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Prickly Pear: The Green Gold of Moroccan Spas
This thorny fruit has always been a quiet treasure of the Moroccan landscape. Its skin benefits have been passed down through generations, from the hands of Berber women to the treatment tables of the most discerning spas. True to this tradition, Belmés Profissional has made prickly pear one of its flagship ingredients, at the heart of its professional treatments for spas, hammams, riads and hotels in Morocco and France.
By the Belmés Profissional team
What is prickly pear?
Also known as sabra in Arabic, or aknari in Amazigh, prickly pear comes from the Opuntia ficus-indica cactus, a resilient plant that grows in the arid and semi-arid regions of Morocco. Behind its formidable spines lies a fruit rich in water, vitamins and antioxidants. But what draws cosmetic formulators from around the world today are the tiny seeds found inside this fruit — from which an oil of exceptional rarity and efficacy is extracted.
An ancestral harvest, a rare ingredient
The prickly pear harvest takes place mainly between July and September, in the south-eastern provinces of Morocco: Agadir, Tata, Guelmim. Local growers use traditional techniques passed down through generations, picking the fruit by hand wearing thick gloves to protect against the spines.
What makes prickly pear seed oil so precious? It takes more than a tonne of fruit to produce a single litre of pure oil. Each seed is separated by hand, sun-dried, then cold-pressed to preserve all of its properties. It is this lengthy and rigorous process that makes it one of the rarest and most sought-after vegetable oils in the world — and one of the most powerful ingredients Belmés incorporates into its professional formulations.
Why luxury spas are embracing it?
Prickly pear seed oil concentrates everything a wellness professional looks for to deliver visible results to their guests:
Powerful anti-ageing — It is one of the oils richest in natural vitamin E (up to 1000 mg/kg). It stimulates collagen production, improves skin elasticity and visibly reduces fine lines after just a few sessions.
Deep hydration without greasiness — Its dry, lightweight texture absorbs immediately into the skin. Ideal for face and body treatments in spa protocols, it leaves no sticky residue on the treatment table.
Soothing and repairing — Rich in phytosterols and omega-6 fatty acids, it reduces redness, soothes sensitive skin and accelerates skin repair. Perfect after an intensive scrub or hammam session.
Suitable for all skin types — Dry, combination, mature or sensitive skin: prickly pear oil adapts to every guest profile, making it a versatile ingredient for any spa menu.
Prickly pear in Belmés professional treatments
At Belmés Profissional, we use prickly pear seed oil in several products across our range, specially formulated for professional establishments:
Face Scrub — Our gentle exfoliant incorporates prickly pear oil as its main nourishing active ingredient. It combines light mechanical exfoliation with anti-ageing care in a single protocol, ideal for express face treatments in the spa.
The Radiance Elixir — A concentrated treatment designed for brightening protocols, enriched with prickly pear for a visible result from the very first application. Your guests leave with skin that is radiant and visibly plumped.
Huile de Figue de Barbarie Pure — Disponible en flacon professionnel, elle peut être utilisée seule ou intégrée dans vos protocoles maison. En massage visage, en soin contour des yeux ou en finition après enveloppement corps, son effet est immédiat.
Incorporating prickly pear into your spa menu
Here is how our professional clients use this ingredient in their establishments:
Ritual Cactéa Pro: A 4-step facial: floral water cleanse, prickly pear scrub, hydrating mask, finishing with pure oil. Duration: 45 min. Result: even skin tone, visibly plumped skin.
Hammam protocol add-on: After the black soap scrub and rinse, apply a few drops of prickly pear oil to the face and décolleté to seal in hydration. A simple gesture that elevates the experience and justifies a premium price point.
Anti-ageing body treatment: Combined with our Chocolate Body Wrap or our Sugar & Honey Scrub, prickly pear oil is applied at the end of the protocol to nourish and reveal the skin. Your guests leave with skin that feels truly transformed.
Order your professional prickly pear range
Looking to incorporate prickly pear into your establishment's treatments? Belmés Profissional offers a complete range in professional formats, tailored to the order volumes of spas, hotels, riads and hammams in Morocco and France.
Contact our team to receive your catalogue and a personalised quote.
"Si vous cherchez à compléter votre protocole corps, sachez que l'huile d'argan professionnelle reste la base de massage la plus polyvalente pour spas et hammams."
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