How Ntombenhle Khathwane Was Inspired By Her Grandmother To Establish Her AfroBotanics Hair Brand
How Ntombenhle Khathwane Was Inspired By Her Grandmother To Establish Her AfroBotanics Hair Brand. AfroBotanics is a hair company that was founded by Ntombenhle Khathwane. For years she was never able to wear her hair natural because it was too dry, brittle, tangled, coarse and hard to manage and style. Like many modern women she thought the best thing to do was to soften and straighten it using harsh chemicals.
“I learned from an unlikely source that I could have soft, manageable hair without applying damaging, harsh chemicals to my hair. I learned that natural oils and conditioning agents derived from botanical sources were best for my hair and it could grow looking thick, shiny and soft. My grandmother shared with me the different methods they used when she was growing up in the 1930’s in Swaziland to derive natural botanical oils and conditioning agents to stretch and soften their naturally curly, dry, coarse hair and also to care for their skin with a naturally foaming soapy shrub and moisturise with botanical oils or derivatives from cow or goat milk.” Khathwane said on the company’s website.
Granny sharing some of these methods inspired Khathwane to try these age old methods used by Nguni women on her hair and that eventually led to the birth of AfroBotanics in 2010. AfroBotanics, is an entrepreneurial venture formulating, manufacturing and retailing beauty products inspired by African beauty secrets using African botanical oils. The company’s first products were for African hair and addressing hair problems caused by naturally dry hair. The company’s hair products use the best natural botanical oils and derivatives that penetrate hair to moisturise, soften, de-tangle and condition curly hair.
When Archie Ntim joined as partner at AfroBotanics in 2014, he not only brought in corporate and operational experience but also insight into the old age beauty practices from his native Ghana, which are now helping move AfroBotanics from being focused only on hair products but body as well. In 2015 the company started producing shower and bath gels using natural botanical oils and conditioning agents to moisturise, soften and nourish skin. AfroBotanics has a range of bath products targeted at retail and another targeted at the hospitality industry.
As a proud African woman, Khathwane is thrilled that she has been able to build a thriving business that honours generations of African women and age-old beauty traditions derived in a sustainable manner from natural sources around Africa. Beauty and presentation of self has always been central in African cultures denoting different things such as age, social, political, cultural and religious status and she is honoured that she gets to play a part in keeping African history alive to share with the world.
