Autumn is here and once again, we’re upping our skincare game with richer and more nourishing products. Today at The Amazing Blog, we’d like to introduce another of our #amazingfinds with a natural and organic skincare, that has adopted some of the centuries-old West African skincare traditions and made them their own. Meet the award-winning brand UHURU Botanicals.
UHURU Botanicals was founded in 2017 by Neo Mkwebane Chatyoka, when she was searching for soothing products for her baby who had eczema and couldn’t find the right one. This spurred her on to make her own products using some of the purest and most potent ingredients from Africa, her home-continent. Since then, the brand has grown, finding markets both in South Africa and in the United Kingdom. Today, Neo’s mission is to help everyone who has a persistent skin problem, and regain what she calls “skin confidence”. This philosophy reflects in the word ‘Uhuru’ that she chose for her brand name, which means ‘Freedom’ in the Kenyan dialect Swahili. The entire skincare range is unisex, multi-use, 100% organic, natural, vegan and ethical (even the packaging is eco-friendly), and best of all, it’s ideal for hypersensitive skin.
The first product from their range that we would like to talk about is the Marula Lotion, which won Editor’s Choice in the 2020 Beauty Shortlist Mama & Baby Awards. The main key ingredient of the Marula Lotion is shea butter, which comes from the nut of karité trees that grow in the Savanah of Western Africa. Perhaps best known for its properties to soothe and heal eczema, psoriasis, cracked skin and rashes; the shea butter is mixed with baobab and marula oil from Eastern and South Africa, which help regenerate skin and heal scars. The lotion is presented in a UVA resistant brown-coloured glass bottle. Once on the skin, the lotion absorbs quickly, liberating a fresh and subtle citrusy scent from the lemon, grapefruit and sweet orange oils. These are all rich in vitamin C which helps to even out the skin tone. As it is 100% natural, organic, and free from parabens and chemical fragrance, makes it ideal to use on both body and face. This is a wonderful multitasking lotion that we just couldn’t get enough of and is one of our #amazingfinds for the autumn. The Marula Lotion with vitamin C comes in 200ml, and you can purchase it here for £11.99.
The second product is the Black Soap & Aloe Vera Cleanser which has taken its inspiration from the time-honoured traditions of the West African black soap formula. This natural blend is gentle, effective and cleanses whilst also locking in moisture. It also fights acne, evens skin tone, treats eczema, and minimises the blemishes and scars all at the same time. Thanks to the healing powers of aloe vera, shea butter, and tea tree when combined, they offer a deliver a deep hydrating cleanse. There are coconut and palm oils here, as well as the charcoal powder which acts as an antibacterial removing impurity from the skin. e,e,There is no specific fragrance; we could only detect a very pleasant neutral hint of tea tree. We massaging this cleanser straight onto dry skin in a circular motion, then we rinsed away with warm water. Our skin felt clean, soft and hydrated and it’s so gentle that we used it for both morning and night. NB: As both products a completely organic formula without preservatives, it should be stored away from direct sunlight. These have impressed us and we can’t wait to try more from Uhuru Botanicals. The Black Soap & Aloe Vera Cleanser is available in two sizes: 30ml for £4.00 or 200ml for £12.99 here.