Ar
Argan Oil
Argania Spinosa Kernel OilBarrier
Moroccan tree-nut oil. Lightweight, vitamin-E rich, generally non-comedogenic.
What it does
Argan oil is a balanced fatty acid oil — roughly 35% linoleic, 45% oleic, plus vitamin E and small amounts of polyphenols. It feels lighter than coconut or olive oil and absorbs reasonably quickly. Suitable as a finishing step for dry skin or as a lightweight oil component in a moisturizer formulation. The 'liquid gold' marketing exceeds the realistic effect, which is straightforward emollience and surface antioxidant activity.
The evidence, graded
emergingThe skin's barrier is built from ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids in a roughly 1:1:1 to 3:1:1 ratio. Moisturizers formulated to mimic that ratio support barrier repair more than any one lipid alone.Man 1996 · Journal of Investigative Dermatology ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Pairs worth knowing
Browse all 668 ingredients — grouped by what they do, each with whatever evidence we can cite.
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