The beauty a !Nara holds

Henriette Lamprecht – Using the intimate knowledge of a desert fruit, passed on from generation to generation - it is used in body creams to soap bars for dogs and horses.Exporting its products since 2017, Desert Hills was established in 2008 by Stefanie and Volker Huemmer with the intend to press the unique Namibian !Nara oil. It was originally driven by Volker, a chef by profession, to produce a 100% pure delicatessen !Nara food oil. The unusual fruity-nutty and buttery-tasting food oil is really interesting for all “foodies” who prefer natural healthy alternatives to mainstream foods.By 2010, Stefanie added natural !Nara cosmetics under the brand name !Nara Namibia Natural Cosmetics ™ to Desert Hills product lines. Currently, two cosmetic ranges are available under this brand name. The !Nara Body Food range is a natural cosmetic range - made specifically for the Namibian market. “We always call it our 'family top-to-toe range'. The creams, serums, scrubs, bath salts, oils, and soaps are all formulated to help the dry skin conditions we constantly face in Namibia.”The !NARA Desert Gold cosmetic range is a high-end natural and organic range, formulated with the help of a team of natural skincare formulators. The rich (very little water) product range is ideal for discerning customers who have an appreciation for premium quality, natural and organic products. A men’s range, ranging from a beard and hair soap bar to beard oil and aftershave cream, is also included.The people of the Topnaar Nama community living along the perennial Kuiseb river in the Namib desert are the traditional knowledge holders of the harvesting and seed extraction process that they pass on from generation to generation. The sustainably traded seeds are an important source of income to the river community, Stefanie explains.The !Nara are harvested in the first months of the year when most of the fruit is ripe. “The fruit is collected and usually ‘take a warm sand bath', which means the fruit is covered by river sand and left to evenly ripen.”Later on, it is opened up and the pulp is slowly liquefied to extract the seeds. The seeds are traded with Desert Hills, while the fruit pulp remains an important healthy food for the harvester community. The !Nara seed oil contains high amounts of omega-6-rich linoleic fatty acids that help keep the skin naturally moisturised, subtle and healthy, explains Stefanie.“Our products are not certified organic, but we use natural plant-derived, wild-harvested Namibian as well as organically certified ingredients in all our formulations."Basically, this means we adhere to natural cosmetic and food standards but are not certified by an external certifying body.”Desert Hills is situated 20 km outside of Swakopmund on a smallholding plot that is off-the-grid. “We process all our power through solar energy. Sadly, we no longer have big wind generators, as they were damaged by the heavy east winds we sometimes experience here. This is part of our lived holistic and ethical approach to the entire sourcing-to-end-product cycle.”In 2014, Desert Hills initiated the Topnaar Soap Ladies project, with a group of ladies receiving training in all aspects from soap making to packaging and sales. The products of the project, especially the little animal soaps, soon became popular with tourists and tour operators, who used these hand-crafted artisanal soaps as a little “thank you” token for their customers. “This project also suffered under the Covid-19 pandemic, and we all hope that many happy tourists will soon return to Namibia and re-activate important initiates like this one.”Last year, Desert Hills launched a new !Nara soap range for dogs and horses. The deep cleansing soap bars incorporate a unique Namibian combination of !Nara oil, Devils Claw extract, and Mopane essential oil - all of which take on special functions in pelt care. The latest product that will be launched in a few weeks is a 100% natural 2-in-1 !Nara Saddle Soap & Leather Care product, which can be used to treat saddles, tack, leather boots, and all other smooth-leather products.“The customer testimonials for both the dog and horse soaps are very positive.”Since 2017, Desert Hills’ !Nara Desert Gold range and now also its animal soaps are exported to the EU. “The process to get European Union registration with all its rules and regulations was quite daunting, but we are happy to have reached this goal. Now marketing these unique Namibian products in a foreign environment with loads of worldwide competitors is the ongoing challenge.”According to Stefanie, the most popular product is the 250ml pot !Nara Hand & Body Cream of the !Nara Body Food range. “This is a very popular, economical, and well-priced product for the whole family to treat dry and itching skin conditions naturally.” – huemmer@iway.na; www.nara.com.na

The beauty a !Nara holds

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Republikein 2025-04-07

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The beauty a !Nara holds

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