In a world where women are still working to carve out space in industries that historically favor men, building a business from scratch isn’t just about profits and products — it’s about resilience, passion, and purpose. As the founder of Eco Diva Natural, a proudly South African, women-led, award-winning clean skincare and makeup brand, I can confidently say that this journey has been one of the most rewarding (and challenging) experiences of my life.
Starting When "Clean Beauty" Wasn't a Thing
When I launched Eco Diva Natural almost 11 years ago, no one was really talking about clean, non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free skincare. Back then, “green beauty” sounded more like a niche fad than the global movement it has become today. But I knew, deep down, that I was onto something important. My journey started with my own skin challenges — dealing with adult acne, rosacea, pigmentation, and eczema — and discovering that conventional skincare wasn’t helping. In fact, it was making things worse.
That’s when I began experimenting with natural, plant-based superfoods for the skin. What started as home-blended recipes soon evolved into professional formulations with the help of expert biochemists. My vision was simple: create high-performance skincare that feeds the skin, balances pH levels, and leaves out all the nasties like parabens, sulfates, artificial fragrances, and synthetic dyes.
From Grit to Growth: Building a Business in a Man’s World
Let’s be honest: building a business as a woman is no walk in the park. From securing funding to being taken seriously in boardrooms, women entrepreneurs often face unique challenges. But instead of focusing on the obstacles, I chose to focus on the magic — the magic of creating a brand that’s rooted in kindness, sustainability, and purpose.
Every detail of Eco Diva Natural has been thoughtfully crafted to reflect these values. From sourcing ethical, plant-based ingredients to using sustainable, recyclable packaging and working with local suppliers wherever possible, we’ve built a brand that’s as kind to the planet as it is to your skin.
We’re also incredibly proud to be certified cruelty-free through our partnership with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which reinforces our commitment to being 100% vegan and cruelty-free, ensuring that no animal testing is ever involved in any stage of our production.
Proudly South African and Globally Recognised
One of the things I’m most proud of is that Eco Diva Natural is not just a South African brand — it’s a global brand with a local soul. Over the years, we’ve received incredible recognition for our clean, ethical formulations, winning multiple prestigious beauty awards, including:
* Superfood Makeup Cover Balms with SPF
* Woman & Home Clean Beauty Award – Multi-tasking Cover Balms
* 3 Beauty Shortlist Awards – Best SPF, Best Tinted SPF, Best Makeup
* Crème Brûlée Body Butter
* Glamour Magazine Clean Beauty Award – Best Multi-tasking Body Butter
* Vitamin Body Oil
* Woman & Home Magazine Award – Best Multi-tasking Body Oil with SPF
* Superfood Face Serum
* Men’s Health Magazine Award – Best Multi-tasking Face and Beard Oil
* 2 Beauty Shortlist Awards, including Editor’s Choice
* Liquid Vitamin Hydra Mist
* Glamour Magazine Clean Beauty Award – Best Vitamin Mist
These accolades aren’t just shiny badges on our website — they’re a testament to the fact that ethical, clean, high-performance beauty can stand shoulder to shoulder with the biggest names in the industry.
A Clean Beauty Movement
Fast forward to today, and the world is finally catching on to what we’ve been saying for over a decade: clean, non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free skincare isn’t just a trend — it’s the future. More and more people are realizing that what you put on your skin matters just as much as what you put into your body. And it’s incredibly rewarding to know that Eco Diva Natural has been part of this clean beauty revolution from the start.
Kindness in Every Detail
At the heart of Eco Diva Natural is kindness — to your skin, to animals, and to the planet. Every aspect of our brand reflects this ethos. Our products are formulated with superfoods, vitamins, minerals, and omegas to nourish your skin from the outside in. Our packaging is designed to be as sustainable as possible, using recyclable materials and minimizing waste. And our manufacturing processes prioritize ethical sourcing, cruelty-free practices, and eco-friendly innovation.
Celebrating 11 Years of Eco Diva Magic
As we celebrate 11 years in business, I’m filled with gratitude — for our loyal customers who have supported us on this journey, for the incredible team behind Eco Diva Natural, and for the opportunity to create products that truly make a difference in people’s lives.
This milestone is a reminder that women can build powerful, purpose-driven businesses — even in a predominantly male world. And as we look to the future, I’m more excited than ever about what’s to come.
To every woman out there dreaming of starting her own business: You’ve got this. Follow your passion, stay true to your values, and never underestimate the power of grit, determination, and a little bit of magic.
Here’s to the next chapter of Eco Diva Natural — and to a cleaner, kinder, more beautiful world.
