Last week we were invited to the launch of a new ethical beauty brand, Savane Organic Skincare, at Lunar´s eco chic store in Cape Town.
The skincare range is owned by the delightful duo, Jennifer Peters and Stephan Helary. The story of Savane Organic Skincare is the story of two global trekkers with one vision. Their journey literally took them up and down the African continent, across the savannah, through the desert and to the rainforests, in search of the purest natural ingredients, which, when blended together in a rich cream or luxurious oil, would not merely cleanse, nourish and protect the skin, but embody the principles that they both held dear.
Respect for the planet and its people. Ethical production. Organic formulations. Beauty with integrity, beauty with efficacy. Sustainability.
It took Jennifer Peters and Stephane Helary four years to realize this shared vision. After painstaking research and numerous trials, Savane Organic Skincare, with its initial offering of six products, all certified organic, was quietly unveiled at the end of 2010.
Stephane and Jennifer make an unusual but effective team. Friends for over a decade, both come from multidisciplinary backgrounds that encompass anthropology, ecology, biochemistry, conservation, rural development and social marketing.
Together, they have a combined 19 years of working experience in Southern Africa. Recognizing the growing desire for earth-friendly and socially responsible organic products in the west, and the economic potential of the natural resources of Southern Africa, Stephane and Jennifer drew on their experience in ethnobotany, sustainable farming, product development, marketing and management to develop Savane Organic Skincare.
A Madagascar-born French national, Stephane has lived and worked in Southern Africa most of his life, working in rural development and conservation. He has over ten years’ experience working in ecology as well as the biochemistry of indigenous plant life in Africa, with a comprehensive knowledge of the commercial potential of these natural resources.
Harvard-educated Jennifer grew up in America, but has spent the last nine years living in Mozambique and South Africa, working on the development and marketing of health products to improve the livelihood of rural communities with particular emphasis on the well-being of women and children.
Beauty with Integrity
Savane is a natural, fair-trade skincare range made in Africa of the purest, highest-quality ingredients sourced all over the continent, from the open plains of the savannah, across the vast deserts, to lush tropical forests.
Rich in some of the most powerful natural antioxidants and deep penetrating essential fatty acids, Savane restructures, regenerates and revitalizes the skin, protecting it against premature aging and restoring its natural balance.
The Savane Organic Skincare range consists of six products:
- Soothing Cleanser, with aloe ferox, rooibos and moringa
- Purifying Toner, with rooibos
- Gentle Exfoliant, with rooibos, marula and jojoba
- Protective Moisturizer, with baobab, kigelia, maketti and yangu
- Anti-Aging Lift Serum, with kigelia, baobab and buchu
- Balancing Face Oil, with marula, Kalahari melon and manketti
All Savane products are:
- Made in Africa
- Certified natural and organic by Ecocert
- Made with Fair Trade ingredients
- Contain only sustainably harvested wild ingredients
- Packaged in recyclable eco-friendly packaging
- Not tested on animals and contain no animal products
- Suitable for all skin types
I am busy trying out the exfoliant (which by the way is safe to eat and tastes pretty good, now when last could you safely say that about a skincare product!) and moisturiser, which came in this beautiful gift bag, see image below, so I will let you know the results soon. The products are kind of on the expensive side with prices ranging from R300 for the cleanser to R690 for the serum but if you look at all the certifications and accreditations the products hold it goes without saying that you´re investing in a high quality, reliable, safe product.
I also really appreciated Jennifer and Stephan´s attention to detail in the gift bag – don´t you just love this eco trendy flash disk we received!?
In Johannesburg, Savane Organic Skincare is available at Lunar boutique, 44 Stanley Avenue, and Objekt, 7th Avenue, Parktown North. In Cape Town, Lunar on 65 Loop Street and Merchants on Long along Long Street stock Savane. You can also shop online on www.savaneskin.co.za.
Nics
xx
