WALVIS BAY – What started as a small experiment in her kitchen, and a coping mechanism during Covid-19, has grown into a fully fledged local brand for a Walvis Bay entrepreneur. Well-known nail technician Natalie Beukes has launched her beauty care brand, Shea Queen, which has since become a recognised name in the coastal community.
Beukes, whose products are already popular along the coast, introduced a new addition to her established Shea Queen label on Saturday.
She said that is how her products were born in her kitchen. She has since ventured into organic hair and skincare products under the name Shea Queen, using naturally sourced ingredients, including shea butter imported from Nigeria.
Her range includes the newly launched body oil, a turmeric body scrub, a coffee scrub, moisturising beauty bars, charcoal soap and products aimed at addressing uneven skin tone and pigmentation. She said during Covid-19, she saw her steady income decline due to the no-contact rules imposed to curb the spread of the virus.
“It was a very depressing time, but I had to think of supplementing my income and providing for my family,” she said.
Beukes said she has always loved beauty and hair care products and would often experiment, especially when her two daughters struggled with their identities. Mixing different oils was therefore nothing new to her. She explained that she had a small supply of shea butter at home and decided to experiment with it. What started as a simple idea soon developed into a business.
“I started making products and advertising them on WhatsApp and social media. In the beginning, I delivered from the boot of my car, dropping off small packages at people’s homes,” she said.
Beukes added that the business also became a personal coping mechanism during a difficult period in her life.
“I was dealing with anxiety and hair loss. Working on these products gave me something to focus on, and it helped me through that period,” she said.
The name Shea Queen was inspired by both the main ingredient and a desire to make users feel confident.
“Shea is the main ingredient, and the ‘queen’ part comes from the idea that everyone deserves to feel like royalty. I wanted people to have that experience when using the products,” she said.
Her product range has since expanded to include raw and refined shea butter, body scrubs, handmade soaps and hair care products.
“I started with shea butter, then realised I needed a cleanser, so I taught myself how to make soap. From there, I added scrubs and hair products. It just kept growing,” she said. Beukes said her products are designed to cater for a wide range of customers.
“I wanted to create something that works for everyone, regardless of skin tone or hair texture. Many products on the market do not cater for all people,” she said.
She added that her daughters also played a role in inspiring the business.
“Watching my children struggle with self-esteem made me want to create products that help people feel better about themselves,” she said. Although she has no formal training in cosmetics, Beukes said she relies on research and customer feedback.
“I spend a lot of time researching and asking customers what they want. That helps me improve and grow the range,” she said.
Family support has also been key to her journey.
“My family were among the first to support me. They helped market the products and believed in what I was doing from the start,” she said.
Beukes currently operates from a salon in Walvis Bay’s central business district and distributes her products to Swakopmund, Henties Bay and other towns.
She is now encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs not to give up on their ideas.
“It is not an easy journey. You have to keep pushing, keep knocking on doors, and believe in what you are doing,” she said.