Merline Holland says the constant loss of her hair, which can have a mental toll on a person, led her to create a product to help solve the problem.
After three years, her Organic Hair Growth Oil is now available worldwide, helping men and women compact their hair loss problems.
She said finding virgin cold-pressed oils in Namibia was not easy. She started small, working from her kitchen once she found the right formula, as she could not initially produce in large quantities to help many people.
“When I started seeing results, I was too excited to keep it to myself. I shared the oils with my colleagues at Namib Primary School and sold them to a few people on Facebook,” stated Holland.
“Losing hair can take a toll on one’s mental health. When I started losing my hair in 2018, I felt like I was losing my mind with it! For a young lady, in her early 30s, it was a hard pill to swallow. My confidence was down the drain. I am not a huge fan of wigs, and I had no choice but to wear them because bald patches were visible if the hair was not tied up in a bun,” she recalled.
Holland recalls doing more research and experimenting with natural products, most of which were raw food from her kitchen.
“I made carrot oil, avocado oil, rice water – you name it. I made it all in my kitchen. I knew from childhood that the Aloe Vera plant has a lot of healing properties, and I used it directly on my scalp; it is still my go-to moisturiser to this day,” she said.
The struggle did not stop there. Early 2020, she relocated to the United Kingdom. As soon as she landed, she started searching for trichologists, and booked herself with one in London. A trichologist is a specialist who focuses on trichology – the study of diseases or problems related to the hair and scalp, as well as their treatments.
Holland got a list of medications and ointments to purchase and use – one was a similar ointment to what she got from the trichologist in Namibia.
At the sight of the medication she got, it dawned on her that she needed to get the oils and herbs required and continue with “self-medication”.
“I did extensive research because I knew I could access a lot of oils, herbs, seeds and roots that I could not get in Namibia. Everything was online, and they delivered to my house, which was very convenient. I felt like a child in a candy shop,” she said.
She lives to tell the tale
After mastering the formula, experimenting and testing the product for
three years, Holland knew it was time to give it wings and sell it to anyone out there who was going through what she went through.
“I decided to make the oil even better so that it treats scalp conditions, such as itchiness, dandruff and dryness. All products I use to make the oil are organic and safe for people of any age and gender to use.”
The Organic Hair Growth Oil is specifically made to emulate the natural sebum.
Sebum is an oily substance that is made by the sebaceous glands in the skin.
The function of sebum is to dampen and avert the skin from becoming too dry.
Sebum also has antibacterial properties and the body’s first defence against infection.
Holland says the lack of it can cause the hair to become dry and brittle, resulting in hair loss and breakage, and sebum is an important part of hair health.
For more information on the Organic Hair Growth product, Holland is available on all social media platforms.
– psiririka@nepc.com.na