Souring the Argan Oil for Tiddley Pom Natural Body and Massage Oil

When I began researching ingredients for the new Tiddley Pom Natural Body and Massage Oil , I wanted to find ingredients which would help skin affected by eczema.  Increasingly mum’s are asking for help with eczema and other skin conditions.  It was clear to me that eczema is on the increase and that a natural skin oil which not only deeply moisturises skin but also help those affected with eczema was key to my new product.

So began a long period of research into the perfect combination of oils.  I looked at the efficacy of numerous oils from across the world, from Africa, Australia and Europe.  I stumbled upon Argan oil from Morocco and there was the best oil for skin affected by eczema which was also deeply nourishing for delicate baby skin.

Argan oil is high in a rare form of vitamin E.  Vitamin E helps repair and heal damaged skin whilst moisturising and nourishing - this was the perfect ingredient for my new Natural Body and Massage Oil. 

The next step was to source the oil.  As I have been in the natural skin care industry since 1995, I know the importance of sourcing and knowing where your ingredients come from.  I knew Argan oil is produced in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and I was keen to learn how the oil is produced and where the best quality oil is to be found.

Our Argan oil is the very best quality and is hand made by a co-operative of women an hour and a half outside Marrakesh in the Atlas Mountains.  This co-operative allows women to use their knowledge about the Argan fruit passed down by each generation of mothers to create an income for their families in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.  It takes much longer to produce the oil by hand rather than the mechanical methods now commonly used but the hand pressed oil is a better quality and it helps empower local women in a society where they have little voice.

I visited the co-operative in Morocco and was completely overwhelmed with the women and the oil they are producing for me.  The kernels from the Argania Spinosa nut are removed by using a rock immediately after being handpicked from the mountain side.  This quick response only available using the traditional hand processing method, means there is no time for the oil to oxidise and lose some of its efficacy – it doesn’t need to travel to a processing plant in the nearest town or city.  This is a long and cumbersome activity, the women sit together using two stones to crack open the nut and extract the kernel.  The kernels are then lightly roasted and left to cool down.  They are then ground down using a R’ha (traditional rock grinder) into a very thick brown paste.  This thick oily paste is then mixed with warm water and hand kneaded to bring the oil to the top at which time it is filtered off.  The brown like dough (Zegmouna) is left to dry for a month or so.  It is rich in protein and has cosmetic and food applications. 

I have blended this Argan oil with Coconut, Pomegranate and Kukui oils to create the Tiddley Pom Natural Body and Massage Oil which I am proud to say not only helps women in Morocco provide for their families but also helps soothe and nourish your baby’s skin.