why can't I make Argan work?

[ErinLeigh]

I have heard such wonderful things about Argan oil. I have also read somewhere studies were showing it may be able to penetrate.
I have tried to love this oil but it makes my hair greasy. I am probably too heavy handed but this one just isn't working.

Anyone have tips on how they use this oil? Maybe trying a different way to apply will help me.
I know I may have to just move on but I want to give it a fair shake.

[ravenreed]

I think it either works or it doesn't. Argan is one of the few that doesn't make my hair overly oily. I have no idea why everyone's hair has such wildly different needs.

[dmilton]

I agree - it varies for everyone. Argan oil works great for my hair whereas coconut oil tends to just make a giant mess of sticky, greasy hair - which is interesting because so many people here love coconut oil!

[Katrine]

I did better with Argan oil by mixing it in shampoo and conditioner or using products that have argan in it. It doesn't go as well with argan oil by itself on my ends. I was puzzled about that too.

[Lyv]

I can't use argan oil either. It doesn't matter how little I try to use it just makes my hair greasy and sticky feeling so I'm thinking I might try avocado oil next. So far coconut oil is the only one that has worked for my hair even a little bit.

[ErinLeigh]

how do you ladies apply it? Maybe I am overdoing it. Do you do on wet or dry? And how many drops is enough?
Hemp oil i never have issue with as a finishing oil. A few others are fine also..but Argan seems more tacky to me and i cannot get it right. Its great in what it does for my hair but I want to figure a way to use it without looking oily. I am hoping to use it as a finishing oil but will use as prepoo if I cannot figure it out.

Coconut btw for me is prepoo only. It makes a mess on me too :)

[ErinLeigh]

I can't use argan oil either. It doesn't matter how little I try to use it just makes my hair greasy and sticky feeling so I'm thinking I might try avocado oil next. So far coconut oil is the only one that has worked for my hair even a little bit.

ditto.

I like avocado. Its isn't sticky for me. Its more moisturizing to hair if that's possible. Try mixing it with the coconut perhaps if using as a pre wash oil. IF I had to pick only one oil though I would probably use coconut since it does make my hair strong. Avocado for me makes it softer and smoother.
Good luck with it! i wish there was an oil sample set with little 1oz bottles for a reasonable price. I hate buying 4oz of an oil just to find I don't like it.
I may mix the Argan in my SLS shampoos and try it that way maybe. Still trying to make it work somehow to get my $ worth.

I recommend hemp seed oil if yu are on the hunt. Its one of the few proven to have ceramides. I use it once a week with good results on hair. I can also use it as a finisher with zero tackiness to the hair. For my fine hair that's a big deal. It also doesn't break me out if it gets on my face. I read it lists 0 on the pore clogging scale. Coconut can break me out. Even argan does i think.

[ErinLeigh]

I did better with Argan oil by mixing it in shampoo and conditioner or using products that have argan in it. It doesn't go as well with argan oil by itself on my ends. I was puzzled about that too.

that's what i was thinking next. How do you add your? To the bottle or just in your palm?

[diddiedaisy]

Argan oil is the only oil I can put on my hair and it not look greasy.

I use got 2 be, 2 or 3 squirts on my palm and spread on the bottom half of my hair. It takes about 10-15 minutes to soak in without a trace. Any other oil just sits there laving me looking like I've popped my head in the chip pan!!!

[diddiedaisy]

Oh by the way it looks like we have extremely similar hair type!!

[Misschilly]

Coconut doesn't seems to work so well for me. Argan oil works pretty well, right now I take one drop argan oil in a little bit of conditioner as a leave in=)

[Weewah]

I've only used coconut and argan oil and I find them to be very different. Coconut oil I like for heavy duty stuff like eye makeup removal and before-shampooing oilings(but I need to learn to be less heavy with it).

Argan oil I have been using as a face moisturizer(2 drops) after washing, and as a "serum" in my hair after styling(2 or 3 drops depending how i feel), I find it leaves a nice sparkly shine after giving myself a smooth straight hair style. I do 2 or 3 drops rubbed between the palms of my hands then smooth it through my hair.

[Firefox7275]

I'm useless at distributing natural oils so I just use them as a minor ingredient in my leave in conditioner, that helps a tiny amount to a long way just as with silicones.

[arr]

that's what i was thinking next. How do you add your? To the bottle or just in your palm?

If you are asking about mixing oil into your shampoo, i do it by putting some shampoo in my hand and then adding maybe around six drops of oil and mixing it right there in my hand. In fact, i love how this makes my hair feel and rarely shampoo without adding some oil. Then i also add 3 or 4 drops of oil to a dollop of my regular conditioner as a leave in. I also use oils for prewash oiling but i rarely add them to dry hair. If i feel my hair needs some oil between washes, i use a tiny bit of mineral oil. It seems to work like a light serum for me. (By the way, i use equal parts coconut and olive oil mixed.)

[meteor]

If it really doesn't work as a leave-in serum, I recommend trying a few things and seeing what works:
- add it to your conditioner or SMT,
- do a pre-poo, mixed with other oils,
- if all else fails, use it on your skin if you like it. Argan oil is a really nice oil for the area around the eyes, for example. It is rich in carotenoids, squalene, polyphenols, vitamin E... Considered to be one of those "anti-aging" oils.
- great to cook with too!

As a broader issue, it's quite possible that your hair is in great condition (good elasticity, low porosity) on its own or it might be sort of saturated with oils, so the oil just sits on top and makes hair look greasy, so maybe you don't need to oil as much as you needed when your hair was drier? You might want to save the oil for later. My hair goes through stages when it simply doesn't like oils, usually when I'm using emollient, heavy conditioners and when the air isn't dry.

[fairview]

Begin by visualizing how much leave in product you think you should use, cut that in half and then half that again. Manufactures directions are very generous to get you to use as much product in as short amount of time so you buy more. Using too much is the number one problem with leave ins. You can always go back to the 'well' to get more bt too much appled results in a second shower or heavy hair. In the case of argan oil I would suggest visiting the Morocan oil web site and watch their how to apply video. The stylist uses an incredible tiny amount of oil to damp hair and then combs forever distributing the oil and he notes that he combs a lot and why.

Also, just because it is expensive doesn't mean it's better or the best products on the market for your hair. As a stylist when a guest with great hair asks me what she should be using I answer it with the question, 'What are you using now.' followed by, 'You should stay with that until your hair tells you it doesn't like it.' If you get your hair product from the dollar store and your hair loves it and it is beautiful; be happy not guilty.

[sourgrl]

I love argan oil. I use pure argan oil in damp hair. Divide damp hair into two section and apply 2-3 drops per section, focusing on my ends then damp bun. Once dry I divide my hair into two sections and apply two drops to each section. But, like any thing else, some heads love it, others not so much :)

[spidermom]

I'd try mixing it with shampoo in your palm or in the container if you dilute your shampoo with warm water. Renpure Originals Luxurious argan oil formula shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in is in the running for the best formula I have ever tried; I credit the argan oil. My hair responds beautifully to coconut oil pre-wash oilings, too.

[Firefox7275]

Begin by visualizing how much leave in product you think you should use, cut that in half and then half that again. Manufactures directions are very generous to get you to use as much product in as short amount of time so you buy more. Using too much is the number one problem with leave ins. You can always go back to the 'well' to get more bt too much appled results in a second shower or heavy hair. In the case of argan oil I would suggest visiting the Morocan oil web site and watch their how to apply video. The stylist uses an incredible tiny amount of oil to damp hair and then combs forever distributing the oil and he notes that he combs a lot and why.

.

Morrocanoil is not a penetrating pure argan oil it is a non penetrating silicone laden serum.

Number one problem for whom, those who wear their hair straight(ened)? One of the major problems I see on wavy and curly hair forums/ groups (we comprise two thirds of the world population) is not using enough leave in conditioner and/ or a product that is labelled 'conditioner' but is not formulation wise. Failure to condition effectively is often why wavies and curlies resort to the flat iron.

Appreciate you are a stylist but many wavies and curlies avoid regular salons like the plague as time and time again we get disastrous wet cuts that should only be performed on straight hairs. Much as long hairs avoid regular salons due to a one inch trim turning out to be three or more.

Just as you can't lump virgin hair in with bleach fried hair or long hair in with short hair, don't lump straight hairs with wavies and curlies. Each group has very different needs.

[RancheroTheBee]

The last time I used an "argan oil" it was mostly 'cones and hydrolyzed protein. Nothing has ever made my hair feel worse. I went out and bought pure oil, and I'm pretty pleased with it, to be honest. I've been adding about 7 or 8 drops to my hair while it's damp, but my hair can put up with massive amounts of oil.

[Katrine]

that's what i was thinking next. How do you add your? To the bottle or just in your palm?

I would just put some conditioner/shampoo in the palm of my hand and add a drop or two of argan oil that way. I didn't want to put it in the bottle because if it didn't work for me then the whole bottle would be compromised. Also, I can control how much I use and how much my hair needs if I add it to the amount I'm using each time. It seemed to work better for me added to conditioner as opposed to shampoo but you can experiment and see how it works best for you. In fact, I really liked how it worked in the conditioner. I've been wanting to get some more argan oil, but it's a bit pricey so I'm going to do some checking online. I had purchased a bottle of pure argan oil from Sprouts but they don't always carry it.

HTH :)

[Latte Lady]

Are you using pure Argan oil? I haven't used any because I can't afford the pure stuff and most everything else is a coney serum that has very little actual Argan oil in it. If you aren't using pure oil then it may be all the other stuff your hair doesn't like and not the oil's fault.

[AmyBeth]

I've tried Argan, and it was just "meh". Different oils have different properties, and your hair may not need what Argan offers. Now, avocado oil- my hair loves avocado oils. And coconut, and olive oils. I try them all different ways. I use more oils on dry hair for an overnight pre-poo treatment, and a few drops mixed with aloe gel for a post-poo leave in.

[ErinLeigh]

I am going to try it damp. Mine is the "pure" oil but it's still comes out tacky for me.
I have been using it on dry hair as a finisher and think that may be the issue for me

[ErinLeigh]

If it really doesn't work as a leave-in serum, I recommend trying a few things and seeing what works:
- add it to your conditioner or SMT,
- do a pre-poo, mixed with other oils,
- if all else fails, use it on your skin if you like it. Argan oil is a really nice oil for the area around the eyes, for example. It is rich in carotenoids, squalene, polyphenols, vitamin E... Considered to be one of those "anti-aging" oils.
- great to cook with too!

As a broader issue, it's quite possible that your hair is in great condition (good elasticity, low porosity) on its own or it might be sort of saturated with oils, so the oil just sits on top and makes hair look greasy, so maybe you don't need to oil as much as you needed when your hair was drier? You might want to save the oil for later. My hair goes through stages when it simply doesn't like oils, usually when I'm using emollient, heavy conditioners and when the air isn't dry.

Good to know. My hair is bleached so I always assume bad condition. I love in a super humid climate and stopped cones so have been playing with oils as my finishing product. I love the pureology one so may end up just sticking with that and using the argan as all suggested. In shampoo or SMT etc. I just thought perhaps I could make it work as finisher as the pureology has argan in it and I though more is more ha!
I am really tempted to try mineral oil this summer. I read nothing but positive results from it. I need something to block out humidity. Just without cones it's still trial and error right now

[Verdandi]

Argan oil is like the only oil I've tried that doesn't make my hair look stringy. I just put a few drops on my palms (4-6) and run my hands through my hair. Hair says "Yummie!" and looks nice and shiny. I never apply it on wet hair, because that causes instant stringyness for some reason. Damp hair woks, though. When I use other oils, like coconut or EVOO it leaves some sort of residue on my hair, but Argan oil doesn't.

[bunnylake]

When I tried it I only needed 2-3 drops on my ends. I wasn't crazy about it, I prefer avocado oil over any other. I added a few drops of my argan oil to my coney serum, and I add some to body oils I make. I also use it as a cuticle/hand softener. So if you can't get it right for your hair, you can use it in other ways. :)
I do like products that have argan in them, just not the pure oil itself for some reason.

[bunnylake]

When I tried it I only needed 2-3 drops on my ends. I wasn't crazy about it, I prefer avocado oil over any other. I added a few drops of my argan oil to my coney serum, and I add some to body oils I make. I also use it as a cuticle/hand softener. So if you can't get it right for your hair, you can use it in other ways. :)
I do like products that have argan in them, just not the pure oil itself for some reason.

[ositarosita]

I use mine in a serum and I find no matter how much I use my hair doesn't get greasey. I think it either works for you or it doesn't. (if it doesn't work on your hair you can try face an body)

[ErinLeigh]

When I tried it I only needed 2-3 drops on my ends. I wasn't crazy about it, I prefer avocado oil over any other. I added a few drops of my argan oil to my coney serum, and I add some to body oils I make. I also use it as a cuticle/hand softener. So if you can't get it right for your hair, you can use it in other ways. :)
I do like products that have argan in them, just not the pure oil itself for some reason.

ditto. I don't get it. It is in all my products and works fantastic. Alone? Can't make it work.
Yet I do just fine with heavier oils like avocado. Argan alone has a certain stickiness on my hair that I cannot figure out.
I have to get creative and use for my rough cuticles. That's a good idea. Maybe a pre poo once a month as well.
I always just stress about using my oils up before the go bad so I am trying to find a use for it soon :)
I dropped the bottle and lost half of it and I still have more than I will ever use left!

[sarahthegemini]

I used to use it as a sealant on my ends after washing - a drop rubbed between fingertips, excess smoothed onto elbows and whatever was left would go on the bottom 2 inches. I don't use it on my hair anymore but it works great to soften elbows and knees!

[AmyBeth]

ditto. I don't get it. It is in all my products and works fantastic. Alone? Can't make it work.
Yet I do just fine with heavier oils like avocado. Argan alone has a certain stickiness on my hair that I cannot figure out.
I have to get creative and use for my rough cuticles. That's a good idea. Maybe a pre poo once a month as well.
I always just stress about using my oils up before the go bad so I am trying to find a use for it soon :)
I dropped the bottle and lost half of it and I still have more than I will ever use left!

Do you have any pets you could try it on?:grin: Use it up making them all soft and shiny!

[ErinLeigh]

Do you have any pets you could try it on?:grin: Use it up making them all soft and shiny!

I have a cat. Lol
she loves the smell of emu oil that I know. Hehe

[Katrine]

Do you have any pets you could try it on?:grin: Use it up making them all soft and shiny!

Oils, and especially essential oils, are toxic to cats. Not sure if you were saying that in jest, but just wanted to pass that along. :)

[Loviatar]

I use argan on wet hair. My hair is short and I use 2 drops, rub my hands together to spread the oil, then run my hands through the length of my hair.

When I had very damaged hair I used Moroccan oil which is just a coney serum really. It smells nice though. If I want a super sleek look I might use 1 drop, again using the rubbing hands method. But I rarely use cones.

[chen bao jun]

Yes, try it on damp hair.
And if your hair doesn't like it, as stated before, use it on your face. It's a great makeup remover/cleanser/moisturizer. And you need very little.

[fairview]

Morrocanoil is not a penetrating pure argan oil it is a non penetrating silicone laden serum.

Number one problem for whom, those who wear their hair straight(ened)? One of the major problems I see on wavy and curly hair forums/ groups (we comprise two thirds of the world population) is not using enough leave in conditioner and/ or a product that is labelled 'conditioner' but is not formulation wise. Failure to condition effectively is often why wavies and curlies resort to the flat iron.

Appreciate you are a stylist but many wavies and curlies avoid regular salons like the plague as time and time again we get disastrous wet cuts that should only be performed on straight hairs. Much as long hairs avoid regular salons due to a one inch trim turning out to be three or more.

Just as you can't lump virgin hair in with bleach fried hair or long hair in with short hair, don't lump straight hairs with wavies and curlies. Each group has very different needs.

You missed my point entirely. And I think you may have been responding to a post other than mine and erroneously quoted my post. I've read my post several times and I can't see where I even mentioned salon visits, cuts or flat irons. If you are responding to my post, I would ask you to stay on point.

I was trying to educate about the use of leave in products, amount to apply and how to apply. I have reread my post and I can not see where I recommended to use Moroccan oil versus suggesting a visit to the web site to better understand how to apply leave-in products. The Moroccan oil web site is the first web site i have encountered that stresses "use less product and use more time" distributing the product. If you read subsequent posts, most talk about using 2-3 drops of oil per half had of hair which was exactly my point. Use less than you think you need. You can always go back to the well for more but if too much is used its back into the shower for a redo. My response was and is applicable to all leave in products not just argan or Moroccan oil