Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil) - Controlled organic cultivation
The argan tree, whose seeds are cold-pressed for the traditional beauty elixir of the Berber tribes, only grows in a small area in southwest Morocco and at the foot of the Atlas Mountains - a scarce treasure. Its nickname "Tree of Life" indicates its long lifespan. Argan trees can be up to 450 years old, their roots reach down to a depth of 30m. The golden-yellow argan oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil), also known as "Morocco's Gold", is one of the most valuable vegetable oils of all.
Traditional hand pressing
The processing of the fleshy fruit, which contains the oily seed, is an important part of Moroccan Berber culture. Traditionally, the fruits are collected by Berber women, dried in the sun and cracked open with a stone. The seeds are then laboriously pressed by hand. It takes about 20 hours until 1 liter of argan oil is obtained from the tiny kernels in the argan almonds with this very complex manual pressing. The harvest of about 4 to 5 argan trees is required for one liter of argan oil, which corresponds to a quantity of 30 kilograms of fruit.
Modern mechanical cold pressing
The yield with modern mechanical oil pressing is significantly higher, but at the price of a significant loss of quality. In addition, this modern processing method destroys the traditional economic basis of the Berber families. With mechanical pressing, the women's work is reduced to collecting the fruit.
Quality Difference: Cold-pressed versus deodorized argan oil
Cold-pressed argan oil has a typical, slightly sour odor that disappears immediately after it is applied to the skin. This shows the high natural quality. Since a few users are bothered by the typical smell of argan, cosmetic argan oil is usually offered from roasted fruits or deodorized. During this processing step, the argan oil is heated to a high temperature and steam flows through it, creating a neutral odor instead of the typical argan odor itself. However, many valuable ingredients are also lost with deodorization.
Of course, at myrto we only use the very best quality, i.e. only organic, cold-pressed oil that is hand-ground and pressed by Moroccan women’s cooperatives in a traditional village environment and is fairly traded. The oil is not only of unique quality, but with its value chain ensures the survival of the traditional Berber village structures in the villages of the argan belt. The income from this fair trade project secures the income of thousands of families and specifically finances school and further education for women in the villages. The argan trees, which are threatened with extinction, are reforested.
To produce one liter of oil by hand pressing, the fruits of 6 to 8 argan trees are needed and it takes 2 days, much longer than machine-industrial cold pressing. The yield of oil is also significantly lower. But the unique quality justifies the effort. The seeds of the argan tree, which are hand-picked, hand-ground and hand-pressed in the women's cooperatives, contain all the ingredients and vitamins in an authentic composition. This is not only good for your skin, but also the best for the sensitive ecosystem.
The most important effects of argan oil
- Argan oil contains about 80% essential fatty acids. The high proportion of polyunsaturated linoleic acid stimulates the regeneration of mature skin.
- Argan oil protects the skin from moisture loss, gives it new elasticity and prevents premature wrinkling.
- Argan oil strengthens the skin barrier.
- Argan oil contains a high proportion of tocopherols (vitamin E), which ward off and neutralize cell-damaging "free radicals".
- The combination of triterpenes and phytosterols contained in argan oil inhibits inflammation and works against impurities and pimples.
- Argan oil, with its cell-stimulating and anti-inflammatory effect, is also recommended for skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, neurodermatitis and eczema.
This active agent has received the top rating "100% green ring" at Codecheck.info. Codecheck.info is a neutral platform for product evaluations based on Ökotest and current scientific studies. By entering the name from the List of Ingredients (INCI) - the evaluation of the ingredient can be retrieved.
