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daportalpractitioner · 1 year ago

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Beauty Secrets from Morocco 🇲🇦🪔🌹

Hey girls, after my post on the secrets to the Arab princess scent, I decided to write this second post on more generalized beauty tips from Morocco (some are also used throughout the Maghreb and MENA regions). I've tried to include not just beauty secrets that are internationally known, but also tips that you wouldn't know unless you grew up in a Moroccan household or live in Morocco. This ended up being another long post so most of it is under the cut. Enjoy ~

Please reblog this version, as I tidied the post up quite a lot and added to it.

Argan Oil

Argan oil, or as some call it "liquid gold," is indisputably the most famous beauty secret from Morocco. It is rich in vitamin E and famous for making your hair incomparably soft, but did you know it has far more uses than just haircare?

🌹 Use argan oil not just on your hair but on your skin too. It makes your skin feel supple and evens out skin tone. It doesn't clog the pores either so it's suitable for people who suffer from acne. At the end of my skincare routine I always massage 100% pure argan oil into my face, also rubbing it on my brows and lashes as it strengthens them (use it at the end of your routine after moisturising as oil can penetrate moisturiser but moisturizer can't penetrate oil).

🌹 As well as facial skin, argan oil is also used on the full body and argan oil massages are available in the hammam. Argan oil has healing properties, particularly for stretch marks and improves the elasticity of the skin.

🌹 Argan oil for haircare should be massaged into the scalp and all over the hair before double washing, and massaged on the ends of the hair daily to prevent them breaking due to daily friction.

🌹 Buy pure argan oil, not brands like MoroccanOil or OGX. Few people in Morocco use those brands (tbh I think it's a fairly common part of the Moroccan diaspora experience to buy Moroccan Oil because of the name and then feel sorely disappointed because if you've used real argan products from Morocco you'll instantly know how low the concentration of argan eil in it is). Instead, buy real argan oil beauty products from Moroccan or Middle Eastern supermarkets or order it online. It's about the same price as the Western brands that have a much lower concentration of argan oil. Real argan is yellow-gold and smells nutty.

🌹 You can use argan oil to remove makeup

🌹 Strengthen your fingernails by dipping them in a bowl with 5tbsp of argan oil and 5tbsp of lemon juice for 10 mins, then massage the nails and hands, pushing the cuticles back. The argan oil strengthens the nails while the lemon juice brightens them (especially helpful if you just removed nail polish and your nails are discoloured).

Aker Fassi

Aker Fassi, a mix of powdered pomegranate rinds and dried poppies, commonly used as lipstick, has recently gained international attention. It is buildable and depending on how much you use can go from light orangey-red to deep red. It is rich in vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, helping to combat acne, fine lines, wrinkles, and irritation.

🌹 Use a mix of rosewater and argan oil to moisten aker fassi instead of plain water and olive oil, it feels more luxurious

🌹 You can use aker fassi not just as lipstick, but as a cheek tint, eyeshadow, face mask, hair rinse, body scrub, and body mask.

🌹Face Mask: Combine into a thick paste with rosewater, honey or yoghurt and leave on for 15-20 mins

🌹Hair Rinse: Combine with warm water and pour over your hair and scalp after shampooing, leaving on for a few minutes before rinsing. If your hair is light enough it will give it a subtle red sheen.

🌹Body Scrub: Combine with sugar and olive oil and gently scrub it on your body in circular motions.

🌹Body Mask: Combine with water and ghassoul clay to make a body mask which is left on for half an hour before being rinsed off.

Ghassoul Clay

Ghassoul clay is a volcanic rock sourced from the Atlas Mountains and is detoxifying, softening and cleansing. Rich in calcium, saponins, potassium and iron, it is most commonly used as a face mask and hair mask, but has other uses too.

🌹Face Mask: mix 1-2tbsp with orange blossom water or rosewater until it forms a smooth paste and leave on for 10-15 mins. Moisten the mask with floral water or face mist if it starts drying out as it should always be a bit damp.

🌹Hair Mask: Mix 3-4tbsp ghassoul clay with enough water or rosewater to form a paste and apply to damp hair, starting at the scalp and making your way to the ends of the hair. You can add aloe vera, argan oil, honey, or anything you want to make the treatment more nourishing. Leave on for 15-20 mins, preferably with a protective cap on to keep it moist, before thoroughly rinsing off with warm water and following up with conditioner.

🌹Detoxifying Bath: Add 1-2 cups of ghassoul clay to warm water to make a detoxifying bath

🌹Facial Cleanser: Add a tbsp of ghassoul to a litre of water, mix it until it foams and use it as a cleanser.

🌹Foot Mask: Make a thick paste with water and a few drops of essential oil (optional) and use it as a foot mask, leaving on for 15-20 mins before rinsing with warm water and moisturising.

🌹 Some women also like to infuse rose, lavender and cloves in boiling water and then combine it with ghassoul before applying it to the body or hair.

🌹 Make sure not to use metal tools to mix ghassoul clay as metal can react with it.

Nila Powder

Nila powder (also known as indigo powder) is brightening, soothing, and anti-inflammatory. Found in the Sahara desert, it protects the skin, while also cleansing it, evening out hyperpigmentation, reducing lines and large pores, and making it soft.

Face Mask: mix 1tsp nila powder with 2tsp yoghurt or honey. Add a few drops of rosewater and then apply the paste to your face for 10-15 mins.

Face Mask (another one): Mix 1tsp nila powder with 1tsp aloe vera gel and add a pinch of turmeric powder. Leave for 10-15 mins.

Hair Tint: Combine it with equal parts of henna and water and apply the mixture to your hair for 1-2 hours to tint your hair black or dark brown.

Body Mask: Mix 2tbsp nila powder, 1tbsp olive oil, and enough milk to form a paste. Leave on for 20-30 mins before rinsing to even out and brighten your skin.

Fashion

🌹 There's no such thing as too much jewellery if you're going to a special event. Go all out with those intricate dangling earrings and that layered necklace and those gold bangles and that bedazzled headband and that delicate anklet.

🌹 In Morocco women will commonly just throw a djellaba over their pyjamas in the morning to go to the bakery or market, so if you're having one of those days where you don't want to get dressed just throw on a loose, long dress, nobody will know.

🌹 Gandouras are the best nighties. They look so pretty with their jewel colours and embroidery, and they're also light and perfect for hot weather. They'll make you feel extra pretty when you're going to bed.

🌹 Get your clothes tailored if possible. When you buy clothes from shops in the qissaria, there will be a tailor there who will take your measurements after you try them on and make adjustments accordingly. Clothes look sooo much better when they're tailored to your body instead of straight off the rack

🌹 Gold embroidery on your clothes and shoes feels really delicate and pretty

🌹 Small silk or satin headscarves (foulard) are lifesavers when you're having a bad hair day

🌹 In some parts of Morocco it's common to embellish a foulard by hanging ornaments such as silver pendants, beads, and tassels from it.

Fragrance

🌹 Put some scented musk in a hanky, an unused bar of soap, or a sachet of potpourri or herbs in your drawers to make your clothes smell good

🌹 You can also use scented musk as a solid perfume (rub some on your pulse points), as a hair perfume (rub a small amount on your palms and run them through your hair), use it to perfume clothes by rubbing some on your clothes and scarves, add some to your bath for fragrant bathwater, and use it to perfume your home by leaving some in a bowl or using it like a wax melt.

🌹 Solid perfume made from natural ingredients can be used as a substitute for musk. I personally like Lush Rose Jam, it smells just like Turkish Delight.

🌹 You can also light bakhour (scented wood chips) or incense which as well as making your house smell good also permeates your clothes and hair

🌹 A few drops of essential oil (a light coloured one, not a dark one as that will stain your clothes) in your washing machine also makes your clothes smell amazing, like a bougie laundry detergent

🌹 Dried lavender is sprinkled under carpets to scent rooms

🌹 There's way more detail on this on the post I linked earlier, but ensuring your space smells good is a way of ensuring you smell good, because due to spending so much time there the smell will cling to your clothes and hair. If your home smells dingy, you'll smell dingy. But if it smells like lavender, you'll smell like lavender due to the fragrance in the air clinging to your clothes and hair. Which is why I include traditional ways we make our homes smell good in this post, as smelling good is a part of beauty and having a pleasant smelling living space is an oft forgotten but important part of that.

🌹 Applying attar (perfume oil) on your pulse points before spraying perfume will make it last longer.

🌹 Musk Al Tahara (white musk) is an especially popular perfume oil. Seen as purifying, it's traditionally used after a period, applied externally with a piece of cloth or tissue on the vulva. It smells like soft musk, vanilla and flowers.

🌹 As well as on your skin, attars can also be used in diffusers, and applied to cotton balls and left in the closet to scent your clothes and linens.

🌹 Gardenia is currently the most popular perfume scent in Morocco. Other popular scents include oud, neroli, amber, orange blossom, musk, jasmine and rose.

Skincare

🌹 Prickly pear oil isn't as well known as argan oil outside of Morocco, but it's three times higher in vitamin E than argan oil is (and argan oil is high in vitamin E). It's also high in vitamin K which helps reduce dark circles. It's ideal for plumping and firming the skin. You can moisturise your hair, face, under eyes, and nails with it. Just mix a few drops of prickly pear oil with a tsp of almond or olive oil and apply to your face, hands, and body. Or mix a tsp of olive oil, a tsp of honey and a few drops of prickly pear oil and use as a mask. I would recommend diluting it with another oil (although it can be used on its own) as due to pests decimating the crops and farmers not being able to keep up with demand, the price of it has become expensive. Usually in Arab markets in the West, prickly pear oil is sold under the name "cactus oil."

🌹 Rose oil is good for dry and irritated skin

🌹 Dried rose petals can be ground into a powder and mixed with honey or water to create a face mask

🌹 This is well-known in pretty much every country, but I'm including it because my Moroccan mother drilled it into me from a young age: don't forget your neck, decolletage, and hands when doing skincare! The skin in these areas is thin and they're often the first parts of your body to show signs of aging even before your face. Whatever you do to your face, do to your neck and decolletage during skincare, and reapply hand cream and SPF every time you wash your hands (personally, I apply SPF on every part of my body that shows).

🌹 Aloe juice or aloe gruel is applied morning and evening and face masks are made from a mix of aloe and honey. It's good to apply after shaving as it's soothing and non irritating. It's good for healing scars and feels refreshing.

🌹 Louban (frankincense) is ground into powder, then mixed with honey and rosewater and used as a face mask. It can also be added to a bowl of hot water and used as a facial steam, used in toner (add a few pieces of resin to hot water, let steep until the water is cool and slightly milky, strain and add to a spray bottle), and added to sugar, olive oil, and essential oil to create a body scrub.

🌹 Sulfur is used for fighting acne. Combine a small amount of sulfur powder with water or aloe vera gel to form a paste, applying to acne prone areas or individual pimples for 10-15 mins. Moisturise afterwards as it is drying.

🌹 Mint leaves can be steeped in boiling water so that the steam will open up your pores before cleansing. It is cooling and refreshing.

🌹Figs can be mashed up and mixed with a little sugar to create a gentle facial exfoliater. The enzymes in figs help remove dead skin cells and brighten the complexion.

🌹 Fig seed oil hydrates skin and helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

🌹Use egg whites as a face mask to tighten and tone the skin. It helps reduce the appearance of pores and leaves the skin feeling firm.

🌹 Mix saffron and honey to create a brightening face mask. Saffron has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, while honey is moisturizing and antibacterial.

🌹 Mixing a small amount of saffron or turmeric in with your face cream helps your skin glow

Full Body Skincare

🌹 Full hammam routines honestly feel healing as well as beautifying. A typical hammam routine will consist of laying in the sauna room to open your pores, leaving sabon beldi on your skin for a few minutes, an attendant or family member scrubbing your skin vigorously with a kessa glove, rinsing, applying a ghassoul clay mask to your hair and skin, and rinsing again. You can also get massages with argan oil or red ghassoul clay and full body treatments with tabrima in some hammams. And afterwards, you go to a different area and relax on a chaise loungue while adjusting to room temperature with peppermint tea and cold water.

🌹 Tabrima is a full body treatment made from herbs like henna, rosemary, chamomile, thyme, verbena, lavender, basil, rose, nila, and white ghassoul clay, which is moistened with rosewater or argan oil. It brightens skin, improves circulation, and reduces blemishes, scars, and hyperpigmentation. Gently massage in circles and then leave it on your body for 15 mins before rinsing off. You can also dissolve some of the herb mixture in a basin of water to use as a relaxing foot soak, mix it into a paste with water (or argan oil for a more nourishing treatment) and apply it on your hair and scalp, leaving on for 20 mins before washing out with shampoo, put some in a sachet and use it as a bath soak, or use it as a facial steam by adding some to a large bowl and pouring boiling water on top, holding your face over the steam for 10-15 mins. It's also common to combine it with sabon beldi.

🌹 Korean bath towels from Amazon do the same job as the kessa gloves we use in the hammam, they're the only exfoliating glove I've found that are as good (most physical exfoliaters are disappointing).

🌹 Sefidah (dried sea foam) is exfoliating and brightening. It's combined with plain water or rosewater and mixed until a paste forms. You massage the paste on your face in circular motions, avoiding the eye area before rinsing and patting dry. It can also be combined with an equal amount of sugar and enough argan or olive oil to form a thick paste to form a body exfoliater. It can be used in face masks too, combined with yoghurt or honey and applied for 10-15 mins, or used as a foot exfoliater by adding some to a basin of warm water, soaking your feet for 15-20mins and then scrubbing with a pumice stone. It can also be used to cleanse the scalp of excess oils, by combining with water and gently massaging the paste into your scalp, rinsing out with warm water after 10-15 mins.

🌹 Cowrie powder, made from ground cowrie shells, is also used in the same ways that sefidah is used. A face exfoliator can be made by mixing cowrie powder with water or rosewater, and a body scrub can be made from combining it with a few drops of olive or argan oil. A foot scrub is made by mixing cowrie powder with coconut oil until it forms a paste, soaking your feet in warm water for 10 mins to soften them up, and then slathering your feet with the paste, scrubbing gently. A brightening face mask can be made by combining cowrie powder with lemon juice and plain yoghurt to create a thick paste, and massaging a mix of cowrie powder with argan oil into your scalp before washing your hair promotes hair growth and stimulates blood flow.

🌹 Ground almond shells can also be used as a physical exfoliater.

🌹 Natural soap is the best soap. Sabon beldi (black soap) made of olive oil, crushed black olives, and sometimes a second oil like lavender or rose, is the best known soap in Morocco, but there's a whole world of natural soaps made from ingredients that have more benefits than just getting your skin clean, like sandalwood, milk and honey, chamomile, aker fassi, and charcoal. You should wash with natural soap and leave it to rest on your skin for a few minutes before rinsing off at least once a week.

🌹 Camel milk (or just whole cow's milk) can be used to soften and moisturise skin and is mildly exfoliating. Adding two cups of milk, one cup of honey, a cup of sea salt, 1/2 cup of olive oil, and some essential oil to a bath makes it feel really luxurious and is really moisturizing. Mixing equal parts milk and honey makes a good face mask. Mixing milk with egg or banana is nourishing for hair. Rinsing your hair with milk and leaving it for a few minutes before rinsing it out makes it softer and shinier. Dipping a cotton pad in milk and wiping it on your face helps cleanse impurities and dead skin. And combining milk with oatmeal creates a gentle exfoliating scrub.

🌹 Mhakka is a volcanic rock used similarly to a pumice stone. Use on your feet and other areas with rough skin like the elbows and knees, rubbing in a gentle circular motion.

Haircare

🌹 Shampoo brushes (small, round silicone brushes) are a non-negotiable part of hair care. You will find one in every Moroccan woman's toiletry bag. Massaging your scalp with them greatly reduces dandruff and stimulates hair growth.

🌹 Carob powder can be mixed with water to create a paste that strengthens and adds shine to your hair

🌹 In some parts of Morocco bordering Algeria, a long, thin piece of cloth or ribbon called a kardoune is tightly wrapped around damp hair in a low ponytail, starting from the top and tightly rolling until you reach the bottom. It prevents frizz and stops your hair getting tangled during the night. You can secure it using scrunchies or use hair oil beforehand. You can also slip your hair in a fluffy sock instead of wrapping ribbon around it if you want. This tip is more specifically Algerian, but I included it because there is some limited use of kardoune in Morocco among people who share a lot of culture with Algeria. And it's also just a good tip for preventing frizzy hair.

🌹 Fenugreek seeds are used for hair growth. The seeds are soaked overnight and ground into a paste, which is applied to the hair and scalp to boost growth and prevent dandruff.

🌹 Eating fenugreek also makes your natural scent sweeter and is said to help naturally enlarge breasts.

🌹You can use fennel seeds as a hair rinse by boiling in water, cooling, and using as a rinse that adds shine and smoothness.

🌹 Rosemary rinses improve scalp health and stimulate hair growth

🌹 Use cooled mint tea as a final hair rinse to add shine and reduce dandruff.

🌹 Combine eggs with olive oil or yogurt to create a mask that strengthens and nourishes hair. Apply and leave on for about 20 minutes before washing out. The protein in eggs helps repair damage.

For Skin AND Hair

🌹 Lavender oil is used to promote hair growth and help reduce scars. Usually it's used in its pure form but you can also mix it with almond oil before applying directly to the scalp, hair and skin (a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow also helps you relax before falling asleep).

🌹 Sweet almond oil is high in vitamin A and used to moisturise skin, nails and hair. It can be applied in its pure form or mixed with argan oil

🌹 Black seed oil reduces acne and strengthens hair

🌹Amlou (almond butter) is not just a delicious treat, but it's also used to nourish hair and skin, and as lip balm. The argan, honey, and almonds in it are all good for your skin and hair. It's easy to make: Roast 3 cups unpeeled almonds for ten minutes or until slightly brown and cracked, making sure to stir them occasionally to prevent over toasting, let them cool, blend in a food processor until smooth and creamy, and then mix with 1/2 cup honey and 1 cup argan oil.

Cosmetics

🌹 Kohl is a black powder that has been used as eyeliner since ancient times and is still popular today. Traditionally it is applied using a wooden stick. It can also be used to darken the eyelashes and eyelids.

🌹 Hare Moroccan Magic Lipstick is a popular colour changing lipstick which looks like a funky colour in the tube (like green or purple), but turns red when it makes contact with your skin. The colour is buildable and can go from light pink to terracotta red. It's moisturising as it contains argan oil. It also lasts for hours.

🌹 You can use a slice of beetroot to tint your lips and cheeks

Henna

🌹 If like me you live somewhere you can't easily get your henna done, order some henna and a henna stencil online for when those random urges to get henna hit

🌹 Mix henna powder with an acidic liquid like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to make it last longer

🌹 Henna can be used as a natural dye for hair and nails (it strengthens them too, and prevents dandruff).

🌹 Henna can also be used to tint eyebrows naturally.

🌹 Colourless henna can be used as a face and body mask as it leaves no stain

🌹 In most of Morocco floral henna designs are the most popular, but in Southern Morocco geometrical shapes are often drawn

🌹 Black henna is made by mixing henna with nila powder. It lasts longer than the usual reddish-brown henna.

Floral Water

Floral water like orange blossom and rosewater, as well as being refreshing, have many benefits for the skin and both are very common in Morocco.

🌹 Apply rosewater or orange blossom water after shaving to soothe irritation

🌹 Rosewater and orange blossom water are also commonly spritzed on the body after a vigorous scrub at the hammam.

🌹 Rosewater and orange blossom water are also good toners. Orange blossom water is a good toner for oily skin as it is mildly astringent

🌹 If your eyes are tired, soak two cotton pads in rose water or orange blossom water and place them on your eyes for a few minutes

🌹 Women often scent their hands with floral water after a meal

🌹 You can also keep floral water in a spray bottle and use it as a facial mist if your skin feels dry or tired throughout the day

🌹 Orange blossom water is a nice hair rinse. It adds shine and gives your hair a subtle fragrance.

🌹 Rosewater is used as a makeup remover, primer, and setting spray

Teeth

🌹 Souak/swak is the dried bark of black walnut, which comes in small brown strips wrapped around a rosewood branch. It's used as a natural toothpaste due to its antiseptic and whitening qualities. You can chew a scrap of it or rub it directly on your teeth and gums.

🌹 Chewing mastic gum also whitens the teeth and freshens breath

Hair Removal

🌹 Sugaring is a common form of hair removal. It's a way of waxing using natural products. Heat 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 cup lemon juice, stirring together over medium heat until it is golden brown and reaches a taffy-like or thick honey consistency. Let it cool down to a manageable temperature and use it immediately or store it for later. Apply a thin layer of the sugar paste on clean skin (optional: dust with cornstarch or baby powder first to make it adhere better), put a cloth strip over the applied sugar paste, and quickly pull off against the direction of hair growth. Then wash any residue off and apply aloe vera gel or a soothing lotion. It should be stored in a glass container in a cool, dry place without direct exposure to the sun. If the paste hardens or becomes too thick, reheat it by placing it in a bowl of warm water until it softens. Don't overheat it as this can reduce the effectiveness. You can reuse cloth strips by rinsing the paste off in warm water and then washing and drying them.

🌹 Turmeric paste helps weaken hair roots, making it easier to remove. Mix turmeric powder with water, milk, or yoghurt to form a thick consistency (honey and gram flour are optional). Apply a thin layer on the area you want to remove hair and leave for 15-20 mins. Once dry, gently rub off the paste in circular motions. This helps in exfoliating the skin and gradually weakens the hair roots. Rinse with warm water and moisturize.

🌹Threading, a common treatment in salons (although you can do it at home too) involves using a thin cotton thread and rolling it over areas of unwanted hair. It is very precise and removes even the finest of hairs. It is slightly painful, similar to tweezing.

Misc

🌹 Chaba/shabbi is an alum stone which is used as a natural deodorant. You moisten it lightly with water and rub on clean underarms. It can also be used to reduce acne and as an antiseptic for minor cuts and burns. It is an astringent so it may be irritating if you have sensitive skin.

🌹We use patterned silver or copper pots called stela to carry our toiletries into the bathhouse, and after unloading our toiletries, we use the stela to collect warm water from the faucets, which we pour all over ourselves.

🌹 Moroccans eat healthily. Although we do enjoy cookies, cakes, and sweets, a plate of treats would be shared among the whole family rather than one person bingeing the entire thing. Moderation of unhealthy foods is key. The Moroccan diet is also rich in fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, lean proteins like chicken and fish, whole grains like couscous and buckwheat, legumes, healthy fats like olive and argan oil, and lots of spices and herbs. So lots of vitamins, antioxidants, fibre, and collagen from food.

🌹 Moroccans tend to walk a lot. Walking to the bakery, market, to your friend's house, while doing housework, etc. It really is the best and most important form of exercise.

🌹Other popular forms of exercise include: swimming, surfing and beach volleyball in coastal areas, hiking and skiing in the Atlas Mountains, traditional dances like chaabi (belly-dancing actually isn't practiced a lot in Morocco despite the stereotype, it's Egyptian/Lebanese, but surely still good for you), horse riding in rural areas, and in cities gyms are popular, with aerobics, pilates, HIIT, spinning, strength training, dance fitness and yoga being particularly popular with women (my mum did aerobics and body building way back in the 80-90s so Moroccan women in gyms actually goes back longer than you'd think).

🌹You can buy many products in Moroccan, Turkish, Middle Eastern, and South Asian markets. Amazon carries some of them and Moroccan sellers on Etsy also do. Islamic shops (like the ones on Mosque grounds) sell bakhour and musk, as do perfume brands like Swiss Arabian and Al Qurashi. Marrakechology sells the major beauty products and scented musk. Zakia's Morocco sells beauty and spa products. iHerb sells a lot of oils, herbs, and soaps. Moroccan Elixir sells argan oil and prickly pear products. And of course Marjane, a large supermarket chain in Morocco, sells a wide variety of hygiene and beauty products.

That's all I have for now, hope you enjoyed ~

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