Layering your Argan Oil
Argan oil is often used as a carrier oil in high-end beauty products layered with other ingredients to accentuate its anti-aging, nourishing and healing properties. Rich in antioxidants, Vitamin A and E, oleic and linoleic fatty acids, who wouldn’t make use of this natural liquid to fight inflammations or reverse damage from sun exposure? It’s, simply put, one of the most powerful oils for regenerating skin cells.
Our team at All I Need likes to use argan oil as our own carrier oil, layering essential oils and other superfood compounds to get at our most basic needs. Here are a few examples of how you can use some of these same techniques in your own routine, using your argan oil as a base.
Clear up your skin with a homemade toner
For this one, combine 1 or 2 drops of argan oil with 1 drop of tea tree essential oil, a powerful antibacterial that also helps to heal scars while it clears. Mix with a few drops of water (or more if your skin is very sensitive). Apply to a cotton ball or pad and dab onto problem areas on your face or body. Argan oil is the perfect base for this because it’s ultra soothing and protecting, offsetting some of the drying, potentially-aggravating effects of tea tree oil.
Treat yourself to a healthy glow in the evening
Combine five drops of argan oil and three drops of lavender or rosemary oil and rub between your palms. After a shower, use your hands to massage your shoulders, thighs and stomach. If you have stretch marks and are trying to reduce them, the vitamin E and A present in the argan oil will help to rebalance your skin and restore elasticity. The lavender will put you into a calm state as you head toward bed for reading or listening to a soothing podcast (we recommend Tara Brach, and don’t forget about that sleep timer.) Extra tip: dry brushing is great for bringing circulation to the skin, so try this before you shower for an extra skin glow come morning.
Give yourself a morning lift
Grapefruit oil, lemon oil, peppermint oil, and orange oil are all great mood lifters. It might sound old school, but it’s very helpful in conjunction with other mood-positive habits (like journaling, yoga, talking to close friends, acupuncture, massage, clean gut exercises, Omega 3s, sauna and short walks in the sun). Combine three drops of one of these oils with five drops of your argan oil and a few drops of water (or more if you have sensitive skin) and massage into your neck or temples while you’re waiting in your car at a red light, or watching the smoke rise from your morning coffee cup.