Discovering the Liquid Gold: A Journey Through the History of Argan Oil

Argan oil, often called liquid gold, has a history that goes back centuries. Here is how it went from a staple of the Moroccan kitchen to a beauty essential around the world.

A tree as old as the landscape

The argan tree, Argania spinosa, has grown in southwestern Morocco for a very, very long time. Its gnarled branches and deep roots made it a natural companion for the Amazigh (Berber) communities of the Souss Valley, who learned to use every part of it: shade for their flocks, wood for their homes and, above all, the precious kernels hidden inside its fruit.

First, a food

Long before it was a beauty secret, argan oil was food. Kernels were gently roasted, ground on a stone mill and kneaded by hand with a little water until the oil was released. That nutty, golden oil was drizzled over couscous, used for dipping bread at breakfast and mixed with almonds and honey to make amlou. In many homes, it still is.

Then, a beauty ritual

Women soon discovered that the unroasted oil worked wonders on skin and hair. It softened hands worn by work, protected faces from the dry desert wind and kept hair glossy. These rituals were passed quietly from mothers to daughters for generations.

The world takes notice

In the late twentieth century, scientists and cosmetic brands began to study argan oil, and the world fell in love with it. In 1998, UNESCO named the argan forest a Biosphere Reserve. Women's cooperatives grew across the region, giving local women a fairer share of the value they created. And in 2014, UNESCO recognised the knowledge and practices around the argan tree as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Liquid gold today

Today, argan oil is found in bathrooms and kitchens all over the world. But its heart is still in the Souss Valley, in the hands that crack each nut and in the trees that hold back the desert. At Argaan, we're proud to carry that story forward, one bottle at a time.