CHANGES IN SKIN WITH TIME
As we age with time, our body including our skin goes through wear and tear and becomes more susceptible to injury. Due to the natural aging process, our skin loses vital components such as fat, elastin and collagen and results in a saggy wrinkled appearance. Although over time, many products have emerged that claim to have miraculous anti-aging properties, they all have given disappointing results. Aging is not something that can be stopped however that doesn’t mean you cannot do anything to make yourself look younger. Argan oil is the only product out there that has stood the test of time and also has scientific backing about its anti-aging properties.
Our skin is made of stratified layers of epithelial cells, which are periodically shed every 28 days. As this process occurs, cells of lower quality may replace the older skin cells due to improper skin care and poorly hydrated skin may replace the older cells. The cells of our skin require food, hydration and essential nutrition for proper growth and maintenance.

For hundreds of years, Argan oil has been used for its anti-aging, moisturizing, bactericidal and fungicidal qualities. Argan oil is rich in Vitamin E, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, which are all essential nutrients to maintain skin elasticity. Below are just some of the few major constituents and characteristics of Argan oil, which are the secret behind its anti-aging power.
1. Vitamin E
Vitamin E has been proven scientifically to be a highly effective antioxidant functioning to protect and repair skin. Antioxidants counterbalance the oxidation effect of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that cause destruction of collagen resulting in dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles. Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals thus inhibiting any potential cellular damage. Although Vitamin E is a very potent antioxidant, the human body is unable to produce it on its own. So in order to get the Vitamin E your skin requires for maintaining a youthful appearance, you need external resources to ensure you get the essential quantity of this valuable nutrient. When applied externally, trocopherol from the vitamin E helps to boost cell production while promoting healthy skin and hair, which is why cosmetic companies are including it in their high-end anti-aging, hair and skin care products.
2. Oleic Acid
Oleic acid is a constituent of countless skin care products owing to its excellent moisturizing potential. It benefits the skin by keeping it soft, supple and bright. Argan oil, rich in oleic acid is widely used to fuel hair growth and create thicker, lengthier and tougher hair. The Oleic acid in argan oil works miracles to moisturize dry, rough and aging skin as it enters skin layers easily with significantly deep penetration into the skin surface layers resulting in a replenished skin moisture that is naturally lost with increasing age. Oleic acid in itself also creates a layer of barrier that prevents the skin’s moisture from evaporating without clogging any pores.
3. Linoleic acid
Argan oil owes its amazing moisturizing ability to lineoleic acid. Linoleic Acid also known as Vitamin F is another extremely potent agent for skin that nourishes your skin while moisturizing it at the same time thus giving your skin a plump and supple look. It strengthens and shields the barrier of your skin, thus serving to guard it from harmful sunlight’s UV rays and any air pollutants including smoke from vehicles, factories or cigarette. UV rays and toxic gases can result in increased action of free radicals on your skin leading to wrinkles and early aging signs.
Linoleic acid benefits your skin by fortifying and strengthening its barrier thereby it can efficiently hydrate your skin by keeping the water in and ensuring the irritants stay out. In addition to this, topical daily usage of linoleic acid can greatly minimize any episodes of acne breakouts. As you know, acne can lead to inflammation and scarring, which consequently results in loss of collagen and elastin from the skin dermis. Collagen is what gives your skin the plump healthy youthful look and the more you have it, the younger your appearance. To sum it up, linoleic acid prevents this degradation and early loss of collagen from your skin by preventing any inflammation from acne in the beginning itself.
4. Moisturizing skin without comedogenic side-effect
Contrary to popular belief that oily skin is the cause of acne breakouts, the truth is oil is essential for your skin and it is the impurities and bacteria that clog up your pores when combined with oil that can result in the formation of acne. Argan oil with its anti-acne, bactericidal and moisturizing properties is perfect to achieve a flawless moisturized acne-free skin without the side effect of getting dry damaged skin from anti-acne chemical products.
5. Skin elasticity
A study examining the effects of using Argan oil as a part of nightly skin routine demonstrated significant increase in overall skin elasticity. This vitamin E rich oil with its antioxidant property has the ability to replenish your skin with elastin to increase skin elasticity making it look plumper and younger. It prevents loss of elastin and collagen with age while also replenishing your skin with newer collagen with elastin by constantly encouraging skin dermal layer remodeling.
6. Hydration
Argan oil is composed of unsaturated fatty acids, which forms a barrier in itself while also reinforcing normal skin barrier at the same time. This protective characteristic of argan oil is what gives your skin such a supple look as it locks the water in by its amazing skin-hydrating ability. Regular use of argan oil will make your skin glow with a shine by increasing skin water content and reducing the inevitable epidermal loss of water with age.
7. Preventing skin diseases
Due to its bactericidal and fungicidal properties, argan oil also keeps your skin free from common annoying skin conditions such as acne and eczema. Acne and eczema can damage your skin by inflammation leading to loss of collagen and elastin both of which are essential components for a youthful skin.
8. Anti-wrinkle
When argan oil is used as a topical application on face, its anti-oxidant ability will help your skin protect itself from the oxidative stress and damage from being exposed to environmental pollution, toxic gases and UV radiation. The tocopherols in vitamin E and the fatty acids existing in the oil battle the free radicals thus improving overall skin elasticity and reinforcing cellular strength of your skin. Not only does argan oil give your skin a fuller, brighter and supple look, it also prevents you from getting those unwanted wrinkles without having to undertake expensive Botox procedures.
9. Stretch Marks
With age, the constant increase and decrease in weight will eventually lead to stretch marks and undesirable cellulites. Stretch marks and cellulites are also a constant worry for people as they age. Argan oil can benefit people with stretch marks by preventing formation of newer marks while reducing the appearance of current stretch marks as well. It achieves this feat simply by improving overall skin elasticity. Daily application with massage using argan oil in areas of the body where stretch marks are prone to occur will greatly reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
CONCLUSION
Due to its amazing ability to improve skin appearance and overall quality, it has become increasingly added in many cosmetic products as an adjuvant. Argan oil is quite difficult to extract, with no available equipment yet designed to extract the seed with machines, it needs manual labor for extraction. Due to it being endemic to Morocco and the difficulty in its extraction, it’s a costly cosmetic product and thus many fake products claiming to be pure Argan oil can be seen in the market, Argan oil is best used alone without integrating it with other chemicals. Many skincare products have widely publicized argan oil as a constituent of their products. These products are unrealistically expensive with very disappointing results for consumers. However, the truth is argan is oil is best used alone without integrating it into any other creams or toners. It can be used in its 100% pure form as a moisturizer, daily night regiment, as a toner and also as a cure for acne. You can easily get just the oil and add it to your daily skin care routine. Many companies have claimed to provide pure argan oil but most of them contain very less concentration of argan oil mixed with some common vegetable oil. If you are looking for a pure argan oil to rejuvenate your skin with youthful appearance