Kalahari Ancient Desert Secrets

At the end of last year we were invited to attend the launch of Kalahari Spa Products at the Inzolo Spa at the Hout Bay Manor.

Shelley went along to find out more about this inspired range of beauty products.

A bit of background info on Kalahari Spa Products:

Kalahari Spa was inspired by an extraordinary journey that started in the vast open plains of the Kalahari Desert in Africa. Carina Franck, Founder and Director of Kalahari Spa International, grew up on a farm in the Kalahari Desert where the rolling sand dunes and expansive blue skies shaped her childhood playground. “From an early age I knew that the heritage of this magical land and its humble people was something that would be ingrained within my core.”

For the last decade Carina was in the forefront of the fast-moving beauty industry, local as well as international. With her passion for Africa, Carina was inspired to create a range of world-class Spa products that was shaped to capturing the unique characteristics of the Kalahari Desert. “It was important for me to merge the complete experience of the desert including the colours of the earth, raw textures and rare fragrances, in this signature range of products”. “My focus was on making the Kalahari Spa experience an intimate journey by bringing the ancient secrets of the desert to the client through touch, sound, visual interaction and smell.

Carina and her team strive for perfection and every product contains a bouquet of pure natural plant oils, making each product harmonious with nature by enhancing the true value of the desert and the plants of the Kalahari.

“We pushed the eco boundaries with regards to the use of naturally harvested botanical ingredients and we were sensitive towards the deserts vulnerable ecosystems. We insist on using reputable phytotrade organisations and certified sustainable sources. All our packaging is 100% recyclable and the paper we utilise is recycled! All these merits contribute to making Kalahari Spa a pioneering range and the first to capture the true meaning of Africa in this extraordinary manner.”

Some ingredients frequently used in the Kalahari Spa Products:

• Hematite stone – this is ground into a fine powder and is excellent for the formation of collagen.
• Resurrection plant – this plant can live for 50 years with no water and this extract is used to protect the skin against free radicals and seals in moisture for up to 24 hours

Other ingredients used in their products are Marula Seed Oil, Kalahari Clay, Red Dune Sand, Matura Seed Butter and Baobab Oil.

There are 4 signature fragrances in the range, which are from inspired by the Kalahari:

• Khoi-San = Escape  – the main aroma being that of Buchu.
• Dune = Relax  – this fragrance reminds one of sitting around a camp fire in the bush.
• Tsamma = Refresh  – is a cooling, cucumber scent.
• Wild Honey = Enhance  – it has a lovely honey fragrance with undertones of vanilla.

The Inzolo Spa Experience:

I personally found most of the products very pleasant and if they claimed to be non-greasy and quickly absorbed, they actually were! I particularly loved the Hand Cream, Cuticle Oil, Body Oil and the Body Balm. The Fragrance Tree was very pretty and makes an unusual and different ‘diffuser’. The Lip Balm works really well and dry lips are definitely a thing of the past. The majority of the products are safe to use on sensitive skin, one simply needs to select the correct fragrance range. My favourite scents were the Tsamma and Wild Honey range but the Dune was also very pleasant. I found the Khoi-San scent very strong initially and it would take some getting used to but I was assured that it is definitely one that grows on you quickly. ~

The products are very wholesome and the company has a great ethos and endeavours to use completely natural and sustainable ingredients in their products. ~ Shelley Nell

The treatments offered are:

• Kalahari Calabash Sole Survival
• Kalahari Tsamma Hand Ritual
• Kalahari Khoi-Khoi Escape – this is a back massage using the therapists hands and forearms
• Kalahari Desert Glow Exfoliation – they use the Kalahari salt and it helps to detoxify as well
• Kalahari Rolling Sands Massage – this is a full body massage

To find out more about the treatments offered by Inzolo Spa contact them directly on 27 21 790 0116.

Thank you to the ladies at Inzolo Spa at Hout Bay Manor and the team from Kalahari Ancient Desert Secrets for a fabulous afternoon!

Source: Images Shelley Nell, Background Information – Kalahari Spa