African folklore tells us the story of how the Argan tree’s significance was first developed. According to legend, in times of severe poverty, bloody feuds and disease, man spent his days and nights in prayers, hoping to someday discover the root of evil and path to salvation. As time passed, the evil maintained and people continued to perish. Eventually, a virtuous woman with a pure soul joined the prayers of man and nature and in response delivered, to the people, Argan – the tree that gives life. People soon learned to use the tree’s hard wood as a material for houses and tools, the leaves and fruits to feed the cattle, and from the kernel they extracted Argan oil, which served both as a cooking oil and as a general remedy for disease, a preserver of beauty in women and vitality in man. It is said that the very first Argan tree still remains, decorated with an illustrious crown. Still to this day, Moroccan people living amongst the Argan forests continue their worship of the Argan tree. Its significance remains strong in the lives of many Moroccans. – from Victoria Beauty
Argan oil is a carrier oil, not an essential oil. Carrier oils are what carry the powerful essential oils, diluting them so they are in a usable form. The ratios vary depending on recipe/blend, but it is usually at least as many drops of carrier oil for every drop of essential oil.
Argan oil (argania spinosa)
Plant appearance: trees growing 26-33 feet high and can live for 200 years. The fruit of the argan tree is small, and round, oval, or conical. A thick peel covers the fleshy pulp. The pulp surrounds a hard-shelled nut that represents about 25% of the weight of the fresh fruit. The nut contains one to three oil-rich argan kernels.
Part used: nut kernels
Therapeutic uses: Per verywellhealth Rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, argan oil is often used in skincare as an anti-aging product. Argan oil is also used for culinary purposes, the consumption of which is believed to have medical benefits, including the treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes.
Precautions: none known
RECIPE
Argan Oil Soap from Be Youthful
What You Need:
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup liquid castile soap*
- 1 teaspoon of Argan Oil
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essential oil (optional, for added smell.)
TIP: Want to strengthen those strands as well as give them some shine? Take about 3-5 capsules of vitamin E, cut in half, squeeze out the good stuff, and add to the mix.
What To Do:
Take a clean, empty shampoo bottle (an empty soap dispenser will work as well.), add all the ingredients in, close tightly, and shake well. Voila! Homemade shampoo done! Keep in the shower and use as you would normally shampoo.
After rinsing, follow up with your favorite conditioner, rinse off, and as much as possible, towel dry. Stay away from the blow dryer unless absolutely necessary.
TIP: Don’t shampoo everyday. Now, I’m not saying that you should skip the bath altogether. Sure you can still take your daily shower, but try to shampoo only every other day. Remember, you produce natural oil that is great for the hair, but shampooing everyday strips it right off your strands.
*Not knowing exactly what castile soap was, I went out and found information at healthline.com: Castile soap is an amazingly versatile vegetable-based soap that’s made free of animal fats and synthetic ingredients. This natural, nontoxic, biodegradable soap is available in bar or liquid form. Castile soap was made in the Mediterranean area before its use spread to Europe. Traditionally, castile soap was made of olive oil. It gets its name from the Castile region of Spain. These days, the soap is also made with coconut, castor, or hemp oils. Sometimes it’s made with avocado, walnut, and almond oils as well. These oils give the soap its lathering, moisturizing, and cleansing properties. Castile soap is an exciting product since it’s not only environmentally friendly but also incredibly useful and effective for certain purposes. You can use it on your body, to clean your house, and even on pets. You may find that a bottle or bar of castile soap conveniently replaces a plethora of other products in your home. Castile soap is also safe and gentle to use as long as it’s diluted properly.
If you want to learn more about Argan, go here for an exceptional website:
“The Curious Story of Argan Oil: A Miracle in the Moroccan Desert,” by John Poisson.
Tao Talk 
I like your theme for the challenge. Very useful info. Thanks
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Thank you, Sadje. I’ve been working hard on the posts.
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And it shows. 👏👏
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Very detailed! I knew that argan oil is a good product for hair. I am looking forward to B. :-)
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:) thanks!
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So interesting!
It sounds like I should try that shampoo. My hair are so difficult, and I’ve seen that fatty shampoo (like oil based shampoos) seem to work best for me.
And I ador to do anything I can with my hands, rather than buy it ;-)
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – Living the Twenties
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I’m trying some as soon as my new bottle is done. You’re right, a lot of money can be saved by making it yourself and no harsh chemical additives!
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I’ve heard of argan oil but knew nothing about it despite taking a trip right around Morocco not so long ago! Great start
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Thanks, Keith. Glad you learned something about it. I’m imagining Morocco is a fascinating place.
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So only cattle eat the fruit, it looks like a cross between a lime and an apple.
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I think goats eat them too. I saw several pictures on the net of goats standing in the trees! I bought some and am waiting until my current shampoo is gone and plan on making my own.
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We always had castille soap in the house when I was a child…ill have to look for it again. (K)
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Cool. I think Ivory is probably close but not sure. I bought the “baby mild” kind online but haven’t used it yet.
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Folklore associated with Argan oil/tree reminds me of the fact that no matter which part of the globe one is from, the humanity always had worshiped nature and lived happily in coexistence.
Thanks for the first lesson in essential oils.
https://canvaswithrainbow.com/alien/
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What a wonderful and wise comment, yes. Glad you enjoyed the post, Anagha.
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OOooh that shampoo sounds good. I have everything but the argan oil.
Thank goodness for online shopping.
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Awesome, Lael. Let me know when you use it how it works. I already had a new bottle of shampoo when I got started on the posts so will make some after finished with it. The ingredients are waiting for me!
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I sure will!
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Hmmm, I can smell Argan from here ;) Would be great to test it as cooking oil.
Great first post, and feel free to link it to the A to Z Challengers Linky Party
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Frederique will have to look into using it for cooking and see what I learn. Thanks for reading!
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Good start! This will be interesting…
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Thanks. I’ve been learning a bundle as I prepare the posts.
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Lovely informative post about a wonderful oil. Sounds like you’re having fun researching and learning, and I look forward to the rest of your posts in this series. Have fun with the challenge!
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Thanks, and yes, I am.
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I have seen argan oil in pharmacy shampoo sections and in hair products, but never thought what it was. Now I do! Thanks.
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You’re welcome!
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That soap looks really cool. I’m saving the ingredients.
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Great. I can’t wait to try it, but I’m not letting that new bottle of shampoo I just bought go to waste.
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Yea things are too expensive now…I sent the recipe or ingredients to Jen.
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This is such a detailed post, Li and I love all the information you have given. Look forward to the rest.
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Thank you, Punam.
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You are welcome.
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Never heard of Argan oil. Something new I learnt. Our trees have lots of medicinal components, which we don’t realise. It is nice to make use of them in a proper manner.
– bpradeepnair.blogspot.com
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Yes, they do. Thanks for stopping by :)
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I haven’t heard of Argan oil. The African folklore for this is interesting. I like your theme.
dropping by from the AtoZ linkup
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Thanks for dropping by!
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It amazing, and telling, how a woman has to intervene every time the world gets into trouble! :) Argan oil, I believe, is what makes the Moroccan women ageless. Great starting post!
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I love your comment, Nilanjana! Thank you :)
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How informative! On occasion I like doing DIY projects and I appreciated that incorporated a recipe for making your own shampoo. My hair is really fine, so I need shampoo that adds volume. Do you have an DIYs for making my own? I will share this post with one of my daughters who really likes natural alternatives. Excellent way to kick of A to Z!
Cathy’s Pinup Girl A to Z Challenge Art Sketch Series
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Thanks, Cathy. There are a lot of essential oil blends for really fine hair (and every other kind of hair.) If your daughter makes it and uses it, will you let me know how it worked?
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Sounds like one of those ingredients it is difficult to imagine the world without. Hope your AtoZ is going well.
Tasha 💖
Virginia’s Parlour – The Manor (Adult concepts – nothing explicit in posts)
Tasha’s Thinkings – Vampire Drabbles
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Yes, Tasha, it is difficult to imagine. Thank you for stopping by :)
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Great start for the A to Z! So interesting to learn about the oils and what they are used for. I remember using Castile soap when I was a kid. :)
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Thanks, Barbara. Very cool on the Castile. I bought a bottle of “baby strength” for the shampoo when I make it.
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Fascinating- thanks for all your hard work! See you soon!
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Thanks Kathe!
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I have heard so much about the miracle that is Argan oil. Thank you for letting me know about the history and for that instruction on how to make Argan oil soap. Castile soap sounds interesting. I’ll definitely give it a try. :)
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Awesome! Let me know how it works when you do!
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I love argan oil! It’s great to learn so much more about it through history and recipes. I’m excited by the possibilities of what I can make on my own
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It does seem like a very good oil to use. I’m using it in an “anti-wrinkle” face blend right now. It works great!
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Ooo nice! People everywhere will be asking what’s your secret!
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:)
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Enjoyed learning about the folklore behind argan oil. Not sure if I am brave enough to try making my own shampoo though. I hope you’ll put up a review when you give it a try. :D
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I will!
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You know how you buy a new (old) car and suddenly you start noticing that make everywhere you go, so we went to Morocco two years ago and then suddenly Argan Oil was in everything cosmetic! Its time had come. The trees were there for everyone to pick the fruit and processors ranged from tint women’s collectives to larger commercial firms – I hope the sudden boom in products has not changed the democratic nature of ownership..
I have mentioned your blog in a little roundup over at my
https://how-would-you-know.blogspot.com/
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Very interesting about Argan Oil, and I hope the demand for supply doesn’t harm the local communities that produce it, as you said. I think I remember reading/seeing pictures of goats in the trees? It might have been a different tree. Thank you for highlighting my A2Z. The only thing I noticed was your saying it is about herbs. Sometimes, but really the focus is on essential oils. I did try to make a comment after reading your “D” entry, which I found thoughtful, but I didn’t see a way to either “like” or comment on it.
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I will edit that. Yes, it is the tree that goats climb though we didn’t see any doing it – wrong time of year for the fruit. I have had to change the blog design to get the comments to show though the sidebar doesn’t show except as a pop-out grrr!
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Thanks and good luck with the editing the blog design.
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This was a wonderful post..The story behind it was also very interesting.. Your series of posts are teaching me so many new things ..Thanks a lot..
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Glad you find them helpful, thank you.
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Interesting! I know a couple of years ago a friend recommended using argan oil for everything from dry hair to dry skin (an all-body fix for dryness!).
An A-Z of Faerie: Ankou
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It is a very light oil that doesn’t overpower.
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I’ve used argan oil on my hair and skin but never bothered to look at the tree. It’s beautiful!
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Sascha, do you put it directly on your hair or add as part of shampoo? Yes, the tree is beautiful!
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Frizz serum after washing, on the ends or else it gets oily. I’ve tried argan oil shampoo/conditioner, nice smell. :)
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:)
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