IHL · Carrier oils
Argan Oil
- INCI name
- Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
- CAS number
- 223747-87-3
- EC number
- Not confirmed — we do not publish an unverified number.
- Physical form
- Liquid
- Country of origin
- Morocco — protected designation, largely women's cooperative production
- HS code
- 1515.90
- Grade
- Cosmetic
- Shelf life
- 12–24 months
Cosmetic grade means unroasted. Culinary argan is roasted and smells like it — specifying the wrong one is the most common argan sourcing error.
| Appearance | Golden yellow clear liquid |
|---|---|
| Odour | Mild nutty (unroasted) |
| Solubility | Oil-soluble |
| Melting point | n/a |
| pH | n/a |
| HLB | Argan does not appear in the standard published required-HLB tables. Its C18-unsaturated-dominant profile suggests approximately 7, but that is an inference and we will not print it as a spec. |
| SAP (NaOH) | 0.136 |
| SAP (KOH) | 0.191 |
| Iodine value | 92–102 |
| Fatty acid profile | Oleic 43–49% · Linoleic 29–36% · Palmitic 12–15% · Stearic 5–7% |
| Storage | Cool, dark, sealed |
| Manufacturing process | Cold pressing of Argania spinosa kernels. Deodorized grade steam-treated. |
Certifications
- Cold pressed
- Gluten-free
- Palm-free
- Vegan
In full: Vegan · Palm-free · Gluten-free · Cooperative sourced · Cold pressed
| Application | Use rate |
|---|---|
| Facial and hair oil | 5–100% |
| Serum | 5–20% |
| Cream | 2–10% |
| Lotion | 1–5% |
| Soap | 3–10% — costly here |
Formulation notes
- Specify unroasted. Culinary-grade argan is roasted before pressing and carries a strong toasted aroma that will not survive contact with your fragrance brief.
- Argan has the widest price spread of any material in this catalog — a 5.5x range between the cheapest conventional and the most expensive organic at comparable sizes. Grade and origin documentation are worth more here than anywhere else on the site.
- Deodorized argan loses the nutty note and most of the marketing story with it. Decide which you are selling.
Applications
- Hair oil and serum
- Facial oil
- Leave-in treatment
- Cream and lotion
- Beard oil
- Cuticle oil
Not classified as hazardous
Not classified as hazardous under 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom 2012, as amended 2024). Determination to be confirmed against the incoming lot's manufacturer SDS before publication.
- Transport classification
- Not regulated for transport — DOT, IATA, IMDG.
- Allergen statement
- Tree-nut kernel oil. Not on the FDA major food allergen list, but flag it as you would shea.
California Proposition 65
No listed constituent identified.
- SDS Safety Data Sheet On request
- TDS Technical Data Sheet On request
- COA Certificate of Analysis On request
- Allergen Allergen statement On request
- GMO GMO statement On request
- BSE/TSE BSE/TSE statement On request
- Vegan Vegan statement On request
- RSPO RSPO certificate On request
We send documents on request. No account, no vendor-qualification fee. Ask for Argan Oil documents.