Buying makeup isn’t something most people do with the global impact in mind, although they probably should. Fortunately, the folks behind Kahina-Giving Beauty have already done that for you. This line of organic cosmetics made from Moroccan argan oil does good for others, for the planet, and for your skin, all at the same time.
Founder Katharine Phillips L’Heureux first stumbled upon argan oil on a trip to Morocco in 2007. A self-described “skin care addict,” she was searching local pharmacies to replace a lost bottle of lotion when she discovered the oil, which Berber women use on their skin, hair, nails, and even their salads. High in Vitamin E and fatty acids, argan oil is touted as a salve for all kinds of skin maladies, including psoriasis, acne, eczema and wrinkles.
Beyond the beauty benefits, Kahina products provide major humanitarian and environmental benefits as well.
Berber law dictates that only the women from the region where the trees grow are allowed to extract oil from argan nuts. The result is a number of successful cooperatives, where women grind the argan nuts into a paste and produce the oil by hand. The cooperatives pay fairly and provide economic independence for their members.
Kahina sources its oil directly from these cooperatives and donates 25 percent of its profits back to the women in the form of educational and women’s rights programs.
When initially choosing a cooperative to import from, L’Heureux judged on three criteria: certified organic oil, fair compensation for the workers, and a worthy use of the proceeds. The co-op she selected used the money to create a center for women, which included a preschool and an adult literacy program, as well as passing on the secrets of making argan oil.
By bringing argan oil to the attention of the beauty industry, Kahina is also creating an “economic incentive” to preserve the argan forests, which are still shrinking despite being designated as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1999.
Even Kahina’s packaging is eco-friendly. Products come in boxes made from all recycled materials and recyclable violet glass bottles that customers are encouraged to return for reuse.
With a positive impact spanning the Atlantic and benefits for both your face and the face of the Earth, it seems like Kahina-Giving Beauty truly understands the beauty of giving.
Source: BecauseAction.com
