Here’s the thing: When we were writing the book, a certain amount of divide-and-conquer was required in order to properly test out products.

I quickly fell in love with coconut oil; Siobhan not so much. Instead she became the resident evangelist for argan oil, and once she discovered Kahina Giving Beauty, she was in love.

I am not a seasoned argan user (though when I visit Siobhan you can’t keep my mitts off her Kahina!), so I was pretty excited to receive a bottle of Amal Organic Argan Oil and put this Moroccan elixir to the test.

After a few months of use now, I can see what all the fuss is about. The Amal has a pleasant nutty smell, feels great, absorbs quickly, and seems to be keeping my skin nicely balanced and hydrated.

Another bonus? At $35 for a decent-sized bottle ($28 if you help do a little social networking for them) it’s the most affordable argan we’ve come across so far. When I asked the owner, Jalila Bouchareb (pictured above), how she was able to keep the price down she chalked it up to an efficient production system, and to the network she’s been able to establish in Morocco as a native herself. She also emphasized the philanthropic part of the business.

“The main goal of Amal Oils is to donate a portion of profits back to the women cooperatives to give them the income, healthcare and education that they need for themselves and their families and to help preserve the argan forest,” said Bouchareb.

So if you’ve been wanting to try argan but have been deterred by price, Amal is a great option. And in the winter, everyone needs the extra hydration, am I right?

Have you tried argan oil? What’s your experience been?

Images via Amal’s site