By Paola Bassanese
Souad Alaoui is surely one inspiring woman. She set up Essence of Morocco two and a half years ago and this year her Moroccan Rose Nourishing Body Argan Oil® was chosen as a finalist at the Natural & Organic Product Europe Show 2013.
Souad explain that the Hammam experience is extremely important in Morocco because the Hammam is the only place where women can go by themselves, socialise, prepare their own beauty products, while scrubbing away dead skin cells (and their worries).
Argan oil has been used to beautify face and body for hundreds of years and so has clay which acts as a cleansing agent for hair and skin. Rassoul clay from the Atlas Mountains, which is rich in minerals such as magnesium, lifts dirt and oil residue from the hair while nourishing it.
Using her trademark family recipe, Souad has created a line of products for face and body, but she is particularly passionate about healthy, glowing skin through skillful facials. Not only she is a facial therapist herself but she also runs training courses for therapists in her facial technique using Essence of Morocco’s products.
When I met her at the Natural & Organic Beauty Show we talked me through her products, from the body clay to use on hair and skin to the rassoul clay paste with shea butter and ylang ylang for the face. The clay paste can be used as a face cleanser and nourishing face mask. She made me smell the lovely scrub with neroli with argan kernel and the uplifing black soap used to combat spots infused with eucalyptus oil.
The Moroccan Rose Argan Oil is rich in Vitamin E and Omega 3 and can be used on sensitive and eczema/psoriasis prone skin. There is also an Essence of Morocco Hammam Kit to enjoy the Hammam experience at home.
Essence of Morocco is introducing a new oil extracted from the seeds of prickly pear, which can be used as a serum for wrinkles.
Unfortunately I am unable to review the products in detail as I have not tried them on myself.