9 SIMPLE WAYS TO TELL IF YOUR ARGAN OIL IS IMPURE
I don’t mean to scare you, but your pure Argan oil could be fake…
Or adulterated with cheap vegetable oils, toxic solvents like Hexane and worse.
That’s a big claim, but the Liquid Gold is faked so often scientists have published 5 university studies on the subject in the last decade…
And imitations are far more common than the public realizes.
Yes, the product appears to be readily available; you can find it in most cosmetic stores…
But most of the time, what you’re looking at isn’t 100% Virgin Organic.
In fact, there’s only one country that
grows Argan trees…
And that country has lost over half of its Argan production in the early 20th century.
So although Argan oil is becoming more popular, there’s less of it to go around…
And unethical businesses are turning to illegal, unethical tactics to meet demand.
1. TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE YOUR ARGAN OIL COMES FROM ORIGINALLY
Every time we buy products, we always generally look at the label that says, “pure,” “authentic” and “organic.” While this is extremely important and more about common sense, we also have to look at the argan oil’s origin.
Argan oil is native to Morocco and from there alone. There have been advertising schemes that boast of some companies being able to find argan oil someplace else, or creating an equally amazing alternative, but don’t be fooled.
Shopping Tip: if it doesn’t blatantly say “Moroccan argan oil,” then it’s probably a scam. Be vigilant and put down that bottle if you don’t see one of the most obvious things that should be there in the first place.
2. TAKE A LONG LOOK AT THE ARGAN OIL’S INGREDIENTS LIST.
Pure argan oil should clearly reflect on the label of the bottle that it is 100-percent pure argan oil. If there’s anything else listed, you can be sure you’re not getting authentic argan oil that you purchased with your hard-earned money.
Be smart by paying a lot of attention to the label. You can’t expect for all argan oil to be of the same caliber and contents. You might get scammed if you don’t scour the label for the ingredients to look for the things that matter.
Shopping Tip: Take a look online for reputable argan oil brands. Well-reviewed products are the brands you can trust. People won’t leave good reviews for a poor product, so listen to the feedback from other consumers.
3. DARK PACKAGING ARE YOUR BEST BET FOR FRESH ARGAN OIL.
As mentioned earlier, argan oil is usually sold in dark glass bottles or boxed ones. Sunlight can destroy the amazing properties argan oil is known for by breaking down its particles. Trust dark glass bottles, rather than shying away from them, no matter how counterintuitive that may sound.
Aluminum or stainless steel containers work as well, although they aren’t as popular. Plastic bottles or clear glass bottles are something to avoid. Knowing this information can save you from a lot of troubles when shopping for argan oil, so keep this in mind.
Freshness Tip: Keep your argan oil fresher for longer by storing your bottles away from direct sunlight. Avoid musty and humid areas, as well.
4. CHECK TO SEE IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT.
Argan oil takes a long time to produce. It isn’t something that gets commercially produced, but rather, it positively affects many people’s lives in terms of its production by helping them make a living. Naturally, argan oil is expensive. After all, it didn’t get its nickname, “liquid gold” for no reason, but because it takes a long time and much effort to produce.
But that’s not all. While you’re being wary of inexpensive argan oil, you should be very well wary of those that are very expensive as well. Don’t let expensive packaging and flowery words fool you. We all know what argan oil can do, but advertisements exploit it further.
Shopping Tip: don’t buy the first bottle of argan oil you see right away. Try to compare different brands and prices first. You don’t always get the best quality of argan oil with the most expensive bottle.
Remember: argan oil of any brand, as long as it’s pure, has the same benefits. Make sure you double check the price and don’t fall for false advertising. Now let’s talk about the right colour for argan oil. You should also think about the colour of your argan oil.
5. CHECK FOR THE RIGHT SHADE OF ARGAN OIL.
You are now well aware that argan oil comes in two forms: culinary and cosmetic. It pays to get to know the difference between the two in terms of their colouring. Typically, argan oil used for cosmetic purposes has a light golden yellow color. If it’s golden brown, you’re looking at culinary argan oil.
Oils that are lighter in shade are not pure argan oil, but most likely blended with other oils and ingredients. Stay away from this because that’s not pure argan oil and you will end up paying for an inferior product.
Shopping Tip: Argan oil rarely has testers in beauty shops and drug stores, as to not waste any product. Upon purchasing, try to observe the color of your argan oil as you disperse a few pumps. The texture of argan oil is important, too.
6. FEEL FOR THE RIGHT TEXTURE OF YOUR ARGAN OIL.
Usually, argan oil should be smooth, non-sticky, and not over-watery. It also shouldn’t leave an obvious oily cast on your skin after a few minutes. Argan oil sinks and disappears on your skin, making it a good ad famous facial moisturizer.
If your argan oil feels too sticky and feels heavy on your face, despite only applying a little amount, which is around one or two pumps, then you should re-evaluate the quality of the argan oil in your possession.
Conversely, if argan oil feels too light and almost like water, then it might be diluted and impure. You might have either purchased the wrong bottle, or it got contaminated from other products in your bathroom.
Be careful if you feel a stinging sensation when you apply argan oil. Argan oil should be soothing to your skin and should never cause you any pain. It might be contaminated, and in this case, wash it off right away.
Freshness Tip: when storing your argan oil, make sure that it’s separate from your other cosmetic bottles, and away from your sink and shower area. Getting water in your oil is wasteful, so you have to be careful about where you store it.
7. SMELL WHAT COMES OUT OF THE BOTTLE.
When it comes to food products, arguably the best way to discover when a product is rancid is when it smells horrible. Fresh argan oil doesn’t stink at all, and in fact, it doesn’t give off a strong odor.
If you think that your argan oil smells good enough to eat, then that must be culinary argan oil and the way it should smell. Remember, you don’t get the same results with culinary argan oil when you use it for cosmetic purposes.
Culinary argan oil is made out of roasted argan kernels, and this means good news for the meals you want to prepare with argan oil. It is harder to obtain the same effects from roasted kernels. For this reason, culinary argan oil doesn’t offer the desired effects on your hair, skin, and nails as cosmetic grade argan oil made from unroasted kernels.
You should also be careful of purchasing argan oil that is completely odorless. Argan oil still gives off a light, nutty aroma. Odorless argan oil may not always spell out bad new, though. It could be deodorized, made with a machine, and other factors could be present, but usually if it doesn’t smell like anything, it could be mixed with something else.
Freshness Tip: Every time you use your argan oil, make sure to place the cap back on and screw it firmly in place. This will preserve the life of your argan oil while keeping any unwanted germs and other products from seeping into the bottle.
When it comes to sediment, did you know argan oil is supposed to have some? Let’s find out why.
8. OBSERVE THE SEDIMENT IN YOUR BOTTLE OF ARGAN OIL.
Pure and authentic argan oil has little bits of particles, or sediment that settles at the bottom. This is actually quite normal. The bottom of the bottle, when observed in artificial light, can also appear to look cloudy. This is another common characteristic of real argan oil.
If you notice that your argan oil looks perfectly clear, it might be possible that a lot of heat and machines were involved in its production. It could be thoroughly filtered, which isn’t always the best news when it comes to argan oil.
Think of it this way: The less your argan oil is touched by manufacturers’ machines, the purer and more original it is. And that’s how you want it to be, pure and direct from the source.
9. WHEN IT COMES TO ARGAN OIL, THE RESULTS SHOULD BE CLEAR.
Argan oil has tons of uses and boasts a lot of benefits. If you truly have the real thing, you should be able to feel or see the difference right away, rather than wondering if it is pure or not.
In cosmetics, you should expect to get wonderful effects on your hair, some improvement on your nails, or any other positive changes you intended to use it for. For culinary uses, you can easily taste the difference in your first bite.
The only thing that differs is cosmetic argan oil will, of course, show its effects progressively and as long as you continue to use the product. Don’t expect too much out of the product right away or start longing for change to happen after the first use, though.
