Summer is officially here! For many people as the seasons change so do our skin and hair care needs. Here are a few of our favorite products to address common summer hair and skin care concerns.

Shea and Virgin Coconut Enriching Hair Lotion
For those with even a slight amount of curl in their hair, summertime humidity can create a losing battle with frizz. Hair is also especially vulnerable to the drying UV-rays, salt water and chlorine that come with summertime fun. It’s no wonder swimmers, surfers and coastal populations (hello Hawaii!) are big fans of Alaffia’s Shea and Virgin Coconut Enriching Hair Lotion.

Our Hair Lotion works as a styling product to tame frizz while smoothing and defining curl. As leave-in conditioner, the Hair Lotion hydrates and protects all hair types and is especially recommended for curly hair and Locs.

Handcrafted Shea Butter
In recent clinical trials, shea butter was found to help to protect skin against climate and UV aggressions, prevent wrinkle formation, soothe, and moisturize irritated and chapped skin. While rich and creamy, shea butter readily absorbs into skin making it the ideal year-round moisturizer.

Sun & Wind Exposure
Shea butter’s level of UV protection is extremely variable, ranging from approximately SPF 8 to SPF 15 in raw, handcrafted shea butter. Since our shea butter is completely unrefined and standardization methods are not used to guarantee SPF content, we recommend using our Handcrafted Shea Butter as a skin nourishing treatment after sun exposure. It is important to use an SPF rated sunscreen before sun exposure.  Shea butter can be used before known wind exposure to help prevent chapping, or after to soothe.

First Aid
The inherent antimicrobial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties of raw, handcrafted shea butter make it a natural first aid ointment for the casualties of summer vacation. Apply liberally to small cuts, scrapes, insect bites and stings. Shea butter can also be an effective treatment for athlete’s foot and other fungal infections more common during warmer months.

Extreme Dryness & Cracking
Dry cracked heels are not only unsightly but can be a very painful chronic condition; left untreated, cracked heels and feet are at risk of infection. Alaffia’s Handcrafted Shea Butter is the ultimate treatment to heal and prevent extreme dryness and cracking. Apply to feet twice daily after thoroughly washing and drying to soothe, heal and renew skin.

Shea & Baobab Refreshing Facial Toner or Rooibos and Shea Antioxidant Facial Toner
Clinical research shows that heat either increases the production of sebum or enables it to flow more freely to the surface. The combination of excess oil and sweat can quickly clog pores. To triumph over oily summer skin try using one of Alaffia’s witch hazel-based toners. Witch hazel is a gentle astringent that tightens and tones pores while removing excess oil. Witch hazel is also a rich source of soothing, anti-inflammatory tannins. And unlike alcohol-based toners, ours will not dry skin, leading to a reactive increase in oil production.

Traditionally toners are used after cleansing and before moisturizing but try misting toner on throughout warm, sticky days to refresh and protect your complexion.

Shea Butter Daily Cleansing Milk
The long, warm, rain-free days of summer are an invitation to go by bike or by foot. Unfortunately the very same conditions that make for a blissful car-free commute can bring increased air pollution. Carcinogenic particulates such as smog and car exhaust accumulate in urban areas on hot days and can stick to your skin. Remember that the skin is our largest organ and first line of defense against toxins.

After time spent outdoors – especially after cycling in traffic or walking in busy city streets, try cleansing your face with our Shea Butter Daily Cleansing Milk. This creamy, lotion-like cleanser has a base of kaolin clay that acts like a sponge soaking up oil-based impurities and binding them to water so they are cleanly washed away.

Neem Oil
Alaffia Basics Neem oil is a powerful anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Use it to spot treat fungal infections, which can be more prevalent in warm, humid climates.

To use Neem as a natural insect repellent apply a small amount of the oil on exposed areas of skin prior to time spent outdoors.

Do you have another Alaffia summertime favorite not mentioned above? Please tell us about it!

For more information about these and other Alaffia products click here or inquire at your local natural products retailer.

Shea trees are often called the Tree of Life because all parts of this life-sustaining tree are integral to everyday life in West Africa. The butter extracted from the shea fruits, or nuts is perhaps the most versatile of this magnificent tree’s outputs.  Shea butter is used for everything for daily cooking to medicine and lamp oil and of course hair and skincare.  Shea butter is also an extremely versatile ingredient; from it Alaffia makes balms, creams, lotions, soaps and more.

When most of us think about soap our primary concern is getting clean, but your soap is also a fundamental contributor to how moisturized and healthy your skin is. Alaffia offers handcrafted cold process shea butter soaps as well as traditionally handcrafted African black soaps. Both types of soap are superior moisturizing agents because shea butter contains a high amount of non-saponifiable fats, which means that much of the moisturizing elements in shea butter remain available to effectively moisturize the skin after the saponification (soap making) process.

Our shea butter bar soaps are made by hand in small batches using pure essential oils, hand-extracted botanical infusions and natural colors. We also use other fair trade, handcrafted oils like coconut and red palm, in our soaps.
The soap is poured into wooden molds and some varieties are accented with colorful mica, a naturally sparkling mineral. Each mold yields about 15 to 16 3-ounce bars, which are then packaged by hand in our production facility.  Many retailers also carry our soaps in bulk so you can cut as little or as much as you need.

Fresh, Raw Goat Milk
Some of our soaps contain raw goat milk from the Tchala family farm. Soaps that contain goat milk include our three Whole Foods Market Exclusive soaps and two facial bar soaps. Goat Milk is easily absorbed by the skin, bringing with it moisture, restorative proteins and abundant nutrients. Goat Milk contains naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acids, proteins, minerals and high levels of Vitamin A and E. These elements are all contributors to a fresh, healthy complexion. Goat Milk is also said to be naturally anti-inflammatory so many people with sensitive skin or conditions like eczema, psoriasis and rosacea may benefit from a goat milk soap. Its ability to reduce the skin’s pH level also makes it a good choice for acne-prone skin.

Click here to view our selection of shea butter soaps.

Next week read about our African Black Soaps!

What we use to care for our facial skin is a largely individual and sometimes emotional decision for many. It is with our faces that we greet the world and blemishes, dryness, redness and signs of oxidative damage can negatively impact how confident we feel.

Today most of us are looking for natural, effective and affordable products and if they are both environmentally and socially sustainable that’s even better.  Alaffia offers a complete line of highly active, natural face care products rich in raw, handcrafted shea butter and other indigenous plant oils and extracts. Our line includes formulations for all skin types and treatment concerns.

Alaffia's handcrafted, fairly traded ingredients

The Power of Raw, Handcrafted Ingredients
There are many benefits to using raw, handcrafted botanical ingredients.
Handcrafting means the active constituents in that plant are preserved and these constituents work together for maximum effectiveness. In contrast industrial extraction and processing methods include chemicals and high heat, which destroy many of those constituents, resulting in an inferior product. Another important benefit to using raw, handcrafted ingredients is that they are rich in concentrated nutrients so a little goes a long way.

Our individual face care products can be used in sets or mixed and matched for a customized face care system. From dry or mature skin to oily and acne prone skin and everyone in between, Alaffia has a pure, natural cleanser, toner and face cream that will soothe, protect and nourish your skin.

Affordable, Premium Skin Care
These premium formulations are extremely affordable, especially when compared to other leaders in the natural products and safe cosmetics industry. Our most expensive face creams sell for around $26 while other comparable brands top out at around $40 or even $50 for a face cream.

Click here to view our face care products, or visit your local Whole Foods Market where our face care line is on sale at many locations throughout the month of June!

From June 10-12 Cape Town, South Africa hosted the 2009 World Economic Forum on Africa. The World Economic Forum is an independent, international non-profit foundation whose efforts are “striving toward a world-class corporate governance system where values are as important a basis as rules.” Click here to read more about the World Economic Forum and their mission of economic progress and social development.

On June 11th Lisa MacCallum, Managing Director of the Nike Foundation moderated a discussion on the need for governments and the global donor community to invest in Africa’s adolescent girls. The discussions centered on the need to ensure girls have equal access to education, technology, employment and political participation.

The panel of 6 experts at The Girl Effect in Africa discussion included Graca Machel, former first lady of Mozambique, Founder/President of Foundation for Community Development and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director of the World Bank, also voted one of the 100 most powerful women in the world (Forbes, 2006).

Beyond the ethical and moral imperative behind gender equality, research demonstrates that educating girls can make big strides toward reducing poverty in developing countries.

Another discussion participant, Colin Coleman, Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking, Sub-Saharan Africa, Goldman Sachs, South Africa, reviewed highlights from Women Hold Up Half the Sky, a research report issued by his bank last year. Highlights from the report include findings that education

• Greatly increases the likelihood that girls will work outside the home
• Dramatically improves the wages of those who find employment
• Results in lower rates of child mortality, HIV infection and other diseases

The study estimated that providing girls with full educational equality to boys could lead to a 30% increase in per capita income by 2030.

To read the full summary of The Girl Effect in Africa and other discussion summaries from the 2009 World Economic Forum on Africa click here.

Education and empowerment of young Africans is a crucial step toward independent, sustainable and empowered African countries, yet school-age boys and girls in Africa face many obstacles to completing their education.

In Togo most boys and girls attend and complete primary school but attendance decreases significantly before secondary school especially in rural communities. Secondary schools exist only in relatively large towns and this means students from smaller villages must walk up to 30 kilometers each day to attend secondary school. That’s over 18 miles! There is no bus service and families cannot afford private vehicles.

As you can imagine, walking 18 miles each day takes a large amount of time and is physically demanding, often leaving students too tired to pay attention while in school, and without adequate time and energy to complete homework assignments. Given their roles in the household as mothers’ assistants, girls are disproportionately affected and often cannot attend distant schools and still fulfill their home responsibilities. Many students, then, chose to leave school after finishing the primary grades.

By providing bicycle transportation to Togolese students – especially to girls – we begin to narrow the divide in access to education and raise the quality of life for families in rural villages.

Bicycles for Education
Those old bicycles sitting around your garage or backyard can make a world of difference in the life of a student in Togo - and save precious landfill space by putting unwanted/unneeded bicycles to good use!

Since 2006 Alaffia has collected more than 2,000 bicycles for students in Togo. This tremendous feat could not be accomplished without the time, energy and moral support of many wonderful volunteers. Our goal this year is to collect 900 bikes and we invite all volunteers to join in on the fun!

If you are unable to volunteer your time at the drive or do not have bicycle to donate you can still help! It costs roughly $40 to ship each bicycle to Togo and your tax-deductible cash donation of any amount is greatly appreciated and makes a lasting difference in the lives of young Africans.

Get Involved!

This year we have once again been graciously offered the support of PCC Natural Food Markets, who will be hosting the 2-day event in the parking lot at two of their stores. Click on the links below for addresses and directions.

July 25th 11am-3pm PCC Edmonds
July 26th 11am-3pm PCC View Ridge

For more background information and Bicycles for Education program objectives click here. To get involved call 360-866-0080 or email community@alaffia.com. You can also find us on Facebook!

In terms of natural resources, the African continent is the richest on the planet, yet for centuries these resources have been appropriated, exploited and undervalued by foreign interests. Preserving indigenous African resources and keeping their control in the hands of the African people is integral to Alaffia’s mission. As our company grows we are researching more African botanicals and using them as we formulate new products. Our newest ingredients include Robusta coffee, Kola nut and African ginger.

Robusta Coffee
Native to North Africa, Robusta coffee contains twice the caffeine as the more common Arabica variety. Within the skin care industry caffeine has received increasing attention over the last several years. Many clinical trials demonstrate caffeine’s remarkable antioxidant potency and effectiveness in treating cellulite, Rosacea, puffiness and dark under eye circles. Most recently caffeine has been recognized to stimulate hair follicles and protect against hair loss.

Kola Nut
Native to the tropical rainforests of Africa, Kola nuts are another rich source of caffeine. Before the invention of artificial flavorings, the nuts were used to flavor soft drinks (i.e. Cola). People in many West African cultures chew Kola nuts as a daily refreshment. The nuts are also often presented ceremonially to tribal chiefs or special guests. Multiple nuts (or seeds) form a pod and the individual nuts range from yellow to deep red in color; the redder the nut, the more caffeine it contains.

Ginger

In the West, ginger root is primarily used for its culinary and medicinal benefits but this ancient spice is an up-and-coming ingredient in personal care products. For centuries Ayurvedic practitioners have used ginger to treat skin disorders and in Japan ginger oil massages are said to ease joint pain due to the root’s anti-inflammatory properties. Originating in Asia, ginger is now cultivated in India, Southeast Asia, West Africa and the Caribbean. As with all of our indigenous botanicals, we source our ginger from independent farmers in Togo who either wild harvest or use organic farming techniques.

New Products

Alaffia is proud to offer five new products formulated with these specialized ingredients:

Coffee & Shea Revitalizing Shampoo and Conditioner, formulated for fine or thinning hair.
Kola, Ginger & Shea Daily Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner, formulated for everyday use on all hair types.

Kola Ginger Shea Butter Body Lotion, formulated for everyday use on normal to dry skin. Delicious ginger spice fragrance from pure essential oils!

For more information or to order any of these new products contact service@alaffia.com or ask for them at your local natural products store.

Given the many social, economic and environmental issues our planet faces, as consumers we are increasingly cautious and reflective about what we spend our money on. When considering personal care products, there are several important questions we ask about the product, including:

1. Is it effective?
2. Is it free of harmful or potentially harmful ingredients?
3. Is it affordable?
4. Was it sourced and manufactured in an ethical, sustainable manner?

Earlier this spring at the Natural Products Expo West, Alaffia introduced several new items, including three new facial serums. Like all Alaffia products, our serums can answer a resounding “Yes!” to all of the questions above.

The serums consist of 100% pure, handcrafted oils that have been known for thousands of years to nourish and moisturize skin without clogging pores. The oils come from edible plants and are free of any additives or preservatives. Sensitive to the current economic climate, each serum retails at about $9.95 for a half-ounce bottle. While primarily intended for use on the face, these oils can be used to treat areas of skin all over the body.

Why use a Serum?
Most of us are familiar with the basic 3-step face care regime of cleanser, toner and moisturizer, but adding a serum to your routine provides intensive treatment that targets your specific skin care needs. If you need skin brightening and firming, improvement of texture and tone or to treat acne or extreme dryness the right serum may help you achieve those results.

Generally speaking serums are formulated to deliver additional nutrients to deeper layers of skin by penetrating further than moisturizers are able to. Because our serums are completely unrefined, the nutrients are quickly and efficiently absorbed. Apply the serum after using a toner and before moisturizing. For some people the serum alone may provide enough moisture. Our serums can also be used to spot treat areas such as crow’s feet, scars and discolorations, dry patches etc.

Baobab Oil Facial Serum
Alaffia’s hand pressed Baobab oil is rich source of Vitamins A, D, E and F.
Baobab oil’s polyunsaturated fatty acids are known to improve skin elasticity, encourage the regeneration of skin cells and diminish fine lines and wrinkles. Handcrafted Baobab oil is also extremely high in Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids. In addition to skin rejuvenating properties, Omega fatty acids are powerful anti-inflammatory agents that can be useful in treating eczema, psoriasis and other skin inflammations.

We recommend our Baobab Oil Facial Serum for dry or mature skin.

Sesame Oil Facial Serum
From the seed of the West African sesame plant comes sesame oil, a rich source of Vitamins E and B complex. Vitamin E is a superior antioxidant helpful in neutralizing oxidative damage while B vitamins are essential to maintaining a clear, healthy complexion. Our hand pressed Sesame Oil Facial Serum is lightweight and absorbs quickly to moisturize, protect and detoxify the skin.

We recommend our Sesame Oil Facial Serum for normal to dry skin.

Melon Seed Oil Facial Serum
Balanced hydration is essential for a clear complexion, even for those with oily or acne prone skin. Hand pressed from the seeds of African watermelons, Alaffia’s Melon Seed Oil Facial Serum is ideal for oily or acne prone skin. Extremely lightweight and quickly absorbed, melon seed oil leaves the skin feeling fresh and clean. Rich in Omega fatty acids, melon seed oil can soothe and reduce the redness and irritation associated with acne, while improving skin elasticity and promoting the regeneration of new, healthy skin cells.

We recommend our Melon Seed Oil Facial Serum for oily, combination or acne prone skin.

For more information or to order Alaffia’s new facial serums contact service@alaffia.com or ask for them at your local natural products store.

2009 has been an exciting year for Alaffia. Early this Spring we introduced a value line called EveryDay Shea. So far the line consists of three body lotions rich in fair trade shea butter and other handcrafted indigenous ingredients. These are the same shea butter and herbal extracts used in our Alaffia products, but the simplicity of EveryDay Shea’s formula and packaging make it less expensive to produce. The savings are passed on to our customers as each 32-ounce bottle retails for about $13.99.

EveryDay Shea is a direct response to the need for high quality, sustainable and affordable skincare in the marketplace. However the excitement about EveryDay Shea goes deeper than economic value; EveryDay Shea addresses the need for continued social responsibility during these troubled times. We recognize that when a wealthy country like the United States suffers a recession, the effects experienced by communities around the globe are even harsher.

At Alaffia, Togo and the empowerment of her communities are at the heart of all that we do. Thanks to the support of our many loyal customers, we have been able to expand our community enhancement projects. We have also been able to increase membership in our cooperatives to over 200 women. These women and their families depend greatly on the sale of our products, as the consequences of unemployment in developing countries, especially those with a deep colonial legacy, are devastating on a scale that few of us in the West can understand.

There are no social or public services such as unemployment insurance, food banks or employment agencies available to people in rural African communities. Job prospects in rural Togolese communities are scarce to none, especially for elder women like those employed by the coop. These women grew up under colonial rule and were prevented from receiving formal education, further reducing the already meager number of job opportunities available to them.

With our new line, EveryDay Shea, we are using even greater quantities of shea butter and ensuring ourcooperative members remain employed. In line with our commitment to sustainability and community enhancement, 10% of the sale of each bottle of EveryDay Shea directly supports our empowerment projects in Togo.

For more information or to purchase EveryDay Shea visit www.everydayshea.com or ask for it at your local natural products store.

As always, I would like to begin by thanking all of you that have either directly or indirectly supported us and make our projects possible. It is clear that without your support, our commitment to bettering lives in Togo would not be possible.  My main intentions for this letter are to thank all of you for your support and to take the opportunity to tell you about my most recent trip to Togo and Ghana.

This was a deeply emotionally challenging trip, primarily due to the state of human condition and a testing of my commitment.  Two weeks before I left for Togo on September 3, 2008, Togo was hit with major monsoon rains. The flooding that followed displaced more than 20,000 families, destroyed countless fields, and washed out a large bridge on the main north-south road – cutting off supplies and fuel to Togo and countries to the north.  Escalating fuel and food costs had already put a strain on local economies, and these floods have made it even more difficult for families to feed themselves. With food a primary concern, families are not able to even think about the expense of sending their children to school.  Before the huge increases in fuel and food prices, school was already a huge expense for the majority of Togolese families. Now, it has become even more difficult for them.

Seeing the devastation in Togo caused by a combination of natural and economic disasters has only strengthened my resolve to improve conditions in my communities.  The recent global economic crisis has only increased my commitment to continuing our community empowerment projects, since the impact is greatest on the worlds poorest.

I scheduled my visit to Togo in September to coincide with the arrival of the three containers of bicycles that we shipped in July.  However, upon my arrival, the shipping company informed me that the containers had been delayed. They finally arrived after I had already returned to the US.  This changed the focus of the trip to our education and health projects. With the help of the cooperative members, we built and donated table-benches to three extremely impoverished schools, donated school supplies to over 100 families in flood-affected areas, and visited the 40 women who are recipients of this year’s Fousena Fund for prenatal care.  We also decided to sponsor a teacher for one village who had come together to build a school, but could not afford the salary for a teacher.  As part of our follow-up and to prepare for the arrival of this year’s bicycles, we met with past and future recipients of bicycles. The chief of Kinizao, one village that received bicycles from our previous shipment, remarked that teenage pregnancy is down in his village since girls were given bicycles. Students, too, read letters of appreciation for the bicycles, explaining how the bikes have helped them to continue and excel in school.

One great positive of this trip to Togo was to see how the Alaffia shea butter cooperative has empowered its members and their communities. Even in this time of economic difficulty, the cooperative members are able to feed their families, pay for school, and continue saving in their microcredit program.  We were honored with a ceremony put on by over 15 villages – where cooperative members, village chiefs and community members expressed their thanks with dances and speeches.  We are continually receiving requests to set up cooperatives in other areas of Togo, and met with various organizations producing handicrafts, coffee, and other indigenous goods.  We hope to incorporate some of these into Alaffia in the near future.

These community projects continue only with the financial support of Alaffia customers and retailers who purchase Alaffia products.  With each purchase, you directly support the salaries and empowerment of the members of our cooperative as well as our community projects. Some of you have also donated directly for special projects, especially for our donations to families affected by the September floods.

Thank you very kindly for these donations and your continued support of our products.  I plan to return to Togo within the next six months for the distribution of the bicycles, and I will bring you more updates then.  In addition, in December we will be distributing a newsletter giving project reports and feedback in detail.

Peace,

Olowo-n’djo Tchala

Founder, Alaffia

Alaffia has recently received recognition in several National publications! The October issue of Vegetarian Times mentions our Bicycles for Education project in their “This Just In” section.

Natural Solutions Magazine awarded our Shea and Henna Moisturizing Shampoo with a “Beauty With a Conscience Award” in their October issue.

Our Rooibos & Shea Antioxidant Face Cream was mentioned in the October issue of Self magazine as one of 5 Fair Trade Finds listed in an article on how purchasing Fair Trade products makes a difference for independent farmers and producers in developing countries.