Global goods: Ingredients from around the world

Sourcing some of the beauty world's key ingredients
By Pamela Light

Local is lovely—think of freshly picked raspberries in your backyard last summer. But sometimes exotic is essential, especially when it comes to beauty. It’s not unusual for a company to go the extra mile, or thousands of miles in some cases, to find the right ingredient or product to ensure it’s providing the very best for its customers.

Morocco

Argan Oil
Although Berber women have known about this ingredient for centuries, argan oil is the new cutting-edge ingredient in North America’s beauty industry. Argan trees grow in the Southwest regions of Morocco and bear small, round fruit (similar to olives) containing a nut from which the oil is extracted. This ingredient is a super-antioxidant and UV inhibitor, infused with vitamin E, essential fatty acids, phenols and carotenes that moisturize and strengthen hair, thereby increasing elasticity. Lillian Sciara, vice-president of sales and marketing for Toronto-based First Lady Products, knows the impact that argan oil has had on the North American market. Her company distributes Marrakesh Oil products nationwide and she has watched them take off. A big favourite is Marrakesh Oil Light, a unique hair-care elixir that combines argan oil and hemp seed extract.

Brazil

Babassu Oil
Aveda is an excellent example of a company that has explored alternative products and found an ingredient that suits its needs and environmentally friendly philosophy. “The babassu nut is harvested in Brazil and the oil has almost identical properties to coconut oil,” says Tim Kapsner, a senior research scientist for Aveda. “However, the oil we buy is very unprocessed, which is what Aveda wants, and it’s certified organic. It’s a superior emollient and we use it in products that also have foaming and emulsifying properties.” Top-sellers that contain the oil include Smooth Infusion, Color Conserve and Shampure shampoos.

France

Seaweed
Repêchage produces an entire line of skin and body care products that are formulated with organic seaweed as the key ingredient. “Most of our products have seaweed in them,” says Shiri Sarfati, VP of sales and marketing for Sarkli-Repêchage Ltd. “Roughly 800 kinds of seaweed are harvested off the Brittany coast in France; we use about 15 of these in our products.” Because of the tide in this area, both its waters and seaweed are very unpolluted. Repêchage then processes its seaweed using a patented cold-microburst method called cryobroyage.

India

Indian Hair
Great Lengths is another example of a company that has established a strong presence in a developing country. The hair used for its extensions is purchased in India. Lillian Sciara, general manager for Great Lengths Canada, explains why. “The story of how the hair is obtained is quite intriguing. Young Indian women go to the temples in the country and sacrifice their hair to obtain blessings—perhaps they are getting married or coming of age. Great Lengths started purchasing this hair because it is very high quality and close to Caucasian hair in texture and movement.” Initially the hair was quite inexpensive but when the temples realized what an excellent commodity they had, prices soared. “Now it’s a big business for them,” says Sciara. “The hair is cut and bound immediately, with the top and bottom marked so that we always know the cuticle is running in the same way.”