Soap Stones

Why am I showing you a photo of stones?

Actually these are not stones.  This is soap made to look like stones.  

These are Arghand soaps made from blends of oils that are extracted from hand harvested plants that grow naturally in Afghanistan.  

These raw materials have been used for centuries to protect and nurture skin.  Can you just imagine the fragrance of soap made with almond oil, grapefruit seed extract, pomegranate seed oil and coconut seed oil?  No preservatives or unnatural ingredients are used in the production of the soap.  

The soaps are made to look like river stones by hand-forming, adding natural dyes and then hand-milling and polishing.  

Sarah Chayes, the founder of Arghand, left her journalism career with NPR in 2002 to remain in Afghanistan and help rebuild the country.  Chayes had the idea of taking the glorious and abundant produce of Afghanistan and creating 100% natural body and bath products for export.   Arghand's goal is to create a viable economic alternative to the opium production, the major industry in Afghanistan.  100% of the profits from Arghand are returned to the cooperative in Kandahar.  

Beside soap, other body oils, balms, and lotions are available.  Click here to shop the site or find retailers.   Click here to read some of the press that Arghand has garnered. 

I really like the idea of supporting this endeavor.  I think I'll order some soap for myself and some to give as gifts.  I've read that the Essence of Rose face cream is fantastic so I may have to try that as well.