Argan Oil for Hair: What It Does, How to Use It, and When a Shampoo Is Enough
Last updated 12 November 2026.
Argan oil for hair is one of the most searched hair questions in the UK, and most of the answers online are written by people selling the oil. Here is what it does, what it does not do, how to use it without greasy roots, and when a shampoo with argan oil in it is all you need.
The short version
- Argan oil is a conditioning oil, rich in oleic and linoleic fatty acids and vitamin E. It makes hair softer, smoother and shinier and helps the ends snap less.
- It is not a hair growth ingredient. There is no good evidence it makes hair grow, and the brands that imply it are stretching.
- On fine or thinning hair, an argan oil shampoo gives you the softness without the weight. Keep the pure oil for the ends.
What does argan oil do for hair?
Argan oil nourishes and protects the hair strand. Pressed from the kernels of the argan tree in Morocco, it is roughly four-fifths unsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic and linoleic, with natural vitamin E. On hair it smooths the cuticle, adds slip and shine, and leaves a light film that cuts the friction behind tangles and split ends.
That is why argan oil feels like it works the first time you use it. Shine and softness are immediate, and less tangling means less hair snapping in the brush, which many people read as less hair loss. It is breakage, not loss, and argan oil is genuinely good at it.
Is argan oil good for hair growth?
No. Argan oil is a conditioning oil, not a growth ingredient, and there is no good evidence that it makes hair grow or stops it falling out. What it does is protect the hair you already have so less of it breaks off at the ends. For the scalp side of thinning, you need different ingredients.
This matters because argan oil sits on the front of a lot of bottles sold to people with thinning hair. If thinning is your problem, look past the headline ingredient to the rest of the list. A shampoo for thinning hair needs a scalp stimulant such as caffeine and scalp actives such as rosemary, and argan oil is there for the lengths. Grow Me® Shampoo is built that way: argan oil for the strand, with caffeine, biotin, rosemary, niacinamide, lupine protein and allantoin for the scalp and the fibre, left on for three to four minutes.
How do you use argan oil on hair?
Use one or two drops of pure argan oil on the mid-lengths and ends of damp or dry hair, never on the roots, and build up only if your hair drinks it. Thick, coarse, curly and Afro hair can take more; fine hair needs almost none. As a pre-wash treatment, work a teaspoon through the lengths, leave it 20 minutes, then shampoo twice.
Three ways people use it, from lightest to heaviest:
- Finishing oil. A drop or two rubbed between the palms and smoothed over the ends of dry hair for shine and frizz control.
- Leave-in on damp hair. A little through the lengths before drying, which adds slip for detangling and a small amount of heat protection.
- Pre-wash mask. A teaspoon or more through the lengths, left on for 20 minutes to an hour, then washed out. The heaviest and most nourishing use, best for dry, bleached or coarse hair.
Will argan oil make fine hair greasy or flat?
Pure argan oil will flatten fine hair if you use too much or put it near the roots. One drop on the ends is usually the limit. If you want argan oil without the weight, use it in a sulphate-free wash-off shampoo, where it leaves a light protective film and rinses clean.
That is the honest case for an argan oil shampoo on fine or thinning hair. Grow Me® carries argan kernel oil on its ingredients list, rinses clean, and in an independent three-month study of 122 people, 91% said their hair felt soft, 85% shiny and 83% fuller.* If your ends are dry as well, Masque Me® carries argan oil too, once or twice a week, kept off the roots.
Is argan oil shampoo good for hair?
Yes, for softness, shine and protection, provided the argan oil is in the formula and not just in the name. Check the ingredients list: Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil should appear, and the nearer the top it sits, the more there is. Many argan oil shampoos list it after the fragrance.
Our argan oil shampoo page sets out what argan oil does, what we do not claim for it, and every Watermans product that carries it.
| Hair type | Pure argan oil | Argan oil shampoo |
|---|---|---|
| Fine or thinning | One drop on the ends, at most | Yes, the easier option |
| Coloured or bleached | Pre-wash mask weekly | Yes, sulphate-free matters here |
| Curly, coarse or Afro | Leave-in on damp hair, more as needed | Yes, plus a mask |
| Oily roots, dry ends | Ends only | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Does argan oil help with hair loss?
No. Argan oil reduces breakage by keeping the strand soft and protected, which can look like less hair in the brush, but it does not act on the scalp or the follicle and does not treat hair loss. See your GP if hair is coming out in patches or handfuls.
Can I use argan oil every day?
Yes, in small amounts on the ends. Daily use on the roots will build up and flatten the hair, especially fine hair. An argan oil shampoo four to five times a week is the daily-use option that does not build up.
Pure argan oil or Moroccan oil products?
Pure argan oil is a single ingredient; many products sold as Moroccan oil are mostly silicone with a little argan oil added. Both can make hair shine. If you want the oil itself, the ingredients list should say Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil and little else.
Is argan oil good for the scalp?
It is gentle and can soothe a dry scalp, but it is heavy, and on an oily or flaky scalp it can make things worse. For scalp comfort in a wash, allantoin and niacinamide are the ingredients to look for.
Sources
- NHS, Hair loss
- Watermans Grow Me® consumer study, 122 people, three months
- The science behind Watermans: safety, stability and ingredient evidence
*Independent consumer study of unbranded Grow Me® Shampoo, 122 people, four washes a week for three months. Consumer perception results. Individual results vary. Watermans products are cosmetics, not medicines, and do not treat medical hair loss. This article is not medical advice.
