It is fast becoming a trend in which the superficial side of beauty products to heed to meaningful missions of social justice. Some may find it contradictory for vanity to coincide with human rights; yet nowadays an influx of “green,” “fair trade” and other similar labels are popping up across beauty lines to no avail.

Enter Kahina Giving Beauty, a beauty company named after the Moroccan Berber queen who apparently embodies the concept of female empowerment. Founded on the vision of Katherine Phillips L’Heureux, Kahina Giving Beauty products contain organic ingredients and are created by Moroccan women who live in cooperatives and work to extract oil from argan tree nuts and receive 25% of the products’ proceeds. L’Heureux relies on common denominator logic to explain the philosophy of Kahina: “women helping women through shared beauty rituals.” These Berber women additionally benefit from literacy programs available on-site. The unique “mark” of these Berber women stands to remind the products’ users of their humble origins, as each label includes the signature of one such Berber woman positioned to benefit from this opportunity for newfound economic and social freedom.

Kahina’s Travel Basics kit includes facial cleanser, facial lotion, and argan oil. The facial cleanser has a pine-y scent and feels gentle on the skin. The lotion similarly has an authentic but not-entirely pleasant scent. Finally, the argan oil itself is a viscous liquid made easy to apply by way of a dropper applicator designed with an angled, rounded tip. The argan oil is multifunctional, as Kahina recommends it be used to hydrate skin, restore shine and alleviate frizzy hair among other beneficial outcomes.

Simply designed and clearly carefully executed, Kahina Giving Beauty offers a refreshing perspective on the meeting of inner and outer beauty.

Jessica Stein