Buying guide
Where to Buy Argan Oil in Marrakech
Women's cooperatives on the Essaouira and Ourika roads, trusted herbalists in the medina
Argan oil — pressed from the nuts of the argan tree that grows only in southwest Morocco — comes in two very different forms: a dark, roasted, nutty culinary oil for drizzling and dipping, and a pale, unroasted cosmetic oil for skin and hair. Real argan is labour-intensive and expensive, which is exactly why the tourist market is full of cut and mislabelled bottles. Here's how to buy the genuine article.
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Culinary vs cosmetic argan
The two oils are made differently. Culinary argan is pressed from roasted kernels, giving a deep amber colour and a rich, toasted, hazelnut-like aroma; it's drizzled over salads, couscous and bread and stirred into amlou. Cosmetic argan is pressed from unroasted kernels, so it's paler, milder-smelling and meant only for skin, hair and nails — never for eating.
Amlou, sometimes called 'Berber Nutella', is culinary argan blended with ground roasted almonds and honey into a nutty, pourable spread eaten with bread at breakfast. It's one of the best edible souvenirs you can carry home.
Buying the real thing
Genuine argan is expensive because it's slow to make — the nuts are cracked by hand, traditionally by women's cooperatives. The most reliable sources are the cooperatives on the roads toward Essaouira and the Ourika valley, where you can often watch the cracking and pressing, and trusted herbalists in the medina. A cooperative visit pairs well with a day trip or a market tour.
Real culinary argan smells strongly and pleasantly of roasted nuts and has a rich flavour; watery, cheap, odourless 'argan' is cut with other oils. Look for oil sold in dark glass (light degrades it), and be wary of very low prices — authentic argan simply can't be cheap.
How to shop like a local
- Smell and, if allowed, taste culinary argan — it should be richly nutty and toasted, not bland or greasy.
- Buy from a women's cooperative or a trusted herboriste, ideally one where you can see the nuts cracked and pressed.
- Choose oil in dark glass bottles; light and heat degrade argan quickly.
- Be suspicious of cheap 'argan' — real oil is labour-intensive and costly, so a bargain bottle is almost certainly cut.
- For a food gift, buy amlou (argan, almonds and honey) — it's delicious, distinctive and travels well sealed.
Bargaining etiquette
- At genuine cooperatives prices are usually fixed and fair — don't expect to haggle hard on authentic oil.
- In the souks, bargain on cosmetic argan and blended products, but be aware the cheapest 'argan' is often not pure.
- Buying culinary oil plus amlou together may earn a small combined discount.
What to avoid
- Don't eat cosmetic (unroasted) argan or cook with it — buy culinary (roasted) oil for the kitchen.
- Avoid clear plastic bottles and market stalls selling 'argan' suspiciously cheap; it's likely diluted.
- Be wary of 'pure argan' cosmetics with long ingredient lists — real argan oil is a single ingredient.
- Skip pressured roadside 'cooperatives' that are really commission shops; look for genuine on-site cracking and pressing.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between culinary and cosmetic argan oil?
Culinary argan is pressed from roasted kernels — dark, richly nutty and for eating (salads, couscous, bread, amlou). Cosmetic argan is pressed from unroasted kernels — paler, milder and only for skin and hair. Don't confuse the two; the roasted one is for food.
How can I tell if argan oil is real?
Real culinary argan smells strongly and pleasantly of roasted nuts and has a rich flavour; cut oil is watery, cheap and near-odourless. Buy from cooperatives or trusted herbalists, choose dark glass bottles, and be suspicious of very low prices — genuine argan is costly to make.
What is amlou?
Amlou is a Moroccan spread of culinary argan oil, ground roasted almonds and honey — sometimes called 'Berber Nutella'. It's eaten with bread at breakfast and makes an excellent, distinctive edible souvenir that travels well sealed.
Where should I buy argan oil near Marrakech?
The most reliable sources are women's cooperatives on the roads toward Essaouira and the Ourika valley, where you can watch the nuts cracked and pressed, plus trusted herbalists in the medina. Avoid suspiciously cheap market 'argan', which is often diluted.
Keep exploring Marrakech food
Turn your market haul into dinner with a hands-on Marrakech cooking class, walk the souks with a guide on a market food tour, learn the Moroccan spices you just bought, or cook them at home with our Moroccan recipes. For the bigger picture, browse our food culture guides.