The coffee body scrub and chamomile sleep mask were all we needed to become quick converts to this relatively new skincare line from Nyakio. Running into the glowing beauty behind the brand at a recent photo shoot told us everything we needed to know: the Nyakio glow comes from a founder who really gets it.

Meet Nyakio Kamoche Grieco. This glowy boss babe and mama of two is a first generation American of Kenyan descent. Her line of clean, ethical and handmade skincare is directly inspired by many childhood trips to visit her fam in Africa. Her grandmother, also named Nyakio, was a farmer there and her grandfather was a traditional medicine man. Through their influence, Nyakio began learning about the power of plant-based ingredients and how to use them from an early age — she vividly remembers grandmother making a DIY skin exfoliant from boiled-down coffee and sugar cane that she grew on her farm.

We asked Nyakio to join our Green Goddess Guide series to talk all about how she has learned to incorporate her heritage into her self-care, her fave fixes for an instant glow, and a celeb nutritionist-approved blood sugar-balancing smoothie recipe we’re ready to fill our cups with…