Despite the hype, finding high quality argan oil in Britain is still not easy. Some pointers:-

There are two sorts of argan oil: cosmetic grade and cooking grade. The latter involves toasting the nuts before pressing.

You can tell if an argan oil is cosmetic or cooking grade by smelling it. The latter has a strong ‘nutty’ odour, rather like peanuts. It’s rare and delicious but roasting the nuts kills some of the goodness.

A good quality cold pressed cosmetic grade argan oil should have a faint nutty odour. When applied to the hair or skin the smell should disappear after a minute or so.

If there’s no odour it means the oil has probably been heat-treated or ‘deodorised.’ Avoid. Heating the oil destroys some of the goodness. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with the smell of a good cold-pressed argan oil.

Colour: golden brown. If the oil is clear, avoid. A heat or chemical process may have been used to remove the colour. Again, there’s no need for heat or chemical treatment. A natural argan oil has a beautiful colour.

Purity: check the label. Substances calling themselves ‘Argan Oil’ or ‘Moroccan Oil’ may contain very little actual argan. Cheaper oils, such a grapeseed or sweet almond, may have been used to dilute the product. Aim to buy a one hundred percent pure argan oil. It’s more expensive than an adulterated product, but worth it.

If you want a grapeseed or sweet almond argan mix, do the mixing yourself. Or ask us at havenessence to do it for you.

Look for certification on the label. Ecocert, for example, give organic certificates to argan oil producers. It’s a sign of a respectable source.

havenessence has sold a rigorously sourced cosmetic grade argan oil in central London for almost two years. We have numerous repeat customers. Our argan oil is exported all over the world.

Customers can try the oil before purchase.

havenessence argan oil is: 100% pure organic (certified by Ecocert). Sourced from a reputable producer in Morocco. Cold pressed. Un-toasted. Non-heat treated: kernels are pressed immediately after extraction. Traceable: we know which tree each bottle comes from! Ethical: our supplier operates in an ethical manner. The Berber women who produce the argan oil are paid directly for their work

havenessence argan oil is available in the following sizes: 10ml (roll-on), 30ml, 50ml, 100ml, 200ml.

Argan oil is a good carrier for essential oils and precious absolutes, preferable in some ways to perfumier’s alcohol. havenessence produce a range of argan oil-based natural perfumes. Bespoke blends available.