Shoppers can count on Essenza in Fremont for exquisite jewelry, refined kids’ stuff and candles, perfume and skincare from the finest lines, including Diptyque, Fresh and now, Kahina Giving Beauty, an organic argan oil-based luxury skincare company that helps protect and support the community from which it originates, the Berber women who run the argan oil co-ops in Morocco.

Argan oil, which comes from the nut of a tree that grows only in the region, has been used for centuries by Moroccan women to protect themselves from the harsh desert sun. It is rich in vitamin E and is a powerful, natural anti-aging tool, minimizing the appearance of wrinkles and reducing inflammation. Kahina is the name of a North African Berber queen and prophetess who reigned in 700 AD, and the graphics on each of the bottles is an amalgamation of the signs or signatures of the Berber women whose work goes into each Kahina product.

In addition to being an amazing product line, Kahina gives 25 percent of all profits back to the women of the oil co-ops, providing support for the women who are reliant on argan oil for their livelihood. 

The line includes a full regimen of facial products, from toning mist to antioxidant mask. Prices start at $36 for a bottle of pure argan oil, which can be applied to everything from hair to face to nails.