A coffee scrub is fast becoming the body care du jour, with the humble coffee bean a skincare saviour for many. However, this is a caffeine hit with a difference.
Lifestyle brand Cotton On BODY, who has forayed into the beauty sphere with their Botanicals range, has a coffee scrub made from beans grown and cared for by women in Southern Uganda. This altruistic approach has become synonymous with the Victorian Company, who run a philanthropic arm, The Cotton On Foundation, focused on developing and supporting projects in Southern Uganda and others globally.
The idea was born in 2012 when the Cotton On Foundation began working with locals to establish coffee farms in Southern Uganda, an initiative which saw the launch of Mannya Trading Company in 2014, which has since become a sustainable income stream for local Ugandans.
On a trip to Mannya, Cotton On BODY Trend Director Stephanie Keen planted the first coffee seedlings with the Foundation teamnine years ago.
“We got on the back of a truck and drove out to the coffee plantation and spent the day digging holes and planting the seedlings.”
“They put a basket on my head and I could hardly hold it with my arms, and then I saw a Ugandan woman beside me who was digging holes in the heat with a child on her back the entire time – that really stuck with me. It showed the women aren’t afraid of hard work and they’re dedicated to providing for their families and creating a more sustainable future.”
Inspired by the trip, Stephanie set about developing the Cotton On BODY scrub using the Mannya Trading Co beans, which are completely harvested by hand – from picking, to drying, hulling and roasting – ensuring only the very best quality coffee beans are produced.
“We think it’s important you know what you put on your body, so you’ll love that our scrub has been made with the very best ingredients,” Stephanie said.
Most importantly, this is one for the women, with all proceeds raised going to help women in the region. 80% of women perform 80% of the quality control work in the Mannya Village Community, with 90% reinvesting 90% of their earned income back into their family.
This philanthropic twist on a skincare staple is a much-needed step in the right direction for beauty. Not only is it a premium product (that smells amazing) but packs a charitable punch. We’ll cheers our long blacks to that.
The Cotton On BODY coffee scrub retails for $9.95.
Have a look at the video here:
