KATAVI (PTY) LTD
Estate Agency in Sandton

Katavi skin care products specifically target the noticeable effects of environmental stress on our skin. Our African extracts are ethically and sustainably sourced, and rural communities benefit directly from their sale. Janine Halsted, a beauty industry veteran, was first introduced to the Kigelia fruit as a young child growing up in Zimbabwe. Raised by a cosmetic scientist father, her weekends were spent in and around rural villages learning about native plant species. During these trips, her father observed the locals rubbing the Kigelia fruit on their skin for health and beauty. Pitch black with a strong earthy smell, the original cream was less than appealing. However, when Janine’s best friend, Carolyn Berman, was persuaded to use the cream for the first time, it enormously improved the look of her complexion. She was hooked and convinced Janine that they should market the product. They focused on plants that thrived while exposed to the relentless African equatorial sun and severely dry climate. They believed these plants must have developed extraordinary compounds to acclimatize to ongoing environmental stress. Made in small batches, their products initially sold in local dermatologist offices and independent health stores. Their formulas developed a strong word-of-mouth following. Deciding to expand the line’s distribution after 17 years, Janine and Carolyn sought advice from Gus Lebreton, a Zimbabwean ethno-botanist and founder of PhytoTrade, a southern African natural products trade association. With 20 years of natural resource management and business development experience, and a long-time believer in the efficacy of Kigelia, he joined the company in 2010 and encouraged a complete re-branding of its all-natural skin care collection. The result of over 27 years of work, Katavi is an all-natural anti-aging skin care collection. Over thousands of years, plants in Africa had to adapt their genetic make up to hostile, changing, and extremely harsh environmental conditions. These conditions ranged from high temperatures with abundant rainfall to low temperatures and no rainfall, extreme and constant ultraviolet radiation, and arid conditions. To survive, they developed natural photo-protective abilities, unique compounds, potent phyto-chemicals and antioxidants making them adept at preserving nutrients. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed their remarkable properties. When applied topically, these same compounds of phyto-chemicals, antioxidants and nutrients have proven extremely effective at visibly rejuvenating skin.