When Katharine Philips L'Heureux embarked on a family vacation to Morocco in 2007, little did she know she would return with the idea of an organic beauty line. L'Heureux was a beauty-product junkie so when she packed her bags for a guided tour through Morocco, she made sure to have her La Mer, Patricia Wexler, and Chantecaille products, knowing how dry the climate is in northern Africa. T.S.A., however, was not as concerened about L'Heureux's skin and confiscated all her products since they did not meet carry-on regulation.
Upon arrival, L'Heureux immediately asked her guid what local women used to stay moisturized where upon she was taken to the nearesst local solution and introduced to argan oil. She fell in love the the remedy. Naturally rich in vitamin E, antioxidants and fatty acids, the oil is
known to rejuvenate and heal a range of skin issues including wrinkles,
acne, and dryness. "My skin is very dry, with oiliness in the T-zone, but argan oil has helped to balance my complexion," she says. "My skin is radiant now!" Although it has been used for many generations in Morocco, the oil's recent integration into beauty products in the United States has many referring to it as "liquid gold."
L'Heureux soon returned to Morocco to learn more about argan oil and how it was harvested. She visited the government established cooperatives in the country's southwest region, home to indigenous peoples known as the Berbers. By law, Berber women are the only people permitted to extract argan oil from the nuts of the trees, as a means to promote the women's financial and social independence. L'Heureux was so moved by these women that she decided to make an entire beauty line with argan oil and donate 25 percent of the profits to assist the cooperatives with improving living conditions, literacy and womens rights.
Working along side a chemist in Canada L'Heureux created Kahina Giving Beauty, a certified-organic line that includes a face cleanser, face lotion, serum and pure argan oil. The violet-glass bottles are recyclable, while the outer packaging is made from 100% post-consumer waste and manufactured in a wind-powered plant. The bottles and boxes display the signatures and marks of Berber women, reminding users of the argan oil's rich origins.
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