Wonderveld Apothecary

Organic. Natural. Buzz words when it comes to the foods we consume and doing so in a ‘healthy’ manner. Marcii Magson realised that those words are important when it comes to not only what we put in our bodies, but what we put on our skin too - behold, Apothecary.

Apothecary is a locally made and loved skincare product line, driven to be simple, natural and ethical.

Where did your passion for creating start and how did it translate into the production of Apothecary?

I grew up on a farm in the Karoo, 10 km outside the tiny town of Montagu, with bees, tadpoles and anthills as ‘friends’. We played in mud, in the field and made flower crowns with fynbos. My grandmother roasted her own coffee, made butter, soap and ointments with beeswax and lard using lemon verbena, buchu and other fynbos from the mountains. These smells, aromas and flavours, methods and ways influenced and inspired my creativity and are the foundation of all creative endeavors I embark on. I like to work with raw materials, use my hands, and feel as if I am part of the process.

Wonderveld was born in the dread of a December in Windhoek. I used to make pesto for friends and exhibition openings and people started telling me to make and sell it. Then I started looking for organic greens to make pesto (one of the things I love the most in the world) and was surprised with the incredible organic suppliers we had around. So, I jumped in and made a range of pestos. In the winter I switched to Chimichurri and salsa verde. The base for these is parsley, which is available all year, whereas basil goes black in the winter and is not so frequently available. I also added tomato pesto as I get the most amazing sundried tomatoes from Montagu. This I make all the time and I currently have a fridge fully stocked. The others are seasonal and I make them when I can get good organic fresh produce.

Apothecary started later. In 2020 during lockdown. I have always made my own lotions, face oils and concoctions, but as I was finally pregnant with our first little miracle at the age of 43 I really started looking at what I put in my body and also on my skin. I have always been inspired by Mother Nature, but once you pay very close attention and study some of the wonders of botany and the powers locked within these raw organisms you realise the magic. This is the driving force behind Apothecary. Infusing my own oils. Sourcing and drying local herbs and botanicals. Making powder from dried beetroot to use as a lip and cheek colour. Once you start experimenting, the options and wonders are endless.

While my little girl was growing in my belly, I became incredibly aware that it makes sense that the way we care for our body, with simple nourishing whole foods, is exactly the way we should care for our skin. Once she was born I wanted to take care of her skin, her cute chubby cheeks and her rolls. There was only one way I wanted to do that: naturally, healthy and lovingly.

After a lot of reading, testing and experimenting with DIY recipes and then doing several courses on formulating using only botanical ingredients, Wonderveld Apothecary was born. The desire of living a more conscious and authentic life has led to a very fulfilling journey of developing products and a brand that encompasses the values of permanency, quality, wholesomeness and love. An overall sense of feeling wonderful because of the basic choices I have made. Simple, Natural and Ethical.

Who is your target market for Apothecary, and how do you get connected to them?

People who are daring enough to go 100% natural. I also believe in unconventional beauty, having freckles myself. I often use unconventional beauty for my advertising. People with freckles, wrinkles, tattoos. Real people we associate with and not photoshopped icons. People who live close to nature and who believe in the power of raw botanicals and essential oils.

I have an online store and a very interactive and busy Instagram (@wonderveld). I also love to do giveaways! But most of my customers are word of mouth as the product really speaks for itself. It really is amazing once you take the leap and go all natural. The mass market makes you believe that you need a routine with hundreds of little bottles pumped with synthetic chemicals, fragrances and parabens. I did my diploma in Natural Skincare in June last year and for the first week we were tasked to wash our faces with honey, tone it with green tea or apple cider vinegar and moisturise it with olive oil or raw coconut oil. That was how simple it was and the results were incredible.

Wonderveld Apothecary seems to me to be the perfect synergy of so much that we are told to strive toward: healthy and natural ingredients used in products that are produced locally and ethically with the initiative to reuse packaging materials and reduce the use of plastic. Everything I want to support and be a part of, and I confess, I was convinced that I need every facial product under the sun, in my cabinet and on my skin, without seeing the results I paid for. Wonderveld Apothecary, I am coming for you!

Find Wonderveld Apothecary via Marcii’s online store: www.wonderveld.store or visit her showroom (by appointment only) where you can test products. Wonderveld Apothecary is also available at Eat@ Nelson Mandela Avenue and on the Namibian Farmers Online platform at namfarmersonline.com. Contact Marcii directly via email at marciigoose@icloud.com or Whatsapp at 081 403 6682

Promocode: FlyWestair At checkout enter FlyWestair and automatically receive 20% off purchases. Only for the month of June.

Ena Visagie & Marcii Magson