BASF celebrates 10th anniversary of Argan program in Morocco with new ingredient

Argassential is the new offering and BASF claims it improves skin firmness and increases the volume of the lips and cheeks, restoring facial proportions.

According to the German firm, clinical studies have demonstrated that in a concentration of 2% Argassential has a plumping effect on the lips, with volume increasing by 8%.

The same dose also improved the skin’s firmness and elasticity (both up 13%) compared to a placebo.

Argan program​

The launch of the new active comes after the company also celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Argan program in Southern Morocco, in which the sustainably sourced argan oil and its by-products are supplied to BASF under fair-trade conditions.

Since 2005, three ingredients from the program have been commercialised: an organic and fair-trade certified oil (Lipofructyl Argan), a skin-tightening protein extract from oil cakes (Argatensyl), and an anti-aging extract from the leaves of the argan tree that protects the skin from environmental factors (Arganyl).

Originally, the Argan program was designed to study the argan tree and valorises the oil and its by-products, while diversifying the revenue of the cooperatives and fostering preservation of the argan forest by the local population.

For this purpose, BASF partnered with a network of six oil processing cooperatives from the region of Agadir, called Targanine, commercialising the first products in 2005, and then focusing on improving sustainability.

“Our local partners have consistently achieved greater levels of autonomy and sense of social responsibility,”​ says Charlotte d’Erceville Dumond, the responsible R&D Manager at BASF.

“They are now sourcing high-quality argan oil. This in turn enables us to develop first-class ingredients for our customers and – ultimately – consumers, who are increasingly demanding products based on raw materials from renewable sources.”​

Social and economic​

Between 2005 and 2015, the number of cooperative members involved in argan oil production has increased sixfold and group turnover has risen by 875%.

Now, 1,000 women from rural areas are working in the cooperatives, marketing 16 different products in total, including by-products, botanical and essential oils, and bee products.

50% of the price paid by BASF for oil cakes and pulp is allocated to social funds within the cooperatives; so far, this money has been spent on schemes such as literacy programs and health related initiatives.