Hello ladies,
Back from a small break – thanks to “Ganpat Puja” at home and the never-ending kid’s holidays! At such times, your skin needs more pampering, so what’s better than facial oils to give the skin the much-needed boost. Continuing with the Ordinary reviews, today’s review is on 100% Organic Cold Pressed Moroccan Oil. I had reviewed the “Rose Hip Seed oil” earlier for you which I absolutely love. Let’s see how this one fared.
Product Description:
Deeply hydrate skin and hair with organic, cold-pressed argan oil. 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil is a nutrient-rich oil for skin and hair. This multipurpose oil supports healthy, supple skin and reduces the appearance of flaking. It also adds strength and shine to hair. Argan seed oil: a hydrating oil that is extracted without heat to preserve its rich nutrients, including fatty acids, vitamins, phenols, and carotenes. This formulation uses 100% pure Moroccan Argan Seed Oil extracted through a cold pressing that preserves the integrity of the oil’s fatty acids, vitamins, phenols (including caffeic acid) and carotenes. Argan oil’s main fatty acid content is made up of oleic acid and linoleic acid. The oil supports healthy skin and reduces the appearance of flaking. It also adds soft sheen and strength to hair. Notes: Supplied in UV-protective packaging. Our Moroccan Argan Oil is completely unrefined and imparts a natural scent.This scent is not an indication of rancidity. Argan Oil that does not have a scent is refined and offers reduced benefits.
Other Details:
Size: 30 ml
Cruelty-free
Vegan
Ingredients:
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil.
Price:
USD 10.90 for 30 ml.
My Experience with The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil:
My standard skin type information: I have oily to combination skin which gets dull and dehydrated very easily – due to my lousy eating habits and my horrid sleeping patterns (and age!!!!) Also, I deal with periodic acne and the scars left over from previous ones! Fairly recently, I have also started seeing sun damage and age spots.
There, that’s out of the way!
I have been wanting to try argan oil for quite some time now. I’ve been on the verge of buying Josie Maran Argan Oil for ages, but something always held me back. Maybe it was the price or maybe it was the worry – what if it breaks me out. Also, there was always the question – is it meant for pity skin? Will my skin benefit from it?
So, what changed? The price point, for one! At the price point that the Ordinary offers, you don’t mind trying something new, and that is the biggest issue with most skincare products in the market. Despite raving reviews, you still feel uncomfortable shelling out big bucks because you wonder if it will work for you. We don’t have the option of being able to return the product if it doesn’t – unlike in the US.
The other thing which changed for me – over time – was that I realized that oils aren’t a no-no for oily skin. The correct oil can actually help balance the oil production of the skin – making it more balanced. I love my Clarins Orchid Oil and you have already read my review on the Ordinary Rose Hip Seed oil, so I was willing to take the plunge with this one.
The Ordinary’s Moroccan Argan Oil is 100% organic and cold pressed. Why is this aspect important? I discussed it in detail while reviewing the Rose Hip Seed Oil. Will quickly do that again – for new readers:
Organic – This means that the product is grown organically – i.e. without the use of chemicals and pesticides. This makes the process labour intensive – hence, higher cost of such products. However, considering that the product is free from all chemicals, the product has better nutrient value/more nutrients. Growing products Organically is also better for the ecosystem.
Cold pressed – Oil can be derived from a product by a complex method of cold pressing it or by using substantial heat. The resultant product obviously varies in molecular structure, taste and nutrition value. Why? Because heat tends to change the molecular structure of products and can also destroy nutrients. A simple example would be – would you prefer a freshly squeezed orange juice or would you prefer oranges to be subjected to substantial heat so that the juices of the orange leech out. In the former scenario – you are able to preserve the nutrition value of the orange/juice. In the latter scenario, the heat will destroy Vitamin C and the resultant product will not be as nutritional as the former one. Does cold pressed mean that their is not heat involved? Nope! Heat is still involved in the extraction process but not the temperature where molecular structures change.
When it comes to argan oil, the first name which pops in your head is Josie Maran. Josie Maran has built their whole brand around it. However, all things being equal – considering both products (the Ordinary and Josie Maran) – are supposed to be just one ingredient – organically produced, cold pressed argan oil, the only thing to be taken into account would be the price point. And the Ordinary beats the pants off Josie Maran pricing which is about $48 for 50 ml.
Packaging: This oil comes packaged in the typical “The Ordinary” packaging. It constitutes of a dark glass bottle with a dropper dispenser. The same comes packaged in a plain white cardboard box with all application instructions mentioned on the bottle and the box both. The packaging pretty much stays the same for all products – except the photosensitive ones which are in a darker bottle – like this product. I have about the dozen products from this line and have not faced an issue with the packaging of any of them, except for this argan oil bottle. The cap is a normal screw cap. For some weird reason, every time I twist it to close it, just as it stops, the cap comes slightly undone and then I have to remember to go in and twist it one more time; not too big a deal in itself. The packaging is supposed to be basic and functional – at this price. However, if I miss going in again, this can result in spillage and worse – the oil could go rancid.
Fragrance: There is obviously no added fragrance to this product. It naturally has a distinct nutty smell. It is not pleasant but it does not bother me. However, if you have a sensitive nose – this could be irritating for you. You have to remember, skincare shouldn’t really smell pleasant or rather – need not smell pleasant. More often than not, the pleasant smell is due to added fragrance, which can actually cause irritation to the skin.
Texture: The oil is almost colourless. It is quite lightweight, more lightweight than the Rose Hip Seed Oil or the Clarins Orchid Oil. Even on my oily facial skin, it gets absorbed quite easily – it takes about a minute or so. If I use it on my hands, it literally disappears within seconds. There was a time when I had the softest most hydrated hands. And now, I don’t even remember when I had last used a hand cream. The only saving grace has been that once I am through applying creams/serums/oils to my face, instead of wiping my hands on a towel or washing them, I actually rub them together and let the extra product in my palm seep through to the back of my hand – a tip shared by the counter manager at Estee Lauder ages ago.
Application: This oil should be applied on a clean face post your toning steps and application of all other water-based skincare – like your serum and treatments. About 3 drops are sufficient for the whole face. You can use it on its own or mix it with your night moisturiser and apply (for better penetration). This should ideally be the last step of your skincare. You can use the oil at any time – day or night – depending on your preference. For me, I prefer to use it only in the night. Argan oil can be used for your hair too – not quite the way we Indians tend to use coconut oil on our heads, but more like a hair serum. You can lightly apply it to the tips of your damp hair for giving it more manageability and shine.
Efficacy: Any new skincare needs to be eased into. You should try using the oil maybe just 3-4 times a week to see how your skin reacts to it. I have been using it daily. The oil has not broken me out or caused and reaction despite using it daily. I have used it on its own and i have used it mixed with a moisturiser – either ways, I wake up to relaxed, supple, nourished skin. As we age, our skin loses its ability to hold moisture. This results in dehydration of the skin and it looking lack lustre. I feel a good oil can really help to counter this and the Ordinary ones are at such an excellent price that the choice becomes total no-brainer. The brand is not promising the moon with this. They promise healthier and hydrated skin and healthier hair. The product delivers on those counts.
Another way that I like to use this oil is before doing any makeup. When I know I have an event to go to or a get together, I ensure I apply half a drop of the oil to my under-eye area in the morning or a couple of hours before I start applying my makeup. This allows my under-eye area to be well hydrated and have lesser lines. This also ensures that my concealer (something drying like Tarte Shape Tape) goes on smoothly and doesn’t sink into really fine lines or accentuate them.
Pros of The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil:
- Lightweight texture.
- Organically produced.
- Cold pressed oil.
- UV protective packaging.
- Absorbs easily.
- Would work well for all skin and hair types.
- Helps nourish the skin and hair; and help it retain moisture.
- Continued usage does help you with a more radiant skin Did not break me out.
- Non-comedogenic product.
- Helps improve skin texture, radiance.
- Free from unnecessary additives like colour and fragrance.
- Cruelty free.
- Vegan.
Cons of The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil:
- The packaging for this one definitely seems faulty. However, that does not mean that all agan oil bottles would have defective packaging.
IMBB Rating:
5/5
This is another excellent product from the Ordinary. For someone who has been contemplating about including facial oil into their regime – this would be an excellent option. The fact that you can use it for your face, hair or even body – makes it a must buy from this range.
Quick comparison – between this and the rose hip seed oil, which do I prefer? I think I like the fact that this is a multi-tasker (face, hair, body), but I feel that the results from the rose hip seed oil were definitely more pronounced. Totally recommend.
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