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Nature's fix for flawless skin
5 potent botanicals that firm, smooth, and tone--we've got the
research to prove it
By Jessica Girdwain
We're not surprised that the latest crop of skin rejuvenators comes
straight from Mother Nature--many of you prefer products that harness
the anti-aging power of plants and believe they're better for your
skin. Doctors say they're effective, too. "Botanicals are the best
sources for discovering new ingredients that protect and repair aging
skin," says Zoe Draelos, MD, a clinical and research dermatologist in
High Point, NC. Vitamins, antioxidants, and emollients that spring
from leaves, nuts, and fruits can soften wrinkles, fight sagging, and
boost radiance. Here, we've unearthed five that deliver a major youth
boost--just how nature intended.
Bearberry
A flowering shrub that flourishes throughout the United States,
bearberry is quickly becoming a popular skin brightener. The leaves
contain arbutin, a derivative of the skin lightener hydroquinone,
which reduces the formation of pigment-producing melanin.
Unfortunately, HQ can irritate skin. Bearberry is a milder--but
effective--HQ alternative when combined with other botanically based
pigment faders, says Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, MD, a dermatologist in
San Francisco.
In one study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology,
women with melasma who applied a cocktail that included bearberry
extract once a day lightened the dark patches of skin by nearly 70%
after 3 months--without any side effects. Those using
prescription-strength HQ saw a 77% improvement, but a quarter of them
reported reactions, such as itchy skin.
Find it in: Exuviance Essential Skin Brightening Gel ($21.50;
exuviance.com), Derma-doctor Immaculate Correction ($62; derma
doctor.com), June Jacobs Redness Diffusing Serum ($56;
junejacobs.com), and Juice Beauty Soothing Serum ($36;
juicebeauty.com).
Acai
It may be little, but this brightly colored Brazilian berry
(pronounced ah-sigh-ee) packs a big anti-aging punch. Acai berries are
rich in emollients such as essential fatty acids and phyto-sterols
that help seal in moisture and strengthen the skin's surface so it's
more resilient against outside irritation, says Howard Sobel, MD, a
New York City dermatologist and founder of DDF Skincare.
Acai is a powerful protector against free radicals, too. The pulp
contains a significant concentration of anthocyanins, the antioxidant
pigments that give red and purple produce their deep hue. Hence the
reason this superfruit boasts one of the highest ORAC scores, thought
to measure a food's ability to combat premature aging--even when
applied on skin. "Acai reduces UV damage that eventually causes
wrinkles, brown spots, and sagging," says Sobel. Proof that good
things really do come in small packages.
Find it in: Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai & Gogi
Berry Facial Mask ($35; pangea organics.com), Ikove Organic Acai
Chocolate Facial Exfoliate ($20; Whole Foods), DDF Mesojection Healthy
Cell Serum ($80; beauty.com), and Tarte Double Dose Berry Boost &
Gloss in Acai Boost ($21; sephora.com).
Red Tea
Tea brewed from the leaves of this South African shrub are rich in
anti-inflammatories such as quercetin that help relieve itchiness and
facial flushing. "Red tea is ideal for reducing irritation associated
with rosacea and eczema flare-ups," says Petko Detchev, PhD, senior
chemist at Jason Natural Products. It soothes skin after a peel or
microdermabrasion, too.
Red tea also shines at preventing the UV damage that causes fine lines
and brown spots. Packed with antioxidants--including aspalathin, found
only in red tea--it reduces free radical damage by as much as 90%,
according to one study. Red tea decreased skin cancer tumors at least
60%, as well.
Find it in: Jason Red Elements Red Clay Masque ($13.60;
jason-natural.com), Care by Stella McCartney Radiance & Youth
Elixir ($64; nordstrom.com), and Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer ($65;
ulta.com).
Argan Oil
Pressed from the nut of the Moroccan argan tree, the oil is touted as
"liquid gold" for its ability to moisturize dry, lackluster skin. A
high concentration of essential fatty acids and vitamin E, two key
parts of skin's lubricating layer, explains the oil's power. "These
two components help the skin stay hydrated and prevent further
moisture loss," says Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetic chemist in Fairfield,
NJ.
The leaves of the tree are loaded with glycerin, a humectant that
attracts water, plumping wrinkles, says Pat Peterson, executive
director of research and development at Aveda. The leaf extract fends
off wrinkle-causing free radicals as well, reducing collagen and
elastin damage by 45% in one study.
Find it in: Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare Superskin Concentrate
($34; us.lizearle.com), Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Dry Oil ($30;
kiehls.com), Kaeline Argatherapie Argarome Jour Day Serum ($38;
xandrarenouvelle.com), and Aveda Green Science Line Minimizer ($85;
aveda.com).
Get pretty with plants For more age-defying potions to help you look
younger naturally, check out prevention.com/organicbeauty.
Read it here first
Durian Dubbed the King of Fruit in Asia, durian may soon rule the
world as a top skin rejuvenator. Don't let its spiky exterior scare
you: The source of durian's beauty benefits is the creamy pulp, which
contains hydrating oils, protective antioxidants, and natural sugars
that strengthen cell membranes and prevent moisture from escaping,
says Howard Murad, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology
at UCLA Sch's a buffer to combat inflammation. So far, durian is only
available in one line: Find it in Murad Intensive Wrinkle Reducer for
Eyes ($90; murad.com).
Monday, September 7, 2009
THE HEALTH SHOW by Dr. Philip Steig
THE HEALTH SHOW
A new type of cooking oil produced in Morocco is being tout as the super food
Dr. Philip Steig. Takes a look at the benefits Argan oil.
First aired: June 5, 2008
Dr Steig: By now everybody knows the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids, but have you heard of Omega 6. And did you know that Both 3 and 6 are contained in a new wonder oil, will take a look: Let’s hear it for fact. Essential fatty acids that is, they are called essential for a reason. Your body cannot do without them. Fatty acids support heart and brain health. Help to regulate hormones and keep your skin, hair and nails looking good. Fatty acids include Omega 3, 6 and 9. A rule of thumb about 30% of your diet should come from fat, no more than ¼ from saturated fats such as meat and butter. ¾ should come from healthier fat such namely mono and polyunsaturated. Cooking oils provide an excellent source including sesame, sunflower, canola, corn, and the raining star olive oil, proven in studies to lower cholesterol. But make a room on the shelf Argan has arrived.
Nutritionists hail Argan as the new super food containing Omega 3 in greater amounts than olive oil, it delivers the type of Omega 3 found in both nuts and fish, It contains plenty of Omega 6 too, since the body doesn’t not produce 3 or 6 on its own, finding ample amounts of both fatty acids in one oil is good news. It has more vitamin E than sweet almond oil, and it is packed with cancer fighting antioxidants. So where can you get this oil? Morocco.
Extracted from a tree, The Berber villages believe that Argan oil taken as a tonic helps prevent cancer lowers cholesterol and applied to the skin is a cure for eczema, acne and stretch marks. This honey colored oil had a hazelnut flavor Berbers call it Liquid Gold whatever you call it Argan is one fat that is friendly and good for your health.
A new type of cooking oil produced in Morocco is being tout as the super food
Dr. Philip Steig. Takes a look at the benefits Argan oil.
First aired: June 5, 2008
Dr Steig: By now everybody knows the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids, but have you heard of Omega 6. And did you know that Both 3 and 6 are contained in a new wonder oil, will take a look: Let’s hear it for fact. Essential fatty acids that is, they are called essential for a reason. Your body cannot do without them. Fatty acids support heart and brain health. Help to regulate hormones and keep your skin, hair and nails looking good. Fatty acids include Omega 3, 6 and 9. A rule of thumb about 30% of your diet should come from fat, no more than ¼ from saturated fats such as meat and butter. ¾ should come from healthier fat such namely mono and polyunsaturated. Cooking oils provide an excellent source including sesame, sunflower, canola, corn, and the raining star olive oil, proven in studies to lower cholesterol. But make a room on the shelf Argan has arrived.
Nutritionists hail Argan as the new super food containing Omega 3 in greater amounts than olive oil, it delivers the type of Omega 3 found in both nuts and fish, It contains plenty of Omega 6 too, since the body doesn’t not produce 3 or 6 on its own, finding ample amounts of both fatty acids in one oil is good news. It has more vitamin E than sweet almond oil, and it is packed with cancer fighting antioxidants. So where can you get this oil? Morocco.
Extracted from a tree, The Berber villages believe that Argan oil taken as a tonic helps prevent cancer lowers cholesterol and applied to the skin is a cure for eczema, acne and stretch marks. This honey colored oil had a hazelnut flavor Berbers call it Liquid Gold whatever you call it Argan is one fat that is friendly and good for your health.
Elle Beauty SPOTLIGHT | ARGAN OIL
Elle Beauty SPOTLIGHT | ARGAN OIL
By Nicole Catanese
Published: May, 2008
For a young celeb, sudden startdom can lead to obsessive paparazzi attention and a stint in rehab. For natural ingredients, popularity can be just as dangerous. The success of palm oil led farmers to burn parts of the Indonesian and Malaysian rain forests to plant palm orchards; illegal trading of caviar caused a drop in the rare egg-producing sturgeon; and the overuse of sandalwood had depleted the sweet-smelling Indian tree. Fortunately, the latest botanical phenomenon, the antioxidant argan oil, not only rivals all other free-radical fighters to date, but its high demand will actually help the environment as well.
Pressed from the nut of the argan tree’s fruit (a favorite snack of local goats), argan oil has protected the hair and skin of Morocco’s Berber women for centuries. Recent research has proven the oil is packed with skin-beneficial compounds: hydrating essential fatty acids, potent antioxidant polyphenols, and nearly three times the amount of vitamin E in olive oil.
Liz Earle, creator of Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare, discovered its moisturizing effects at a Moroccan hammam 10 years ago. “It was the best facial I’d ever received,” she says. “I had to know more about the oil called the ‘gold of Morocco.’” She brought a bottle to her London laboratory for analysis. The chemists, impressed by its antioxidant activity, formulated Superbalm, a healing skin treatment, around it.
“The antioxidants and fatty acids work synergistically to stop inflammation,” says Pat Peterson, the executive director of research and development for Avada, which is launching a skin-care line, Green Science, based around the extract this month. According to the company’s clinical tests, subjects showed a 38 percent improvement in lines after eight weeks of twice-daily use of the argan-rich firming face cream. Plus, scientist believe argan oil may also have anticancer properties. In a study in Cancer Detection and Prevention, the growth of three types of in virto human prostate caner cells were inhibited 48 hours after being treated with sterols and polyphenols extracted from argan oil.
The extract is proving to have serious girl power, too. In 2002, the Moroccan government helped established female cooperatives to manufacture argan oil. These programs prevent abuse of the forests’ limited supply of trees and provide workers with a steady income and basic education classes. “Purchasing the oil from the women’s cooperatives supports their social and economic welfare,” says model Josie Maran, whose namesake beauty brand includes a pure argan oil moisturizer.
Although extracting the ingredient is labor-intensive (machines grind the kernels, but each nut needs to be cracked by hand), only a small amount of the oil is needed in a product to deliver results.
As far as some experts are concerned, argan oil is a win-win. “Unlike other exotic resources such as caviar ad marine algae, it offers the best of both worlds,” says Leslie Baumann, MD, the director of cosmetic-dermatology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. “It’s an antiager and it’s eco-friendly.”
By Nicole Catanese
Published: May, 2008
For a young celeb, sudden startdom can lead to obsessive paparazzi attention and a stint in rehab. For natural ingredients, popularity can be just as dangerous. The success of palm oil led farmers to burn parts of the Indonesian and Malaysian rain forests to plant palm orchards; illegal trading of caviar caused a drop in the rare egg-producing sturgeon; and the overuse of sandalwood had depleted the sweet-smelling Indian tree. Fortunately, the latest botanical phenomenon, the antioxidant argan oil, not only rivals all other free-radical fighters to date, but its high demand will actually help the environment as well.
Pressed from the nut of the argan tree’s fruit (a favorite snack of local goats), argan oil has protected the hair and skin of Morocco’s Berber women for centuries. Recent research has proven the oil is packed with skin-beneficial compounds: hydrating essential fatty acids, potent antioxidant polyphenols, and nearly three times the amount of vitamin E in olive oil.
Liz Earle, creator of Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare, discovered its moisturizing effects at a Moroccan hammam 10 years ago. “It was the best facial I’d ever received,” she says. “I had to know more about the oil called the ‘gold of Morocco.’” She brought a bottle to her London laboratory for analysis. The chemists, impressed by its antioxidant activity, formulated Superbalm, a healing skin treatment, around it.
“The antioxidants and fatty acids work synergistically to stop inflammation,” says Pat Peterson, the executive director of research and development for Avada, which is launching a skin-care line, Green Science, based around the extract this month. According to the company’s clinical tests, subjects showed a 38 percent improvement in lines after eight weeks of twice-daily use of the argan-rich firming face cream. Plus, scientist believe argan oil may also have anticancer properties. In a study in Cancer Detection and Prevention, the growth of three types of in virto human prostate caner cells were inhibited 48 hours after being treated with sterols and polyphenols extracted from argan oil.
The extract is proving to have serious girl power, too. In 2002, the Moroccan government helped established female cooperatives to manufacture argan oil. These programs prevent abuse of the forests’ limited supply of trees and provide workers with a steady income and basic education classes. “Purchasing the oil from the women’s cooperatives supports their social and economic welfare,” says model Josie Maran, whose namesake beauty brand includes a pure argan oil moisturizer.
Although extracting the ingredient is labor-intensive (machines grind the kernels, but each nut needs to be cracked by hand), only a small amount of the oil is needed in a product to deliver results.
As far as some experts are concerned, argan oil is a win-win. “Unlike other exotic resources such as caviar ad marine algae, it offers the best of both worlds,” says Leslie Baumann, MD, the director of cosmetic-dermatology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. “It’s an antiager and it’s eco-friendly.”
Tree of Hope
THE GOATS IN THE TREES ARE A problem. Travel southwest from swan Morocco's vibrant, blood-red city of Marrakesh and you might find them: these shaggy, piebald beasts roosting at improbable heights and chewing all the tender shoots, leaves and fruit in sight.
The goats' food of choice is the endangered argan tree, native only to the southwestern region of Morocco. One of the few plants that can grow in the hot, arid climate, the argan is an environmental marvel: Its deep roots hold the sandy soil fast, preventing the land from crumbling into desert. Its wood provides high-quality charcoal. Most important, its seeds yield an oil famed for its rich flavor and medicinal properties.
But unfortunately, goats like the tree just as much as their two-legged caretakers do. Wherever they snack, the animals leave a path of broken and bald branches in their wake, making overgrazing a large factor in the steady deforestation of the argan forest region.
Luckily, the tree has found a staunch advocate in Zoubida Charrouf, a chemistry professor at Universite Mohammed V in Morocco's capital, Rabat. For Charrouf, protecting the tree and using its resources sensibly will not only kick-start southwest Morocco's economy and preserve its ecosystem, but also better the lives of women throughout the region. That's why she's helped form five argan oil cooperatives in the area-all staffed and run entirely by women.
Women living in rural Morocco, including the argan forest region, face both ethnic and gender discrimination. The majority of argan forest inhabitants are descended from the indigenous Amazigh people of North Africa, known collectively as the Imazighen, or as Berber-a term considered pejorative by the Imazighen themselves. The Imazighen speak dialects of the language they call Tamazight, maintain distinct cultures and tend to live outside the country's northern areas or large cities.
Female illiteracy in Morocco, which stands overall at 64 percent, soars to nearly 90 percent in the countryside. That's because Amazigh women, living in the poorer and more traditional rural areas of the country, are far less able to be educated, or even to work. That's one reason argan oil has proved so important to them: Extracting the oil remains one of their few viable job options.
The argan is a cantankerous, thorny tree with a fruit that clings tenaciously to the pit.
But the result is prized for its cosmetic and culinary uses. Drizzled over couscous, tagines (stews) or greens, the copper-colored oil has an intense, toasted-nut flavor and a slightly spicy finish. It's as wonderful to eat as it is difficult to extract.
Intrigued by Amazigh claims of the liquid's health and nutritional properties, Charrouf decided to conduct chemical research on the oil in the early 1990s. What she found corroborated traditional wisdom: The substance is packed with vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids that can lower cholesterol, reduce wrinkles and juvenile acne, and speed healing of abrasions.
[Photograph]
Charrouf's findings renewed interest in the argan tree, as did the decision by UNESCO in the late 1990s to declare the endangered argan forest area a biosphere reserve. Conservationists, development agencies and entrepreneurs all sought ways to protect the tree and spark growth in the local economy.
In the beginning, things didn't go quite as planned. Local women couldn't deliver a high-end product-their homemade oil was often packaged in leftover plastic bottles and sold on the side of the road or in local souqs, or marketplaces. Meanwhile, farmers collected all the argan stones available, and then throttled the trees to get more fruit. The trees drooped; the local economy remained relatively stagnant.
[Photograph]
Versatile argan oil is used to dress salads, heal cuts, lower cholesterol and reduce wrinkles.
Charrouf decided to found cooperatives to tackle the problems head on-and start employing the disenfranchised Amazigh women who had discovered argan oil's benefits to begin with. The cooperatives now employ approximately 800 women full- and part-time, many of them poor, widowed or divorced, and all of them Amazigh. The majority of the women work at cracking the stones; for that, they are paid an average of $100 a month and receive a share in the cooperatives' profits. In contrast, a woman making argan oil on her own earns no more than $20 or $30 monthly. Also, Amazigh women don't traditionally sell goods themselves, so without the co-op they're dependent on male relatives to sell the oil and bring back all the money earned.
To ensure the quality of the product, Charrouf replaced much of the traditional extraction methods with a mechanized process that extended the oil's shelf life from six months to two years. Women still crack the stones, because no machine can match their dexterity.
On the conservation front, each of Charrouf's workers plants 10 new argan trees a year. Most significantly, as the region's economic growth is increasingly tied to the argan, villagers have become much more reluctant to let their goats graze in the trees.
Business is booming. In addition, the Amal cooperative in Tamanar received the International Slow Food Award for Biodiversity in 2001. Drawn by increasing press coverage, 100 tourists descend upon the Amal cooperative each day, buying edible oil and cosmetics products. In response to increased demand, Charrouf recently grouped the cooperatives under one umbrella organization in order to standardize their operating and accounting systems and to expand their bargaining power.
In light of the cooperatives' overall success, it's hard to believe that Charrouf ever faced any resistance. But at the beginning, men scoffed at the notion that she could realize her plans and that local women were capable of running co-ops. Even more threatening was the notion that the researcher was "emancipating 'our' women, making them leave the home," Charrouf says. But as the men saw the economic benefit of the cooperatives, they began to accept the women workers-and even to respect them. Rather than tearing the fabric of the community apart, the cooperatives have created jobs and removed the need for urban migration.
Besides offering women jobs and paying them a decent wage, Charrouf offers classes in reading and arithmetic. That impacts their children as well, because once they realize the value of education, women are much more likely to send their kids to school. As one Tamanar worker says, "My life has really changed. It used to be that I could never leave the house. Today, I am earning an income and can send my children to school."
Like women in similar economic coops around the world that produce shea and nut oils, cocoa butters or mineralrich salts, the Moroccan workers are part of a global revolution. As they bond with one another-"together they share their problems, their laughter," says Charrouf-they also help lead their people out of poverty, environmental degradation and gender inequity.
-NOY THRUPKAEW
Additional reporting: J. Patrick Gaffney, Anas Roudies and Aaron Morales
The goats' food of choice is the endangered argan tree, native only to the southwestern region of Morocco. One of the few plants that can grow in the hot, arid climate, the argan is an environmental marvel: Its deep roots hold the sandy soil fast, preventing the land from crumbling into desert. Its wood provides high-quality charcoal. Most important, its seeds yield an oil famed for its rich flavor and medicinal properties.
But unfortunately, goats like the tree just as much as their two-legged caretakers do. Wherever they snack, the animals leave a path of broken and bald branches in their wake, making overgrazing a large factor in the steady deforestation of the argan forest region.
Luckily, the tree has found a staunch advocate in Zoubida Charrouf, a chemistry professor at Universite Mohammed V in Morocco's capital, Rabat. For Charrouf, protecting the tree and using its resources sensibly will not only kick-start southwest Morocco's economy and preserve its ecosystem, but also better the lives of women throughout the region. That's why she's helped form five argan oil cooperatives in the area-all staffed and run entirely by women.
Women living in rural Morocco, including the argan forest region, face both ethnic and gender discrimination. The majority of argan forest inhabitants are descended from the indigenous Amazigh people of North Africa, known collectively as the Imazighen, or as Berber-a term considered pejorative by the Imazighen themselves. The Imazighen speak dialects of the language they call Tamazight, maintain distinct cultures and tend to live outside the country's northern areas or large cities.
Female illiteracy in Morocco, which stands overall at 64 percent, soars to nearly 90 percent in the countryside. That's because Amazigh women, living in the poorer and more traditional rural areas of the country, are far less able to be educated, or even to work. That's one reason argan oil has proved so important to them: Extracting the oil remains one of their few viable job options.
The argan is a cantankerous, thorny tree with a fruit that clings tenaciously to the pit.
But the result is prized for its cosmetic and culinary uses. Drizzled over couscous, tagines (stews) or greens, the copper-colored oil has an intense, toasted-nut flavor and a slightly spicy finish. It's as wonderful to eat as it is difficult to extract.
Intrigued by Amazigh claims of the liquid's health and nutritional properties, Charrouf decided to conduct chemical research on the oil in the early 1990s. What she found corroborated traditional wisdom: The substance is packed with vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids that can lower cholesterol, reduce wrinkles and juvenile acne, and speed healing of abrasions.
[Photograph]
Charrouf's findings renewed interest in the argan tree, as did the decision by UNESCO in the late 1990s to declare the endangered argan forest area a biosphere reserve. Conservationists, development agencies and entrepreneurs all sought ways to protect the tree and spark growth in the local economy.
In the beginning, things didn't go quite as planned. Local women couldn't deliver a high-end product-their homemade oil was often packaged in leftover plastic bottles and sold on the side of the road or in local souqs, or marketplaces. Meanwhile, farmers collected all the argan stones available, and then throttled the trees to get more fruit. The trees drooped; the local economy remained relatively stagnant.
[Photograph]
Versatile argan oil is used to dress salads, heal cuts, lower cholesterol and reduce wrinkles.
Charrouf decided to found cooperatives to tackle the problems head on-and start employing the disenfranchised Amazigh women who had discovered argan oil's benefits to begin with. The cooperatives now employ approximately 800 women full- and part-time, many of them poor, widowed or divorced, and all of them Amazigh. The majority of the women work at cracking the stones; for that, they are paid an average of $100 a month and receive a share in the cooperatives' profits. In contrast, a woman making argan oil on her own earns no more than $20 or $30 monthly. Also, Amazigh women don't traditionally sell goods themselves, so without the co-op they're dependent on male relatives to sell the oil and bring back all the money earned.
To ensure the quality of the product, Charrouf replaced much of the traditional extraction methods with a mechanized process that extended the oil's shelf life from six months to two years. Women still crack the stones, because no machine can match their dexterity.
On the conservation front, each of Charrouf's workers plants 10 new argan trees a year. Most significantly, as the region's economic growth is increasingly tied to the argan, villagers have become much more reluctant to let their goats graze in the trees.
Business is booming. In addition, the Amal cooperative in Tamanar received the International Slow Food Award for Biodiversity in 2001. Drawn by increasing press coverage, 100 tourists descend upon the Amal cooperative each day, buying edible oil and cosmetics products. In response to increased demand, Charrouf recently grouped the cooperatives under one umbrella organization in order to standardize their operating and accounting systems and to expand their bargaining power.
In light of the cooperatives' overall success, it's hard to believe that Charrouf ever faced any resistance. But at the beginning, men scoffed at the notion that she could realize her plans and that local women were capable of running co-ops. Even more threatening was the notion that the researcher was "emancipating 'our' women, making them leave the home," Charrouf says. But as the men saw the economic benefit of the cooperatives, they began to accept the women workers-and even to respect them. Rather than tearing the fabric of the community apart, the cooperatives have created jobs and removed the need for urban migration.
Besides offering women jobs and paying them a decent wage, Charrouf offers classes in reading and arithmetic. That impacts their children as well, because once they realize the value of education, women are much more likely to send their kids to school. As one Tamanar worker says, "My life has really changed. It used to be that I could never leave the house. Today, I am earning an income and can send my children to school."
Like women in similar economic coops around the world that produce shea and nut oils, cocoa butters or mineralrich salts, the Moroccan workers are part of a global revolution. As they bond with one another-"together they share their problems, their laughter," says Charrouf-they also help lead their people out of poverty, environmental degradation and gender inequity.
-NOY THRUPKAEW
Additional reporting: J. Patrick Gaffney, Anas Roudies and Aaron Morales
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Argan oil in London
The Magic of Argan Oil
Strolling through Borough Market in London the other day, I stumbled upon Argan oil. I had heard stories about this mystical oil being the rarest in the world and was curious about its special properties. I know small amounts are used in some beauty products, but I have never seen 100% pure oil available for sale before. I bought it immediately and was schooled in its history and beauty benefits.
Argan oil comes from a small area of Morocco where Berber women produce the oil by grounding up the seeds from the thorny argan tree. It takes 2 days of work, crushing and pressing the seeds to produce just one liter of this beauty potion. Due to over grazing by local goats, the trees are now protected and the Berber women of the area are only allowed to produce a small amount at a time, which makes this coveted oil even more rare.
For centuries argan oil has been a well-kept beauty and health secret of the Berber women, who use the oil to nourish their skin, nails and hair. It contains twice the amount of vitamin E as olive oil and is rich in anti-oxidants. Eight essential fatty acids help prevent moisture loss in the skin and its amazing anti-aging properties are well documented.
You only need a few drops of this non-greasy liquid gold to moisturize and protect your complexion. Rub a little on the hands and on cuticles to soften them up or rub a small drop into really dry hair to re-hydrate it instantly. I love the stuff and learned you can even cook with it and make yummy dishes, which is fab -- if I cooked that is!
Positively Beautiful
By Carmindy
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