Argan oil has been popular in skincare for a while now. But this extraordinary ingredient has been doing good way before QVC and Josie Maran. Find out how best to get amazing argan oil benefits into your life.

You can hardly talk natural skincare without argan oil coming up. It may have become sort of mainstream these past several years, but this nut oil has a long history.

Spied on ingredient listings as argania spinose, argan oil is obtained from the nuts of the argan tree. Grown only in the southwestern region Morocco, women of the area have been using the oil for centuries for its healing properties.

Argan oil holds many beauty benefits and women love the stuff for good reason. It’s a powerful anti-ager, acne fighter, skin rejuvenator, and more. But buyer beware. Not all argan oil products are created equally. And equally here means without toxic ingredients.

You can hop into almost any beauty counter, drugstore, or online beauty shop and pick up a product made with argan oil. To get the most skincare bang for your buck, it is important to purchase high quality, nontoxic products.

Find out which argan oil products are best and how to use them. You’ll be glad you added this beauty to your regimen.

7 Amazing Argan Oil Benefits for Healthy Skin and Hair

1. Anti-aging Hero: More than just another anti-aging ingredient, argan oil is thought of by many organic beauty producers as a super ingredient. Rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and vitamin E, this hero anti-ager is excellent at restoring a youthful appearance to skin. Kahina Giving Beauty 100% Organic Argan Oil is of the highest quality. Use on skin to soften lines, plump, clear, and calm. Try Kahina Giving Beauty Eye Cream to soothe crow’s feet.

2. Non-greasy Moisturizer: Seems most anti-aging products come in oil form. That’s great for dry skin, but what about those with oilier skin looking to treat signs of aging? Argan oil is the answer. This oil works well on all skin types but women with oily skin love it because it does not leave skin greasy or cause breakouts. Highly emollient but absorbs quickly into skin. Suti Honour Coconut & Rose Face Cream offers light hydration and softens skin.

3. Acne Fighter: Argan has natural antibacterial properties, making it an excellent choice for those prone to breakouts. The oil also helps to tone down irritation and inflammation. B Leaf Botanics Banish Blemish Treatment is a potent mix of zit zapping ingredients, but gentle on skin.

4. Lightener and Brightener: This nut oil contains phytosterols which help to brighten the skin and add a natural glow. Studies on the use of argan oil as a treatment for hyperpigmentation disorders of the skin also show promise, and may be beneficial in lightening sun damage and skin discoloration. MUN No. 1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum combines argan with other healthy natural oils for a bright, supple complexion.

5. Scar Diminisher: That’s right, not only is the oil great for treating lines and wrinkles, many have found it lessens the appearance of scars and stretch marks. Lina Hanson Global Body Serum softens marks and tones skin.

6. Cuticle Repair: We know vitamin E is great for wrangling dry, snaggly cuticles. Add argan oil to your manicure for healthy nails. Kahina Giving Beauty FEZ Hand and Body Balm is perfect on hands, and smells so great you’ll want to use it on the rest of you, too.

7. Hot Oil for Hair: So we know argan has long been used to heal, rejuvenate and support skin. But guess what? This nut oil is a super effective hair treatment too. Warm a small amount of oil in palms and distribute from scalp through ends of hair. Wrap in warm towel and leave for 15 minutes. Shampoo as usual. Hair is soft, shiny, and bouncy.

Didn’t know about all of these useful argan oil benefits? Get in on the goodness of this beauty miracle from nature.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon:

What Type of Organic Beauty are You? [Quiz]

Safe Sunscreen for Every Skin Type and Tone

7 Natural and Organic Skincare Brands You Need in Your Life Now

Image of Argan tree via Shutterstock

The post 7 Amazing Argan Oil Benefits for Healthy Skin and Hair (Plus Product Picks!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Harry Crews, American writer, once wrote “There is something beautiful about all scars of whatever nature. A scar means the hurt is over, the wound is closed and healed, done with.” To which we say: Word. Yes, scars can be beautiful. But if you don’t want to live with them? No judgment in wanting them gone. There are ways to treat unwanted scars, and there are natural methods to helping them along the road to “less distinct.”

Sometimes, scars are just random. So how best to treat the time you ran into your coffee table or the burn you received getting those midnight toffee sugar cookies out of the oven? I have a scar on my knee that makes me look like this awesome athlete as people often ask if it is an ACL surgery scar. Yes! Or maybe I just ran into my bureau, aka the dresser from the movie “Saw.” Maybe.

Contracture scars happen when your skin has been burned, causing the skin to tighten up. Keloid scars can form over the original injury and can be large. Acne scars can simply remind us of parts of teenage years that didn’t involve first kisses or rocking the SATs. New scars are usually dark, red, and raised. No matter what you do, tiny traces of scars will always remain.

Further, scars can take up to 18 months to form. For many injuries, you want to wait until you are completely healed before tackling any scar tissue issues. You can ask your doctor, who might suggest costly laser treatments. Some also recommend Mederma. This product is known to be fairly effective. However, it rates a 5 from Skin Deep, partially due to an unnecessary overload of fragrance in the product. It also contains PEG-4, a solvent, which is rather toxic.

So what’s a naturalista to do? Some experts feel that sandalwood is one of the most effective ways to naturally treat scars. Sandalwood, popular in Asia, has “antiseptic, anti inflammatory, cicatrisant, disinfectant, and emollient” properties that can help along scars. Apply a sandalwood paste with rose water. As per one recipe, mix a tablespoon of organic/responsibly-farmed sandalwood powder with a few drops of rosewater. Mix into a paste and cover your scars with it. Leave on for thirty minutes and rinse off with warm water. Some also suggest leaving the paste on overnight.

Others suggest slathering organic ampoules of vitamin E on your scars. This is a fat-soluble antioxidant that can influence the production of collagen, effectively plumping up skin. While some experts claim vitamin E is useless against scars, others recommend using it in large amounts.

Onion extract is also known to be a natural remedy for scars. In fact, it is a key ingredient in Mederma. While some studies claim onion extract has no effect on scars, others show that it can help soften and fade – though some claim this is a placebo effect.

Wheat germ is used in many countries to prevent scarring from burns. Skincare expert Angela Imperato of OC Skin Secrets in Toluca Lake, California, recommends Dr. Grandel’s wheat germ Epigran Ampoules 5 in a box ($39). As Angela explained to me, “wheat germ with vitamin E is makes a natural anti-inflammatory moisturizer that can help a burn heal with less scarring.”

And finally, honey is deemed a natural superstar for scar banishment. Used for centuries to treat burns and dress wound, it does keep the recovering skin moisturized, which will encourage new tissue growth. Honey also has antibacterial properties – and for the love of Pete, make sure it is organic. Here’s an excellent step-by-step procedure on how to use honey to heal.

Image: alsjhc

The post 5 Effective Treatments for Scars appeared first on EcoSalon.