 13].Moroccan argan oil (all types

confounded) production alone is evaluated as 4000 tons,

almost three-quarter of which being presently exported [15].

Argan kernels are also exported but accurate data regarding

export sales of argan kernels are not available. Therefore, any

shortage crisis or any market uncertainty could prompt a

switch in cosmetic formulation, possibly transforming argan

oil, the present cosmetic star, into a falling star. Hence, the

fragile equilibrium that has now been reached between pro-

ducers and cosmetic laboratories needs to be carefully pre-

served. This represents a real challenge considering the

current high price of argan oil and hence the associated

economic issues.

Nevertheless, the future of argan-derived products may

not be only in the oil. Indeed, new argan-derived products

are slowly penetrating the cosmetic market. Some minor

cosmetic laboratories have been positioned in this niche for

years [49]. Particularly, the anti-wrinkle properties of some

argan proteins and the free radical scavanger activity evi-

denced by some argan leaf flavonoids are welcome to diversify

the use of argan-derived products on the cosmetic market. Of

course, as for argan oil, the difficulties resulting from the

limited origin area remain but these new products reduce the

exclusive dependency of the argan forest economy on argan

oil. Therefore, argan flavonoids and proteins could be the

compounds that will really ensure the long-term future of the

argan forest, and hence that of argan oil.

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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argan oil and other argan products: use in dermocosmetology

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