Cold-pressed Organic Hair Oil - Nourishing and Stimulating Hair Care - SOWÉ

The argan tree is a thorny tree with edible fruit and an oily kernel, found mainly on the arid hills of Morocco and more rarely in regions of Andalusia and Mexico. The argan tree, or Argania spinosa L., is a plant belonging to the Sapotaceae family. It is characterized by a short, often gnarled trunk with low branches and thorny leaves.

It is a tree endemic to Morocco (where almost all of its population, i.e., 20 million trees spread over 830,000 hectares, is found) and Algeria (in the Tindouf region). Due to its role as a bulwark against erosion and the advance of the Saharan desert, and as a major economic resource for the inhabitants of Souss-Massa, the vast argan forest in this region has benefited from the status of Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve since 1998, with the aim of protecting it. Locals produce argan oil from its fruit, which has multiple uses for cooking, medicine, and cosmetics. It is an important local economic resource that allows Moroccan women to work by forming cooperatives.

The argan tree is considered a miracle of nature by Moroccan Berbers. First, the wood and hard shells of the fruits are used in cooking to fuel fires. Next, the tree's leaves, dried fruit pulp, and oilseed cakes are used for animal feed. Finally, argan oil is used for its culinary virtues as well as its remarkable medicinal and cosmetic properties.

Argan Oil Production
In a screw press, healthy, cleaned, and dried kernels from the nuts are pressed in a first cold pressing, without any solvent or chemical intervention. The oil is then filtered successively through blotting paper. The oil is then stored away from light and heat.

Properties of Argan Oil
Rich in unsaturated fatty acids, excellent for the skin, argan oil contains countless nutritional active ingredients, vitamins A and E (carotenes, tocopherols), sterols (schottenol, spinasterol), triterpene alcohols, xanthophylls, etc.
Argan oil is regenerating.

Properties for Facial and Body Skin
Moisturizes and nourishes the skin, thanks to its high content of essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
Penetrates easily into the skin and restores its elasticity and radiance. It defends the skin against external aggressions, such as sun, wind, cold, pollution, or heating devices.
Creates a protective film on the skin and keeps it from drying out and cracking. It repairs damaged skin, thanks to its healing, regenerating, and antioxidant properties.
Consolidates collagen production, the protein that maintains skin structure, and stimulates the growth of new cells.
Controls sebum production, making it suitable for oily or combination skin. It helps balance the skin's pH and prevents imperfections, inflammation, or infections.
Beautifies the skin, giving it a silky, smooth, and radiant appearance.
Properties for Hair and Nails
Nourishing and strengthening, argan oil contains linoleic acid, a major fatty acid that penetrates the nail to nourish and moisturize it. Nails are mainly composed of keratin, a fibrous protein which, when weakened, makes nails brittle. The essential fatty acids in argan oil help repair and strengthen nails.

Benefits of Argan Oil for Hair
Argan oil is a vegetable oil with many benefits for hair. Here are some of its properties:

Moisturizes and nourishes dry, damaged, or dull hair, thanks to its high content of essential fatty acids and vitamin E. It penetrates easily into the hair fiber and restores its elasticity and shine.
Defends hair against external aggressions, such as sun, wind, cold, pollution, or heating devices. It creates a protective film around the hair and keeps it from drying out and split ends.
Repairs brittle, fragile, or split hair, thanks to its repairing, regenerating, and healing properties.
Consolidates keratin, the main protein of hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy and strong hair.
Controls sebum production, making it suitable for oily or combination hair. It helps balance scalp pH and prevents dandruff, itching, or irritation.
Beautifies hair, giving it a silky, smooth, and shiny appearance. It enhances the natural color of the hair and makes it easier to style.
To benefit from the advantages of argan oil for hair, there are several methods for using it:

As an oil bath, before shampooing, by applying the oil to the lengths and ends, massaging the scalp, and leaving it on for at least 30 minutes under a hot towel or shower cap.
As a mask, after shampooing, by mixing the oil with honey, yogurt, egg, or aloe vera, and leaving it on for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing.
As a leave-in treatment, on damp or dry hair, by applying a few drops of oil to the ends or damaged areas to nourish and protect them.
Argan oil is therefore a precious oil for the beauty and health of hair, which can be used alone or in combination with other natural ingredients.

Fatty Acid Composition
Oleic acid (MUFA omega 9): 43 to 49.7%
Linoleic acid (PUFA omega 6): 29 to 37.5%
Palmitic acid (SFA): 11.5 to 14%
Stearic acid (SFA): 4.3 to 7.2%
Unsaponifiables: ≤ 1%