What began in 2016 as an experimental remedy for a lifelong battle with eczema and psoriasis has given birth to, DEENURTURE PRODUCTS, a budding organic skincare business by WSU graduate Nonkazimulo Ngcweleshe.
After having tried some of the best products on the market that were either too expensive or too harsh on her skin, the 30-year-old BSc Biological Sciences graduate took it upon herself to formulate her own skincare products.
Little did she know that her attempts at a remedy, using just plants and lessons from Economic Botany class, would later culminate in a flourishing skin care range which would garner demand from all over the country.
“Since birth, I have been suffering from eczema and psoriasis, which made my skin very sensitive to most skincare products on the market. The available organic skincare products are expensive as such, I was not able to afford to buy these products. So, this then motivated me to make my own body butter, face and body soaps, and toner. Due to the sensitivity of my skin and skin conditions, I knew that I had to make plant-based skincare which is chemical-free and nourishing on the skin,” said Ngcweleshe.
In April 2022, Ngcweleshe officially launched her business upon receiving positive reviews from family and friends who had used her home-made skin care products.
Currently, Ngcweleshe operates her business from her home, where she manufactures, packages, markets, and dispatches products. She hopes to soon own a walk-in store and generate employment for others.
“People that resell include students, unemployed graduates and employed people who want to generate an extra income. This really made me realise that creating employment for people, particularly unemployed graduates should be my priority. So, for this, I am working hard towards having a walk-in shop and bigger laboratory space to accommodate employees,” she said.
Despite having received no funding support, the budding entrepreneur is steadfast on growing her business and customer base.
Ngcwelashe’s products are available for sale online via her social media pages, DEENUTURE PRODUCTS.
By Yanga Ziwele