Treat Your Face, Body, & Hair with Akan Organics Shea Butter Whip. [Review]
If you’re like me and go gaga when you find a good quality, natural product with a local twist then you’re going to love Akan Organics! I came across the products while visiting a local goods market called The Brownsense Market. I’ve been on the lookout for good, natural products to incorporate into my beauty regime for some time now and was quite excited when I stumbled upon Akan Organics. Aimed at promoting healthy African hair and skin, this small start-up is fresh, all-natural, and vegan-friendly. What else could the modern South African girl want? But, it’s their Shea Butter Whip that has been completely besotted – here’s why you need to treat your skin and hair with this multi-use wonder.
The idea for Akan Organics was partly inspired by founder, Akosua’s own experiences of ditching chemically processed beauty regimes and opting to go natural. The Ghanaian-born, South African quickly realised that there weren’t many good products on the market for African hair but it was only after she received some Ghanaian Shea butter from her mother that the seed for starting her own beauty brand was planted. Akosua found that the Ghanaian Shea butter worked so well that she eventually started handing some out to her friends as well and not long after, Akan Organics was born.
The Akan Organics range consists of four products: a 100% Jamaican Castor Oil (an oil for promoting hair growth), African Black Soap (a face and body sebum), Liquid African Black Soap (a shampoo), and of course, the famous Shea Butter Whip (which can be used for your face, hair and body). Akosua explains that the range is a chance for African women to treat themselves and demand better products. “Anyone can use the products but I think in the market, women of colour have been neglected, says Akosua. “Instead of those crappy products with inferior oils or liquid paraffin, this is an opportunity to say; you know what – as a woman of colour, we want proper products. We want natural stuff that’s really good for our skin, that’s been used in all parts of Africa.”
The Akan Organics Shea Butter Whip completely stole my attention when I first tested it. I’ve been using it for about a month now and I love that it feels like the crème-de-la-crème of body butters. Having naturally dry skin, I usually apply a small amount of body butter to my face and a bit more to my body after a bath or a shower and just before going to bed. After using the Shea Butter Whip for the first time my skin felt softer and the reddish irritations on my face had reduced as well. The butter could prove to be too heavy for some faces, but then I’d suggest just using a smaller size and test that out on your face. While the product is relatively affordable I like to stretch it out by using just a pea-sized amount on my face most evenings before going to bed and once or twice a week on my whole body.
The product is hand whipped and contains raw, Ghanaian Shea butter and it comes as no surprise that it’s their best selling product. Rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, Shea Butter aids collagen production (which means, bye-bye wrinkles!) and is great for treating skin ailments such as psoriasis and eczema. But wait, there’s more, the wonder product can also be used in your hair! Use a pea-sized amount as either a pre-shampoo or a leave-in treatment to revive, dry, damaged hair.
Akan Organics Shea Butter Whip is available online from the Akan Organics website or from the Akan Organics store in Cape Town (shop number 5 in the Salt Circle, Woodstock) at R150. For more information on Akan Organics say Hi to Akan Organics on Facebook.
