Beauty Oil
|
Who remembers those lovely polyester shirts? What about hair crimping and blue eyeshadow? The sloppy, retro-hippie look of the '90s grunge scene?
Though I'm still rather fond of those polyester shirts (and I hold a special place in my heart for blue eyeshadow), I've been happy to bid farewell to many of the beauty and fashion trends that have come and gone over the years and decades.
There's one, however, that has been making its way into the U.S. celebrity and mainstream beauty consciousness that I'd like to stick around. Argan oil is far from new (the indigenous Berbers in Morocco have been using it for centuries) and has been used in cooking and medicine, as well as cosmetics. But now that beauty junkies in the West have set their well-manicured hands on argan oil products, there's no going back. What makes the trend that much more likely to hold is that the stuff actually works. Add to that the fact that buying products made with argan oil purchased through Moroccan women's cooperatives benefits the local Berber women (read all about it in my story, "Responsible Beauty"), and you have the makings of a trend that could be here to stay.
After trying out several lines of argan oil-based products, I came up with my personal faves that can help get you started:
Josie Maran Argan Oil
A little of this organic moisturizer goes a long way. The clear, slightly gold oil is applied with the bottle's dropper for use as a daily moisturizer, night treatment and whole-body conditioner (from cuticles to split ends). The moisturizer is 100% organic and packaged in a recyclable glass bottle. :: $48 at josiemarancosmetics.com, also at Sephora
Macadamia Natural Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo and Nourishing Leave-In Cream
If you're looking for a quick, sweet-smelling, ultra-hydrating treatment for your hair, Macadamia Natural Oil's shampoo and leave-in conditioner, made with Macadamia and argan oils, could be just the products you need. The shampoo offers enough moisture to be used alone and works great on dry, damaged hair. The leave-in cream was so effective in calming down my somewhat frizzy hair that I could actually use it without any additional hair product, like my usual styling glaze. Plus, the cream offers UV hair protection. :: $18 for shampoo and $26 for leave-in cream at macadamiahair.com, also at Ulta Beauty in Newport Beach (949.548.4806)
Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo and Conditioner
You know how your face feels after a facial? Velvety and so moisturized it's like the Santa Ana winds never even existed. Well, my experience with the Moroccanoil shampoo and conditioner was akin to that, except it's my hair reaping the benefits. Both are safe for color-treated hair, are sulfate-, phosphate- and paraben-free, and of course, contain argan oil. :: $18.99 for shampoo and $19.99 for conditioner at planetbeauty.com or visit moroccanoil.com for an Orange County salon near you
