Spices & flavour
How do I buy real, pure argan oil in Morocco?
- For cooking
- Culinary (roasted) — nutty, gold
- For skin
- Cosmetic (unroasted) — milder
- Real oil
- Nutty smell, dark glass bottle
- Red flag
- Cheap, odourless, plastic bottle
Quick answer
To buy real argan oil, choose a reputable seller (a women's cooperative or established shop), smell and ideally taste it, and be wary of anything suspiciously cheap or odourless. Culinary argan oil (from roasted kernels) is deep gold and richly nutty; cosmetic argan (unroasted) is paler and milder — make sure you buy the right one for cooking. Pure argan oil is expensive because it's hand-pressed from hand-cracked nuts, so cheap 'argan oil' is often cut with cheaper oils. Look for pure oil sold in dark glass, not plastic.
Know which argan oil you want
The first thing to get right is the type. There are two kinds of argan oil, and they're not interchangeable. Culinary argan oil is pressed from lightly roasted kernels: it's deep golden, intensely nutty and toasty, and used raw in the kitchen for drizzling over couscous and salad, dipping bread, and making amlou. Cosmetic argan oil is pressed from unroasted kernels: it's paler, much milder in smell, and meant for skin and hair. If you want to cook with it, buy the roasted, culinary kind — see is argan oil edible? and how argan oil is made.
A good seller will tell you clearly which is which, and the smell gives it away: culinary argan hits you with a warm, roasted-nut aroma, while cosmetic argan is comparatively neutral.
Spotting the real thing
Pure argan oil is expensive — it's traditionally hand-cracked and cold-pressed from the nuts of a slow-growing tree, an extraordinarily labour-intensive process, so genuinely cheap 'argan oil' is a warning sign that it's been diluted with cheaper oils (or isn't argan at all). Real culinary argan has a distinct, strong, nutty-toasty smell; if a sample smells faint, bland, or just like generic vegetable oil, be sceptical. Pure oil is usually sold in dark glass bottles (light and heat degrade it), so oil in a clear plastic bottle at a roadside stall deserves extra caution.
Ask to smell and, for culinary oil, taste it. A real seller welcomes this. A slightly cloudy sediment at the bottom can be normal for unfiltered oil, not a defect.
Where to buy
The most reliable sources are women's argan cooperatives (many along the Agadir–Essaouira road and in the southwest, where you can often see the cracking and pressing) and established, reputable shops. Cooperatives also support the local communities that produce the oil. In Marrakech, buy from a trusted spice or specialty shop rather than the cheapest tourist stall. Roadside stands can be fine but are more variable, so apply the smell and price checks.
Prices are somewhat negotiable, but as with saffron, an unusually low price on argan almost always means it's been cut. Buy the amount you'll use reasonably soon and keep it sealed, cool and dark. See where to buy spices and specialties.
Related questions
What's the difference between culinary and cosmetic argan oil?
Culinary argan is pressed from roasted kernels — deep gold, nutty, for cooking. Cosmetic argan is from unroasted kernels — paler, milder, for skin and hair. Buy the roasted kind to eat.
How do I know if argan oil is pure?
Real argan has a strong, nutty smell (culinary) and is expensive. Be wary of cheap, odourless oil or oil in clear plastic bottles — pure argan is usually sold in dark glass.
Why is real argan oil so expensive?
It's hand-cracked from the nuts of a slow-growing tree and cold-pressed, an extremely labour-intensive process. That cost is why suspiciously cheap argan is usually diluted or fake.
Where is the best place to buy argan oil?
Reputable women's cooperatives (especially in the southwest, where you can watch it made) and established shops. In Marrakech, use a trusted specialty shop over the cheapest tourist stall.