By Bianca London
Star’s love of argan oil boosts business in Morocco where women hand press every single nut to produce lucrative ‘liquid gold’
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.
