From Kalahari Sands to Lesotho Mountain Heights: A Journey of Love, Land, and Rozuri
As I write this, our trip to the Kalahari region in Southern Africa is still fresh in my mind. Once a year, our family makes our way to the wide-open spaces of the Kalahari Desert. They say once the red sand of the Kalahari gets between your toes, you will always hanker to return. Well, that sure has been my experience. Twenty-six years ago, I found myself on the edge of a red sand dune under the most spectacular Milky Way display with the man of my dreams on one knee.
Although we have never lived in the Kalahari ourselves, my husband’s forefathers have called this home for over a century. It was soon after we met that Herman loaded me into his old Volkswagen Golf, and we made our way to the family farms dotted around this arid area. It was there that my love affair with this magnificent landscape developed. We would spend warm winter days walking in the veld and experiencing the kind of freedom you can only find in a desolate area like this. The irony is that it’s in this dry desert region that the Kalahari Melon (wild watermelon) grows. Just as unique as the fauna and flora that survive out there, the people who come from the Kalahari are a special breed that climb deep into your heart forever.
Back in my home country, we harness the healing powers of plants that grow in the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. In complete contrast to the Kalahari, Lesotho has a cooler climate with mountains upon mountains, earning it the name "The Kingdom in the Sky." Displaying countless hues of blue, the mountains stretch into the distance. As you come closer, you will see small villages huddled together on the slopes above sandstone outcrops. This is where the Rosehip grows wild, fed by streams and crisp mountain air, growing fat and juicy over the late summer months. As the cold weather sets in, the hips begin to dry, and snow starts to hinder the farming efforts of the Basotho people. That is when you will see thousands of people harvesting the hips to earn an income over the harshest of months.
In a serendipitous twist, it is the combination of Rosehip and Kalahari Melon Seed oils that make Rozuri Super oil incredibly potent. Kalahari Melon Seed Oil is packed with skin-nourishing properties. It is extracted from the seeds of Citrullus Lanatus, a relative of the wild watermelon. This oil boasts a unique combination of rich essential fatty acids Omega-6 and Omega-9, Vitamin E, and antioxidants.
Kalahari Melon oil is lightweight and absorbs quickly, leaving no greasy residue or clogged pores. In combination with Rosehip Seed oil, known for its remarkable rejuvenating properties, it forms a powerful blend. Rosehip Seed oil is high in Vitamin A (trans-retinoic acid), Vitamin K, and Vitamin F - all hugely beneficial to skin regeneration and cell membrane support for healthy, glowing skin. Additionally, it contains Lycopene, a potent antioxidant that provides extra protection against free radical damage. This combination is truly a marriage made in heaven.
The Kalahari melon is not only a star in our love story but also in an old folk tale told by Una Rooi of the San People of the Kalahari in 1935: “Tibilas was so beautiful. She smeared herself with liquid from the Tsamma Melon (Kalahari melon). Her body was glistening from the liquid and the light of the fire.” *Taken from an extract at the Kgalagadi trans frontier Park exhibition hall.
We hope that you can feel the love we have put into these products and that they bring you as much joy as they have brought to us.
Catherine Nieuwoudt, Founder of Rozuri by Maya
