Online Exclusive: Socially Conscious by Design
The Shea Radiance packaging is designed to reflect the beauty and richness of what the customer will find within.
By Lisa Samalonis, Associate Editor

By employing eco-friendly products made with fair-trade ingredients and sustainable packaging, the Shea Radiance line of hair care products takes steps to help women manage difficult to tame hair while

The Spa line employs amber PET jars, from Andler Packaging, as the primary product packaging and the outer packaging is made of custom biodegradable and reusable cardboard tubes, from Chicago Paper Tube & Can Company.

remaining natural and socially responsible.

“Our hair products are targeted to address the needs of women with thick, kinky, curly or wavy hair that needs gentle care, hydrating moisture and rich oils. The demographic includes African Americans, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, biracial individuals and Caucasians with highly textured hair. Without the right products, curly hair can be difficult to manage. We provide the products that make women love their natural hair texture,” says Funlayo Alabi, co-founder and creative director, of Shea Radiance LLC.

“We understand the journey that women are taking to move toward natural hair styles. We believe it’s a beautiful journey. We support the self-discovery process along the way. We want to offer hair products that will help women love their natural hair texture ― the shine, fullness and feel. We want to make it easy to have beautiful, healthy, natural hair,” she says.

When it came time to develop the products, Alabi notes the pipeline for the natural ingredients and the presentation and packaging of the products were essential to the brand’s identity. Shea Radiance Hair

Shea Radiance Hair Care uses recyclable amber PET bottles.

Care uses oils and butters like avocado, coconut and hemp seed oils, as well as mango and shea butter to protect hair. Naturally derived polyquarts, keratins and proteins are used to deliver long lasting conditioning and styling benefits. “Every product is true to our lifelong knowledge of shea’s essential healing properties. In Africa, we work side by side with, invest in and train the women who harvest and make our pure shea butter. We add only natural ingredients from sustainable sources. You can feel the integrity, commitment and love in every delectable product,” she says, noting that the recyclable amber PET jars and amber bottles for the line were supplied by Andler Packaging.

Shea Radiance packaging reflects the beauty and richness of what the customer will find within, explains Alabi. The company has already garnered attention for its look. In 2010, Shea Radiance won an Innovative Green Packaging Award at HBA Global Expo for its sustainable packaging of its Pure Shea Butter.

The company also recently introduced a Spa Care line of rich body care products to be used for spa treatments. It is carried in spas, salons and high-end beauty stores, and is also sold at retail in selected stores such as Whole Foods.

“Shea Radiance Spa is all about superb self-care for women. We want our customer to feel lavished in luxury,” she says.

Primary product packaging for the Spa Line uses amber PET jars, from Andler Packaging, and the outer packaging consists of a biodegradable, custom cardboard tube, from Chicago Paper Tube & Can Company. All packaging graphics run the gamut of earth tones—brown, amber and green, coupled with brighter accent colors to distinguish the products. “The outer packaging can be re-used as a storage container for jewelry and other small personal effects. It looks great on the dresser and and in the bathroom, too,” says Alabi. The Spa Sampler—featuring three 2 oz. mini jars containing Baobab Anti-oxidant Cream, Whipped Shea Butter and Sugar Scrub — is stacked in a paper tube.

Hair care products range from $13 to $16 each, while the Spa line retails for about $30 per item. Gift sets are also available online. In addition, 10% of proceeds go to AGRIWA (a women’s shea butter collective for assistance and training). For more information see www.shearadiance.com