Product Reviews

I should probably file this under “too much information,” but beauty isn’t always a pretty subject. Ladies, I’m in the midst of a breakout on my back (aka “bacne”), and it has been totally suck-tacular 1) because the pimples are big and painful, and 2) because I’ve had to skip on all the pretty backless summer tops I’ve wanted to wear during the recent heat wave here in the Bay Area.

Making matters worse — as if that’s even possible — one crop of zits took roost smack dab in the middle of my upper back, at the base of my neck between my shoulder blades, which means they’re within reach and easily scratch-able. I know that scratching ’em constitutes a big, gross no-no, and I’ve resisted the temptation so far, but it hasn’t been easy.

Because I’ve gotten great results from Clinique skin care products in the recent past, I decided to try Clinique’s Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar ($12.50) in place of my go-to back breakout product, Neutrogena’s Body Clear Body Wash. Clinique’s mild cleansing soap bar contains salicylic acid, a popular active ingredient used to prevent and treat breakouts on both the face and body.
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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.

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