Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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2 3 And now word is spreading: It's the lynchpin ingredient of Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan range (customers at the brand's Newbury street store love the multitasking Dry Oil); Bumble and Bumble's big launch of the summer, Hairdresser's Invisible Oil, contains argan oil; and both Gwyneth Paltrow and Rachel Weisz are devotees of Ila-Spa, a botanic-rich range that uses the oil in many of its formulas. Even L'Oréal will succumb this July with the introduction of EverSleek Precious Oil Treatment, designed to smooth troublesome hair for 48 hours. "It's been a runaway success," BlueMercury cofounder Marla Malcolm Beck says of the public's growing fixation with the Moroccan import. "I started using it on my kids' and my own hair one holiday many years ago, and I was converted. Now I use it post-shower and post-beach all through- out the summer on our long hair." Beck has cherry-picked Moroccanoil's new body cream and scrub for her Hingham store. " Women of 70 crack argan nuts, but their hands look like a 20- year-old's." —carmen tal Over at the 11-room Exhale Mind Body Spa in Battery Warf, which opened just 14 months ago, mind body spa director Kim Vaughn sees their range of argan products, Kahina Giving Beauty, lit- erally fly off the shelves. "We are constantly selling out of the eye cream," she moans, saying of the entire range, "Our guests just want Continuing the Moroccan theme, the spa has a ham- mam where visitors can indulge in a traditional brisk exfoliation before or after a facial or massage. Denelle views argan as part of Aveda's increasing focus on botanicals. "When you're smoothing your hair or skin with synthetics, it's just like sticking a band-aid over the problem," she says. improving the appearance but not actually fixing anything long-term. These oils like argan, jojoba, sunflower, and meadowfoam seed penetrate to the subcutaneous layers, so they are about more than just instant gratification." The sheer demand for the oil has been a boon for the female-run groups who produce it (still using the same centuries-old techniques, which take several days to produce just one single liter of liquid). And now that their 10,000-square-mile argan-growing region has been deemed a biosphere reserve by Unesco, their future has been assured. Whether they can keep pace with the world's rampant demand for the product is another ques- tion. Perhaps one day Bostonians will be getting their argan fix from the sunny slopes of California. BC essential oils add these ingredients to your beauty routine. Jojoba: Its tiny molecule makes this is one of the most penetrating of all oils for the skin. Evening Primrose: Topically, it soothes eczema, and it also can be used internally as an alternative to fish oils. Sesame Seed: Not just great for salad dressing, it also loosens makeup as a pre-cleanser. Rose: It removes stress in one breath and makes skin supple in the bath. 4 5 1 6 to bathe in it!" cream of the crop stock up on these argan-infused beauty products. "You're 1. Hydrate summer skin with this lightweight cream packed with soothing aloe vera and shea butter. Body Soufflé, Moroccanoil ($52). The Spa at Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf, 617-439-3914; bhh.com 2. Launching in mid-July, this post-styling oil nixes flyaways with a featherweight formula of argan and coconut oils and contains high-tech UVA/UVB filters to prevent sun damage. Hairdresser's Invisible Oil, Bumble and Bumble ($38). Sephora, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262- 4200; sephora.com 3. A rich blend of restorative oils from around the world— pracaxi from the Amazon, camellia from Asia, and, of course argan from North Africa—makes this is a go-to for damaged hair. Elixir Ultime, Kérastase ($54). Megan Graham Beauty, 115 Newbury St., Suite 401, 617-236-8100; megangrahambeauty.com 4. Both Gwyneth Paltrow and Rachel Weisz are fans of this Brit brand, known for its oil-based products, which are blended in the Cotswolds. The bath oil, laced with fragrant Damascus rose and vetivert, is the ultimate wind down. Bath Oil for Glowing Radiance, Ila-Spa ($76). spiritbeautylounge.com 5. The addition of shea butter means this sumptuous soap allows you to moisturize while you cleanse. Cleansing Bar, Moroccanoil ($10). The Spa at Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf, 617-439-3914; bhh.com 6. One of the intensively moisturizing products in Kiehl's best-selling argan oil range, this multitasker can be used on both hair and body. Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil, Kiehl's ($32). 112 Newbury St., 617-247-1777; kiehls.com bostoncommon-magazine.com 93