When Eubranesia Santi struggled with her hair, she took matters into her own hands. The frustration of dry hair and constant breakage was real, and she endured years of mockery in Mitchells Plain on the Cape Flats. Today, that shame has turned to gold.
In 2024, she reclaimed her dignity by founding the Eden hair range, made with natural products. Her agri-processing venture is a labour of love, built to support other young girls and ensure they never have to face the same pain.
Santi tried chemical treatments from store shelves, but they only offered short-term fixes and left her hair in a worse state.
“My hair wasn’t growing, I constantly experienced breakage, and it affected my confidence,” she says.
Fixing more than just hair
Three years ago, she boldly chopped off her hair and started mixing her own solution in her kitchen. “It was more than a haircut; it was about rebuilding my confidence and embracing who I truly am.”
Through her own research and trial and error, she identified three major gaps in the market: education, effectiveness, and affordability.
Many products on the shelves promise results but fail to address real concerns like breakage and dryness.
“At the same time, products that are effective are often priced beyond what many everyday consumers can consistently afford,” Santi says.
Building a brand in Mitchells Plain brought tough challenges, she says. Funding and exposure were limited, meaning she had to create her own opportunities.
“One of the biggest challenges was overcoming self-doubt. In a community where you don’t often see people building brands, it’s easy to question if your vision is valid.”
She also had to balance the roles of wife and mother while building from the ground up.
Working with nature
Eden Range started small by using natural and organic ingredients to fix and feed hair. After family members tested her early batches, she used their feedback to refine the formula until it was right.
Today, her customers see the results: healthy, shiny hair full of volume.
The Eden Range is made with organic and natural ingredients like aloe vera, shea butter, coconut oil, and argan oil. Santi selected these alongside avocado, jojoba, and castor oils to lock in moisture and stop breakage.
To soothe the scalp, she infused the products with rosemary, peppermint, and lavender, leaning into the power of plant-based care.
“Our products are manufactured locally by a SANS-approved lab in the Western Cape,” Santi explains. “As a family brand, we handle the formulation testing and customer guidance from home.”
Before the official launch, she spent ten months testing and refining her formulas to ensure they actually worked. Today, the range includes natural shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, leave-in conditioner, shea hair butter, hair growth oil, natural styling mousse, and gel.
A family business
The business is a family affair, with her husband, Hjalmar, and daughters, Tanisha and Zoë, all playing active roles.
“We’re all hands-on because it started with us testing on each other first. That’s how we know it works for different textures.”
Santi tells Food For Mzansi that the immediate focus is on strengthening their online presence and building community trust. However, the long-term vision is much bigger. “I see the Eden Range expanding into retail spaces across South Africa and eventually entering international markets.”
Even with big plans, protecting the heart of the brand is her priority. She wants to ensure the quality and purpose of every product remain unchanged while creating mentorship and training opportunities for other women.
Santi shares these tips for other brand builders:
- Clear the noise: If the desire is in your heart, pray and run with the vision.
- Do the research: Equip yourself and get your foundation right.
- Stay consistent: Keep going even when it feels like nothing is moving. Push until the breakthrough comes.
- Find support: Get a business coach or support group to keep you grounded.
- Just start: Start scared if you have to. The version of you on the other side will thank you for it.
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