Moroccan gold | argan oil
Winding through the narrow lanes of a small Berber village in Morocco, you’ll often find yourself surrounded by groves of gnarled Argan trees. The branches twist and turn like they’ve lived there forever, and it feels like they have. The gifts and nutrients they’ve given go back thousands of years. This is where the story of Moroccan Argan oil begins— a tree only found in Morocco, and a story deeply intertwined with the land, the people, and the traditions of North Africa.
Making argan oil is a labor of love, a process that remains as authentic today as it has been for generations. It all starts with the fruit. The women of the village, dressed in their colorful djellabas, gather around woven baskets filled with green, oval-shaped fruits that look like tiny, under-ripe olives. They crack open the tough outer shells by hand, using stones to reveal the precious nuts inside. It’s meticulous, and rhythmic—a task passed down from mother to daughter, for thousands of years.
Once the kernels are out, they’re gently roasted over a low fire, releasing a warm, nutty aroma that fills the room. If you close your eyes, you can almost taste the richness in the air—a mix of earth, fire, and a hint of something chocolatey. It’s an intense sensory experience.
Next comes the grinding. The roasted kernels are placed in a hand-cranked stone mill, and the women begin to turn the wheel. This is where the magic happens. Slowly, the kernels are crushed into a thick, brown paste. It’s mesmerizing to watch, as the paste transforms before your eyes into a glossy, golden liquid—a thick and opaque early argan oil. The first press is the purest form, and it’s filtered through a fine cloth to remove any last bits of the nuts, and create a clear and golden, slightly nutty scented liquid.
But it’s not just oil; it’s a story. Each bottle represents hours of labor, generations of knowledge, and a connection between the women who make it and the landscapes that nourish it. It isn’t about mass production. It can’t be. Not with something this precious.
This is slow beauty—organic, sustainable, and deeply personal.
And when you finally hold that bottle of Argan oil in your collection, you’re holding more than just a mass produced, impersonal beauty product. You’re holding a piece of heritage—a tradition that’s been lovingly carried forward by the hands of women who take pride in their craft and their land. It’s a tradition you now become a part of, every time you use it, sharing in the beauty secrets of Morocco, from the past to the present.
That’s the real magic of argan oil—straight from the tree to your skin, with love.
X, Dar Lara
