About Us

In the late 1980s, the word "Jojoba" began echoing through natural wellness circles becoming the buzzword of the decade. Our business was nestled among a close-knit community of farmers. Inspired by the growing interest in Jojoba oil, many began planting jojoba beans, hopeful for what this remarkable plant might bring.

One day, a local farmer's wife walked into our shop and casually asked, "What are we going to do with the 20 litres of jojoba oil?" But that unexpected question sparked a humble experiment on the shop counter after hours. The result? A thick, imperfect cream that we knew wasn't quite right — but it was a start.

Desperate to learn more, I visited a professor at the University in Port Elizabeth to understand how we could transform the jojoba oil into a proper product. The original dream was to create a hair product, because we believed deeply in the benefits of jojoba oil.

Later, I travelled to Cape Town and — without credentials, experience, or even knowing the word "viscosity" — I walked into a cosmetic manufacturer's office with a dodgy jar of cream and a separating hair treatment. Instead of turning me away, the manager kindly explained where we were going wrong. I left enlightened, if slightly overwhelmed, but more determined than ever.

But God had other plans for Nevana. Instead of becoming the next Estée Lauder, we found ourselves walking a far more meaningful path. We shifted focus to healing. With the help of generous aromatherapists and alternative healers, we learned about essential oils — their properties, strengths, and the importance of gentle formulation.

My daughter, based in Durban, reached out: two young boys had suffered severe burns, and she asked me to send Germ Aside for them. At the time, I said no — I didn't know enough about burns. But after receiving a photo of one of the boys, and learning he was in agony, scratching himself raw, I decided to tweak the old "After Sun" oil and send a batch.

The results were extraordinary. He could sleep again. The itch subsided. His mother said the oil gave up to 10 hours of relief. The child clung to every bottle like it was treasure.

I flew to Durban to meet Professor Madari — a world-respected burns specialist. He said if this oil worked as we believed, it would be the answer to prayer. He sent me to Dr Daya, a plastic surgeon at Albert Luthuli Hospital. With a heart wide open, Dr Daya welcomed me and even tried to get the Medicines Control Council (MCC) to approve trials.

Despite a provisional yes, they later withdrew approval, citing a lack of knowledge about natural oils. Still, we pressed on. I approached Dora Nginza Hospital in Port Elizabeth, and after testing, the burn department began using the oil with great success.

Yet Nevana refused to fade. From those humble beginnings, I began personally visiting pharmacies, eventually working with agents, and finding support in the most unexpected places — from OTs and physios to beauty therapists, chiropractors, and even hospitals.

Today, Nevana's products are used not just to soothe burns, scars, and wounds, but to ease bed sores, post-radiation burns, and post-waxing skin irritation. The formulations are still rooted in kindness and nature — and still made with the same belief that healing is a calling, not a trend.

From the shop counter to the hospital bedside, from burn wards to beauty rooms — Nevana exists to comfort, restore, and heal.