ONE beauty doctor-cum-pseudo philosopher once declared, “If you’re rich and you’re ugly, that’s your fault.” To which a rival, surprisingly, agreed and decreed, “In this age of science and technology, there is no reason to be ugly.”
With advancements in the beauty industry, it’s gratifying to note that scientists still look to Mother Nature for the most effective ingredients in our unending pursuit to be beautiful.
‘Liquid gold’
ARGAN oil, the latest botanical phenomenon, is fast becoming accessible in the Philippines. Heralded as miraculous by beauty and anti-aging enthusiasts, argan oil is derived from the nuts of the Argania Spinosa tree, which grows exclusively in Morocco.
Also known as “liquid gold,” argan oil is said to be rich in vitamin E and is known as the purest antioxidant. It also contains high levels of phytotestorols, squalene, essential fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids, which all can help restore and revitalize hair, skin and nails. Hereabouts, the company that aggressively distributes this elixir is Souq International, with its Moroccan Argan Oil. The product promises to be a multitasker—a moisturizer, anti-wrinkle agent and anti-aging miracle worker.
From head to toe, or from split-ends to in-growns, Morocan Argan Oil boasts of the following benefits: restores and rejuvenates the skin from the damaging effects of pollution, sun exposure, oxidation, tobacco, stress and other environmental factors; moisturizes dry, dull skin; softens skin and reduces fine lines and wrinkles; and reduces skin irritation and redness, especially in the treatment of acne, blemishes, eczema, psoriasis and skin asthma.
The beauty must-have is also said to make scars and keloids less noticeable; prevents stretch marks because it helps maintain skin elasticity; nourishes, strengthens and protects the hair cuticle from root to tip to prevent breakage; stimulates new hair growth; moisturizes hair, promotes shine and smoothens frizz and flyaways; and strengthens brittle nails.
TJ Sulit, president of The Souq Organics Boutique, is optimistic that organic products like Moroccan Argan Oil, though seemingly still unfamiliar to the Pinoy consumer, will be embraced in the Philippines.
“We have a huge number of very well-traveled Filipinos and a lot of Filipino expats overseas. All the organic brands that we are importing are the premier and award-winning brands from their countries of origin. Most of our well-traveled customers recognize the brands easily. With the strong presence of international magazines and the Internet, Filipinos can easily research the brands and ingredients that we are introducing,” Sulit says. He adds, “The Filipino market is also starting to be very intelligent and sophisticated in its choices of cosmetics. We all know that most of the over-the-counter commercial products only contain 2 percent to 5 percent active ingredients, the rest are combination of water and synthetic materials with harmful and carcinogenic ingredients. It’s just a matter of time before Pinoy consumers become more aware and sensitive to the harmful chemicals in the products.”
On their web site (souqinternational.com), Sulit and his partners share that during their frequent trips abroad, they became exposed to a holistic way of life. They then began looking for products that are “kinder to our body, to the community and to the environment,” which they found in organic products, “those that do not include ingredients grown or manufactured using toxic pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, synthetic growth hormones, genetically modified organisms [GMO] and artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.” Thus, Moroccan Argan Oil found its way to the Philippines.
‘Always beneficial, never artificial’
A souq, which is immensely popular in Morocco, means a “marketplace” where trading occurs. So, Souq International, true to its mission of “scouting for the best of the world’s unconventional and extraordinary products, from exotic pieces to time-tested natural beauty solutions,” adds the American Pangea Organics products to its roster.
Pangea Organics products are “formulated to amplify hydration and support cellular regeneration by feeding the skin with the highest quality antioxidant nutrients, EFA-rich oils, and nourishing plant botanicals that nature has to offer,” offers its web site pangeaorganics.com. “The idea is to nurture yourself while nourishing your skin. Pangea’s core values are based on the belief that the thing that makes a good product and a good company are one and the same: integrity—of product, performance, practices, people, planet and purpose.”
The award-winning and bestselling Pangea Organics range includes facial creams, facial toners, facial cleansers, eye cream, facial scrub, facial mask, balancing oil, bar soaps, body lotions, shower gel, body oils, hand soaps and lip balms.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar winner and style icon, swears by Pangea’s potent qualities as a beauty product. Will The Souq Organics enlist the requisite local celebrity to hawk its beauty bounty?
“We are currently studying on who will be the best brand ambassador for the company, not just our argan oil line and the Pangea range but the brand as a whole, someone who genuinely cares about people, the environment and the planet. It must be someone who advocates a healthy lifestyle,” says Sulit.
The Souq Organics Boutique will open two stores in high-end malls this 2012, but it attends most classy bazaars in the Metro.
In Photo: (left photo) Pangea Orhanics Bar Soap Italian White Sage, Geranium and Yarrow and (right photo) Lipcare Egyptian Fennel with Grapefruit and Sweet Orange.