Nubian Heritage Carrot & Pomegranate Lotion: Making the World a Softer Place

I love it when companies make great, affordable beauty products and give some of the proceeds to a worthy cause. A friend of mine recently turned me on to Nubian Heritage Carrot & Pomegranate Lotion ($12), which won my heart not only on the merits of the lotion, but also on the company’s efforts to make the world a better place.

Nubian Heritage, an up-and-coming skincare company specializing in organic products, got its start in 1991 when founders Richelieu Dennis and Nyema Tubman, both friends, immigrated to the United States from their home country of Liberia. The country was in the midst of a terrible civil war at the time.

Dennis comes from a family of soap makers, and, with Tubman’s help, put that background to work selling Nubian Heritage products on the sidewalks of New York City in 1992. The recipes used to make their products date back four generations.

The company has come a long way since those early sidewalk sales. Today, Nubian Heritage has four free-standing stores and offers a full line of body products, including soaps, lotions, scrubs, body washes, lip balms, body butters and hand creams.

When I first saw Nubian Heritage’s Carrot and Pomegranate lotion I assumed it would smell like, well, carrots and pomegranates. Seemed logical, right? I think it smells more like pineapples and flowers, two very appealing scents in their own right. In fact, the carrot and pomegranate in the name refer to two of the main ingredients — carrot seed, for its high vitamin and beta carotene content, and pomegranate, which has been used for thousands of years to treat skin problems.

Without question, it’s a great, highly moisturizing lotion, but the fragrance and the story behind the company are what make it truly exceptional.

Carrot & Pomegranate is one of 10 lotions in the line ($12 for a 13oz bottle; $10 for an 8oz bottle), each designed to treat a different skin condition and to bring about emotional and spiritual balance. Carrot & Pomegranate is the line’s anti-aging wunderkin.

The Other Nubian Heritage Lotions

• African Black Soap Extract Lotion with Oats & Aloe : Contains shea butter, palm ash, plantain peel extract and papaya enzymes. Designed to balance and hydrate acne-prone skin. Has a spicy, woody, unisex scent.
• Coconut and Papaya: Contains coconut oil, shea butter, papaya enzymes and comfrey root. Designed to protect skin against free radicals and to prevent wrinkles and acne. Has a sweet, tropical scent.
• Goat’s Milk and Chai: Contains shea butter, goat milk, chai extract and rose extract. Designed to condition and hydrate sensitive skin. Has a sweet tea and rose scent. Side note: despite my fear of goats, this is the one I want to try next!
• Indian Hemp and Haitian Vetiver Lotion: Contains shea butter, hemp seed oil, neem oil, vetiver and vitamin B5. Designed to balance and comfort skin. Has an herbal, exotic floral scent.
• Lavender and Wildflowers Lotion: Contains shea butter, lavender and wildflowers. Designed to condition skin and to calm the mind and body. Has a sweet, floral, herbal scent.
• Mango Butter: Contains mango butter, shea butter, cocoa butter, avocado butter and aloe vera. Designed to provide maximum hydration for all skin types. Has a fruity, tropical scent.
• NH Man Drive Three Butters: I couldn’t find the list of ingredients for this one, but I’m assuming it smells, well … manly!
• Olive: Contains olive oil, shea butter, avocado butter, green tea and ginseng extract. Designed for deep hydration and to repair environmental damage. Has a sweet, musky floral scent.
• Raw Shea Butter: Contains raw shea butter, soy milk, vitamin E, frankincense and myrrh. Designed to heal chapped, dry skin while promoting mental strength, clarity and balance. Has a spicy scent.

Nubian Heritage claims to purchase the ingredients for their products from cooperatives run by women and indigenous farmers in Africa, and they pay above-market prices to help improve the standard of living for their suppliers. They’ve partnered with organizations like The Liberian Education Fund and Todee Mission to provide impoverished girls in Africa with access to schools and education. Here in the states, they donate a portion of sales to youth congregations and community development programs.

If you’re a fan of Kiehl’s more costly Creme de Corps lotion ($42 versus $12), which has a similar texture, give Nubian Heritage Carrot & Pomegranate a try.

Nubian Heritage Carrot & Pomegranate Lotion

Price: $12 for a 13 fl oz bottle
Use: As an anti-aging body moisturizer
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can purchase Nubian Heritage products at Macy’s, Union Square, or check out the Nubian Heritage site to find a retailer near you.

Ladies, I’m so profoundly glad we’re finished with Monday. I just got back from dance class, and now I’m ready to watch the season finale of The Hills!

I predict…

• Heidi and Spencer realize their path in life leads to horror and relinquish all their earthly possessions, giving everything to charity!
• Lauren foregos her regular makeup look (thick,black liner on the upper lid) and instead works a fierce pink and orange eye! She then leaves a comment on this post to tell me all about the Mark products she used for her FOTD!
• Lo puts down her crackberry for more than 2 seconds!
• Whitney builds a better mousetrap!
• Poor Audrina finally realizes her true genius and leaves L.A. to become a physicist at CERN!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Time to catch up on your beauty reading! Here are some of last week’s best posts from the Beauty Blog Network.

The Beauty Blog Network – Weekly Roundup

Product Girl is giving away 4 goodie bags from the upcoming Sex and the City movie! Check out Product Girl for more information.

StyleBell shows you how to make some serious waves with your flat iron.

Beauty Anonymous reveals the jelly pinkness of the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2008 Salon Collection !

Raging Rouge announces the MAX Factor May Makeover giveaway. Over $750 of MAX Factor products will be divided up between TEN winners on May 17th. Good luck!

SugarShock Beauty has a newfound love for foundation: the makeup artist- and Madge-approved Face Atelier Ultra Foundation.

The Muse whispers in your ear about Benefit’s Newest Cheek Stain for Summer! Pssttttt! Enjoy the first ever images, product photos, and swatches from a link available at Musings!

This mascara ended A Touch of Blusher’s mascara search.

Beauty411 reviews Soaptopia, a bath line that promised to be “100% junk free”! Check it out!

Beauty Blogging Junkie schools you on how to avoid snaggy, dry lips.

Looking for skin care products that deliver results? Read The Makeup Divas review of the Somme Institute Skin Care Line.

Beauty and Fashion Tech is giving away two sets of John Frieda Lustrous Touch Shampoo and Conditioner. One for blonde hair and one for brunette.

At Girl Gloss, you can win a set of seven Classic Badger Balm Lip Balms.

Beauty Junkie in SF is on her way to a flawless face with the help of a new high-tech skincare system.

The Beauty of Life brings you the highs and lows from the celebs’ beauty looks at the Costume Institute Gala.

Beauty Banter dishes on the new Spring Hair Style and actress Shiri Appleby models the look!

Need a nail intervention but can’t afford regular trips to the salon? Glossypink goes there to get great nails.

What makes you feel your most beautiful? Toya at The Life of A Ladybug wants to know!

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty helps you determine if you’re a candidate for microdermabrasion!

A reader at makeup loves me claims to have gone up one cup size by using victoria’s secret bust enhancer!

Makeup Moxie finds Complexion Perfection when she reviews the foundation and concealer duo compact by Global Goddess.

Face Candy reviews NARS Orgasm Multiple, Lip Gloss and Nail Polish.

The Muse whispers in your ear about Benefit’s new cheek stain and has a link to swatches!.

Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog gets a surprise Stage Makeup makeover with Kryolan Professional Makeup.

Pursebuzz.com does a step by step tutorial on how to create that extra dramatic smokey eye look as seen on Gwen and Fergie and everyone on the red carpet.

What has a delectable chocolate fragrance when you smooth it on that morphs into a fresh, powdery scent once it sinks in? Spoiled Pretty tells you what it is and why you need to try it!

Cybelesays gets to the Shea of Things with their picks of the best Shea Butter products out there.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic gives you the low down on Kristin Davis’s makeup for the SATC publicity tour!

I even think it smells better and has an ingredient list that’s comprised primarily of plant extracts and essential oils.