Reem Al Khalifa is the name behind Green Bar, an organic Bahrain-based skincare brand. Traveling the world in search of natural ingredients for her line, D’NA recently caught up with the globetrotting entrepreneur to talk about her latest trip to Morocco and the fabled city of Marrakesh.
I’ve always been passionate about plants and the role they play in the medicinal and beauty rituals of different cultures. I was also fascinated by apothecaries as a child, and even visited the “Hawwaj,” who is the traditional healer in Bahraini communities. I was curious about the different ingredients that went into many of the salves and ointments they used.
Years later when I became obsessed with yoga and Ayurveda, I began researching botanical oils and aromatherapy. In 2006, I decided to launch an organic skincare line called Green Bar, using natural ingredients from the Middle East and North Africa.
Travel plays a big role in the research and sourcing of new ingredients for my skincare line. I’m interested in how smells can invoke a sense of place, history and culture, and I’m particularly drawn to rose water, which has been used in both beauty rituals and the cuisine of the region for centuries. I decided to embark on a “Rose Tour” of North Africa and the Middle East. I discovered roses being cultivated outside Damascus, harvested in the Jabel Al Akhthar region of Oman, and a deeply aromatic variety in Isparta, Turkey. I wanted to capture the essence of these places in a bottle.
The latest leg of my journey took me to Morocco’s rose plantations in Ouarzazte as well as the souk’s of Marrakech. We flew into Casablanca at 11 pm, and continued on to Ouarzazte late into the evening. I was overwhelmed by the vast expanse of sky scattered with stars and the majestic Atlas Mountains in the distance.
Ouarzazte’s endless fields of roses and big sky had a calming effect on me. One of the highlights of my trip was being invited to the home of a rose farmer for a delicious four-course meal. Moroccans’ take their tea very seriously and our host served it with such ceremony, as if it were a sacred act.
While there we stayed at the Sultana Royal Golf, a luxurious Kasbah that felt like a friend’s well-appointed country home. Nestled in a one-hectare domain, it overlooks the Ouarzazate Lake and the Atlas Mountains. At its center is a beautiful swimming pool surrounded by a dreamy landscape of palm trees, mimosas, olive, bay and rose trees.
My first trip to Marrakech was also a magical one. This fabled pink city has had a long history of attracting creative souls in search of inspiration, and it’s not hard to see why Yves Saint Laurent, Franka and Carla Sozzani, and even Serge Lutens (the master perfumer) immersed themselves in its heady atmosphere.
The Palmerie on the outskirts of Marrakech, a mere 10 minutes by cab, is a verdant palm tree oasis with secluded riads and chic boutique hotels. We stayed at a little gem called Jnane Tamsna, which is surrounded by a botanical garden where the hotel grows its own organic vegetables. Lunch is served at an artfully arranged table, under a different tree, each day. Scattered throughout the property are secluded swimming pools and private cooking classes. It was difficult to pull myself away long enough to venture into the busy Madina.
There is also another face to Marrakech that is very cosmopolitan, with its blend of Arab and French influences. Yet it’s a mysterious city that doesn’t reveal its secrets immediately unless one knows which doors to unlock.
One such door in the heart of the Medina leads to Ministero del Gusto, an out-of-this-world shop/gallery. The brainchild of Italian design duo Fabrizio Bizarri and Alessandra Lippini (a former Italian Vogue editor), its rooms are filled with Eames chairs, snakeskin cabinetry, art and unusual objects amassed or designed by the owners. But the real gem is Alessandra’s enviable collection of vintage fashion that includes mint condition Pucci prints from the 60’s and Saint Laurent costume jewelry from the 80’s.
For the perfect evening we headed to Bo-Zin, which serves delicious Moroccan fusion cuisine with French and Asian influences. I fell in love with its outdoor lounge, nestled in a garden filled with bamboo and tall cacti. In the evening it’s lit with hundreds of candles; heightening its magical atmosphere.
Visit Green Bar to discover Reem Al Khalifa’s organic skincare line.
