Nuts About Argan Oil

Argan Oil is having a moment. From haircare to skincare it's the new super-ingredient everyone is talking about. Made from nuts from the argan tree, this oil is incredibly rich in Vitamin E and is said to have amazing restorative and healing properties. It's also a mega-multitasker which can be used to:

• Alleviate dry, flaky patches
• Reduce the appearance of pesky fine lines
• Treat split ends and rough cuticles 

Nivea have cottoned on to the super-ness that is Argan Oil and have included it in their new Pure & Natural range. Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Skin Salve contains fair trade Argan Oil and will help tackle any minor skin imperfection. Also hopping on the Argan Oil bandwagon is haircare supremo Lee Stafford. His ArganOil NourisHing Miracle OiL promises to leave your hair healthy, shiny and in tip-top condition. 

I first became hooked on Argan Oil in the States. I bought Josie Maran's 100% Organic Argan Oil in beauty heaven Sephora and haven't looked back since. I use it on every dry patch, split end and rough cuticle I can find! I slather it on my face when it's feeling extra parched and always use it on my elbows to keep them soft. Unfortunately it's not available here but you can get it online pretty easily. There's a host of sites that sell Argan Oil but just make sure it's 100%, organic and, if possible, sustainable.

Paraben Panic

Lately I've come across a heap of products that claim to be 'paraben free'. So it got me thinking:

1. What in God's name are parabens?                    
2. Why are some products free of them?
3. Should I chuck all my other products that contain parabens?

After much research (i.e. Googling) parabens are basically chemicals that are used as preservatives in a range of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products from shampoos and moisturisers to make-up and shaving gels.

The sudden prohibition on parabens stems from the fact that some have been found (in extremely low concentrations) in breast cancer tumors. Also, some parabens have the ability to mimic estrogen, a hormone known to play a role in the development of breast cancer. Please don't panic though - there has been no sustainable evidence found that links parabens and cancer with many studies proving that parabens are practically non-toxic. Despite this many would agree that further research into the safety of parabens is needed.

For those of us still a bit sceptical over the use of parabens fortunately there are a wealth of paraben free products on the market. La Roche Posay, Vichy, Burts Bees and Origins are just some of the mega-skincare brands offering paraben free products. If in doubt http://www.paraben-free-skincare.com/ is a good resource for all things paraben related.