She’s known about Argan oil all her life so who better than Gatley-based beauty herapist May Hamid to launch her own skincare brand?

Great British Life: May Hamid and her Fairtrade Argan productsMay Hamid and her Fairtrade Argan products (Image: Archant)

Behind every beauty brand is a visionary, someone with a passion for a product and May Hamid is no exception.

It was May’s desire to launch an Argan oil product that was not only 100 per cent pure but would be effective too.

Four years and thousands of pounds later, beauty therapist May, who lives in Gatley, now has a luxury Argan Liquid Gold range of products, certified Organic, 100% pure Argan oil, with the indulgent addition of 24 Carat Gold that recently won her a nomination in the Pure Beauty Awards.

She will also launch her 24 carat gold facials, at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester this year as well as provide facial treatments for private clients.

Great British Life: May Hamid and her Fairtrade Argan productsMay Hamid and her Fairtrade Argan products (Image: Archant)

Argan Oil is a plant based oil, produced from the kernels of the Argan tree that is indigenous to Morocco and although it only became popular as a cosmetic product in the UK this century, May had been brought up using it thanks to her father, Mustafa, who has a hair salon on Palatine Road, Chorlton.

‘My father had been selling Argan oil for more than 20 years but he wasn’t pre-packaging it, he was just giving it to his clients if they had any skin or hair problems,’ she reveals.

‘ I had always wanted to create my own skincare and as a beauty therapist I’d had clients who would say they’d purchased certain products and found they didn’t work, so it was important for me to formulate this skincare where people would tend to see the results.’

At 41-years old and the mother of five children aged from eight to 22-years-old May with her clear, unlined skin is certainly a brilliant advert for her own product.

‘I know some people prefer plastic surgery and injectables but I want something that works for my skin,’ she explains.

‘When I was in my 20s in Morocco we tended to sit in the sun I used to go on sunbeds a lot but I think the only thing that has protected my skin is the Argan oil. it was part of my culture to wear it. That’s why I think it’s very important my children use it too - and they do, Every day.’

Oil based products have only recently become popular thanks to the arrival of ‘dry’ oils which don’t make skin and hair feel and look greasy and Argan has been a beauty buzz word amongst the cognoscenti for quite a while now, but May acknowledges that the quality isn’t always there.

‘The oil was brought into the UK in 1968 so it wasn’t new but there was a massive taboo at that time about putting oil on your skin and on your hair,’ she explains.

‘People didn’t understand it, then when Argan oil came out in about 2000 I noticed a lot of these products weren’t a 100 per cent pure.

‘There were Argan oil shampoos and creams but they were diluted with other things. I also wanted to make sure that my oil was sourced ethically and so I became a licensee of Fair Trade Argan oil.’

It was a difficult journey as May had to juggle her career as a beauty therapist and motherhood with the development of her products but she did get some help and advice along the way.

‘I was trying to work as a therapist and trying to formulate as well as bringing up five children which was not easy. And I didn’t want to compromise. Quality is key but it was one of the biggest beauty consultants in the country, Tracey Woodward who inspired me.

‘I had always wanted to do it but I was a bit reluctant about when to start. Tracey is an amazing lady. She basically pushed me. She’s incredible in every way.’

May also found an expert formulator of products to help develop the range. The result is the Argan Liquid Gold range of 2 in 1 Foaming Cleanser, Nourishing Night Cream, Daily Moisturising Cream, Skin Renewal Exfoliating Cream. Multi-Tone BB (Beauty Balm) Cream and Argan Oil.

She’s included gold into the product not only to position it in the luxury end of the market but because of its amazing properties.

‘Not only does gold give you a glow but from the time of Cleopatra the minerals in gold have had an anti ageing effect,’ says May.

‘Combined with the Argan oil it’s the perfect balance for the skin.’ w

Argan Liquid Gold is available online at RRP: £65 - £135 arganliquidgold.co.uk