It started, as all great love stories do, with a sink.

There I was, halfway through yet another harried weekday, rushing between Zoom calls and toddler snack crises, when I caught sight of something on my bathroom sink that wasn’t toothpaste blobs or rogue toy dinosaurs. No, it was… a bottle. A chic, understated bottle that simply read: African Cedar + Orange Handwash.

Curious (and let’s be honest, avoiding work), I pumped a little into my hands.

And then—BAM. I was transported.

Not in that overly dramatic “I smelled it and floated away on a fluffy cloud of bliss” kind of way. No. This was more grounded, more earthy, more… real. It smelled like possibility. Like orange groves flirting with ancient trees. Like morning walks through dewy forests right before sunrise, when the world still feels secret. And it was only handwash.

But let me tell you, this handwash had soul.

And little did I know that my sink-side flirtation would lead me straight into the arms of something bigger—Organic Savanna, a skincare brand from the foothills of Mt. Kenya, quietly flipping the beauty industry on its polished, plastic-packaged head.

Let me walk you through it, friend. Because if you’ve ever bought soap that smelled amazing but left your hands feeling like crusty parchment paper from a medieval scroll, you need to hear about this. And if you’ve ever wondered whether your everyday products could make a difference—like, fund-a-school-kid difference—then welcome. You’re in the right place.

First Things First: Let’s Talk About the Handwash

Here’s what hit me first: this isn’t your average citrusy wash-me-quick soap. The African Cedar + Orange Handwash is… sophisticated. Think: warm, woodsy notes wrapped in fresh citrus zest, like a cozy library with open windows and sunlight streaming in. The lather is silky, not sudsy-chaos. It washes off clean, leaves no residue, and (praise be) doesn’t dry out your hands like a chalkboard.

Now I know what you’re thinking—It’s just handwash, calm down. But listen. After years of trying so-called “natural” soaps that either smelled like patchouli’s distant cousin or did nothing for my skin, this was a revelation. I left the bathroom smelling like a poem. My toddler even sniffed my hands and said, “You smell like happy.” I’ll take that.

But Then Came the Real Game-Changer: Shea + Macadamia Lotion

I should warn you: I’m extremely picky about lotions. I don’t like them greasy. I don’t like them sticky. I don’t want to feel like I just buttered myself like a scone.

So, when I squeezed a bit of Organic Savanna’s Shea + Macadamia Body Lotion onto my palm, I braced myself.

And then I relaxed.

It was light, and velvety. It soaked in like my skin had been parched in the desert and was finally sipping rain. No slick finish. No weird film. Just… hydration. And calm. And a subtle, creamy scent reminding me of slow Sundays and clean sheets.

What makes this lotion different? It’s not whipped in some sterile lab by someone in a white coat with no skincare needs. It’s made in small batches. With care. With shea butter that comes from Africa. With macadamia oil that knows how to nourish without shouting about it. And every bottle, and dollop, supports women in Kenya who craft it by hand.

This isn’t skincare. This is a story in a bottle.

Real People, Real Impact, Real Good

At this point I wondered: “Who is behind this beautiful stuff?”

And then I read the story.

Organic Savanna isn’t your average “clean beauty” brand with minimalist fonts and maximalist markup. This is a purpose-driven company rooted in Laikipia, Kenya. The kind of place where aloe grows wild, community still means something, and every bottle of handwash funds education, employment, and environmental awareness.

It was started in 2016 by Luke Kincaid, a Norwegian-American philanthropist who looked at the beauty industry and asked, “Can we do better?” And then actually did something about it.

Every soap, every lotion, every candle sold contributes directly to:

•          Scholarships for kids in need

•          Stable employment and training for women in the local community

•          Sustainable farming and ingredient sourcing

•          Small-batch production that respects the earth

We’re not talking vague feel-good statements or one-time donations. We’re talking about soap that helps a child get to school, lotion that funds a woman’s healthcare, and a bar of soap that empowers a family.

It’s the kind of beauty that’s deeply, profoundly beautiful. Not because of what it looks like—but because of what it does.

Powered by the Land, Not a Laboratory

Let’s nerd out for a second.

Organic Savanna’s products are made using African botanicals like:

•          Aloe (for soothing)

•          Wild basil (for calming)

•          Calendula (for healing)

•          Shea butter (nature’s original moisturizer)

These aren’t trendy ingredients shipped halfway across the world to make a label look hip. These are local, grown nearby, harvested responsibly, and formulated with intention.

Their production happens in partnership with Cinnabar Green, a long-time eco-certified manufacturer who shares their commitment to quality, sustainability, and local impact. It’s not outsourcing—it’s integration. It’s collaboration. It’s community working with community, not extracting from it.

Each bottle is like a baton in a relay race—from farmer, to artisan, to packager, to you. And that’s not poetic marketing talk. That’s the actual model.

More Than Pretty Products

Okay yes, it’s a ridiculously pretty bottle. The kind that looks like it belongs in a boutique lodge or a spa with whispery flute music and woven baskets. But what makes it magic is the story behind it.

Because here’s the thing:

•          That bar soap you just lathered with? It helped fund a child’s next term at school.

•          That candle flickering on your counter? It was hand-poured by a woman who now has access to training and a regular paycheck.

•          That lotion you massaged into your skin after a long day? It uplifted a household and sent ripples into a rural Kenyan economy.

Suddenly, your self-care becomes community care. Your everyday routine becomes a thread in something much, much bigger.

The New Chapter (That You’re Invited Into)

Organic Savanna recently relaunched with a sleeker look and a tighter focus: fewer products, higher impact, deeper relationships. They’re partnering with like-minded concept stores, wellness brands, and safari lodges that believe in purpose-driven beauty. But they’re also inviting us—the everyday soap-and-lotion lovers—to be part of the movement.

Not because it makes us feel virtuous.

But because it just makes sense.

When you can buy something that:

•          Feels amazing

•          Smells like a dream

•          Supports education, empowerment, and environmental integrity…

Why wouldn’t you?

From the Sink, With Love

You know what’s wild?

Since that fateful pump of handwash, I’ve started looking at my whole bathroom differently. Not in a Marie-Kondo “does it spark joy?” way (though, yes, it does), but in a deeper, quieter, more thoughtful way.

Does my shampoo help anyone besides me?

Does my body lotion connect me to the land it came from?

Does my candle soothe more than just my senses?

If not, maybe it’s time to make space for products that do. Products that don’t just sit prettily on a shelf but move something—in me, in others, in the world.

So, here’s to Organic Savanna.

To shea butter that does more than moisturize.

To soap that teaches.

To scent that tells a story.

And most of all, to the hands behind the hands behind the product—those farmers, makers, and mothers crafting something truly beautiful from the foothills of Mt. Kenya.

You can meet them, in a way, right at your sink.

Want to feel the magic?

•          Wash your hands with African Cedar + Orange.

•          Hydrate your skin with Shea + Macadamia.

One pump at a time, you’ll feel it too.