We love a good cause, especially one that produces gorgeous smelling soaps and skin-nourishing oils.
Sarah Chayes has been living and working in Kandahar, Afghanistan since 2001, when she covered the fall of the Taliban for National Public Radio. After deciding to leave journalism to help rebuild the shattered country, she started Arghand, a cooperative in the former Taliban stronghold, producing natural skin-care products from local fruits, nuts, and botanicals. The aim: to discourage opium production by helping farmers earn a living from licit crops.
The cooperative produces seven different lines of hand-molded soaps which resemble polished lumps of marble. Some are scented with wild rose, apricots or pomegranate seeds (long famous in the region); others are colored using licorice or walnut husks.
Our favorite: the pomegranate juice soaps and oils whose skin-nourishing virtues are unparalleled.
