Alma Organic Oils

Habibti Magazine recently had the immense pleasure of sharing a healthy green juice with founder Alma Uribe Noor at her lovely home to discuss her journey in creating Alma Organic Oils.

Mexican-American, living between Bahrain and America, Alma is a mother to four children and credits the creation of Almas Organic Oils to her children.  However, her inspiration started much earlier.

Tell us how it all started:

Because my family is orientated towards alternative medicine, I grew up learning about herbs and organic methods. It was more of a lifestyle than a practice and this is why I’ve always been interested in organic skincare.

I bought my first book in 1992 and started making products at home for my children, such as detergent for their cloth diapers, making creams and shampoos with whatever natural ingredients I could find in Bahrain. From there on, I had friends asking me to make products for them.

I studied Computer programming and worked in the field for many years. In the midst of this time in my life, I continued to practice an organic lifestyle and never gave up on optimising the health of my family through natural remedies. When my children graduated high school, and moved to the United States I followed them and decided to take courses while I was there. Eventually I had pursued a professional accreditation in Botanical Formula and did extensive research in Chinese Medicine, The Art of Healing as well as Ayurvedic methods.

I then started to receive requests from people on recipes for certain skin conditions and decided to produce products that cater to general skin problems like acne, dry skin, oily skin, etc. I did not plan on making it a business as I was more interested in the benefit of their skin. However, after seeing the positive effect of my formulas I realised only way I could help more people is by establishing my passion into a business. We established the company in 2014 and have been successful ever since.

What is your product range?

There are currently seventeen products in our organic skin care line, however I plan on introducing more in the near future. Due to costly procedures, I am not able to launch too many products at the same time. Apart from the fact that I need to have my products FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved to gain credibility, it takes time to actually have the end product.

What is your personal favourite from the whole range?

I love all of them! But I would have to say the Lavender face serum and the Baobab face serum are my favourites. They are truly amazing.

The lavender face serum is great because of its ability to hydrate and moisturise, leaving your face looking young and fresh. It contains ingredients that stimulate the skin cells which in turn maintain the collagen in your face. A simple 3 droplets can last you the whole day!

On the other hand, the Baobab face serum works wonders for facial scars as well as sunspots. Baobab in general is a fruit rich in vitamin C which is good for clearing the skin. The serum also contains black cumin seed which has anti-inflammatory traits; with this combination, your skin will feel properly rejuvenated. I recommend the use of the Lavender face serum in the morning and the Baobab serum at night because of the effects it provides the skin.

I don’t use heat or any form of extreme temperatures on the oils because it eliminates the natural active compounds that are essential in feeding your skin.

What is your advice to achieve a healthy glow and good skin?

I am a strong believer in “you are what you eat”. It’s important to understand the pH balance within your body. Easy practices that can help alkaline your body include drinking warm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice first thing in the morning and later drinking a green juice. Consuming raw organic fruits and vegetables are essential in revitalising the organs in the body the same way my oils feed and enhance the rejuvenating process of the skin. You must also have a regular skin care routine that includes face wash, face toner, a mild exfoliator to rid the excess dead skin on the surface of your face and finally moisturise with the oil.

I don’t personally use foundation or much make up in general and its truly because my skin is clean, radiant and equally toned due to the use of my products.

What are the best preventative measures for wrinkles and dull skin as you start to get older?

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. Keep your skin hydrated all the time. It is a good idea to invest in face masks as they are very beneficial. We have a Dead Sea Firming mask that you can use on a daily basis or even once a month. Because it contains grapefruit and juniper essential oil, these are oils that have natural acids that tighten and firm the skin cells. The mask also has three different types of mud like Bentonite, Rhassoul Clay, mud from the Dead Sea. These muds are extremely nourishing for the skin and have been used by ancient civilisations for beauty and skin care.

How often should we exfoliate our skin?

Everyday, if you are using a mild exfoliator. We have an excellent honey face scrub that is very nutritious for the skin.
The exfoliation is with honey, poppy seeds and cinnamon, and the hydration is through mango and orange butter. It’s suitable for all skins, except acne skin.

What is your favourite beauty quote?

“Feed your skin, like you feed yourself.” The skin is the largest organ in your body and just like you eat healthy, you should use healthy ingredients on your skin. A good example would be my deodorant. As with all my products I put a lot of thought into them and with this deodorant I decided to use lemon grass essential oil which is known for its ability to make you feel happy due to the stimulation of endorphins in the body and also carry anti-stress attributes. I also use probiotic in this specific product which acts as natural immune system booster. Without having to take capsules or pills you can absorb all the probiotics you need using this deodorant.

Can everyone have a go at mixing essential oils?

You have to know what you are working with, for instance you have formulations where if you mix two organic products, they cease to be organic. So you have to know what essential oils blend well with what carrier oil, in order to them organic

Avoid mixing oils together yourself at home. Instead, use them separately during the day. By mixing oils yourself, you may alter the formula.

In the third layer of our skin, we have cells called langerhan cells, anything that comes in contact with your skin, they absorb it and if its something nutritious they move it to the blood stream. But whenever there is something they don’t have a function for, it goes straight into your lymphatic system. It’s like a trash can where the toxins are supposed to be put. So these kinds of ingredients that are mixed, they become something else and can end up in the lymphatic system. What happened when the trash can is full? You start getting sick. In a product, more doesn’t necessarily mean better.

Almas Organic Oils are available at:

Mimo Space, Al Aali Mall Bahrain
Showcase, Riyadat Mall, Bahrain

Online: www.almasorganicoils.com
Instagram: @almasorganicoils