First there was almond oil, then coconut came along and knocked it off its ‘skincare’ perch. Then there was Argan oil for luscious hair… and, now… wait for it, it’s Marula’s turn in the spotlight
Being touted as the latest beauty oil, due to the cocktail of ‘good’ ingredients it contains to combat ageing, Marula Pure Beauty Oil is a brand leading the way when it comes to harnessing the oil for its range of beauty products. While Argan was the darling of Morocco, Marula is mainly found throughout West Africa.
So what does it do and where does it come from? In short, with an extremely high antioxidant level, it is super effective at fighting the free radicals that cause premature skin-aging.
Marula Pure Beauty Oil uses sustainable practices in harvesting the nuts from which the oil is extracted.Other mass produced marula oils are obtained by crushing the entire fruit; skin, nut and kernal together, then extracting the oil using extreme heat and chemicals. This process, says the brand, kills the naturally-occuring properties, leaving residue behind and rendering the oil void of any effective skincare benefits. By contrast, Marula Pure Beauty Oil harvests from wild trees, and each Marula nut is also hand-cut, and only the purest blonde kernels are cold pressed with no heat or chemicals, ensuring a high-quality beauty oil.
Pure organic Marula oil, it turns out, is two times more hydrating than Argan oil and is incredibly powerful at delaying the onset of fine lines and wrinkles and it is because of this quality that the company – headed up by Dr. Ashton Kaidi, plastic surgeon – has utilised it in a range of skincare products as well as an innovative hair collection, too.
The Intensive Repair Shampoo, £25, for instance, revives dry and damaged hair – especially that which is over-coloured or locks which have been weakened by chemical processes. Put a 2p-size in your hands and massage gently through the hair. It gently foams and deep cleans as you massage. The price point is higher than many high street brands, but a little really does go a long way and when you see the results, you’ll appreciate the difference compared to the average shampoo.
Giving an intensive shot of moisture, hair is left super-manageable and noticeably shinier. Follow up with the Intensive Repair Conditioner, £25. It’s super rich, and repairs damaged hair. Both products contain no nasties, such as paragons or sulphates, and once you dry it, hair looks restored and healthy looking again.
Finally, my holy trinity of hair products is finished with the miraculous Deep Moisture Hair Mask, £24. Gosh this is good! The intense conditioning treatment helps rebalance the scalp, strengthens and restores essential moisture to dried-out and frazzled hair. Best of all it works within just five minutes (after all, who has time for wafting around in hair masks for half hour or more?). So wash hair and then comb it through at the start of your shower, particularly on the ends of the hair. Go about your ‘washing business’ and then rinse off. The reparative deep conditioner formula will leave hair with luminous shine and is a great emergency repair kit for in-between salon visits.
Lastly is this luxurious 3-In-1 Rejuvenating Eye Treatment, £45, one of the skincare line’s hero products. Packed with a powerhouse of goodies, it diminishes the signs of premature ageing – dark circles, fine lines and saggy lids. I’ve been patting this on, around the eyes, as part of my morning regime and it sinks in like a dream and firms, as well as giving instant relief to tight, tired eyes.
While I’m all for discovering great products for hair and skin, for me, the best part of discovering this brand is also hearing about its holistic approach to business. The exotic Marula tree is found mainly across West Africa and Madagascar – but it doesn’t ‘loot and run’ instead the company provides Fair Trade wages to Marula fruit collectors in Africa, which directly supports local women’s initiatives. What’s more, it also works to bring schools and other enriching programs to the communities with which they partner to harvest the oil. As I said, it’s good.
The collection is also available at QVC: qvcuk.com
