“The desert is not barren at all, it is full and ripe. It doesn’t need to be flattered with rain. It certainly needs rain, but it does with what it has and creates amazing beauty.” - Joy Harjo

WHAT IS THE KALAHARI MELON?

The Kalahari Melon, also known as citrullus lanatus, tsamma or the maketaan melon, is considered the first and original wild watermelon. In other words, it is the evolutionary ancestor of common watermelons, meaning that the plant has evolved through history, over thousands of years, to develop a whole new species of fruit with notably different features. The Kalahari Melon comes in various shapes and sizes, but is normally smaller, yellow in colour and has intensely bitter flesh, whilst the common sweet watermelon is much larger with red flesh.

UNIQUE BIOLOGY - FROM SEED TO SKIN

The Kalahari Melon lends its name from the desert where it evolved. In the local Tswana language, the Kalahari Desert is referred to as the kgalagadi, meaning “land of great thirst”, spanning across South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. Here, the wild melon has evolved a remarkable resilience to withstand the new norm of frequent and prolonged droughts that have arisen from acute climate change. While other plants wither away, the Kalahari Melon bathes in the scorching temperatures, continuing to grow and flourish throughout the drought. This indigenous plant has adapted to be in sync with the natural cycles of its extreme ecosystem, requiring very little water and thriving in uncultivated, arid land, far away from forests and food crops.

The melon was overlooked for millennia by farmers, who even considered the plant a worthless weed. When you take into account the bitter kalahari melon taste and the fact that the kalahari melon seed oil smell is more neutral than fragrance oils, it isn't surprising that it was viewed as undesirable by local farmers, who actively removed it from agriculture. It was not until an extreme drought a few years ago prompted us to investigate the properties of this hardy plant, that we discovered the watermelon seeds possessed a unique oil. The scientific data sheet showed that Kalahari Melon Oil was unlike any other oil for skin, hair care or personal care, in the world.

We had discovered the Kalahari’s nêô sephiri, meaning its secret gift.

NATURALLY POWERFUL SKIN CARE

In the North West Province of South Africa, where the soil is unpolluted, untouched and naturally fertile, each of our Kalahari Melon seeds harbour a naturally powerful oil that delivers a potent dose of essential nutrients to your skin. It is on the fringes of this barren land, on a certified organic farm, where every drop of our organic Kalahari Melon Oil is cold pressed and filtered, to produce a 100% natural oil for all skin types.

Unlike traditional oils, Nêô Sephiri's Kalahari Melon oil is more resilient because it has had to adapt to extreme environmental conditions, making it more stable and nutrient-dense. Kalahari Melon seed oil benefits are owing to its uniquely rich combination of vitamin E and essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, which work together to maintain skin resilience, repair your skin’s moisture barrier and boost skin health. Free from fragrance, artificial preservatives and essential oils (also known as carrier oils), each bottle of our facial oil only comprises of natural ingredients, which are native to your skin and body.

If you're interested in learning more about the drought situation in South Africa, watch this informative short film from National Geographic.