Long before the modern lip tints and multi-use lip sticks took over the beauty market, Moroccan women used Aker Fassi to render a natural flush to their lips and cheeks. 

The term literally translates to “Lipstick of Fez” and is historically associated with the city of Fès, which is the cultural heartland of Morocco. The pigment’s roots can be traced back to the ancestral beauty traditions of the region when natural plant botanicals were used in both ceremonial beauty rituals and daily self-care. 

Traditional Aker Fassi is made of two primary ingredients: poppy petals and pomegranate peel. Once the poppy petals reach their maturity, they’re harvested and sun-dried to preserve their natural red pigment. It is then finely grounded into a smooth powder. Dried pomegranate peels are then ground together with the powder to form the rich pigment. 

This finely milled powder is then baked into the insides of small, handmade clay pots. To activate the pigment, the user simply needs to wet their finger with water or rose water and rub the inside of the pot to create the stain.

Despite its ancient origin, Aker Fassi fits remarkably well into the modern beauty landscape. The current preference for sheer colour, blurred lips, and naturally flushed cheeks makes this long-lasting stain feel less like a historic relic and more like the original blueprint for modern lip and cheek tints.