Argania spinosa (kernel oil)

Argan oil

Eaten in place of butter, argan oil lowered LDL cholesterol in a meta-analysis of five small trials, though it was not better than olive oil in the one trial that compared them. On skin it improved elasticity and hydration in one 60-woman trial in postmenopausal women; for hair, frizz, shine and growth, we found no human trials. Contact allergy to argan oil is rare but documented, including one case of anaphylaxis.

Written by

Healthy and Herbal editorial team

Reviewed by

Healthy and Herbal editors

Updated

10 October 2026

Golden argan oil in a small bowl beside argan nuts

At a glance

Last reviewed 10 October 2026

Evidence

Moderate

Best for

Blood cholesterol (eaten)

Typical form & use

Virgin argan oil, 25 mL a day eaten

Onset

4+ weeks

Safety

Rare contact allergy; anaphylaxis reported. No interactions in our data.

Check with your medications →

What it's used for

Evidence is rated per use. The same ingredient can be strong for one thing and traditional for another.

Use	Evidence	What the research shows
Blood cholesterol and lipids (eaten)Compare remedies for heart health →	Moderate	A meta-analysis of 5 randomised trials (292 people, at least 2 weeks each) found argan oil lowered LDL cholesterol by 11.7 mg/dL and triglycerides by 13.7 mg/dL, and raised HDL by 4.1 mg/dL, against control treatments. The trials are small, short and Moroccan, and most controls were butter, so part of the effect is swapping saturated for unsaturated fat. In a 60-person trial, LDL fell significantly with extra virgin olive oil but not with argan oil, so argan oil has not been shown to beat olive oil.^5,6
Skin elasticity and hydration in postmenopausal womenCompare remedies for skin →	Limited	In 60 healthy postmenopausal women, 60 days of eating 25 mL a day of argan oil, or of applying about 240 mg to a forearm nightly, improved skin elasticity measures and lowered water loss through the skin compared with baseline, with significant results reported for each route. The controls ate olive oil, and both reports come from the same research team and appear to be the same 60 women. It says nothing about younger skin or wrinkles seen in a mirror.^1,2
Hair frizz, shine and breakageCompare remedies for hair & nails →	Traditional	A 2022 systematic review of 22 articles found argan oil has no significant evidence supporting it for hair growth, hair quality or lice. The only supportive data we found are laboratory work: on hair tresses cut from people, argan oil applied before chemical (oxidative) damage cut protein loss. That does not show less frizz or breakage on a head of hair.^3,4
Hair growth and thinning	Traditional	The same 2022 systematic review found no significant evidence that argan oil improves hair growth. We found no trial in people with hair loss.³
Acne-prone and oily facial skin	Traditional	We found no clinical trial of argan oil for acne or oily skin, so any benefit is unproven. An Australian clinical update recommends combination topical therapy such as benzoyl peroxide plus a retinoid as first-line, and does not mention argan oil.¹⁰

How much

Ranges below are what studies used and what supplements commonly contain. They are not a recommendation for you. Start at the low end.

Eaten in trials

25 mL or 25 g a day, for 3 to 8 weeks or more^6,1

The lipid trials used 25 g a day for 3 weeks and 25 mL a day for 3 weeks; the skin trial used 25 mL a day for 60 days, replacing butter or olive oil in the diet.

Applied to skin in the trial

About 240 mg (10 drops) nightly, forearm¹

Amount used on one forearm for 60 days in postmenopausal women. Face and hair amounts have not been studied.

Timing · The skin trial applied the oil every night, and the lipid trials gave it at breakfast or with meals. We found no evidence that timing matters.With food? · Eaten argan oil in the trials replaced butter or another fat in the diet. It is a source of fat and calories, so count it in, rather than adding it on top.How long to trial · Skin measures in the trial were checked at 30 and 60 days, and lipids after 3 to 4 weeks. Give it about 4 weeks before judging, and patch-test a small area first if you are putting it on skin.

How people take it

Culinary (roasted) argan oil, eaten25 mL a day in trialsUsed in the cholesterol and postmenopausal skin trials, which used virgin oil. It replaced butter in the diet.

Cosmetic argan oil on skin or faceAbout 10 drops a night on the forearm in the trialUsed in the postmenopausal skin trial. Facial use has not been trialled, and we found no evidence it treats acne or oily skin.

Hair oil or serumNot establishedNo clinical trial supports a dose. Laboratory work on cut hair tresses used it as a pre-treatment before damage.

Safety

Who should avoid

Nut or plant-oil allergy history — contact allergy and one case of anaphylaxis are reported
Skin that reacts easily — patch-test first, allergic contact dermatitis is documented
Acne-prone skin — no trial shows it helps, so it is not a substitute for proven treatments
High cholesterol — do not swap it in for prescribed treatment; ask your doctor
Children and babies — an infant case of contact allergy has been reported

Known interactions

No interactions in our data. Absence of a flag is not clearance.

Questions people ask

Is argan oil good for hair?

It makes hair feel smoother for many people, but the evidence for it is thin. A 2022 systematic review found no significant evidence that argan oil improves hair growth, quality or lice, and the only support we found is a laboratory study on cut hair tresses showing less protein loss after chemical damage.

Is argan oil good for your skin and face?

In 60 postmenopausal women, eating or applying argan oil for 60 days improved skin elasticity and lowered water loss. That is one small trial on the forearm, not the face. We found no trial for acne or oily skin, and contact allergy to argan oil is documented, so patch-test it first.

What are the benefits of argan oil?

The best-supported benefit is eating it in place of butter, which lowered LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in a meta-analysis of five small trials. Skin elasticity in postmenopausal women has limited support, and hair benefits are unproven. It did not beat olive oil for LDL in the one trial that compared them.

Can argan oil cause allergic reactions?

Yes, though it is rare. Case reports describe allergic contact dermatitis in adults and in an infant, and one report describes anaphylaxis after applying it to skin. Stop using it if you get redness, itching or swelling.

Make it yourself

DIY guides that use argan oil, with quantities, safety notes and an honest word on what they do.

A small white bowl of creamy hair mask with a wooden spoon and a comb on a bright bathroom shelf

DIY Hair Mask: 4 Simple Recipes for Dry or Damaged HairEasy · 15 min hands-on

Sources (10)

Reader notes

Experiences and questions from readers, read by an editor before they appear. They are personal accounts, not evidence, and are not medical advice.

Last reviewed 10 October 2026 · Next review April 2027 · How we rate evidence

Argan oil

At a glance

What it's used for

How much

How people take it

Safety

Who should avoid

Known interactions

Questions people ask

Is argan oil good for hair?

Is argan oil good for your skin and face?

What are the benefits of argan oil?

Can argan oil cause allergic reactions?

Make it yourself

Sources (10)

Reader notes

Used it? Share how it went, or ask a question.