Dubai: A beauty treatment practiced by Bedouins for centuries will come out of the Arabian desert as a Dubai company plans to launch camel milk-based cosmetics, XPRESS has learnt.
Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Products (EICMP) the world’s first commercial producer of camel milk, which owns the Camelicious brand, is ramping up capacity from 5,000 litres of milk per day to supply Europe’s high-end cosmetics firms besides its own chocolate-making arm Al Nassma Chocolates LLC, a company official said.
The move follows EU certification allowing imports of commercial quantities of camel milk and its by-products into Europe.
Bedouins have been known to use camel milk to provide protection from the harsh desert sun, but commercial quantities of camel milk were not available until a few years ago.
PREMIUM COSMETICS
“We’re picking and choosing only premium cosmetics makers in Europe, not mass-market producers of beauty products,” said Kirsten Lange, director of communications at EICMP.
Bathing in a tub full of camel’s milk is believed to be one of Cleopatra’s beauty secrets. Camel milk has kept Bedouins healthy despite their harsh environment, and studies in India show that regular consumption of camel milk reduces the need for insulin injections by diabetics.
“The vitamin C found in camel’s milk provides antioxidants, and the fatty acids in the camel milk help protect human skin,” said Lange.
“This milk is a spring of beauty and well-being and contains many substances that help fight wrinkles — such as lanolin, a natural moisturiser, providing a soothing effect on the skin.”
EICMP, which first marketed its products in 2006, is the world’s first and only camel farm engaged in large-scale milk production.
The Dubai camel-milk facility is located on a sprawling farm off Dubai-Al Ain road that has come about after 25 years of research at the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL).
The lab started with a small number of camels to obtain scientific proof of the health benefits of camel milk. Today, EICMP’s farm has 3,000 camels, to which another 400 will be added this year. “We can’t keep up with the existing demand,” said Lange.
Al Nassma Chocolates LLC, its sister concern based in Dubai Silicon Oasis, produces 100 tonnes of premium camel milk chocolates per year – mainly exported to Japan, EU, the US, other Gulf countries. It is also sold through the UAE’s five-star hotels and top malls.
Despite the increase in production capacity, camel milk remains a rare commodity — each lactating camel produces only about 7 litres of milk daily for up to 16 months (a “super cow” can produce up to 35 litres per day).
