After looking everywhere for Quinoa and not finding it, I decided to start up a small business supplying Quinoa in my city. As is natural, I developed some cold feet because you know, the doubts always pop up. Thank God for the last minute ‘I’ll do it anyways’ and for my sister who always gives me the push. I bought a few packs and told a few people about it. In an interesting turn of events, I found a lady who runs a healthy foods business and I sold out on one of the sizes on the first day! What are the odds? Paulo Coelho would call that Beginners Luck. Well, it’s still surreal but I’m excited about this start and now planning to go full scale. To read more about Quinoa, check out my previous blogpost on the superfood.
The focus of today’s post is my recent discovery of natural and essential oils. Of course these oils have been there forever but I was simply not aware of them, sadly too. It’s absolutely amazing what God has provided for us in nature. It’s mind-boggling the treasures hidden in plain sight.
There are hundreds of oils – rare vegetable oils and essential oils – obtainable from various sources ranging from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots and bushes to seeds. In the case of essential oils, they are generally classified using the alphabets. There’s a Wikipedia page listing essential oils in alphabetical order. You’ve probably heard of olive oil, lavender, chamomile, frankincense, eucalyptus, ylang ylang or tea tree oil; well there are hundreds more, up to or over 300 more.
So what’s the big deal about these oils?
It’s the fact that they are natural, chemical free, paraben free and have vast benefits from aromatherapy to skin care, hair care and body care and even for uses around the home. They have healing properties, nutritional benefits and are packed full of minerals and vitamins. It is amazing what one oil gotten from a tree in Morocco contains!
For the purpose of this post, I will focus on one absolutely miraculous oil: Argan Oil
The Argan oil is a type of vegetable oil sourced from kernel nuts from the ancient Argan tree which can only be found in Morocco today.
I first learnt about the benefits of Argan oil for the hair from my sister, see her blogpost here. I knew I had to have it after reading that blogpost! I even thought it was only good for hair but on further research, I found that this oil has myriad uses in both culinary and cosmetic fields and it has gained so much popularity in the beauty world in recent times that it is called ‘Liquid Gold.’ Just one or two drops of this oil is miraculous for the skin, hair and nails, it contains tons of beneficial nutrients.
It contains Vitamin E, Vitamin A, antioxidants which strengthen the skin and leave it soft and youthful and it also helps to clear scarring and stretch marks. It contains cartenoids which create a protective barrier against the ultra violet radiation of the sun – a desperate need for me. It’s used as treatment for acne and it helps the complexion. It contains ferulic acid and polyphenols which fight against skin aging, it contains proteins which help maintain the skin’s elasticity, keeping it tight and fresh looking. It also imparts luster and strength to the hair, it helps prolong hair life and stimulate hair growth by increasing the amount of keratin produced. It strengthens the nails and soften cuticles.
For culinary purposes, Argan oil is considered a ‘superfood’ due to it’s highly nutritive properties. It is high in unsaturated fat and beneficial for people suffering from heart conditions.
Post my amazing discovery of Argan oil, I am parking my Proactiv and plan to explore these natural resources God has created for us. Instead of looking for skin and haircare products packed with chemicals, I plan to explore natural products from here on out.
Here is an Argan Oil range I found on Holland & Barrett.
There are several products it has been used in but I zero in on 4.
MiaFlora Argan Oil
This is pure argan oil for direct, topical applications on hair, nails and skin.
Mia Flora Argan Oil, 59ml bottle £6.49
Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Body Wash
A moisturizing rich daily bath & shower gel based on Organic Argan Oil blended with Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Orange Fruit Extract, Clove Oil, Geranium Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Patchouli Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Rosewood Oil, Wild Mint Oil, Mandarin Peel Oil, Vanilla Fruit Extract, Spearmint Oil, Kigelia Fruit Extract, Roselle Flower Extract, Baobab Fruit Extract.
Dr Organic – Moroccan Argan Oil Body Wash, 250ml, £5.49
Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Body Soufflé
Ultra-whipped luxurious body crème formulated with Organic Argan Oil and Argan extract combined with Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Shea Butter, Orange Fruit Extract, Clove Oil, Geranium Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Patchouli Oil, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Rosewood Oil, Wild Mint Oil, Mandarin Peel Oil, Vanilla Fruit Extract, Spearmint Oil, Kigelia Fruit Extract, Roselle Flower Extract and Baobab Fruit Extract.
Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Body Soufflé, 200ml tub, £9.29
Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo
This is a restoring and hydrating shampoo formulated with Organic Virgin Argan Oil, Orange, Clove, Geranium, Lemon, Patchouli, Cinnamon, Rosewood, Wild Mint, Mandarin, Vanilla, Spearmint, Kigelia, Roselle and Baobab. So many amazing natural ingredients in one bottle.
Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo, 265ml £5.99
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