Product Review Wednesday: Alaffia Everyday Coconut Skin Care

I'm a strange banana when comes to beauty products.  I'm a strange banana period, but I digress. I love natural things and try to use them whenever possible, but I also glam it up but good on occasion, so I will try almost everything out there if it's reputable, I like what the company stands for, and it's within my meager budget. My skin is super picky, though.  It's getting a little older, but still breaks out like a teenager once a month. Anything too rich can really send me into an oil spill situation, which is why I wanted to love coconut oil as my only face care item, but couldn't get into it. I'm also kinda sensitive, which is a pain in the neck.

Enter Alaffia Everyday Coconut Skincare. Each step comes in a large bottle for around $8.99 a pop, so it's crazy-affordable. It contains coconut, which will give your skin a creamy glow and neem which is reported to help curb breakouts, especially the hormonal ones I'm still getting. I'm using the cleanser, toner and night lotion from the line. I haven't been able to purchase the day lotion yet, but wow. My skin has the clarity and texture I've tried for years to get with more expensive products. The day lotion does contain a SPF so I will be picking it up soon.

What's really neat about Alaffia as a brand though, is what they stand for. The EveryDay Coconut line specifically was created by Alaffia to increase coconut oil production in Togo, Africa but to stay low on the prices during the tough times we're facing economically. 10% of their sales go to support their many empowerment projects in Togo.

With Bicycles for Education, used bikes donated by people in the US help kids in Togo stay in school. Over 4000 bicycles have been given to over 70 villages to give children the means to travel. Alaffia also helps moms. Over 700 women are given prenatal care each year, which is major considering 1 in 16 will die from pregnancy and complications related to birth. They also plant 8,000 trees a year and provide school supplies and repairs in places that need them.

Alaffia has many other products, including handcrafted shea butter that gets me through super dry winters, but with their major world improvement efforts it seems like a no-brainer.  Look good and feel better about all the good you're facilitating.

You can buy Alaffia products at Whole Foods and Natural Grocers or online, directly from the website.