My name is Rosanna. I am British born of Jamaican parentage – the founder of Huiler Botanics.
Huiler Botanics was born after 60+ years of using products derived from natural oils and butters.
Loosely translated ‘huiler’ is a French verb – to oil, to rub in, to lubricate, to grease.
My mother always used cocoa butter, olive oil and castor oil on my skin and hair – as a baby and throughout my childhood.
As I got older I remember thinking how greasy felt it was but it kept my hair and skin soft and my mum swore by it.
When my daughter Serena was born – as a young mother I followed on from what I knew and used similar products on her.
My daughter Charlotte was born at 25 weeks gestation weighing only 867 grams. She spent the crucial first few weeks of her life in a hot incubator 24 hours a day, making her delicate, paper thin skin very dry.
I was encouraged by a lovely neonatal nurse to use natural oils to massage her. It brought immense relief to me knowing that I was doing something to benefit and comfort her. She reacted positively to my touch. At this time I was unable to hold her when she cried, all I could do was touch her.
Today the tiny pinprick scars on her hands that were evident after months of lifesaving, intense medical interventions have healed and disappeared, for many years being the only visible reminder of those traumatic times.
Those natural oils and butters I used on my tiny daughter with skin so thin and fragile made me realise how powerful and beneficial these products derived from nature could be.
My son Aaron was born a few years later also benefitted from natural oils and butters when he suffered with severe eczema – it helped enormously with moisturising and alleviating the dryness and itching.
The family have continued using my oils and butter formulations for their skin and hair care, including my stubborn husband who’s dry feet were a problem for many years!
In 2019 I decided to take things a step further and qualified Certified Natural Cosmetic Formulator. Over the past few years I have researched and tested in depth, many ingredients. I have endeavoured to use those that are of the best quality, effective, sustainable and affordable.
