Our story
Inspired by my father
As a child, I enjoyed many magical holidays in the Atlas mountains of southern Morocco with my Berber family.
About me
Samira, founder of Kenzul Atlas
As a child, I spent many magical holidays in southern Morocco, in my father’s village of Taliouine. Ibrahim was a proud ambassador of his Berber roots. He was a knowledgeable man who could talk passionately about the history, traditions and local products unique to the Berber culture.
My father taught me all about the wonders of the argan tree and the liquid gold it produces.
The argan tree is special because it can only be grown in the southern region of Morocco, which has a unique ecosystem. That’s how I came up with the idea to do more with this.
As I learned more about the magic of argan oil, and its ability to provide a luminous, youthful glow, I decided to bring the world’s finest beauty oil to the West. The company was founded in 2014.
The name
Treasures from the Atlas
My father came up with the name Kenzul Atlas, which means ‘treasures from the Atlas’ in Arabic.
Authenticity is central to the Kenzul Atlas ethic: our logo embodies the rich culture of the Berber community, as well as the precious contents of the argan vials. It contains the yaz character (), which is the symbol of the Berber people.
From tree to bottle
Made the traditional way
A lot has changed since the launch of Kenzul Atlas in 2014. The first batch of argan oil was produced in Taliouine, using the traditional method of extracting argan oil from the argan nut. Since then the company has grown and demand has increased.
Kenzul Atlas Argan Oil is now produced in greater quantities in Agadir. It remains ethically sourced from the Souss Valley and certified organic.
How argan oil is made
- July–AugustThe argan fruit is harvested, then dried for around seven days
- 2 daysTo crack 1.5 kg of argan nuts by hand and extract the kernels
- 25–30 kgOf argan nuts to produce just one litre of argan oil
Giving back
We are committed to giving 5% of our profit directly to supporting the Hannan School.
The Hannan School provides schooling and hope to disadvantaged Moroccan Berber children in the village of El Borj, in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
Staying close to my roots
I am passionate about Morocco, its people, the beautiful country and staying close to my roots. Unfortunately, my father passed away in 2017. We were very close, and his passing had a deep impact on me.
Giving back is central to the company. In many of Morocco’s Berber villages, women earn an income by extracting and selling argan oil through local cooperatives for women, but we want to extend the transformative power of the oil further.
The Hannan School
Founded in 2002, the Hannan School is a UK charity set up to bring education and hope to the Amazigh (Berber) villages of El Borj and Assaka in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Their goal is to break the cycle of poverty through education.
So far, contributions have helped the school purchase land to build a modern, spacious school, and provide medicine, surgery and food to the poorest families.
Visit the Hannan School (opens in a new tab)
The oil
Pure Argan Oil
100% pure organic argan oil, cold pressed and unrefined, with no added chemicals or synthetic fragrances.