Review: Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light

Putting oil on my face...?! Up until recently, the very thought seemed absolutely insane to me. My skin has always fallen into the "combination/oily" category - mostly oily, with the odd dry patch, and I can't remember the last time my face was totally pimple free. Since my face is a little oil factory as it is, facial oils were never a product that interested me, let alone something I wanted to try. But after doing some research I learned that the harsh oil-sucking cleansers and astringents that I had been wielding in the battle with my skin were probably just making things worse. It makes sense - harsh cleansers can over-dry the skin, which results in sebum producing glands working overtime to replenish the lost oils. The excess sebum then sits atop the skin and may clog pores, causing acne. Then we attack again, and the cycle continues. I've been using far gentler cleansers over the past year, and this has helped things immensely, but I still haven't found my skin's ideal balance.

With this in mind, I decided to give face oils a try. I've read mostly great reviews on Josie Maran's Argan Oil infused range, especially the pure Argan Oils. On my most recent trip to Sephora I was somewhat torn between these and the Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil, but after some texture comparison I decided to take home the lighter of the Argan options - Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light.

The first night I used it, I got over-excited and used half a dropper full which is WAY too much. I woke up feeling rather greasy with a few new spots on my chin, cheek and forehead which had me feeling discouraged, but I decided not to dismiss it and massaged a few drops into my skin before my regular morning moisturizer. The "just a few drops" method is the key to success when it comes to this oil - I use about 4 in the morning, and maybe 5-6 in the evening if I feel I could use some extra moisture. This tiny amount goes a very long way and sinks in pretty quickly so you don't have to wait long before applying your moisturizer. I haven't had any problems wearing this under makeup, but I can see it being a bit too slippery during the warmer months and I will probably stick to night-time application during the summer. The smell is very "blah" - it kind of reminds me of cardboard, or wooden popsicle sticks, which isn't necessarily unpleasant but it is kind of weird. I feel like I would enjoy using the product more if it smelled nicer, but it's a minor thing.

This oil has only been a part of my skincare routine for about a week, but I already feel like it's a game changer for my skin. My skin feels hydrated, balanced and supple, and I've had zero new zits to report after my initial "oil-overdose." I don't feel that it leaves a "semi-matte" finish as the company claims, but I like the healthy, not overly-shiny glow it gives my skin. This oil is meant to be multipurpose and can also be used on the hair and body, so I'll definitely give it a test, but honestly I have plenty of products that serve the same purpose for those areas so I'll probably just use it as a face oil. I feel like my bottle will last me forever that way too!

If you're thinking you'd like to give it a try, but don't want to splurge on the full size, Sephora has a value set here that includes a trial size of Argan Oil Light along with some other great looking bits from Josie Maran's line!

Have you ever used a facial oil? What did you use, and what did you think?