Kahina Giving Beauty - Moroccan Skin Care with a Purpose
If the mystique of Morocco intrigues you, then the story of Kahina Giving Beauty will take you on a soulful journey to the creation of one of my favorite skincare lines. There are no compromises here, either in Kahina’s creams, oils and scrubs or the company’s dedication to supporting the Berber women of Morocco who harvest the sacred argan nuts used in their products.
Originally from Napa Valley, founder and New Yorker Katharine L’Heureux first discovered organic skin care over ten years ago, but felt the texture and consistency of the creams were lacking. It wasn’t until she traveled to Morocco in 2007 that she made the connection between the healing properties of argan nut oil and an opportunity to craft a skincare line of her own.
Sourcing the highest quality argan nuts is not easy! Native goats are so fond of them that whole herds have been photographed high in the treetops in pursuit of a tasty nut. Kahina never buys the inferior quality, goat-nibbled nuts. Berber women who live in the Anti-Atlas Mountains, about two hours outside of Agadir, source the nuts for Kahina and Katharine and her husband James pay back their efforts in spades.
Beyond paying a fair wage for the hard work of extracting the oil, Kahina gives 1% of revenues to additionally support the Berber women of the community, which has included the funding of a children’s library, a women’s weaving cooperative, and donations of winter boots and warm clothing. They also contribute to “Education for All, Morocco”, which operates 5 boarding homes for local girls to allow them to continue their education beyond the 3rdgrade. Kahina’s web site is filled with photos of Katharine sitting cross-legged with these gracious and generous people and you can feel the authentic joy of the Berber friendships in her voice.
I’ve had the great fortune to visit Marrakesh and can tell you Kahina’s rose water spray and Beldi Soap smell like Morocco! While not certified organic, ingredients like damascena rose and blue tansy are untouched by pesticides which is easy to understand given the plants grow wild in the desert.
Women with dry skin will relish using Kahina’s oil based cleanser, eye serum and face creams. If you close your eyes, you too can experience the pleasure of using the finest ingredients on earth and the satisfaction that you are, in some small way, making a difference in the lives of a spiritual indigenous people halfway across the globe.