Friday 11 January 2013

Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil - The Other Dry Oil

I guess most of you know about the fantastic Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-usage Dry Oil? But if you've been ever so slightly intimidated by the price (S$40/50ml, S$68/100ml) or are a heavy user, maybe you should cast your sights on Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil~

The Nuxe Dry Oil I have is the OR version which is shimmery and I was hoping to get a bottle of straight up dry oil for my hair ends~ A chance romp through the Kiehl's store resulted in this purchase:

S$72 (236ml/8 oz bottle)
I bought this in Finland for about 35 euros, checked for the local (Singapore) retail price which turned out to be S$72.. >_<

A look at the ingredients list shows Argania Spinosa oil to be 7th (followed by a variety of other oils) and Apricot Kernel oil 3rd on the list. Since this is supposed to be Argan Oil, I was slightly disappointed but it's ok given Apricot Kernel oil's benefits~

Some benefits of Apricot Kernel Oil are:
  • Vitamin-rich, especially Vitamin A & E and other essential acids that are good for the skin, especially prematurely aged or dehydrated skin
  • Is absorbed completely with no greasy afterfeel
  • Does not cause allergic reactions, therefore safe for sensitive skin (even baby skin!)
  • Has soothing, moisturising, anti-inflammatory and revitalizing effects on the skin
  • Can also be used to strengthen hair follicles and nourish the scalp

So you see why I have no objection to it being higher on the list?

Argan oil on the other hand....I have to concede that there's no way Argan oil will cost just 35 euros for more than 200ml given that it's not commonly found and its extraction is a very, very, (did I mention very?) very labourious and complex process even with the inclusion of machines.

Benefits of Argan Oil include:

  • helps prevent or reduce signs of premature aging of the skin due to environmental stress
  • is a non-cholesterol oil with a higher moisturising index compared to shea butter and olive oil
  • has sebum-regulating properties
  • with antimicrobial properies, it can also help in the treatment of acne, eczema and psoriasis
  • helps strengthen hair and improve texture
  • if used in massage, its anti-inflammatory properties are good for sore muscles and soothing arthritis
So how does it perform?

From left: Fresh out of the bottle >> massaged into skin (notice the decreased dry lines?)

Just a personal note: It was quite a learning curve figuring out how much to use for hair. Just a couple drops too much and my hair would end up looking greasy so it took some trial & error to get the portions just right. But all in all, I'm convinced that the Kiehl's Argan Dry Oil can be a pretty good substitute for Nuxe's Multi-Usage Dry Oil if you're not a fan of floral scents or are a tad price sensitive~

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