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$38.00
Marula Oil is a fast-absorbing facial oil that has been treasured for centuries by African women for its restorative benefits. It provides long-lasting hydration and soothes redness and irritation, leaving skin glowing with a matte finish.
With its extremely high concentration of Omega 6, 9 and other antioxidants, it fights free-radicals that cause premature skin aging. The oil-rich kernels from East African are wild-harvested, hand-selected, manually cold pressed, then combined with a 1% essential oil fragrance blend, to ensure the highest quality product.
The 30 ml bottle size, with a special oil dispenser, also meets travel requirements. Included in the box is an insert outlining uses and benefits.
About the Artisans:
In 2001, a terrible drought persisted for several years and brought devastation to the pasture lands. The livelihood of the Maasai disappeared as their cattle died. The men had to drive the few remaining cattle hundreds of miles away in search for better grazing while the women looked desperately for ways to feed, clothe, and educate their children and obtain medical supplies. Philip and Katy Leakey, founders of The Leakey Collection who live among the Maasai in East Africa, wanted to provide their neighbors with work opportunities. They came up with an imaginative idea to utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women by using a readily available, sustainable resource- GRASS- as the primary element.
Soon the Leakeys discovered that for centuries, African women had revered the restorative benefits of Marula oil and decided to offer it to the world also. After the Marula fruit is collected under the wild stands of trees, the nuts are removed from the fruit by hand. The nuts are slowly sun-dried, naturally concentrating the oil prior to extraction. The hard outer shells are individually split by hand; each kernel is removed and inspected for freshness, discarding any of poor quality. The oil-rich ivory colored kernels are pressed through The Leakey Collection's unique, proprietary cold-pressing system, ensuring the highest quality product. Now, even the men have joined in the entrepreneurial opportunities.
$68.00
Earrings feature hammered silver in a half-moon shape and sterling silver earwires. These statement earrings are surprisingly lightweight. Handcrafted by skilled artisans in Mali.
These gorgeous earrings are handmade in Mali in collaboration with designer Phyllis Woods of Tribalinks.
Measures 1.75"L X 1.5"W. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected.
$28.00
A stylish accessory for all, these comfortable bracelets are handmade in Kenya using conditioned cow leather. A hand-tooled aluminum cross adds character and contrast, and a snap closure keeps the bracelet secure.
Measures 1.5"W x 8.5"L; 2.5" inner diameter. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected.
About the Artisans:
Joseph works from a home workshop in the rough Mathare neighborhood outside Nairobi. This soft-spoken, artistic man employs three young men, and together they craft jewelry, keepsakes and personal accessories from leather, brass and bone. Joseph enjoys the exchange of ideas encouraged during our design sessions. This year he took on the challenge of using dyes to diversify his leather goods, with beautiful results.
$58.00
Artisans in Burkina Faso dye soft hand-woven cotton shawls with indigo powder extracted from the leaves of the indigofera tinctoria plant. For centuries, wearing indigo cloth in West Africa indicated power and wealth. Today, the use of synthetic indigo dye is predominant, but pockets of artisans still process the plant to dye with true indigo.
This beautiful shawl is soft to the touch and features a resist-dyed stripe pattern and a braided fringe.
Sold singly. Design may vary slightly.
Dimensions: 26"W x 64"L
Crafted from: Cotton, indigo dye
Made in: Burkina Faso
Care: hand-wash in cool water and air dry.
$58.00
These twirled earrings are handmade in Senegal in the tradition of Fulani earrings. Fulani women traditionally wore their riches in the form of gold earrings that they could carry at all times.
This modern adaptation shines in beautiful sterling silver. The delicate twist design creates a statement earring, while maintaining a light weight. The earrings feature a small hinge for easy on-and-off.
Large measures approximately 1.75" wide. Petite measures approximately 0.75" wide.
Due to the handmade nature of this item, some variation is expected.
About the Artisans:
These earrings are handcrafted in Senegal by artisan Bass and his small team of 5 young men.
$78.00
This stunning necklace features five silver-plated, rectangular pendants that drape beautifully across the collarbone. Each pendant is engraved with intricate geometric designs. The necklace is strung with glass beads and finished with a hook closure.
Choose from black or emerald green glass beads.
Measures 18" long. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected. Fair trade.
$78.00
Known worldwide for their jewelry craftsmanship, artisans in Mali crafted this beautiful necklace from silver and glass beads.
Five silver-plated droplet pedants drape beautifully from the beaded necklace. Each pendant is accented with hand-etched geometric details. Finished with a hook closure.
Choose from sea green, burgundy, or black glass beads.
Measures 18" long. Due to the handmade nature of this item, slight variation is expected. Fair trade.
$28.00
Woven by basket weavers in South Africa, these unique bracelets are made using telephone wire.
Each bracelet features a tightly coiled design and can be gently adjusted to fit wrists in a variety of sizes.
Measures 2.25"T x 3"D. Size may vary slightly. Fair trade.
About the Artisans:
ZenZulu is a South African craft business organized by designer Marisa Fick-Jordaan. Once consisting of only two master weavers, the business taught unemployed women how to bead and weave, with an emphasis on telephone wire. Today, this highly regarded organization ensures sustainable incomes for more than 350 home based craft producers in four different communities.
$28.00
These handcrafted earrings are created using Kenyan shillings, some of which date back several decades. The coins are hollowed and topped with a turquoise bead, then strung on French earwire.
The earrings are a unique way to show your love for East Africa while also looking incredibly chic. Measures 2.5"L x 1"W. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary slightly. Fair trade.
About the Artisans:
Gabriel Muragu learned the art of jewelry crafting from his father, who trained in export readiness with Alan Donovan at African Heritage. Together, the father and son team craft beautifully styled adornments from an upstairs workshop in Nairobi's central business district.
$18.50
Lulu Life is an organic, Grade A virgin shea butter that is produced using nuts from the vitellaria nilotica tree, which grows only in remote East Africa.
Most shea butter comes from West African shea trees and is sold as a hard solid. East African shea butter is silky and harder to procure, and considered a precious luxury good. Lulu Shea Butter is made from nuts that are collected, cracked, sorted, dried, ground by hand and cold-pressed (avoiding even the slightest trace of chemical contamination).
Intensely moisturizing, this shea butter is easily absorbed and is known to transform your skin over time. The butter is rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants, and can be used on the face or as an all-over body butter.
Dimensions: 100ml (3.4oz) watertight plastic container.
2.25"L x 2.25"W x 2"H
Crafted from: Nilotica shea nut oil
Made in: South Sudan
About the Artisans:
Founded in 2000, Lulu Works is a non-profit trust established to provide a source of sustainable income for the women of South Sudan. Comprised of women-owned processing centers, Lulu Works ensures that the profit from the production and sale of Lulu Life products returns to these women. It also provides an incentive to protect the natural shea butter resource.
Vitellaria nilotica tree grows across South Sudan in thick forests and takes 20 years to bear its first fruit. These forests are untouched by chemicals or fertilizers.
This shea butter is pure and unscented. See all of the scents available in our Skin Care Collection.