Tasteless and odourless, pale yellow… This is what argan oil looks like – the “liquid gold” of the Berbers, a universal, authentic and increasingly popular component of cosmetics today.
More recently, few people knew about him outside the African continent. Meanwhile, in his homeland, in Morocco, the beneficial properties of oil from the fruits of argan – a gigantic “iron” tree 15 meters in height, with a bark harder than steel and a life span of three centuries – have been used for more than a thousand years, eating it and used in folk medicine. Once every two years, Moroccan Berbers harvest fruits that look like either plums or olives with three cores inside, resembling almonds in appearance. Gather them, dry them in the sun, crack the shell with stones, which is 16 times stronger than that of a hazelnut, and squeeze out the oil – only women can do this. The discovery belongs to them: from working with “hard nuts”, the skin of the hands ages more slowly and does not lose its tone for a long time. This property is explained by the composition of the oil: powerful antioxidants polyphenols and vitamin E protect the skin from free radicals and solar radiation. Vitamin A protects against the appearance of age spots and wrinkles. Omega-6 fatty acids (they are 80% in oil) stimulate the synthesis of collagen and elastin in the skin, while adding shine to the hair.
On bottles with cosmetic argan oil, as a rule, there are no marks “for body”, “for face” or “for hair”: the product is universal and performs the functions of “three in one”. It is enough to add a little oil to a bath with honey and sea salt, and in half an hour the skin of the body will be worthy of admiration: “Well, just a peach!”
A drop applied after removing make-up, washing and tonic, in a matter of minutes will revive the complexion. “Argan oil can be used to lubricate sunburned or inflamed skin – and you will soon feel relief. It’s also a proven treatment for stretch marks and signs of cellulite,” says Cammie Cannella, vice president of training at Kiehl’s.
“A homeopathic dose, distributed over wet or dry strands (no need to rinse), will facilitate combing tangled hair, restore damaged hair after dyeing, and eliminate the split ends,” says Maxim Rakitsky, hairdresser at the Clouds Studio beauty salon. During the Absolute Shine treatment with Alterna Hemp products with argan oil, it turns brittle and dull hair into glossy, elastic, strong strands. But the “liquid gold” of the Berbers cares not only about beauty and health. It justifies its high-profile title by serving as a support for the economy and social policy of the country. Butter production supports the lives of two million Moroccans by giving families access to health care and education. This is due to the Fair Trade programs launched by cosmetics companies such as Kiehl’s and Maroccanoil. As part of the project, they buy oil from women’s cooperatives that extract and process Krakatuk at a fair, not underpriced price. They also care about improving working conditions and ensuring that oil production does not harm the environment.