BEAUTY CARE IN THE MAGHREB by AMEL TAFSOUT
INTRODUCTION:
The Maghreb has always enchanted minds worldwide. Women
take care of their bodies and of each other already since childhood.
In each family there are recipes and secrets that cross generations.
The relationship to the body, to divine essences express itself in the
sacred values in popular culture. Beauty is integrated to culture and
tradition. It is a unique union between charm and seduction.
It is in the markets, in the souks or at the herbalist that women find
in bags, flasks or bottles, the necessary ingredients to make their
beauty care products that are often natural and traditional.
The Hammam reveals on the other side the importance of the
water as a symbol of the purification and the source of life. The
Hammam is to Maghrebi women what cafes are for Maghreb men.
It is a place where women learn, give, share, communicate, and
negotiate. It is the place where already as a little girl, the Maghrebi
woman prepares herself for the future and finds refuge even till her
old age. It is the place where women sing, cry, wash themselves,
and massage each other. The function of the Hammam is changing
as people have a bath and showers but still in weddings
ceremonies, it is still common that the bride will be taken to the
Hammam. The guardian of the Hammam, the Guelassa, is the one
who knows everything and who makes sure that everything is
taken care of. The Tayaba or the Harza, Kayyassa is the
masseuse who is in charge of bringing buckets of hot or cold water
in the various rooms. Going to the Hamman is taking the time to
enjoy the moment.
Depilation or waxing:
In the Arab world a woman needs to get rid of the hair in her body,
so it is a real ritual to do the depilation. The day of her wedding,
the Maghrebi woman has to get rid of all hair in her body. Women
use ancient recipes such as sugar, gum, honey, and lemon. Often
heated together make the base of the paste.
One of the important part of the body are the feet, that is the reason
why Maghrebi women will make sure to get rifd of the dead skin
surrounding their heals.
Massage:
Etymologically speaking, massage comes from the Arab word
mass, which means knead, massage and press. No wonder that
massage has roots in the Maghreb (North Africa). Over there it is
more than just a ritual: it’s an institution. Every week Arab men
and women go to hammams (Turkish steam baths) to cleanse their
bodies and minds and to relax.
Etymologically speaking, massage comes from the Arab word
mass, which means touch softly, massage and press. No wonder
that massage has roots in the Maghreb (North Africa). Over there it
is more than just a ritual: it’s an institution. Every week Arab men
and women go to hammams (Turkish steam baths) to cleanse their
bodies and minds and to relax.
Origins
The development of hammams and massage in the Maghreb is
attributed to the prophet Mohammed and originated in the 7th
century. After discovering steam baths and massage from his
neighbours, the Greeks and the Romans, he was immediately taken
by their purifying powers on the body and mind. He incorporated
them into religious practice and encouraged the construction of
hammams as extensions to mosques. Later on, in the 11th century,
Avicenna, a prominent Iranian philosopher and physician, wrote
about the benefits of massage, stressing that it was intended to
"dispel harmful substances in muscles that are not eliminated by
physical exercise."
Practice
All oriental massage is preceded by a session at the hammam that
lasts for around 20 minutes. Steam baths take place in an enclosed
space with simple refined Arab decor. Sometimes essential pine or
eucalyptus oils are used. Steam baths are hot and humid, and this
relaxes muscles, eliminates toxins, opens up pores and relaxes the
whole body and mind. The hammam is an important part of the
process as it helps to prepare you for the massage.
After a few minutes of rest after the hammam, the massage begins.
It is carried out on bare skin using hot argan oil.
oriental massage is performed from the head to the feet, following
the layout of the muscles. The session usually ends with a few
minutes of relaxation and a refreshing cup of mint tea.
Benefits
- The techniques used in this massage help eliminate toxins and
relax muscles, promoting overall wellbeing.
- The argan oil used is very rich in essential fatty acids, Vitamin E
and polyphenols. It enhances cell functions and nourishes the skin,
leaving it soft and silky.
- Antioxidants in mint tea drain toxins released during the massage
and add to the regenerating effect!
Maghrebi women use essential oils such as rose, eucaliptus, orang
blossom, olive, bergamot are often used.
INGREDIENTS:
HENNA:
Henna is a tall shrub or small treet. Usually, Arabic people and
Muslims wear the 'Henna'. Somalians, Ethiopians and even Syrians
wear the beautiful temporary tattoo.
Henna has been used since the Bronze Age to dye skin (including
body art), hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool. In several parts
of the world it is traditionally used in various festivals and
celebrations. There is mention of henna as a hair dye in Indian
court records around 400 CE,[8] in Rome during the Roman
Empire, and in Spain during Convivencia.[9] It was listed in the
medical texts of the Ebers Papyrus (16th-century BCE Egypt)[10]
and by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (14th century CE (Syria and
Egypt) as a medicinal herb.[11] In Morocco, wool is dyed and
ornamented with henna, as are drumheads and other leather goods.
Lawsone, an active compound in Henna.
Use of henna for body art has enjoyed a recent renaissance due
improvements in cultivation, processing, and the emigration of
people from traditional henna-using regions.
For skin dyeing, a paste of ground henna (either prepared from a
dried powder or from fresh ground leaves) is placed in contact with
the skin from a few hours to overnight. Henna stains can last a few
days to a month depending on the quality of the paste, individual
skin type, and how long the paste is allowed to stay on the skin.
Henna also acts as an anti-fungal and a preservative for leather and
cloth.
Henna flowers have been used to create perfume since ancient
times, and henna perfume is experiencing a resurgence. Henna
repels some insect pests and mildew.
Henna's coloring properties are due to lawsone, a burgundy
organic compound that has an affinity for bonding with protein.
Lawsone is primarily concentrated in the leaves, especially in the
petioles of the leaf. Lawsone content in leaves is negatively
correlated with the number of seeds in the fruits.
GHASSOUL:
The rhassoul or ghassoul is a natural mineral clay mined in the
Atlas Mountains of Morocco since the eighth century. It is
combined with water to clean the body and has been used by
Moroccan women for centuries to care for their skin and hair.
Rhassoul contains silicon, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium,
lithium, and trace elements.
Today, rhassoul is used in Turkish baths. Along with a glove, or
"kessa", Rhassoul is used as a facial mask and poultice to the body.
It is similar to a western style mud wrap. It is intended to soften the
skin, reduce sebum secretion, regenerate the skin by removing
dead cells, and rebalance the skin by tightening the pores.[2]
ARGAN OIL:
Argan oil is a plant oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree
(Argania spinosa L.), endemic to Morocco, that is valued for its
nutritive, cosmetic and numerous medicinal properties. It is also
known in cosmetic use as moroccan oil.
Culinary uses
Culinary argan oil (argan food oil) is used for dipping bread, on
couscous, salads and similar uses. Amlou, a thick brown paste with
a consistency similar to peanut butter, is produced by grinding
roasted almond and argan oil using stones, mixed with honey and
is used locally as a bread dip.
Various claims about the beneficial effects on health due to the
consumption of argan oil have been made. Researchers have
concluded that daily consumption of argan oil is 'highly likely' to
be one factor helping the prevention of various cancers,
cardiovascular diseases and obesity.[11]
The results of a nutritional intervention study, in which volunteers
were given either argan oil or animal fats (butter) in their diet,
were published in 2005. The results showed that regular dietary
intake of argan oil led to reduced levels of harmful cholesterol and
triglycerides in the blood, compared to a diet with regular intake of
animal fats.[12]
Cosmetic uses
Unroasted argan oil is traditionally used as a treatment for skin
diseases and as a cosmetic oil for skin and hair:
"In cosmetics, argan oil is advocated as moisturizing oil, against
juvenile acne and flaking of the skin as well as for nourishing the
hair. This oil has also medicinal uses against rheumatism and the
healing of burns ... Externally, argan oil is used ... for hair as
brilliantine, to fortify and ... in the treatment of wrinkled or scaly
dry skin".
Argan oil has become increasingly popular for cosmetic use. The
number of personal-care products on the US market with argan oil
as an ingredient increased from just two in 2007 to over one
hundred by 2011. It is sometimes mixed with pomegranate seed oil
due to its antioxidizing benefits with vendors promoting this blend
as an all-in-one serum both for skin and hair. Argan oil is also sold
without additives as a natural skincare and hair care product.
The increasing popularity of argan oil has prompted the Moroccan
government to plan for increased production: its aim is to increase
annual production from approximately 2,500 to 4,000 tonnes by
2020.
KHOL , KAJAL
SWAAK:
For whitening the tees and used for cosmetic
FACIAL
HAIR
BODY
FEET
WEDDINGS