SHEABUTTER COTTAGE : SANKOFA DAY

An open day in Ghana to have a chat on skin and hair care whilst we introduce our range of natural products onto the Ghana market.

Free food + free swag bags for all attendees.

No ticket = No entry

Register at : http://www.sheabuttercottage.eventbri...

ethical + fair trade business

http://www.sheabuttercottage.co.uk

socialise with us

facebook : http://www.facebook.com/sheabuttercot...

instagram : http://www.instagram.com/sheabutterco...

twitter : http://www.twitter.com/akuawood

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SHEABUTTER COTTAGE: HELPING HAND PROGRAMME

Getting excited about our next helping hand project as we celebrate 9 years this month. 9 years of Sheabutter Cottage, 9 years of stretching a helping hand all thanks to YOU.



Read more about our helping hand programme : http://akuawood.x-shops.com/pages.php?pageid=9


Akua Wood
ethical + fair trade business


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CASTOR OIL CHALLENGE

Happy sprouting with Kinky Curly Coily Me castor oil challenge. Registration now open http://kinkycurlycoilyme.com/castor-oil-challenge-spring-2013-registration/

Order your bottle(s) of organic castor oil or Jamaican black castor oil for the challenge

Best wishes

Akua Wood

ethical + fair trade business

http://www.sheabuttercottage.co.uk

socialise with us

facebook : http://www.facebook.com/sheabuttercottage

instagram : http://www.instagram.com/sheabuttercottage

twitter : http://www.twitter.com/akuawood

pinterest : http://pinterest.com/akuawood/

TROPIC ISLE LIVING @ SHEABUTTER COTTAGE

How many of us dream of such idyllic setting on a dreary January day? Well, let Tropic Isle Living "transport" you to the Caribbean with the invigorating scent of either energising lemongrass [good for concentration] or the therapeutic cerasse bush bath/shower gel range


LEMONGRASS MINT ~ STRESS RELIEF
A deodorising blend of Caribbean herbs to help calm the nerves, sooth aches and pain and tingle your senses.

CERASSE ~ SKIN THERAPHY
A herbal blend of cerassee and rosemary to help moisturise/disinfect/deodorise the skin.

Fancy a spicy kick start in the morning? Try this duo:

GINGER ~ SOOTHING
Made with a twist of lime and ginger to help kick start your day. Great for a relaxing/stimulating wash for tired achy muscles.

ISLAND SPICE ~ ENERGY
Transport yourself to the warmth and sunny Carribbean island in the comfort of your home with a blend of spices to invigorate your senses.

Akua Wood
Sheabutter Cottage : ethical + fair trade business



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SCALP ISSUES : AN EXPERIMENT

Back in September this year, I had an interesting conversation about the use of baking soda + distilled water as a shampoo and wondered how many used this hair cleansing system? I posted this on our Facebook fanpage with mixed reaction

I therefore decided to try it myself.

I believe our scalp thrives best around pH of 4 -5.
I used distilled water which has a pH of around 7 [neutral], organic apple cider vinegar which has a pH of 5 [acid] and bicarbonate of soda which has a pH of 8 [alkaline].

These were separately mixed with distilled water - sodium bicarbonate solution iin the plastic jug - left of the screen and ACV in the glass jug - right of your screen.

"18.09.12:
Sodium bicarbonate is a mild exfoliant to release the dead skin cells.

Apple cider vinegar on the other hand is seen as a fungicide as dandruff could also be the result of bacteria.

I diluted ~15g of sodium bicarbonate in 270g of distilled water and used this solution to wash my hair.
Rinsed out with distilled water ~ 500g
Applied diluted apple cider vinegar - ~15g in 250g of distilled water. Massaged into my hair and rinsed out with distilled water after 5 minutes. My scalp was and has been breathing since.

Not yet oiled my scalp but neither the scalp nor hair feel dry."

Akua
Sheabutter Cottage

TROPIC ISLE LIVING BUSH BATH @ SHEABUTTER COTTAGE

Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky.

Now the darkness gathers,
Stars begin to peep,
Step into a bush bath
To relax the muscles
Soon will be asleep.

BUSH BATH

TROPIC ISLE LIVING JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL

TROPIC ISLE LIVING [TIL] asks

Did you know this?

For ages throughout the Caribbean, black castor oil was and still is highly prized for its beneficial effect on the hair and scalp. Women with natural or permed hair use it to cleanse toxins and fatty deposits on the sca

lp and hair follicles that causes dandruff, dry scalp, and barber umps. It also nourishes the scalp; thickens hair roots; and stimulates hair growth. A black castor oil hot oil treatment will moisturise dry brittle hair; repair split ends; and gives the hair body, bounce and sheen.

Black castor oil is also popularly used to manage aches and pain caused by arthritis, rheumatism, joint stiffness and muscular strain. By massaging black castor oil in these it will help to sooth, cleanse and improve blood circulation to the area. It’s also used to soften corns and calluses and reduce the soreness.

Traditional healers usually recommend that women massage their breast with black castor oil to ease the soreness due to hormonal changes and to help prevent cysts and lumps from forming.

Black castor oil is also popularly used to manage aches and pain caused by arthritis, rheumatism, joint stiffness and muscular strain. By massaging black castor oil in these it will help to sooth, cleanse and improve blood circulation to the area. It’s also used to soften corns and calluses and reduce the soreness.

Traditional healers usually recommend that women massage their breast with black castor oil to ease the soreness due to hormonal changes and to help prevent cysts and lumps from forming.

Tropic Isle Living is still the trusted Jamaican Black Castor Oil brand for 18 years and counting. We are the originators…not the duplicators. Our healthy natural products come to you from many years of research and development.

Sheabutter Cottage is proud to distribute this wonderful product through.  Grab yourself a bottle and find out why some call this a miracle in a bottle: http://akuawood.x-shops.com/product.php?productid=124&cat=42&page=1

TIL - the name to trust

Akua
ethical + fair trade business
http://www.sheabuttercottage.co.uk

socialise with us
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twitter : http://www.twitter.com/akuawood
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SHEABUTTER COTTAGE @ AFRIDIZIAK

We will be attending the AFRIDIZIAK event this Saturday as a vendor.  Details can be found at http://www.afridiziak.com/xmas2011/index.html

Don't forget to print the coupon - we look forward to serving you.


Akua
Sheabutter Cottage


*UPDATED WITH SOME PHOTOS OF OUR SET-UP*

ALL PACKED

I have the whipped shea, passport, reading glasses, cotton dresses and journal.

I also have few things for Vele and would like to thank all our Sheabutter Cottage customers who continue to support our helping hand programme - I will report back after visiting Vele + Swazi Secrets. ☺

I hope to update our  facebook fanpage but this depends on time, etc.

Best wishes
Akua

ALLAN WHO? ALLANBLACKIA - THE NEW KID IN TOWN

Oh, allanblackia has a very gorgeous natural scent.  A soft vanilla aroma with a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Get to know more 

WATCH, LEARN & WIN

Link to our facebook fanpage : http://www.facebook.com/sheabuttercottage

Good luck
Akua Wood

DISCOUNT COUPON FOR 13TH AUGUST

Your discount coupon for Saturday UKMeetup [http://uknaturalhair.eventbrite.com] - just click and print BUT don't leave it behind!!!

See you there
Akua

JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL - JBCO

For all you JBCO lovers, we are awaiting delivery of our consignment and can confirm that we will be stocking the 8oz size of the lavender bottle [we only have few bottles left of the 4oz].
We hope to receive the items next week.

I have been applying this on my hairline before bedtime for the past 2 days and boy oh boy, I sleep like a baby.
Until then, grab your bottle of Jamaican black castor oil
Akua

WHY SCRATCH WHEN YOU CAN SOOTHE?

There is a lot of confusion around about whether to oil the scalp or not. Well, I was brought up to oil my scalp since not all of us can produce enough oil to "feed the hair" and apart from alopecia from thyroid problems, I have never had any issues with oiling my scalp.
Our scalp butter is made with carefully selected natural ingredients including mafura butter which we source directly from Swaziland to soothe the scalp and help strengthen the hair shaft. The scalp butter is subtly scented with essential oils and now has a new packaging. Check it out - http://akuawood.x-shops.com/product.php?productid=503&cat=29&page=3
Akua

SMALL BUSINESS WINS 3 AWARDS IN BERLIN

After dispatching all the orders last Friday, I ended up packing my suitcase around 11pm to board a 7am flight to Berlin to attend an award event. I must admit that I was tired but was really looking forward to the trip as I had never visited Germany.
It was straight into a workshop on my arrival to meet other members of the African Women in Europe [AWE]. The workshop was led by Kanini Mutooni who did a fantastic job. Still bleary-eyed, I decided to visit the Berlin wall - well, you can't visit Berlin without seeing this historic wall. I thought a 30 minute round trip would earn me a sleep before the main event in the evening. How wrong was I!!! I ended up getting lost on my way back to the hotel - yeah, clever me disembarked at the wrong stop and ended up walking in the rain for almost 45 minutes to the hotel. By that time, I just needed a stretcher and a hot bath and probably my bed.

The main event started well meeting some dignitaries; His Excellency the Ghana ambassador to Germany - Mr Paul King Aryene, South African Embassy Deputy Head of Mission - Mrs Cassandra Mokone, the commercial attaché of Kenya embassy - Mr Konje.
Moving onto the award ceremony, I could not believe it when I received not 1 but 3 awards.

It was such a pleasure and emotional receiving the 3 awards in Berlin on 18th June 2011 for:
* innovative person
* company of the year
* AWE 1st award

AWE stands for African Women in Europe and it is a platform for socialising with other motivational & inspirational women.
I am still trying to recover from the event. I love what I do and just get on with it through trial and error. As a small business, we always insist on quality. We never compromise and this has led us to pursue our other passion which is looking after those at the 1st step of the supply chain - THE FARMERS!
We are pursuing this path because I feel it the right way to "put a little back" into their hard-work even if it means a lot of sacrifice including lack of sleep - I will continue to push along this path.

One of the awards included a FREE flight ticket to anywhere in Africa

and while most thought she would fly to her native Ghana, she chose Swaziland to visit Swazi Secrets.
"We are delighted that she is taking the opportunity to come to Swaziland and visit Swazi Secrets," said John Pearce, the International Marketing Manager of Swazi Indigenous Products, the company responsible for manufacturing Swazi Secrets products using the marula fruit.
Wood has another link to Swaziland as she uses her profits from Swazi Secrets sales to sponsor a young boy from Mpaka, Vele Maziya, to attend St Joseph’s School.
Pearce said she was very much looking forward to the opportunity to visit him and check on his progress.
"Akua has been selling Swazi Secrets for four years now and has built up quite a link with Swaziland, both with us and with sponsoring Maziya’s education," he said.

I would like to take this opportunity in thanking all our supporters and dedicate the awards to you and the farmers/supply chain.
Much love
Akua

THE SCIENCE OF BLACK HAIR

I always love Wednesday. Maybe it is because I was born on that day?!

Anyway, yesterday, I managed to finish work earlier at "the cottage" even rewarding myself with a very very rare "me time" at THE BITE in Emmer Green.

I arrived home to a box waiting for me. The box contained copies of the lovely book The Science of Black Hair well written by Audrey.

You can grab a paperback black & white copy for immediate dispatch.

Akua Wood
http://www.sheabuttercottage.co.uk

FEELING CHARITABLE?

As I sit back and reflect on the journey I have taken as a baby in Kumasi, through the boarding school of Achimota, learning the meaning of ILS and PAPI on a construction project in Accra and being a near middle-aged woman in Berkshire [UK], I smile through all the memories I have.
I have been lucky to always have easy access to toilet facilities from the bog standard to the unimaginable. However, every time I sit down to reflect on my visits to Gumu - Ghana, frustration sets in. Why? Well, because this village still lacks the use of a public place of convenience.
I visited the community in April 2011 and this is the progress so far The money raised has been used towards the purchase/moulding of blocks for construction. We are still a long way in completing this project and I can not wait to see this community benefit from the use of the KVIP.

So, if you are feeling charitable today then please feel free to donate via this page - GUMU APPEAL Thank you for your kindness
Akua Wood
Sheabutter Cottage

I AM IN AWE

I like planning ahead but unfortunately, most of my suppliers seem to have a different agenda. It has been quite stressful lately trying to "crack the whip" so imagine my surprise when I returned home from the "cottage" last Wednesday to an e-mail that I had been nominated for the AWE Awards. My reaction was "Say WHAT? Me - 2 nominations!! WOW. Event in Germany?!?!"
I am truly honoured and would like to thank all those who have cast their votes. You may cast yours here

Thank you
Akua Wood
Sheabutter Cottage

JAMAICAN BLACK CASTOR OIL

I always seem to get excited at the sight of brown boxes but cringe when i have to lift them up. Although it was quite back breaking for me today, I managed to unpack all these 8 HEAVY boxes of Jamaican black castor oil goodies from Tropic Isle Living.
Sorry about the blurred image - I was very excited as the stress levels were easing off

There is only one way to find out what got delivered including 2 new products - check out the Jamaican black castor oil range at Sheabutter Cottage
Off to burn the midnight oil.

Akua
Sheabutter Cottage

GHANA @ 54

I am always like a kid on coca-cola when I go shopping and find many products from Ghana. I am very proud of my heritage and still have my Ghanaian passport. That pride stops me from swapping :)

Join us starting from 6pm today in wishing Ghana AYEKOO as the country celebrates its 54 year of independence. Over the next 10 days, we are offering gift vouchers worth ₵5.40cedis [£2.50GBP : $3.60USD : €2.70EUR] against your next purchase. Just add any product from our Made In Ghana range to your order and we will pop the gift voucher into your box - SIMPLE :)

Ghana AYEKOO
Ghana OSEYEE

Akua Wood
Proud to be a Ghanaian
Sheabutter Cottage