A beautiful, flawless skin has always been and will always be imperative, especially for women, as attractiveness is considered to be a great asset in getting one acknowledged and recognized. Also, retaining one's beauty could be equated with youth which leads to the universal truth that as much as possible no one truly wants to age.
Egyptians in ancient times regarded beauty as a sign of holiness. Regardless of gender, they used cosmetics for they believed that these bestow upon them holy, magical powers. For example, the stereotypical look made by the use of kohl, black eyeliner, paired with green eye-paint is actually because they were emulating the falcon eye of the God Horus. Those of royalty especially wished to keep their youthfulness and to be depicted in their ideal state as part of what they believed to be their divine nature. They usually used castor oil, sesame oil and Moringa oil in their daily skin care regimen to fight wrinkles. Meanwhile in Asia, beauty is defined by a complexion as white as a lily's and as unblemished as porcelain. The renowned geisha of Japan would use rice powder on their faces, neck and chest creating their trademark pure white mask and then apply charcoal to the eyebrows and edges of the eyes to accentuate them. The lips would then be painted red to present the illusion of a flower bud. Even in Europe, the importance of a beautiful skin, the preservation of their youthful appearance had also been of utmost importance. Queen Elizabeth the First of England would always be seen in her portraits to be heavily made-up and had been dubbed to have been wearing her "Mask of Youth" which was created with the use of white lead. Pale faces were a trend in Europe in the Middle Ages because it would have signified that they were from the higher class of the society, the aristocrats who rarely worked outside, unlike the lower classes who tended to work the fields.
The New Era
In today's society, there is no question that beauty or physical attractiveness is still the first thing that would be noticed in a person and though some would insist that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it is undeniable that having a healthy, radiant skin is always more likely to receive approving looks. And since everyone always wants to make a good first impression, the demand for skin care products had never waned.
A rising star in the cosmetics industry, Argan oil is now starting to get recognized as a miracle ingredient for anyone looking for a cure for various skin imperfections. This is because pure Argan oil is 80% unsaturated essential fatty acids and the most abundant of which is Oleic acid (Omega 9) and Linoleic acid (Omega 6). These fatty acids protect cellular integrity and affect cell fluidity, thus helping to prevent moisture loss from the skin. They are also important in the formation of prostaglandin, a natural anti-inflammatory that reduces pain and swelling. This anti-inflammatory property soothes skin which is prone to acne.
Being rich in natural Tocopherols or Vitamin E, which attracts and maintains hydration by restoring the hydrophilic layer of the skin, Argan oil makes the skin more smooth and elastic. With Vitamin E serving as a powerful anti-oxidant as well, the oil is believed to help in curing numerous skin diseases such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis, which is characterized by scaly, itchy, red patches on the skin. It also helps eliminate stretch marks and blemishes. Being rich in anti-oxidants make it effective in fighting free radicals that cause skin aging thus reducing age-related wrinkles. A study had also reported that Argan oil contains Squalene, one of the most common lipids produced by human skin cells, which act as a natural moisturizer. Squalene was even suggested to potentially be able to reduce chances of developing skin cancer as well as being able to help in management of dermatitis.
The Argan oil can be used as face moisturizer. It can be directly applied to a freshly cleansed face and neck as it is considered a dry oil which means that it is not greasy and can be easily absorbed by the skin. As a hydrating toner, a few drops of Argan oil have been suggested to be mixed with Rose or Orange Blossom water and then applied to face after every bath. A store-bought face mask can be enhanced with a few drops of Argan oil to better rejuvenate one's face. One can even make their own face mask all that one requires is to mix one tablespoon of lemon juice, 3 teaspoons of Greek-style yogurt, one tablespoon of honey and three drops of Argan oil in a bowl. The oil can also serve as a face glow when a drop or two is added to foundations, bronzers or tinted moisturizers.
With Argan oil getting more recognition as an organic and non-toxic ingredient for cosmetics, it is surely to gift the world with more products that will be of global renown and will deeply penetrate not only varying skins but diverse minds as well.
