Today, argan oil is a staple in the beauty lexicon. But when Josie Maran first launched in 2007—with pure, fair-trade argan oil as the throughline of every formula—the ingredient was just starting to gain traction among consumers. We all know how that story ends: Argan oil is now one of the most well-studied, well-supported ingredients in skincare, and it’s synonymous with Josie Maran’s collection of skin and body care.
In the 17 years since its launch, Josie Maran has churned out best-seller after best-seller, and has carved out a unique niche with a cult following (luxe, efficacious formulas with minimum environmental impact and maximum sensorial experience). It’s what Maran herself calls “luxury with a conscience.” But despite all of the success, the brand is making a huge shift with the repackaging of its three top-selling products: the Pure Argan Oil, Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter, and the Sugar and Argan Oil Body Scrub.
JOSIE MARAN
FOUNDED: 2007 by Josie Maran
BASED IN: California
PRICING: $30-$100
BEST KNOWN FOR: Potent, argan oil-infused products
FUN FACT: While modeling in her 20s, Josie Maran founded her brand after discovering argan oil was the only ingredient that would soothe her skin after frequent makeup changes and high-volume travel.
The New Packaging
Three years ago, Maran and her team embarked on a mission to make Josie Maran products even more sustainable. “When my company turned 13, I did a ton of soul searching,” she says. “I was looking at every part of the company to make sure it still reflected my values and who I had become in the years since I launched the brand. I wanted to make sure that we were doing everything possible to make our ways of doing business as planet-friendly as possible—from our supply chain, to how we manufacture the products, to the packaging.” In her extensive audit, Maran discovered that today, there are now better, more sustainable ways to package Josie Maran products. And thus, the decision to repackage was made—with a few bonuses.
The reimaging of the brand’s best-sellers follows the three “R’s”—recycled, recyclable, and refillable. (The packaging is made from recycled materials, is recyclable when you’re finished, and the components are now refillable.)
The challenge with refillables is, so often, the refill experience is not elevated or enjoyable—which leads consumers to just repurchase a product in its original packaging. Maran seeks to overcome this challenge (and succeeds in my opinion) by putting as much thought into the design and experience of a refill as she did into the sustainability factor. For the Pure Argan Oil, the refill comes in a delightful tin. For the scrub and body butter, you get a squeeze-y pouch with chic, summery Polaroid shots.
The New Fragrances
Longtime Josie Maran fans will be pleased to know that while the packaging is receiving a major upgrade, the beloved formulas are staying the same—save for a the addition of new elevated scents. In addition to the classic unscented version, you can now get the Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter and Sugar and Argan Oil Body Scrub in three new fragrances: Vanilla Vibezzz, Bohemian Fig, and Topless Tangerine—all inspired by Maran’s Northern California roots. “Because I’m super-sensitive to synthetic scents, it took me a long time to realize that fragrance could be fun,” says Maran. “We designed these fragrances to fuel your journey of self-discovery the Josie way, using only clean, 100% plant-based fruit and flower essences.”
Discover Josie Maran’s delightfully reimagined launches below—from the consistently sold-out Pure Argan Oil to brand-new, elevated scents in the scrubs and body butters.
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Pure Argan Oil
Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil $39.00
Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Organic Argan Oil is the brand’s hero product. Rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, argan oil features powerful moisturizing properties—and is one of those rare oils that hasn’t been known to clog pores. Pure, potent argan oil also features anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to reduce redness and irritation from breakouts, over-exfoliation, and windburn. As for Maran, her eponymous argan oil is a non-negotiable part of her daily routine. “I use it on my face, my hair, my dry spots, my blemishes, my burns and bruises, my cuticles, my dry heals, my scars, my maybe-one-day tattoo, my babies, and my favorite Mommas,” she says. “And of course, a full dropper in my bath on those special nights when I get to light the candles and have a me moment of self-care.”
The Refill
Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil Refill $76.00
Refill Contains: 3x refills for the standard bottle
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Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter
Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter $36.00
Josie Maran’s newly-imagined Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter is my personal favorite from the latest drop. I’ve already gone through two full jars since November and will soon be cracking open a third. It’s the same creamy, dreamy, rich formula as the beloved original (the brand reports it sells one jar of the original every 14 seconds), but now in a recycled—and recyclable—jar you can refill over and over again. There are hundreds of body butters on the market, but I haven’t tried anything quite like this one. This cream is dense in the jar, but somehow it absorbs virtually instantaneously with no greasy residue left behind—just a radiant glow. The relaunch comes in four delectable scents, including vanilla, fig, tangerine, and an unscented option. A word of warning: The soft serve texture and mouth-watering fragrances will give you a palpable craving for summer.
The Refill
Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter Refill (Bohemian Fig) $62.00
Refill Contains: 2.25x refills for the standard jar
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Sugar and Argan Oil Body Scrub
Josie Maran Sugar and Argan Oil Body Scrub $29.00
This sugar scrub is all about giving the skin that ever-elusive glow—soft, radiant, and light-reflective. “It’s the key to skin that has that juicy, moisturized, Cali glow,” says Maran.” Maran’s scrub uses ultra-fine sugar crystals—a natural humectant—to exfoliate without that scratchy, gritty feeling that’s so common with scrubs. Scrubs with sand-like texture don’t agree with my skin, but this one is soaking wet in the best way. Dunk your hand into the jar (or a scooper if you’re civilized) and you can feel that every single granule is drenched in argan oil, shea butter, and vitamin E. Fortunately, you can get this one in the new scents too.
The Refill
Josie Maran Sugar and Argan Oil Body Scrub Refill (Vanilla Vibezzz) $49.00
Refill Contains: 2.25x refills for the standard jar