Argan oil is something of an all-round beauty superhero: the skin, hair and nail saviour is beloved by stars Kim Kardashian, Madonna and Selena Gomez for its rich, moisturising properties.
And the oil, often dubbed 'liquid gold' due to its rarity and expense, is also
providing a lifeline for Berber women and their families in the
semi-desert Souss valley of south western Morocco, one of the only regions in
the world where the argan tree grows.
Long
used as a traditional remedy by Berber women to treat wrinkles, scars,
and acne, argan oil is renowned for being incredibly moisturising,
highly anti-inflammatory and easily absorbed. It's recently become one
of the beauty world's biggest new breakthroughs, despite being known to
Moroccans since the thirteenth century.
Beauty secret: Radiant beauties Kim Kardashian,
left, and Eva Mendes, right, swear by the power of argan oil - and the
production of it in Morocco is helping women earn a living in a remote
desert where work is hard to find
A
relatively small geographical area - 9,900 square miles in southwestern
Morocco - produces nearly all of the world’s argan oil. Because the
trees are under threat, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization) has
declared the region a biosphere (an
artificial structure enclosing a self-contained ecosystem) reserve in
1998.
One large French company makes just over
half of the argan oil, and then there are lots of smaller cooperatives.
One
of the biggest companies to reap the oil is Neal's Yard Remedies, who
support the Tighanimine Cooperative, the world’s first Fairtrade
certified women’s Argan Oil cooperative.
They the
first women’s only argan cooperative and the first Fairtrade argan
cooperative. NYR as a company were awarded 100 per cent for it’s ethical
standards.
Established
in 2007 by women who met at a literacy class, it has now become a
hugely successful cooperative providing women in the region with work to
support their families.
Today, the
60 members of the cooperative work in every area of the business, from
collecting, transporting (by donkey), hand-cracking and pressing the
nuts, and all have access to top administrative positions. Neal's Yard
say is an incredible achievement anywhere, but particularly in the
traditionally male-orientated Berber community.
Hard at work: One of the biggest companies to
reap the oil is Neal's Yard Remedies, who set up the Tighanimine
Cooperative - a team of 60 Berber women who collect and harvest the nuts
- all whilst clapping and singing
Where it all begins: Fatima and her team produce
1,000 litres of oil every month by hand cracking each and every nut to
produce thousands of litres of argan oil
The income is helping to change not only the women’s lives, but also their family’s too.
Once
completely financially dependent on their husbands, the women can now
contribute to the household income; many providing the family's only
regular salary.
They
have money to send their children to school beyond primary school,
giving them to opportunity to progress to high school and even
university; and the women have access to literacy and health care
training.
Not
surprisingly, the women’s self-esteem has had a massive boost.
According to a spokeswoman at the cooperative, women now have more
confidence in themselves because they feel important in their home.
Making a living: A relatively small geographical
area - 9,900 square miles in southwestern Morocco - produces nearly all
of the world's argan oil
Lifeline: Susan Curtis, Natural Health Director at Neal's Yard Remedies with Nadia, President of the Tighanimine Cooperative
Fatima, 37, is married with four boys under 13 and was one of the original cooperative workers when she joined seven years ago.
Fatima, who is the main breadwinner in her family, said: 'We speak together, dance together, work, joke and enjoy life together.
'Here in the countryside there would be no other work without argan. In the city you can do cleaning, but nothing else here.'
Fatima and her team produce
1,000 litres of oil every month. A spokesperson for Neal's Yard
Remedies said: 'In 2012 we were ordering one kilo of argan oil, since
its popularity
has grown so rapidly in last couple of years, we are now ordering 900
kilos.
Finished product: The women collect, hand-crack and press the nuts to create this £17.50 Neal's Yard Remedy argan oil
'At NYR we
sell the oil on its own as part of our base oil
collection, as well as including it in other products, such as our
organic lipsticks, mascara and body care products for its nourishing
properties.
'We
have always strived to go above and beyond to be as ethical as
possible, and recently we were awarded the first Health & Beauty
company to achieve 100% under the Ethical Company Organisation's
'Ethical Accreditation' scheme.'
And
it seems the A-listers can't get enough of the beauty weapon.
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen has long said that argan oil is an essential
part of her beauty routine, while Eva Mendes said that the oil is her
'total skin secret' and described it as 'spectacular'.
Katy
Perry counts it as a huge part of prepping for a photo shoot and
celebrities stylists say that when Salma Hayek and Taylor Swift prepare
themselves
for photoshoots, they douse a few drops of argan oil into their skin and
hair.
Other fans include Charlize Theron,
Madonna, Kim Kardashian, Scarlet Johansson and French beauty
Marion Cotillard.
Supermodel secret: Supermodel Gisele Bundchen
has long said that argan oil is an essential part of her beauty routine,
left, and Katy Perry, right, uses it to prepare for shoots
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