Beauty Out of Africa

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More of the Magic of Black Soap

I received many inquiries about the origins and uses of  of West African Black soap at a soap conference last week, so I am republishing a blog article that ran a few months ago.

Origins

Black Soap, Ose Dudu or Alata Samina is a true West African Soap. Black soap has it's origins among the Yoruba in Nigeria, but receives more widespread use and production among the Ghanians.

Legend has it that the black soap was introduced to Ghana many years ago, by Yoruba traders doing business in Ghana. These traders were women and many were in the business of selling tomatoes and peppers. They were called the Alatas (Pepper Sellers). Samina is an Akan word for soap. The word Alata Samina, coined by Ghanians, means 'The Pepper Traders Soap'.

What is Black Soap

Black soap is a dark colored cleansing bar. It is soft and porous and dissolves faster than most cold press soaps. Black soap produces a very rich lather and gives the skin a clean soft feel. Many users claim that Black soap clears up acne, eczema, blemishes and discolorations. Black soap is 100% natural, Organic and Vegan in origin and process.

Varieties of Black Soap

The color varies from jet black to light brown depending on the ingredients used in making the soap. The basic ingredients used in black soap are Shea Butter, Red Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Roasted Plantain Skins, Roasted Cocoa Pods. Other additives like Agoa bark, scents and other oils are optional. The darker soaps tend to have more of the roasted plantain skin in the ingredients. The oxidation from the plantains make the soap bar darker. For a lighter bar more roasted cocoa pods are used. Black soap does not contain conventional lye, however the ash from roasting the plantain and cocoa pods are the local equivalent of lye that are used in the saponification process.

Who Uses Black Soap?

In spite of it's African origins, black soap is suitable all ethnicities and works especially well for troubled acne prone skin.

Where to Buy it

Black soap is sold in bulk bars that can be cut into smaller bars or you can buy our individually wrapped bath size bars. See our selection of black soaps.  These soaps are available in wholesale quantities for reselling online or at local farmers markets

Some Uses of black soap

1. Cleansing bar for face and body


2. Face mask for acne prone skin


3. Skin Brightening and removal of blemishes


4. Shampoo bar


5. Can be re-batched into a cold press bar

We welcome comments and suggestions on you experience using Black soap.

Why Shea is Important to Women

I am attending the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild in Miami this week and I'm struck by the similarities that exist between the women who produce  shea butter in Africa and the women soap makers who will be buying the shea butter to make their soaps, creams and lotions. Both women work with their hands to craft beautiful nourishing products that enhance the lives of others, but that is where the similarities end.

The typical shea producer in Africa is a woman who works on a farm with her  husband and co-wives. She does not own any property and the proceeds from the farming work belong to the husband to be shared at his discretion.

The beginning of the Shea season marks a special time in the life of women who live in the shea belt. It is the time they get to make their own money. Shea Butter is called Women's Gold in many shea communities because the proceeds from the shea trade allow women to make money and they get to decide how it gets spend.  Typically most these monies are invested in the education, clothing and feeding of their children.

During the shea season women are known to be up and out as early 4:00 am in the morning picking nuts and transporting them back to the their compounds to be processed. After picking they ready themselves to go with their husbands to the farm to work a full day. Somewhere in the midst of the all the demands,  she will find time to boil, dry, crush and process the nuts into shea butter.

Shea Butter is used in various amounts in beauty products as an emollient with powerful healing properties. Many women in the West love shea butter because of the great benefit it imparts to the skin. Shea butter is important to African women because it creates  economic opportunities. Research shows that by lifting women out of poverty through enterprise, the lives of the children and community as a whole improve.   Creating awareness of the benefits of natural unrefined shea butter produced by the women in West Africa, has the potential of lifting women out of poverty.

A case of the Dead Bee in the Honey

The issue of consistent quality in shea butter production was a hot topic at the 2011 Global Shea conference in Accra. For many years large multi-national companies have preferred to purchase shea nuts instead of shea butter from the African producers.

The buyers of nuts claim that the quality of butter produced in Africa is inconsistent and does not meet the quality standards needed to produce cosmetic or food products. As a result, hundreds and thousands of tons of shea nuts are shipped from Africa to Europe and Asia where they are processed and refined for the use in other products.

The sale of shea nuts produces very little economic benefit to the women when compared to the sale of shea butter. Women who are engaged soley in business of selling shea nuts continue in a cycle of poverty. They sell their shea nuts to middle men for a pittance, the middlemen then resell the nuts international buyers.

In order to improve the quality and consistency of shea butter in Africa, companies must be willing to invest in training the shea producers at the grass roots level.

A representative from Benin (I believe) gave a wonderful analogy about the gap in quality perspectives between local producers and the international buyers. He said that in some communities a sign that you are getting authentic, high quality honey is based on the presence of a dead bee in the honey.  Honey producers strive to ensure there is a dead be or two in the honey to convince buyers of the authenticity of their product.

Now if this honey producer follows this train of thought and produces what he considers to be the best honey for an international buyer, he will be sure to lose the business. Dead bees in honey do not have the same seal of authenticity in the international market. Dead bees mean that the quality of the product is inferior.

As Africans who live in the West, we understand this problem all too well. We realize that in order to help the local women who labor to produce shea butter find a consistent market for their product, they need to be trained and sensitized to what the market wants.

This shea season Shea Radiance we will be spending several weeks training and working closely with cooperatives in Niger state. With training support from Thompson Ogunasanmi and the GIZ team  and the provision of locally manufactured technology, we will be teaching women how to add value to their labor by producing the best quality shea butter.

A New Executive Committee for the Global Shea Alliance

More than 120 members of the Global Shea Alliance voted for a new Executive Committee at Shea 2011.

Eugenia Akuete, the CEO of Nasaakle Limited, a Ghanaian shea exporting company, was elected as the GSA's President. Learn about the election process here and read the bios of the Executive Committee page.

Left to right: Santosh Pillai - EC Member; Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi - EC Member; Mamounata Velegda - EC Member;Eugenia Akuete - President; Mamatou Djiré - Vice President; Kadijatou Lah - EC Member; Peter Stedman - Vice President

Beauty Out of Africa - Showcasing African Shea Butter in Milan

Naturally pure and unrefined shea butter featured prominently at the in-cosmetics show in Milan Italy. Located at the Shea Alliance booth, attendees from all over the world stopped by to inquire about business opportunities around natural shea as raw material and distributorship opportunities with finished shea products.

Customers looking for the latest beauty products swarmed the Shea Alliance booth admiring the soaps, lotions, balms and massage candles made with pure shea butter.

Shea Radiance enjoyed opportunities to interface with potential customers from Korea, Taiwan China, Turkey, New Zealand and Brazil. Interest in distribution of the Shea Radiance brand throughout Europe, the far and Middle East has great potential. Another phenomenon we experienced was the openness of several cosmetic scientists to consider natural shea butter as a raw material in their product formulations and development. Many cosmetic scientists have believed wrongly for many years that formulating with unrefined shea butter would make the finished product unstable. We were able to show several creams and lotions featured by members of the Alliance that are formulated with unrefined shea butter and have maintained stability.

Preparing for in-Cosmetics, Milan

I am in the last phase of packing up for In-Cosmetics in Milan Italy. I have to confess that preparing for an international show can be a little daunting. Displays, brochures, product samples, plane tickets and hotels just to name a few of the host of details that need to be taken care of.  Even more importantly, I have to make sure everything on the home front is organized before I take off. This is our first show outside of the US and I will be exhibiting solo.

For a small company, doing foreign shows are expensive but they offer an opportunity to expose our business to the global market place. You can see some of our preparation photos on Flickr

Shea Radiance was invited by the USAID West African Trade Hub to be part of the Global Shea Pavillion at the show. Staged annually in spring in a major European city, In-Cosmetics brings together the world’s leading cosmetics suppliers, R&D productionand marketing specialists and showcases the most diverse range of innovative cosmetics ingredients and services.

The purpose for the Global Shea Booth is to

• Promote West African shea butter as an important cosmetic ingredient at a show that is well attended by importer/distributors (as exhibitors) and buyers (cosmetic formulators, manufacturers) from across the globe.


• Discuss issues and problems facing the shea butter industry and how those issues might be best addressed.

If you are in Milan next week please be sure to check us out at:
Fiera Milano, Halls 1 & 3
Strada Statale Del Sempione 28
20017 Rho, Milan
Italy

Effective Beauty Rituals

The use of natural based products for maintaining skin are highly recommended. Natural products are more effective and gentler to the skin and the environment.  Quality natural products are within reach even in your kitchen cupboard.

1. Cleanse Skin Gently – Avoid harsh soaps and cleansing products especially on your face.  Try cleaning your face with natural oils like olive oil. Massage your face with olive oil and then wipe off with a warm moist cloth. Natural soap bars are also gentle on the skin because they are filled with great oils like shea butter and natural glycerin.


2. Exfoliate -  When you clean away the dulling layer of dead cells your skin starts glowing again. You can make your own exfoliants using locally obtained camwood powder (red osun). You can make a scrub paste with camwood and shea butter or olive oil. Gently massage into skin and allow to dry as a mask.  Wash off with warm water.  Other scrubs can be made using salt or sugar combined with shea butter and other nourishing oils.


3. Moisturize – Light oils are great for the skin. Moisturize while the skin is still damp to lock in the moisture. Ultra rich creams with shea butter and other nourishing oils are especially good during the dry weather.


4. Protect – Always use a sunscreen to protect skin against the harsh UV rays. Even for those naturally endowed with the protective powers of  melanin still need to use sunscreen. The damaging rays of the sun can cause premature aging and dull the skin. The sun can also cause discoloration and patchiness to the complexion.

Beauty begins on the inside

We all want beautiful radiant skin. We spend millions of dollars on beauty products and exotic treatments with the hope of achieving and maintaining beautiful skin. The key to beautiful skin is simpler than you think. The following are a few time proven  but  much overlooked keys to unlocking your skins natural beauty.

Beauty begins on the inside. How we feel and what we eat affects our skin.

1. Avoid or at least reduce stress - I know this is easier said than done. As women, wives and mothers trying to make sure the needs of our family, job and social obligations are met, it is easy to overload our systems with stress. An increase in the levels of stress hormones  can cause an increase in oil production, which leads to oily skin, acne and other skin problems.  Stress can also lead to premature aging


2. Drink lots of water – Drinking plenty of water will help the skin stay hydrated which will also improve the appearance of your skin. Make it a goal to avoid soft drinks and even juices, not only are they laden with calories, but they can also keep you from consuming water which is better. Studies show that drinking eight glasses of water daily will flush the system of toxins, hydrate the skin and clear the complexion.


3. Eat well - Science has found that you can clear up your skin and make it less likely to wrinkle by eating more vegetables, beans, olive oil, nuts and multi-grain breads.

Eliminating Graininess from Shea Butter Balms

The information provided comes as a result of a number informal experiments we conducted in order to determine the best way to eliminate grains from shea butter. We used only unrefined shea butter in our samples.

We have found that through the use of the methods described in the link below, we have been able to achieve and maintain a smooth textured shea butter in our line of pure shea butter spa products.

The texture of the shea butter is not much of a concern when making emulsions – lotions and creams that involve the use of water, oils and an emulsifier. The shea butter is melted with other oils in the oil phase and graininess is not an issue.

The texture of the shea butter becomes an issue when creating an oil based balm, salve or butter. Having a smooth textured product is important in creating an attractive finished product that will appeal to the customers’ sense of sight and touch.

Click here for step by step instructions on eliminating grains

A Different Kind of Beauty Supply Store

This weekend I had the pleasure of discovering an incredible beauty supply store in Silver Spring Maryland. The Hair and Body Boutique, is owned and managed by Doreen Jeffersen-Bell.

Unlike the 'typical' beauty supply store, you won't find synthetic laden products here. Doreen has the store stocked with brands that use natural and organic oils and butters like Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Cocoa Butter in their products.

They offer a vast selection of quality product lines that are made with natural, organically processed ingredients. They also offer products made with natural ingredients and a majority organic content.Product ingredients are listed, to help you make an informed decision. I was thrilled to find incredible brands that are typically sold online on her shelves. Best of all there are samples that you can sniff and apply before making a commitment to purchase. They also carry Shea Radiance shea butter products, so check them out next time you need to pick up some shea butter creams or whipped shea butters. 

A Different Kind of Beauty Supply Store

This weekend I had the pleasure of discovering an incredible beauty supply store in Silver Spring Maryland. The Hair and Body Boutique, is owned and managed by Doreen Jeffersen-Bell.

Unlike the 'typical' beauty supply store, you won't find synthetic laden products here. Doreen has the store stocked with brands that use natural and organic oils and butters like Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Cocoa Butter in their products.

They offer a vast selection of quality product lines that are made with natural, organically processed ingredients. They also offer products made with natural ingredients and a majority organic content.Product ingredients are listed, to help you make an informed decision.

I was thrilled to find incredible brands that are typically sold online on her shelves. Best of all there are samples that you can sniff and apply before making a commitment to purchase.

They also carry Shea Radiance shea butter products, so check them out next time you need to pick up some shea butter creams or whipped shea butters.

Another Day at Shea Radiance

Today we are producing  Sweet Vanilla and Unscented Pure Shea Butter. We melt premium unrefined shea butter and add our special blend of Vanilla Essential oils to the melted butter. We stir until butter begins to thicken and pour into our bio-degradable EcoPak containers. Once the butter solidifies, we insert an inner an outer lid, before packing it up.

EcoPak jars ready for pouring.

Femi assisting Akuete with assembly

We are enjoying unseasonably warm and beautiful weather and the kids don't have school today.  I have put my 13 year old to work and I hope he can stay on task for about 1 hour before he gets hungry, again.

The Multiplier Effect on the Shea Butter Value Chain

New shea processing facilities are coming online, creating jobs and expanding the market for millions of women who collect shea nuts to sustain their livelihoods. Processing shea in West Africa creates jobs in the region.

A USAID Trade Hub study indicates that every $1,000 increase in sales of shea nuts in rural villages leads to an additional $580 in new household income in Malian communities; this “multiplier effect” is likely similar across the region.

As more jobs and more income are generated, opportunities for value addition increase.

Excerpt taken from:http://www.watradehub.com/activities/tradewinds/feb11/global-shea-alliance-top-agenda-shea-2011-sustainable-solutions

The Magic of Black Soap

Origins

Black Soap, Ose Dudu or Alata Samina is a true West African Soap. Black soap has it's origins among the Yoruba in Nigeria, but receives more widespread use and production among the Ghanians.

Legend has it that the black soap was introduced to Ghana many years ago, by Yoruba traders doing business in Ghana. These traders were women and many were in the business of selling tomatoes and peppers. They were called the Alatas (Pepper Sellers). Samina is an Akan word for soap. The word Alata Samina, coined by Ghanians, means 'The Pepper Traders Soap'.

What is Black Soap

Black soap is a dark colored cleansing bar. It is soft and porous and dissolves faster than most cold press soaps. Black soap produces a very rich lather and gives the skin a clean soft feel. Many users claim that Black soap clears up acne, eczema, blemishes and discolorations.

Black soap is 100% natural, Organic and Vegan in origin and process.

Black soap is sold in bulk bars that can be cut into smaller bars or you can buy bath size bars. See our selection of black soaps.

Some Uses of black soap

1. Cleansing bar for face and body


2. Face mask for acne prone skin


3. Skin Brightening and removal of blemishes


4. Shampoo bar


5. Can be re-batched into a cold press bar

Varieties of Black Soap

The color varies from jet black to light brown depending on the ingredients used in making the soap. The basic ingredients used in black soap are Shea Butter, Red Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Roasted Plantain Skins, Roasted Cocoa Pods. Other additives like Agoa bark, scents and other oils are optional.
The darker soaps tend to have more of the roasted plantain skin in the ingredients. The oxidation from the plantains make the soap bar darker. For a lighter bar more roasted cocoa pods are used.

Black soap does not contain conventional lye, however the ash from roasting the plantain and cocoa pods are used in the saponification process.

We welcome comments and suggestions on you experience using Black soap.

The Magic of Black Soap

Origins

Black Soap, Ose Dudu or Alata Samina is a true West African Soap. Black soap has it's origins among the Yoruba in Nigeria, but receives more widespread use and production among the Ghanians.

Legend has it that the black soap was introduced to Ghana many years ago, by Yoruba traders doing business in Ghana. These traders were women and many were in the business of selling tomatoes and peppers. They were called the Alatas (Pepper Sellers). Samina is an Akan word for soap. The word Alata Samina, coined by Ghanians, means the Pepper Sellers soap.

What is Black Soap

Black soap is a dark colored cleansing bar. It is soft and porous and dissolves faster than most cold press soaps. Black soap produces a very rich lather and gives the skin a clean soft feel. Many users claim that Black soap clears up acne, eczema, blemishes and discolorations.

Black soap is 100% natural, Organic and Vegan in origin and process.

Black soap is sold in bulk bars that can be cut into smaller bars or you can buy bath size bars. See our selection of black soaps.

Some Uses of black soap

1. Cleansing bar for face and body
2. Face mask for acne prone skin
3. Skin Brightening and removal of blemishes
4. Shampoo bar
5. Can be re-batched into a cold press bar

Varieties of Black Soap

The color varies from jet black to light brown depending on the ingredients used in making the soap. The basic ingredients used in black soap are Shea Butter, Red Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Roasted Plantain Skins, Roasted Cocoa Pods. Other additives like Agoa bark, scents and other oils are optional.
The darker soaps tend to have more of the roasted plantain skin in the ingredients. The oxidation from the plantains make the soap bar darker. For a lighter bar more roasted cocoa pods are used.

Black soap does not contain conventional lye, however the ash from roasting the plantain and cocoa pods are used in the saponification process.

We welcome comments and suggestions on you experience using Black soap.

Mobile Technology Improves Womens lives in the Shea Sector

In Ghana, mobile phone-based software applications have improved the lives of 1,500 impoverished rural shea nut pickers. This network of women is organized into 83 groups, with each group’s leader possessing a mobile phone, through which the women can get local market price information via SMS. Once they sell their produce, they also get a view into the global supply chain for shea butter. A Stanford University study found that the new technology has significantly improved the women’s income — anywhere from between 59 percent and 82 percent.

Excerpt taken from: http://blogs.reuters.com/davos/2011/01/26/the-future-of-business-mobile-technology/

Whipped Shea Butter - A Treat for Winter Skin

Whipped butters are the absolute dessert for the skin this winter.  We take a batch of luxurious unrefined shea butter, blend it with luxurious Rice Bran, Sweet Almond and Coconut oil, drizzle with some vegetable glycerin for additional hydration and whip the batch into a rich meringue. Did I mention that we also melt in some rich aromatic Cocoa Butter to the mix. Hmm, Hmm, Hmm

The result is a soft, easy to apply natural shea body butter, that imparts a lovely sheen to the skin that lasts all day.

We have whipped shea butters in an assortment of flavors, Chocolate, Vanilla, Citrus, Pomegranate, Coconut, Lavender and even Unscented.

Take 25% off all Chocolate and Vanilla Shea Body Butters .

Whipped Shea Butter - A Treat for Winter Skin

Whipped butters are the absolute dessert for the skin this winter.  We take a batch of luxurious unrefined shea butter, blend it with luxurious Rice Bran, Sweet Almond and Coconut oil, drizzle with some vegetable glycerin for additional hydration and whip the batch into a rich meringue. Did I mention that we also melt in some rich aromatic Cocoa Butter to the mix. Hmm, Hmm, Hmm

The result is a soft, easy to apply natural shea body butter, that imparts a lovely sheen to the skin that lasts all day.

We have whipped shea butters in an assortment of flavors, Chocolate, Vanilla, Citrus, Pomegranate, Coconut, Lavender and even Unscented.

Take 25% off all Chocolate and Vanilla Shea Body Butters .

Beauty Secrets from Around the Globe

Hydrate (and wash!) with oil? In the States, where products are often marketed as "oil-free," some women think of oil as a negative thing. But women in Asia, South America, and the Middle East often use plant-based essential oils in place of moisturizers. "In India, anointing the skin with the right type of oil is a nourishing way to keep your complexion young," says Pratima Raichur, an Ayurvedic physician, chemist, and botanist.

In Asia, many women also use oils in lieu of face wash. Some Mediterranean women rely on straight olive oil to cleanse at the end of the day. And the trend extends to Middle Eastern women, too: "In Iran, my mother used to cleanse her skin every night with rose water mixed with pomegranate oil," recalls Margo Marrone, a marketing manager for Organic Pharmacy.

There's a good reason oils keep skin fresh. "Soaps and foaming cleansers with sulfates can alter the natural pH of the skin, which eventually will cause dryness and create lines and wrinkles," Raichur explains. "But oils can remove dirt and makeup without stripping the skin."

Article taken from Health.com

Beauty Secrets from Around the Globe

Hydrate (and wash!) with oil? In the States, where products are often marketed as "oil-free," some women think of oil as a negative thing. But women in Asia, South America, and the Middle East often use plant-based essential oils in place of moisturizers. "In India, anointing the skin with the right type of oil is a nourishing way to keep your complexion young," says Pratima Raichur, an Ayurvedic physician, chemist, and botanist.

In Asia, many women also use oils in lieu of face wash. Some Mediterranean women rely on straight olive oil to cleanse at the end of the day. And the trend extends to Middle Eastern women, too: "In Iran, my mother used to cleanse her skin every night with rose water mixed with pomegranate oil," recalls Margo Marrone, a marketing manager for Organic Pharmacy.

There's a good reason oils keep skin fresh. "Soaps and foaming cleansers with sulfates can alter the natural pH of the skin, which eventually will cause dryness and create lines and wrinkles," Raichur explains. "But oils can remove dirt and makeup without stripping the skin."

Article taken from Health.com

A Love Affair with Cocoa Butter

I stepped into the warehouse this morning and was welcomed by the warm natural scent of cocoa butter. Akuete, our production assistant is chipping away at blocks of cocoa butter for use in our production batch and to package for resale for our bulk customers.

We shipped this batch directly from our supplier in Ghana and I am so pleased with the quality. This is an excellent product if you are making products that need to have a naturally sweet smell. Works excellent with Vanilla, Cocoa, Lavender, Bergamot and Mint Essential oil blends. You can pick up some on our bulk site

Cocoa butter is a  rich and aromatic butter. It is an edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean. Cocoa butter contains natural antioxidants that give it a long shelf life. Cocoa butter is a soothing emollient that has been used for centuries in Africa for skin care. It has been traditionally used to heal and moisturize skin that has been exposed to the elements.

A Love Affair with Cocoa Butter

I stepped into the warehouse this morning and was welcomed by the warm natural scent of cocoa butter. Akuete, our production assistant is chipping away at blocks of cocoa butter for use in our production batch and to package for resale for our bulk customers.

We shipped this batch directly from our supplier in Ghana and I am so pleased with the quality. This is an excellent product if you are making products that need to have a naturally sweet smell. Works excellent with Vanilla, Cocoa, Lavender, Bergamot and Mint Essential oil blends. You can pick up some on our bulk site

Cocoa butter is a  rich and aromatic butter. It is an edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean. Cocoa butter contains natural antioxidants that give it a long shelf life. Cocoa butter is a soothing emollient that has been used for centuries in Africa for skin care. It has been traditionally used to heal and moisturize skin that has been exposed to the elements.

A New Year and New Beginnings at Shea Radiance

It's a new year and the mark of new things for us at Shea Radiance. We just completed our move to our new office and production facility in Columbia Maryland. We now occupy over 2,000 sq ft of commercial space. I have a feeling we will be outgrowing this space in a short time.

We are introducing several new and exciting products this year. Stay tuned for our line of Hair, Face and Spa products. We have several trips planned for Ghana and Nigeria this year.  We will also be sharing the stories of the women behind our key ingredient, shea butter.

We look forward to serving you this year and we appreciate your business.

A New Year and New Beginnings at Shea Radiance

It's a new year and the mark of new things for us at Shea Radiance. We just completed our move to our new office and production facility in Columbia Maryland. We now occupy over 2,000 sq ft of commercial space. I have a feeling we will be outgrowing this space in a short time.

We are introducing several new and exciting products this year. Stay tuned for our line of Hair, Face and Spa products. We have several trips planned for Ghana and Nigeria this year.  We will also be sharing the stories of the women behind our key ingredient, shea butter.

We look forward to serving you this year and we appreciate your business.

A New Year and New Beginnings at Shea Radiance

WIt's a new year and the mark of new things for us at Shea Radiance. We just completed our move to our new office and production facility in Columbia Maryland. We now occupy over 2,000 sq ft of commercial space. I have a feeling we will be outgrowing this space in a short time.

We are introducing several new and exciting products this year. Stay tuned for our line of Hair, Face and Spa products. We have several trips planned for Ghana and Nigeria this year.  We will also be sharing the stories of the women behind our key ingredient, shea butter.

We look forward to serving you this year and we appreciate your business.

Benefits of Coconut Oil on Hair

Virgin Coconut oil is an excellent natural oil for hair and skin. The natural fresh smell of coconut oil is sweet and warm, but its benefits go  beyond the scent.

Coconut oil has been used for centuries to condition and moisturize hair.  Coconut oil promotes the growth of healthy hair by reducing dryness which can cause the hair to break. It also help relieve dandruff and itchy scalp.

Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair.  Coconut Oil is used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing hair butters, conditioners and other natural lotions and creams.

Benefits of Coconut Oil on Hair

Virgin Coconut oil is an excellent natural oil for hair and skin. The natural fresh smell of coconut oil is sweet and warm, but its benefits go  beyond the scent.

Coconut oil has been used for centuries to condition and moisturize hair.  Coconut oil promotes the growth of healthy hair by reducing dryness which can cause the hair to break. It also help relieve dandruff and itchy scalp.

Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair.  Coconut Oil is used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing hair butters, conditioners and other natural lotions and creams.

FDA find Shea Nuts Safe in Allergy Study

Excerpt from Fox News:

NEW YORK –  Shea butter is in everything from diaper cream to tissue paper, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers shea nuts, from which the butter derives, to be tree nuts, and therefore potential allergens. A new study suggests, however, that shea butter poses little, if any, allergy risk to people who use products containing the substance.

The allergy triggers in other tree nuts and in peanuts are proteins. For nearly two million Americans, the immune system recognizes those proteins as harmful and launches an attack to rid the body of the molecules. If the assault is severe enough, the result can be an anaphylactic reaction marked by potentially deadly failure of the airways, although the number of deaths in the U.S. linked to nut allergies is small, about a dozen annually.

Dr. Kanwaljit K. Chawla, a pediatrician in training at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, said she became curious about the potential for shea butter to trigger nut allergies while researching the safety of baby products.

"I was looking up baby products and realized that many of the 'natural' or 'organic' products contained shea butter, including wipes, diaper creams, baby lotion and nipple cream for breastfeeding mothers. I saw that the FDA listed shea nut as something to avoid if you are allergic to tree nuts," Chawla said. "But shea nut is in everything. How is it possible to avoid it?"

Shea nuts are mostly fat, but Chawla and her colleagues decided to see if they could extract any proteins from the nuts and whether those shea proteins would provoke an immune response.
The researchers first separated out the fat from shea nuts and were left with a miniscule amount of protein, less than 1/30th the amount present in cashews and less still than that in peanuts.

Even trace amounts of nut proteins can still pose problems for people susceptible to the substances, so Chawla's group tested the ability of shea protein to trigger an immune reaction. Using blood taken from several volunteers with known allergies to nuts, the researchers found that the principle immune molecule that would usually invoke an allergic response, immunoglobulin E, barely bound to the shea protein.

In other words, Chawla said, although shea nut in theory could be an allergy trigger, the evidence from her study suggests it's not. At least the immune system does not appear to recognize it as a nut protein.

What's more, since Americans typically don't eat shea butter, it can be an ingredient in European chocolates, the risk is likely even smaller, Chawla added.

The researchers reported their findings as a letter to the editor in the latest issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Dr. Robert Wood, director of pediatric allergy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said the study provided "very useful information" for both doctors and patients. "While we would never say no one's going to be allergic to shea nut butter, it appears that people with other nut allergies should not be at higher risk from shea nuts," Dr. Wood said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/12/23/shea-nuts-appear-safe-allergy-study/#ixzz19ALiZzdN

FDA find Shea Nuts Safe in Allergy Study

Excerpt from Fox News:

NEW YORK –  Shea butter is in everything from diaper cream to tissue paper, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers shea nuts, from which the butter derives, to be tree nuts, and therefore potential allergens. A new study suggests, however, that shea butter poses little, if any, allergy risk to people who use products containing the substance.

The allergy triggers in other tree nuts and in peanuts are proteins. For nearly two million Americans, the immune system recognizes those proteins as harmful and launches an attack to rid the body of the molecules. If the assault is severe enough, the result can be an anaphylactic reaction marked by potentially deadly failure of the airways, although the number of deaths in the U.S. linked to nut allergies is small, about a dozen annually.

Dr. Kanwaljit K. Chawla, a pediatrician in training at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, said she became curious about the potential for shea butter to trigger nut allergies while researching the safety of baby products.

"I was looking up baby products and realized that many of the 'natural' or 'organic' products contained shea butter, including wipes, diaper creams, baby lotion and nipple cream for breastfeeding mothers. I saw that the FDA listed shea nut as something to avoid if you are allergic to tree nuts," Chawla said. "But shea nut is in everything. How is it possible to avoid it?"

Shea nuts are mostly fat, but Chawla and her colleagues decided to see if they could extract any proteins from the nuts and whether those shea proteins would provoke an immune response.
The researchers first separated out the fat from shea nuts and were left with a miniscule amount of protein, less than 1/30th the amount present in cashews and less still than that in peanuts.

Even trace amounts of nut proteins can still pose problems for people susceptible to the substances, so Chawla's group tested the ability of shea protein to trigger an immune reaction. Using blood taken from several volunteers with known allergies to nuts, the researchers found that the principle immune molecule that would usually invoke an allergic response, immunoglobulin E, barely bound to the shea protein.

In other words, Chawla said, although shea nut in theory could be an allergy trigger, the evidence from her study suggests it's not. At least the immune system does not appear to recognize it as a nut protein.

What's more, since Americans typically don't eat shea butter, it can be an ingredient in European chocolates, the risk is likely even smaller, Chawla added.

The researchers reported their findings as a letter to the editor in the latest issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Dr. Robert Wood, director of pediatric allergy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said the study provided "very useful information" for both doctors and patients. "While we would never say no one's going to be allergic to shea nut butter, it appears that people with other nut allergies should not be at higher risk from shea nuts," Dr. Wood said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/12/23/shea-nuts-appear-safe-allergy-study/#ixzz19ALiZzdN

3 Quick Steps to Pretty Winter Feet

Are your toes and heels cracked and jagged from the dry winter weather? Are you ripping socks and pantyhose with your rough heels?

If you are like most people, dry indoor heat and harsh cold weather take a toll on feet and hands.

Here are 3 things you can do tonight to beautify your feet

1. Exfoliate - A scrub with rich oils is preferable, to remove dry skin and moisturize at the same time

2. Hydrate - Drink lots of water. Apply an Ultra rich cream that is formulated with water and rich oils, will help keep feet from getting dry and cracked.

3. Moisturize - At bed time apply whipped or raw shea butter to your feet and put on socks.

Your feet will be smooth and beautiful in no time

3 Quick Steps to Pretty Winter Feet

Are your toes and heels cracked and jagged from the dry winter weather? Are you ripping socks and pantyhose with your rough heels?

If you are like most people, dry indoor heat and harsh cold weather take a toll on feet and hands.

Here are 3 things you can do tonight to beautify your feet

1. Exfoliate - A scrub with rich oils is preferable, to remove dry skin and moisturize at the same time

2. Hydrate - Drink lots of water. Apply an Ultra rich cream that is formulated with water and rich oils, will help keep feet from getting dry and cracked.

3. Moisturize - At bed time apply whipped or raw shea butter to your feet and put on socks.

Your feet will be smooth and beautiful in no time

Shea Butter Smells like Chocolate, seriously

Last month, during our visit to several shea producing towns in Northern Nigeria, I made a surprising discovery.  We came upon a shea producer right in the kneading phase of production.

As we drew near, the air was filled with a sweet chocolate like smell. I soon realized that the smell was wafting from the kneading bowl. Somewhere in the production phase, the shea emulsion emits a cocoa like smell.

Any scientists, botanists or agriculturists willing to take a stab at this phenomenon?

Shea Butter Smells like Chocolate, seriously

Last month, during our visit to several shea producing towns in Northern Nigeria, I made a surprising discovery.  We came upon a shea producer right in the kneading phase of production.

As we drew near, the air was filled with a sweet chocolate like smell. I soon realized that the smell was wafting from the kneading bowl. Somewhere in the production phase, the shea emulsion emits a cocoa like smell.

Any scientists, botanists or agriculturists willing to take a stab at this phenomenon?

Shea-based natural cure for joint pain is taking the market by storm | West Africa Trade Hub

 

Australia’s Center for Complementary Medicine confirmed that a pill using shea compounds reduces inflammation and cartilage degradation by up to 30% - and it’s taking the market by storm. A natural cure for joint pain has proven elusive until the makers of FlexNow developed their pill (www.powerofshea.com). The shea compounds apparently block the biological response that causes inflammation to begin with. “Over 60 days, we pitted FlexNow against an arthritic shoulder and knee. For the first time in years – without large doses of ibuprofen – the pain was greatly reduced. Even to the point that going for a run was enjoyable,” reported Men’s Health magazine in its August 2010 issue.

Shea-based natural cure for joint pain is taking the market by storm | West Africa Trade Hub.

Shea Butter Partnerships in Nigeria

[caption id="attachment_1253" align="alignnone" width="414" caption=" "][/caption]

Petra Jacobi (GTZ), Alhaji Kontangora (Niger State), Funlayo (Shea Radiance), Thompson Ogunsanmi (GTZ) and Shola (Shea Radiance)  at GTZ Office in Nigeria

The Nigerian government is finally paying attention to the agricultural sector. Niger State government in Partnership with GTZ is building strategic partnerships with private companies like Shea Radiance to promote shea butter production and increase market awareness of quality shea butter coming from Nigeria.

Shea-based natural cure for joint pain is taking the market by storm | West Africa Trade Hub

Australia’s Center for Complementary Medicine confirmed that a pill using shea compounds reduces inflammation and cartilage degradation by up to 30% - and it’s taking the market by storm. A natural cure for joint pain has proven elusive until the makers of FlexNow developed their pill (www.powerofshea.com). The shea compounds apparently block the biological response that causes inflammation to begin with. “Over 60 days, we pitted FlexNow against an arthritic shoulder and knee. For the first time in years – without large doses of ibuprofen – the pain was greatly reduced. Even to the point that going for a run was enjoyable,” reported Men’s Health magazine in its August 2010 issue.

Shea-based natural cure for joint pain is taking the market by storm | West Africa Trade Hub.

Shea ’s anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting qualities shown in scientific tests | West Africa Trade Hub

People across Africa have used shea butter as a balm for millennia – a recent scientific study confirms that doing so contributes to good health. In August, researchers at the College of Science and Technology at Nihon University in Japan reported that “shea nuts and shea fat (shea butter) constitute a significant source of anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting compounds.” The study abstract is available online. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484832)

Shea’s anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting qualities shown in scientific tests | West Africa Trade Hub.

Shea Butter Partnerships in Nigeria

[caption id="attachment_1253" align="alignnone" width="414" caption=" "][/caption]

Petra Jacobi (GTZ), Alhaji Kontangora (Niger State), Funlayo (Shea Radiance), Thompson Ogunsanmi (GTZ) and Shola (Shea Radiance)  at GTZ Office in Nigeria

The Nigerian government is finally paying attention to the agricultural sector. Niger State government in Partnership with GTZ is building strategic partnerships with private companies like Shea Radiance to promote shea butter production and increase market awareness of quality shea butter coming from Nigeria.

Shea ’s anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting qualities shown in scientific tests | West Africa Trade Hub

People across Africa have used shea butter as a balm for millennia – a recent scientific study confirms that doing so contributes to good health. In August, researchers at the College of Science and Technology at Nihon University in Japan reported that “shea nuts and shea fat (shea butter) constitute a significant source of anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting compounds.” The study abstract is available online. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484832)

Shea’s anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor promoting qualities shown in scientific tests | West Africa Trade Hub.

Endless Beauty Empowering Interviews: Funlayo Alabi | Care, Tips, Organic Beauty for Skin, Skincare, Make Up, Pregnancy | Endless Beauty Media

Endless Beauty Empowering Interviews: Funlayo Alabi | Care, Tips, Organic Beauty for Skin, Skincare, Make Up, Pregnancy | Endless Beauty Media.

Endless Beauty Empowering Interviews: Funlayo Alabi | Care, Tips, Organic Beauty for Skin, Skincare, Make Up, Pregnancy | Endless Beauty Media

Shea Radiance wins for Innovative Green Packaging

HBA Global Expo has announced the finalists of its Annual International Package Design Awards (IPDA) to be held at the conference in New York on September 28-30.

It is the only design award to celebrate the year’s most innovative packaging solutions, with a professional committee choosing the finalists.

The Awards are divided into nine categories; Cosmetic Mass; Cosmetics Prestige; Fragrance Mass; Fragrance Prestige; Personal Care Mass; Personal Care Prestige; Skin Care Mass; Skin Care Prestige, and Green Packaging.

The Green Packaging Award will be of particular interest given the recent in sustainability within the packaging segment.

Lamik Beauty, Aveda, Shea Radiance and Spongeables make up the nominees in this category, and will all be keen to gain recognition for one of the most widely talked about topics in recent months.

Shea Radiance wins for Innovative Green Packaging

HBA Global Expo has announced the finalists of its Annual International Package Design Awards (IPDA) to be held at the conference in New York on September 28-30.

It is the only design award to celebrate the year’s most innovative packaging solutions, with a professional committee choosing the finalists.

The Awards are divided into nine categories; Cosmetic Mass; Cosmetics Prestige; Fragrance Mass; Fragrance Prestige; Personal Care Mass; Personal Care Prestige; Skin Care Mass; Skin Care Prestige, and Green Packaging.

The Green Packaging Award will be of particular interest given the recent in sustainability within the packaging segment.

Lamik Beauty, Aveda, Shea Radiance and Spongeables make up the nominees in this category, and will all be keen to gain recognition for one of the most widely talked about topics in recent months.

Pure Shea Ecopak wins HBA Innovative Green Packaging Award

HBA Global Expo has announced the finalists of its Annual International Package Design Awards (IPDA) to be held at the conference in New York on September 28-30.

It is the only design award to celebrate the year’s most innovative packaging solutions, with a professional committee choosing the finalists.

The Awards are divided into nine categories; Cosmetic Mass; Cosmetics Prestige; Fragrance Mass; Fragrance Prestige; Personal Care Mass; Personal Care Prestige; Skin Care Mass; Skin Care Prestige, and Green Packaging.

The Green Packaging Award will be of particular interest given the recent in sustainability within the packaging segment.

Lamik Beauty, Aveda, Shea Radiance and Spongeables make up the nominees in this category, and will all be keen to gain recognition for one of the most widely talked about topics in recent months.

Sustainable Shea Butter

The local producers are ultimately the caretakers of the shea trees. They make the management decisions about the future of the tree and the ecological integrity of the landscape.

Fair Trade encourages the women to value the Shea trees that grow in their areas. When they know that the fruits from the tree bring in a good income, they will protect the tree from being cut down and used for firewood.

Sustainable Shea Butter

The local producers are ultimately the caretakers of the shea trees. They make the management decisions about the future of the tree and the ecological integrity of the landscape.

Fair Trade encourages the women to value the Shea trees that grow in their areas. When they know that the fruits from the tree bring in a good income, they will protect the tree from being cut down and used for firewood.

Maturing Beautifully - Eat Well and Break a Sweat

Being at our best as we mature should not be based on striving to meet an impossible ideal. Very few of us will be able to maintain the same dress size we wore in our 20's. So, instead for striving for the impossible we should aim to be healthy.

In her book Living Beauty, Bobbi Brown reveals that the real fountain of youth lies in eating simple, wholesome foods and exercising regularly.

 

So far this has worked well for me. I found a no nonsense gym that gives me an intense workout and made some modifications to my diet. Instead of rice, I now eat bulgur wheat - a natural whole grain rich in fiber,  vitamins and minerals. It tastes great and goes well with all my African soups and sauces.

I refuse to eliminate chocolate :)

Maturing Beautifully – Eat Well and Break a Sweat

Being at our best as we mature should not be based on striving to meet an impossible ideal. Very few of us will be able to maintain the same dress size we wore in our 20's. So, instead for striving for the impossible we should aim to be healthy.

In her book Living Beauty, Bobbi Brown reveals that the real fountain of youth lies in eating simple, wholesome foods and exercising regularly.



So far this has worked well for me. I found a no nonsense gym that gives me an intense workout and made some modifications to my diet. Instead of rice, I now eat bulgur wheat - a natural whole grain rich in fiber,
vitamins and minerals. It tastes great and goes well with all my African soups and sauces.

I refuse to eliminate chocolate :)

Maturing Beautifully – Restoring the Glow Naturally

A gradual decrease in elasticity is one of the inevitable changes that come with age. Some notice the sags and wrinkles sooner than others.

There are some things we can do to slow down the rate at which the skin loses it's suppleness and glow.

1. Eliminate Smoking


2. Reduce Stress


3. Maintain a healthy diet


4. Minimize sun exposure by wearing sunscreen always


5. Moisturize with rich oils like shea butter

Maturing Beautifully – Restoring the Glow Naturally

A gradual decrease in elasticity is one of the inevitable changes that come with age. Some notice the sags and wrinkles sooner than others.

There are some things we can do to slow down the rate at which the skin loses it's suppleness and glow.

1. Eliminate Smoking


2. Reduce Stress


3. Maintain a healthy diet


4. Minimize sun exposure by wearing sunscreen always


5. Moisturize with rich oils like shea butter