"The purpose of this work is to preserve the argan tree, because it was in decline, " she said.

CNN: Morocco's 'liquid gold' liberates Berbers

Hammou pauses by a leafless argan and snaps one of its silvery twigs.

BBC: In search of a lost Moroccan oasis

Argan oil hasn't just improved the region's economic and social standing, Charrouf says it's played a vital role sustaining its ecology too.

CNN: Morocco's 'liquid gold' liberates Berbers

Besides the Argan tree's various human uses, UNESCO notes, it has had an historical role as a buffer against northern expansion of the Sahara desert.

CNN: Morocco's 'liquid gold' liberates Berbers

To address the issue, Dr. Colbert developed Illumino, an easily absorbed face oil with a blend of nutrient-rich ingredients like argan oil and borage seed oil.

WSJ: Maintaining the Gloss

One of these - a beauty oil made from Argan tree seeds - is quickly becoming all the rage among celebrities and high-end shoppers in the West.

CNN: This month on Inside the Middle East

Charrouf says that the new-found international popularity of argan oil -- which she describes as "liquid gold" -- has not only provided about 5, 000 jobs for Berber women across 170 co-ops, but also an important social lifeline.

CNN: Morocco's 'liquid gold' liberates Berbers

Best buys are babouches (traditional leather slippers), silver Berber jewellery, the famous blue-glazed Fassi ceramics, hand-sewn linen and cotton embroidery, Berber hendiras (traditional woven cloaks that make great wall hangings), argan oil (for cooking or in soap), saffron and other spices, brassware, and carpets of every type, style and quality.

BBC: Get lost in a Moroccan souq